Check us out on Instagram
Kruger Construction
  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Blog

Milwaukee One-Key Impact/Hammer drill

4/28/2016

1 Comment

 
Picture

The Milwaukee One-Key drill and impact Kit.

Milwaukee kept us guessing last year with what they were going to change the workplace with.

They released tools that can be totally customized via Bluetooth from your smart phone. They call the system One-Key.

Now a lot of people weren't very interested in the One-Key when it was first released.

For us we were just thinking oh no more electronics to go wrong. I myself already get a headache when I'm trying to program or update something in the computer.

But after some use we really became confident in the One-Key. We have worked this set hard.

Picture

Now what these tools are is the second-generation Milwaukee Fuel drill and Impact with the advantages of Bluetooth capabilities able to fully customize your tools via smartphone or iPad/tablet.

The configurations are endless, you can control your speed and torque from your smartphone on the jobsite. You can also control your trigger ramp up time, meaning when you pull the trigger it can have a slower gradual start to full blast. Also work light duration can be controlled and the brightness of the light.

Picture

Now the way this works is you connect your phone to the tool you want to customize. From in the settings you pick which out of the four settings buttons on the drill/impact you want to customize. You then set it up the way you want and you can name it and save it.

After some experimenting we have saved setting for screwing on switch and plug plates all the way to using big hole saws.

Picture

Now let's get straight to the point. Is this tool for everyone? Maybe it's not for everyone. I think these tools are more aimed toward the professionals that do more than one thing in their job or even some assembly line work that needs repetitive precision.

For us our work pretty much changes every day from development to finishing.

I also believe that plumbers, mechanics and electricians will really enjoy One-Key capabilities.

I even think it would be great to train an apprentice on. You could set it up so they couldn't get out of control or over sink screws. Even our 8 year old was doing a bang on job with it setup right.

Picture

The One-Key also has a tool tracking application now. The way this works is if you have your location services turned on in your phone settings and One-Key app settings. What it does is track where your tool was the last time they were connected. It would work very nicely if you forgot a tool on a jobsite.

Another great feature of the One-Key system is the kickback control, with the tool having electronic clutch you can set from 1 to 10 and right when the tool catches it stops dead. It's great for drilling or using hole saws. No more twisting your wrists.

Picture

All in all its a great system. Now remember this is the start of cutting edge technology. A lot of people are skeptical about it. But we've said that about other things we use and rely on on a daily basis now.

We are really enjoying our set and use it almost everyday. Being able to set them up just the way we want is great. We recommend this set for the reasons above. It is truly the future of tools. Milwaukee says they are coming out with more updates for the One-Key system that will unlock the tools even more.

This kit is available through Construction Fasteners

Link to all ONE-KEY products - http://cf-t.com/specials/one-key/

$569 for the 2796-22 (and free 5.0 AH battery)
$539 for the 2795-22 (and free 5.0 AH battery)

Coupon code: MURRAY5 – 5% off all ONE-KEY until May 15th

Free Shipping on orders over $100 Across Canada (as long as they are not over weight, size, or in Yukon/Nunavat)



1 Comment

Makita 36v Brushless Miter Saw

4/10/2016

4 Comments

 
Picture


​It sports a Brushless motor powered by two 18v batteries. It has what Makita calls the Automatic Speed Change. Which means it will adjust the torque and speed while cutting heavy duty material to maximize its efficiency and performance.

The saw is very small and light. It weighs in at just over 25 pounds without batteries. As you can see in the picture below it can be held over my head with ease. It's well balanced for an easy carry.

Picture


​Another great feature is the soft start. With this saw being as powerful as a corded saw, they added soft start, which gradually increases the speed so you don't get a jump when the trigger is pulled.

​

Picture

This saws slider depth is great. It can cut up to 12" deep. And just over 3" high on the fence. Now we did add a backing on the fence for cutting 3 1/4 material which is very common for baseboards these day. If you cut flat this won't be a problem. But remember it is only a single bevel so you will have to rotate your material as you go. Which might be tricky if you are cutting in a small area.

Picture

Makita has been adding battery gauges to their tools even though the new batteries are now coming with a gauge built in. This is a great feature if you have older batteries. Everyone hates only having enough power to make a couple cuts then having to run out to the work vehicle to grab a fresh one or two in this case.

Picture


Another feature is the great dust collection for being a slider. After chopping up 2x4s for a small framing job we worked on, we noticed a very small amount of dust on the the floor and a lot in the bag. They also made a V in the attachment of the bag. This helps so your saw dust isn't dumping out while cutting or when it's being transported.

