The line moving through the air will be that loud until someone invents a quieter line. A lack of motor noise is appealing, though; I need something that's as quiet as possible. Right now, I use a scythe...but that isn't always a good solution.
Milwaukee Tool Review: Stubby Impact 12V Fuel 3/8" Drive
- Thread starter mrblaine
- Start date
The line moving through the air will be that loud until someone invents a quieter line. A lack of motor noise is appealing, though; I need something that's as quiet as possible. Right now, I use a scythe...but that isn't always a good solution.
Marlon1977
Member
I think @mrblaine should get a commission from Milwaukee. I was thinking about getting some more cordless tools from DeWalt since I have an assortment of batteries and chargers already and have always liked their stuff, but now after looking at Milwaukee I don’t think they have anything that can compare.
All the technical specs are a little confusing since I have not really researched this much. What would be the number 1 suggestion for the very first 3/8 impact to buy that would most likely be used the most by me to work on my Jeep?
All the technical specs are a little confusing since I have not really researched this much. What would be the number 1 suggestion for the very first 3/8 impact to buy that would most likely be used the most by me to work on my Jeep?
OP
Marlon1977
Member
Awesome! My wife is going to LOVE this lol. I just did a rear Dana 44 swap into the TJ and she just THOUGHT that was expensive...
I sure hated dragging around that heavy 1/2 impact with the air hose attached though.
If you don’t want a wife any more go join a forum called GarageJournal if you haven’t already heard of it. I’ve been around there for over 2 years and I now have more tools than I will ever need. I have nearly as many tools as a professional mechanic...but that forum make you lust for even more. Kind of like this forum and Jeep parts.
Someone was taking about the cordless ratchets vs the stubby? If I’m looking for speed because there are a lot of bolts (such as the oil pan or valve cover) I pull out the stubby. But if it’s just a couple/few bolts and I need control then the ratchet. But I use the stubby 5 to 1 over the ratchet. Because if it’s like 2 bolts I do it the “old fashioned way” with a hand ratchet.
For kicks I used the ⅜ stubby to put all the wheels on my Jeep on Highest speed. Then used my torque wrench and each of the bolts was between 75 and 85. Now I did not hammer on the bolts with the stubby. As soon it stopped turning I stopped. To me that is perfect because I want to torque them down to spec anyway.
Marlon1977
Member
So I bought a M18 brushed 1/2 drill and 1/4 driver combo while they were on sale at Home Depot. Scored a 3/8 M18 Fuel impact from Facebook that looks brand new for $65 bucks. All I can say is wow, that impact is a beast for it’s size. Way more torque and way lighter than my 1/2 inch air impact I’ve been using.
So I only have 1.5Ah batteries that came with the combo and I’m on the hunt for some better batteries. How much more power do the larger batteries make? I’m not concerned with run time really, but more power could come in handy on some stuff.
So I only have 1.5Ah batteries that came with the combo and I’m on the hunt for some better batteries. How much more power do the larger batteries make? I’m not concerned with run time really, but more power could come in handy on some stuff.
Good review - I recently purchased the Milwaukee kit with pole saw and trimmer with the HD 9.0 battery. The trimmer is awesome, so light and easy to use and no messy gas. I really like the pole saw, I was just out in my driveway cutting down big branches, works very well and easy to use...and no gas. I am curious how the Milwaukee chainsaw works, if it works as well as a gas-powered chain saw.
xxdabroxx
TJ Addict
I'm a milwaukee junkie as well. I've got all kinds of stuff. The M12 stuff is really impressive for the battery size, I've got a ratchet and the stubby impact. The stubby impact is quickly becoming one of my favorite tools.
I had one of their M18 vacuums until my wife requisitioned it and hasn't let go. It's great for around the house.
The leaf blower is probably the thing I use most often, so easy to pick up and blow the driveway off.
The 1/2" high torque impact is a F'ing beast but a little on the heavy side for longer use. I think that's where air tools are still great is they weigh a little less in some instances. That and my dad has a snap on air ratchet that will try and break your wrist where the M12 is a little on the weak side.
I love the 1/4" hex drive impacts too, having the different settings on the M18 fuel make it really nice even for trim screws.
The angle grinders kick ass also, you don't know how much you hate an extension cord until you don't have to get one out any more.
I had one of their M18 vacuums until my wife requisitioned it and hasn't let go. It's great for around the house.
The leaf blower is probably the thing I use most often, so easy to pick up and blow the driveway off.
The 1/2" high torque impact is a F'ing beast but a little on the heavy side for longer use. I think that's where air tools are still great is they weigh a little less in some instances. That and my dad has a snap on air ratchet that will try and break your wrist where the M12 is a little on the weak side.
I love the 1/4" hex drive impacts too, having the different settings on the M18 fuel make it really nice even for trim screws.
The angle grinders kick ass also, you don't know how much you hate an extension cord until you don't have to get one out any more.
From what I've seen of electric chainsaws is that they're a bit slower than gas. Even if they were faster, my main "issue" with them is that around here we typically need a chainsaw when a storm just went over and the power is out and there are multiple trees to clean up. If the power is out gas is king after you can't charge more batteries...
