Maximum Output

REMEMBER WHEN DEWALT'S 14.4-VOLT nickel-cadmium (NiCd) platform was something to get excited about? Of course you don't. That was a lifetime ago—11 years to be exact. The industry has moved on, and Brookfield, Wis.–based Milwaukee Electric Tool Corp. showed us how far when it introduced its 28-volt lithium-ion battery earlier this year.

The company says V28, as it is called, is “a revolution in cordless tool[s].” John Sara, cordless tool product manager, says Milwaukee has delivered what its end users have been requesting for a long time: more power. “You lose momentum when you have to ... recharge your battery or switch to a plug-in tool,” Sara says. “With V28, you don't have to.”

The introduction of the 28-volt battery raises some questions: How much power is enough? Will all that power affect run time and battery life? And will the battery's benefits justify the price premium?

“There is a group of end users out there who always want more power,” says Randall Coe, director of product development for Mount Prospect, Ill.–based Bosch Power Tools. “But not everybody wants more power. A number of end users are perfectly satisfied with the power they currently have.” Coe says, for example, that an 18-volt tool with 500 pound feet of torque is more than adequate on a jobsite.

Most manufacturers say the run time a battery can deliver before it has to be recharged is more important than power. This is especially true for those workers who need to perform medium-sized jobs for a much longer time during a given day. “For the general guy, a longer run time is the big issue,” says Tom Duncan, sales and marketing vice president for tool manufacturer Positec USA in Charlotte, N.C. The end users the company asked to test its new WORX line of tools did not list power as an issue, Duncan says, but they were concerned with run time.

Another issue that everyone must consider is cycle life—essentially, how long an end user can expect a battery to last before it has to be replaced. Cycle life, says Coe, is perhaps the No. 1 user complaint because replacing a battery is expensive.

“Milwaukee has answered the call for those people who want more power,” Coe admits. “The question is: How big is that group?” Coe continues, “I think we can learn a lot from the 24-volt battery. It hit the market around 1999 and made a big splash, but today it is not that viable, and you hardly ever see it. It costs significantly more and produces minimal benefits.”

One reason 24-volt tools did not catch on, manufacturers say, has to do with the NiCd battery it uses. Reliable and easily recharged, NiCd technology is versatile and is used in most power tools today. However, in making the move up to 24 volts, the battery's weight increase made tools too heavy.

Christine Potter, senior product manager for cordless tools at Baltimore-based DeWalt, says that the weight increase had a limiting effect on tool sales. Though De-Walt still offers 24 volts, “[t]he majority of the market is for 18 volts,” Potter says. “That is the sweet spot. It offers the best balance of power, run time, and ergonomics.”

“The game is about delivering a tool that is more efficient than the 18-volt battery,” Coe says. “It is important that any new tool delivers a demonstrable benefit over the 18-volt.” It also must also be reasonably priced.

Milwaukee Electric believes it has addressed all of these concerns in the V28. On the one hand, the company says, users get power for doing heavy-duty jobs or cutting very hard materials. On the other hand, Sara says, it offers twice the run time of traditional 18-volt models yet weighs slightly less. The company says lithium-ion battery technology made it all possible.

Considered to be the superior technology available, lithium-ion will make many things possible, manufacturers agree, such as huge gains in run time, torque, and power. NiCd is still very good and will always be around, Sara says, but lithium-ion is the future.

For more product information, visit ebuild, Hanley Wood's interactive product catalog, at www.builderonline.com or www.ebuild.com.

GOOD DRIVERS: The XRP cordless hammer drill/drivers are a perfect blend of performance, run time, and durability enhancements, the manufacturer says. The 18-volt tool features 500 inch pounds of torque, a three-speed transmission, and a newly designed switch with larger contact pads for durability and reliability. The line includes 23 tools that use the same battery platform. DeWalt. 800-433-9258. www.dewalt.com.

SPIN CONTROL: Stressing ergonomics and ease of use, the WORX line of tools includes this circular saw with revolver fluid motion—a feature the company says allows users 60 degrees of rotation when cutting. It gives them the best possible drilling and cutting position without having to strain their wrists or arms, the company says. Featuring a die-cast magnesium foot plate and blade guards, the 18-volt tool weighs 9 ½ pounds and has 15 amps. Positec USA. 704-523-8811. www.positecindustrial.com.

POWER PLAY: The 0719 Sawzall reciprocating saw uses the new 28-volt lithium-ion battery pack that weighs less than an 18-volt yet delivers twice the run time, the manufacturer says. The tool has a variable speed trigger with two-speed range: 0-2000 strokes per minute (spm) for metal and other hard materials and 0-3000 spm for wood. A nonslip, soft-grip handle reduces vibration, the company says. Milwaukee Electric Tool Corp. 262-783-8311. www.milwaukeetool.com.

COOL IT: BLUECORE is a new NiCd battery technology that provides up to 50 percent more life, the company says. Because heat buildup is the main culprit in reduced battery life, the product integrates rods that absorb the heat and dissipate it to keep the battery cool. Completely compatible with the company's existing cordless tools, the new system is available for 9.6-, 12-, 14.4-, 18-, and 24-volt tools. Bosch Power Tools. 877-267-2499. www.boschtools.com.

PRO CIRCUIT: The Hitachi DV18DMR is a new 18-volt cordless hammer drill that delivers 550 inch pounds of torque. Designed for professionals, the unit has a two-piece, rare-earth magnet motor for reliable power and an air circulation feature that cools the motor and helps to protect the drill from overload, the company says. It comes with two NiMH batteries that offer 50 percent longer run time between charges, the manufacturer adds. Hitachi Power Tools. 800-829-4752. www.hitachipowertools.com.