Picture

There is an adjustable depth stop which is great for Dado cuts.

Picture

One thing that we were disappointed about was this saw has no laser. Not that it needs it but it would be nice.

This saw is great, it honestly cuts like a corded saw. The fact that it is so small is nice for anyone who is mobile everyday and does trim work. If you get a chance to try it out you'll be impressed with its speed and power.

4 Comments

Makita Brushless 18v Circular Saw DHS680Z

3/28/2016

3 Comments

 
Picture

This is the Makita Brushless 6 1/2 Circular saw. It's one of our most used tools.
All around its just a well thought out design.

Being cordless it does have a ton of power. Utilizing the brushless technology Makita has made a very efficient saw. The first time we used it was to make strips to fir out a wall. We cut 2 sheets of 1/2" plywood into 1' 1/2" strips and still had 1/2 a 4.0 battery left.

Picture

We haven't used our corded saw for along time now. It's so convenient not looking for plugins and having a cord in the way. It has a lot of power for such a small saw. On a full battery I'd say it's comparable to a corded saw. It has no problem ripping 2x4s up at a fast pace. The Automatic Speed Change technology adjusts cutting speed and torque during your cut for optimum performance.

Picture


The Built-in dust blower keeps the line of cut free of debris. It's actually one of the best I've ever used. The dust and chips don't get in the path of your cut so you can stay on track. You can also pick up an accessory attachment to hook your dust extractor up to.

Picture

It also has Dual Led lights.It does help a lot when lighting is a bit dim.

Picture


Another great feature of this saw is the brake. It's just makes sense to have a brake on a hand saw like this. The safety guard works great. We had a problem with another brand of cordless saw before this one, when we would cut off strips less than a 1/2" the end of the guard would get caught and you would have to move it up. The Makita doesn't have this problem.

Picture


It has a built in rafter hook that is a great size. You can hook it on a ladder, floor joist, trusses etc....

The saw also has a great grip, and very nice balance. The size of the brushless motor is great, it barely sticks out. It's also very light weighing in at 7.3 pounds.

Picture

The depth measurements adjust is very easy to read. The only concern is the measurement gauge on the front of the saw, it seems to be a cheap plastic piece that is only fastened with one screw. But I guess if it gets damaged it shouldn't cost much to get a replacement part.

Makita finally jumped on board with having power gauges on their batteries. But for those old ones that don't have them this saw has one built on.

Picture
Picture

So if you're in the Market for a cordless Circular Saw, we highly recommend this one. It's our daily user. We've ran it for about a year now without any problems.

3 Comments

March 15th, 2016

3/15/2016

0 Comments

 

Milwaukee's M18 Trueview LED Stand Light

Picture
This was one of the tools that we were very excited to get our hands on last year. There is really no other company that has tapped into this part of the market like Milwaukee has. As of now Milwaukee is totally ruling the construction site light game.

They have many Trueview lights, but in this review we are only going to focus on this one, which is probably my favorite.

It is the M18 Trueview LED stand light. Milwaukee really outdid themselves with the design on this one. When collapsed, it stands at just under 4 feet tall and can be stored very easily. In only a matter of seconds you can transform it to stand over 7 feet tall. It has two handles, that make it very easy to pull out the legs for the tripod. There are two collars, for making the light extend from 4 to 7 feet.

Picture
The light also has a swivel on the head to point pretty much anywhere you desire. I'm very happy with the cord they used to run the wires for the swivel head, it seems like they will last for a long time.
Picture
When we first heard about this light, I was a little concerned about how sturdy it would be, and I can tell you I have no concerns anymore. This thing is built very well.

A lot of the time when I'm working I have the light shining over top of me lighting things up. You can also angle it in very specific directions for more detailed work. Having a freestanding light that you can move anywhere in your job site opens up a lot of new angles to have light without the hassle.

This light totally replaces having those old halogen stands that would fall apart sitting in the back of your truck and come with the possibility of starting your job site on fire. Not to mention dragging extension cords around.

One of the worst things about those halogen lights was working on a hot summer day indoors with no air conditioning. They throw off so much heat a guy could barely take it. Another advantage of the Milwaukee light, being LED, is it throws off next to no heat, and I can guarantee you it will not start your job site on fire.

Picture

It has three different modes:

- high, which puts out 2000 lumens for around 4 hours

- medium, which puts out 1300 lumens for around 6 hours

- low, which puts out 850 lumens for around 10 hours.