For touching up the lawn or grabbing a Christmas tree the sawzall works well.
I ended up buying an M12 fuel kit with the small hammer drill and hex driver for just a little more $$ than only the drill. The driver has comparable specs to my 5 year old Dewalt 20v and I thought I'd be selling it off (I only wanted the small drill for tighter Jeep work). But after having it in my hand I realized how much lighter it is for only slightly less torque. For large buliding projects where I'm putting in a few thousand screws in a day I can also throw a 4.0ah battery in it to be comparable in run time to my Dewalt (and the weight will be more comparable I suppose, but for small projects I can stick with the small lighter battery). Once I have proven it on a few projects I might be selling off the Dewalt driver instead.
I'm getting more invested in the M12 stuff but having been shortening wheel studs around the Jeep I'm tempted to get back into the cordless grinder game with M18. I don't mind the cord for fab table work or working on one side of the Jeep at a time, but it's annoying when moving around a lot.
I'm getting more invested in the M12 stuff but having been shortening wheel studs around the Jeep I'm tempted to get back into the cordless grinder game with M18. I don't mind the cord for fab table work or working on one side of the Jeep at a time, but it's annoying when moving around a lot.
ejay
TJ Addict
I started my Milwaukee journey. The land we're building on is completely wild...we have hundreds of little trees that are just too much for loppers but not big enough to justify the chainsaw, so I just bought a Milwaukee m18 Sawzall with charger, (1) 3.0 battery, and a neato hard case. My wife will use it while I'm running the chainsaw or the brush hog, and then it will go to garage duty.
Hopefully I don't regret not getting the Fuel version, but at $100 premium, when I already have a corded recip saw, I just couldn't justify it. I'll probably go with the fuel for my next Milwaukee tool, whatever that happens to be.
For those that already have a decent collection of chargers and batteries, do you buy the tool only? One downside to that I found with this saw was that the tool-only didn't come with the case. That might be ok for an impact or a ratchet but the biggest annoyance about my corded Sawzall was throwing it in a box or on a shelf with a big long flimsy blade just looking for an excuse to get bent.
Hopefully I don't regret not getting the Fuel version, but at $100 premium, when I already have a corded recip saw, I just couldn't justify it. I'll probably go with the fuel for my next Milwaukee tool, whatever that happens to be.
For those that already have a decent collection of chargers and batteries, do you buy the tool only? One downside to that I found with this saw was that the tool-only didn't come with the case. That might be ok for an impact or a ratchet but the biggest annoyance about my corded Sawzall was throwing it in a box or on a shelf with a big long flimsy blade just looking for an excuse to get bent.
I generally look at for the part number and then compare the cost differential between the tool-only or tool with battery/case etc. Sometimes there are great deals and you just have to look around for the best deal.
You can find people selling just the case on eBay or Facebook marketplace or craigslist.
I love the M18 chainsaw, it is a beast and it easily paid for itself. I don't frequently use it, but I do have a lot of trees, so when one falls I can bang it out much more efficiently than a gas powered one. It's great for small time use.
I primarily buy bare tools. Unless there is deal on a complete kit. I have too many chargers as it is now. I've found plenty of deals with a battery thrown in with the bare tool.
Then pair up my tools in separately purchased Milwaukee bags or Husky tool bags. The blow molded cases are just as not space-efficient (For me at least), and there usually isn't room for accessories.
I like the idea of finding someone that wanted the battery/charger but not the case. I agree the case takes up more space but I value access, too. Having a row of cases that I can easily grab from is preferable to rummaging through a bunch of tools scattered on a bench or piled into a box or plastic tote.
So mine live in bags on a shelf in my basement. The "house tools" bag (M12 drill, impact driver, oscillating multitool), the circular saw bag (M18 fuel saw and fuel impact driver). The mechanic type tools live in toolbox drawers with sockets and wrenches — stubby impact, fuel ratchet, die grinder.
You like cases, I like bags, but I think we're accomplishing the same goal.
I buy tool only 99% of the time. In an ideal world a case would be cool but they just take up so much space. If I had all my milwaukee stuff in the cases, it would be hard to store it all and an annoyance to dig through the case every time I get one out. So personally I'm good without those. If you insist on them, then yeah probably buy them from someone else if you can find them as mentioned before.
Main reason I buy tool only is because they always tack on a ton of money for the included battery and charger and they are never good chargers like the rapid ones, and the batteries are never very large. Plus I have plenty of batteries myself from small to large, so I really just don't need more for my use.
I definitely wouldn't want the case for everything. Slender stuff like a 3/8" ratchet, or relatively compact stuff like a stubby impact would go just fine in my toolbox.
I'm mainly thinking saws. I have a plastic tote full of saws...circular saw, sawzall, jigsaw, various types of hand saws. The first time I need something at the bottom of the stack, it's a disaster and I end up hating to even open it up because I have to be slow and careful to not jam my hand into an exposed blade, until I devote the time to empty the whole thing out and repack it.
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