Shade tree mechanic here! 😂. Anyway I’m a big Milwaukee tool fan. Not sure the exact amount but I’ve got probably 10-15 M18 tools drills, saws, impact drivers ect. I also bought an M18 mid tq impact. I bought it for automotive use but it sure does sink lag bolts.

A while ago I bought a 3/8 inch M12 fuel ratchet and stubby impact. Combo is great. I often find the 3/8 Stubby is overkill. When using fasteners smaller than 10mm I will turn it down to mode 1. Often 10mm fasteners I turn down also. Or doing things like loosing hose clamps. However things like that I often use the ratchet.

Anyway my birthday is coming so I decided I’m buying myself a new M12 for automotive use. I’m really eyeballing the 1/4 inch stubby and the 1/4 inch high speed ratchet. I’m finding myself using 1/4 inch sockets a lot more than I use to.

So with that said I can only buy one. Which would you get? I can use adapters for 3/8 inch to 1/4 inch but I’d rather use a tool with less Kapow when undoing it setting smaller fasteners. Also the adapters sometimes make it not possible to get the tool into smaller spaces.

Eventually I want to get the 3/8 right angle impact a high tq 1/2 inch as well as as a M12 drill and 1/4 impact driver. Tired of getting oil or grease on my go to drill or impact driver then getting it on the wall inside my house. Anyway what next?

 

Haven't used it yet but I picked this up recently because it was a bogo free item so I also picked up a 3/8 M12 ratchet with no battery. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Milwauke...5-22/309495334 it came with 2 batteries and charger.

 

Awe man why the heck did you show me that. Now I gotta add another tool to the wish list!!!! 🤤

I wish they had a 1/4 inch high speed ratchet and 1/4 inch stubby combo pack tool only I’ve got plenty of batteries!!!

 

Since your also in the market for a high tq 1/2" impact, I whole heartedly recommend this beast https://www.homedepot.com/p/Milwauke...-21B/312012941

I've been using one at work daily for a long time now and was impressed so much I bought one for home use. Best advice I can give if you get one is use the power selection button, full torque and that thing will break lug studs so easily it's spooky. The power is amazing to say the least.

 

I have one of those and don't find it useful at all however in a home maintenance situation it would be quite a flexible tool to have at hand. Working in a big truck service capacity its just a tool that doesn't lend itself to that sort of work. I'm not convinced it would be that great in even a small automotive capacity either---and that's IMHO mind you.

Generally I use nothing but Milwaukee cordless tools, without bragging or complaining have lost count of the actual number I own. On rare occasions I'll buy one of the "package deals" from Home Depot etc etc but for the most part I buy the tool only because batteries and chargers I already own.

I do own the High Torque 1/2" drive 2767-20 and it is a beast---good thing it has adjustable power on and off settings. Its big, cumbersome and a bit heavy however you're not about to overwhelm the tool's capability in a 1/2" drive impact. The 3/8" version is also a great tool; I own very few 1/4" drive power tools beyond simple "drivers" for screws and other small fasteners.

Having used Milwaukee pretty much exclusively for the past 30 years I've never been disappointed with their designs, quality and longevity. Having just one brand makes sense to me as it reduces the amount of batteries and chargers one needs to have a nice array of tools. Along with their cordless tools I have a few corded drills that are amazing in their power and function---wouldn't trade them for any other brand.

 

I sure could have used it when I converted all of our kitchen cabinets and drawers to soft close, getting in to the back of the cabinet where the slides are anchored was a royal PITA. Having that offset bit tool head would have made it oh so much easier.

I can see where it might also be useful working in/around/under the dash as I was the goto guy in my shop for all things of that nature, wiring, evap cores, heater cores, plenum replacement, over all dash replacement etc... other than that I can't see much use for it either. The reason I chose it was it was the only bogo free item on sale in stock local that had 2 batteries and charger and I wanted the free 3/8" ratchet that had no battery.

Now I have a battery for each one, a charger and a free ratchet.

 

And that's a great upside then!

I wouldn't part with mine and while the tool and its attachments live in a tool box on the work truck I did "re-purpose" the original soft zippered case with removable partitions to hold my Milwaukee 2767-20 impact and tire changing sockets & extensions.

 

I tell ya what I'd like to see them make, a cordless electric hammer. If they could develop one as effective as an air hammer, I'd buy it in a heart beat. I'm not talking about those huge jack hammer type tools but handheld for suspension, exhaust, steering, general automotive, etc ...work.

 

That's a great idea actually---never really gave it too much consideration being honest, never use one so that's kinda sorta understandable. For me given that Milwaukee has some fiercely powerful rotary tools I could see them stepping up into this market segment.

Like any pneumatic tool the cordless one's replace they have a ton of advantages like an almost complete elimination of a compressor and its attendant fittings, hoses etc for a lot of shop work. Good gravy they have cordless portable table saws so there's a desire to go cordless in many applications.

 

Hell they have a ton of applications, back pack sprayers, grease guns, caulking guns, weedeater and even a self propelled lawnmower. When my Echo weedeater craps out it'll be replaced with Milwaukee, uses the same M18 battery as the 1/2" impact, the lawnmower uses 2 M18 batteries but I'll keep my Toro z turn for that task, until they come out with an ev riding mower that is.

 

I'm a big fan of Milwaukee tools, too. Several months ago I started buying M18 tools and must admit to being impressed with them. I'll be adding more as time goes on!

One of my "favorite" tools is a Milwaukee circular saw from the 60s. It was part of the family business back when I was just a child. What's so impressive about this saw, aside from the all-metal case, is that it has been used exclusively for cutting all forms of masonry products. Brick, block, concrete, Hardie siding, etc. The bearings in it are original and older than most of the people on this site!

 

Back when tools were built to last and be repaired, not thrown out like today's disposable society. How much that saw weigh? 40lbs? lol built like a Sherman tank.