When the battery is almost dead, the light starts flashing, then goes back on. It does this once a minute for 3 minutes, and then lights out. This is a great feature so that you are not left in the dark scrambling for another battery.

The clear casing over the top of the 12 LEDs is impact resistant, so you do not need to worry about glass or cheap plastic breaking.

Picture
It's surprising how wide of a beam of light it puts out. The light is a neutral white color that is great for sanding and painting.

This light is great for doing work that is higher up, where you have your hands full but you still need light and there's nowhere to hook or hang the light. It's great for sanding ceilings as well.

It runs on M18 battery packs, in the picture you can see that they've left space for the upcoming 9.0 battery which will have an even better run time. The only downfall this light has is it's battery operated only, so you cannot plug it in. As long as you come prepared with batteries, it's really not an issue.




Picture
We highly recommend the light to anyone who needs bright, hassle free light on their jobsite. Anyone who normally uses a halogen or any other corded stand light, or guys who hang lights would really find this a great alternative. It's really nice to not have cords to trip over.


Overall, it's a very durable, versatile and reliable light. It has a five year warranty and limited lifetime warranty on LEDs. You definitely can't go wrong with the Milwaukee LED Stand light.



0 Comments

Makita Barrel Grip Brushless Jigsaw

2/29/2016

5 Comments

 
Picture
Just over six months ago we decided to switch to the barrel grip Makita DJV181 brushless jigsaw. Before we bought this one we ran the LXT top handle Jigsaw for many of years. There was nothing wrong with our older one, we've just been switching over to the new brushless cordless tools.

I was a bit worried about not having a switch to control the on and off. But after running it for a little while I got used to the buttons. You can push either one to shut it down.
Picture
Now there's two buttons to get this jigsaw started it's quite easy you just push the unlock button which gives you about 10 seconds to push the power button before it locks itself. Once it starts it will have a soft start until it gets load on the motor then it goes up to your set speed. I believe this is for less vibration so that you can get a nicer start and be more accurate when cutting into the wood. It absolutely works flawlessly.
Picture
There are two LEDs above each side of the blade which provide more than enough light to see where you're cutting.

Installing your blade works very nicely, you don't have to pull the release to slide the blade in it just pops right in. Another great feature that I noticed is that the blade holder is spring loaded, so if your blade is hot all you do is pull the release and it pops right out.

Picture
Picture
It has one setting for straight cut and then three settings for orbital cuts. At the back of the machine just above the battery there are six different settings for your speed.

One of my favorite blades to use in this jigsaw is a coping blade for Precision work. This jigsaw is like any other Makita tool it's well-thought-out and will be at the top of the jigsaw game for a long time.

I'm sure everyone can agree one of the worst things about a corded jigsaw is obviously having the cord in your way. I cannot count how many times I have nearly screwed up a cut because the cord gets stuck or in the way.

So if you're still running a corded jigsaw or thinking of upgrading, this would definitely be the one to pick up! We highly recommend it.
5 Comments

Milwaukee Service Center

2/23/2016

3 Comments

 
Picture
So yesterday I was framing out a closet and needed to cut out the bottom plate for the doors. I pulled out my trusty Milwaukee M18 Fuel Sawzall and tossed a blade in.
​I started my cut and about 3 seconds into it the Sawzall quit.

First thing I did was pull the battery and toss in another, nope didn't work. The LED light by the blade was blinking. I then called Milwaukees service number which is conveniently 1-800-sawdust.
​
​They transferred me to a technician who asked me a couple questions. He came to conclusion that its not going to be a simple fix and it would have to be taken into the service center.
​
The next morning I took it in. The guys there were super friendly. They had a look at it while I told them what happened and the technician right away said its the switch.
​They took my name and number and said they would fix it.

​I drove down the street and got 4 gallons of paint mixed up and talked for a bit to the guys at the paint store. I hoped in the truck and was about to back out when the phone rang. It was the service center telling me that my Sawzall was fixed and ready to be picked up! 35 minutes it took them to change out the switch.

​I drove right over to get it. The manager told me sometimes this happens. Tools are a lot more complex then they used to be. This tool for instance has 3 boards in it. I thanked him and got on my way.

​Its amazing how far we have moved along with power tools in the last 10 years. With the amount of tools Milwaukee sells of course there's going to be some hiccups.  But never fear Milwaukee will stand behind their tools and get them back to you as quick as they can! With a five year warranty and service like this how could you go wrong?


3 Comments

    Author

    Murray Kruger

    Archives

    February 2016

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

For a Quote Just Call (306) 380-4685