ShopTalk

PORTER-CABLE® has added six new cordless tools to their 20V MAX LINKED SYSTEM ™ and we’ve had the chance to put a couple to the test on the job.

The new cordless tools include the Reciprocating Tiger Saw®, 6-1/2 inch Circular Saw, Oscillating Tool, Cut-off Tool/Grinder, Jigsaw, and Pivoting Flashlight.

The PORTER-CABLE MAX* Linked System maximizes a lithium ion battery platform that provides the performance, ergonomic design, and features needed to complete an extensive range of applications on the jobsite. The lithium ion batteries maintain a charge for up to 18 months, so the tools are ready to go when you are.

The first tool to make it into the back of our truck was the ¼” HEX LITHIUM IMPACT DRIVER equipped with the new 20V 4.0ah battery, charger and case.

First Impressions:

Our first impression of the impact driver was its compact size and light feel in your hand. The specs have it weighing in at only 3.2 lbs. and 6.2” in length. It’s comfortable in your hand and when not in use it hangs nicely on your pocket or tool belt via the provided metal hanger clip.

Notable Features:

Anyone that has used a hex impact driver knows that having the proper driver bits for the job is as important as having charge in the battery. Changing those bits can be a pain with some of the impact drivers on the market. PORTER-CABLE has made bit change out as easy as possible with an easy load chuck that can be operated with only one hand. Removing the bits are easier with this driver than with any other we have used due to the spring assist; pulling back on the bit retention collet will have the inserted bit springing out quickly, making it an easier process than with most other tools.

A similar spring feature has been built into the battery connection point as well. Depressing the large black button on the front of the battery pack releases the battery with a springing force making it very easy to slide the battery out of its mounting point. This is a cool feature that makes an impact when considering how busy we are on site, having to wrestle with batteries and bits is a pain. They have eliminated those

As with most of the tools in the professional class the driver is equipped with an LED light to assist in visibility of work. Just a light pull of the trigger will illuminate the work area.

How Does It Stack Up?: Overall this compact impact driver packs a punch. When using the 4.0ah battery pack we were able to go a couple days without recharge under typical demand conditions. All of our testing was done in the fall of the year in Minnesota. As you may know cold ambient temperatures can adversely affect lithium ion battery packs, we noted no battery performance issues while testing in temperatures that regularly hovered in the teens to high 20’sF range.

Want more reviews? Click here to see how the new PORTER-CABLE Cordless Tiger Saw measures up.

The Cadet modulating/condensing boiler is relatively new to the market as a low-cost alternative to its big brother, the Knight heating boiler. Lochinvar has produced this model to target a specific need for a no-frills installation/replacement.  By no-frills I would have to say any contractor looking for a simple, capable boiler with quality components that the Cadet will likely fit your bill.

This boiler utilizes a Giannoni heat exchanger. Anyone familiar with this stainless steel heat exchanger will know that it presents a high head loss and requires (at the least) primary/secondary piping with a  properly sized boiler circulator to hydraulicaly separate the boiler from the system piping and satisfy the flow requirements through the heat exchanger. This piping requirement is not only commonplace with most mod/con boilers but also a simple concept to understand, even for the less experienced installer.

What drew me to the Cadet was the low input rating of the “smallest” model [CDN040] offered up by Lochinvar.  The project where this is installed had a heat load of only 30K Btu/hr at design, a combination of two separate heating zones (garage & basement). The owner was most interested in a high efficiency boiler, the Cadet is rated at 94.0% AFUE (natural gas).  With a minimum 9K Btu/hr input rating the Cadet most closely fit the requirements for the job. 

The Expanded Polypropylene Jacket that houses the heat exchanger and controls is lightwieght and seems sturdy.  Upon opening the crate for unpacking I was leary of the jacket material at first but once it was hanging on the wall I quickly realized the engineers intentions and the materials cost savings provided verses the standard sheet metal housing we are more familiar with. The cover is friction fit via nicely molded attachement points and secure when properly “snapped” into place.  All the interior components are supported by a continuous metal frame making up the top, back and bottom of the enclosure.

The control (one heating zone input) with push-button functionality and constant display of actual output temperatures is simple and includes ODR (sensor included) functions.  The boiler installation manual does an okay job taking you through the control adjustment procedures for installers that are experienced.  I did read through the manual prior to actual installation but when going through the set-up perameters in the control I found myself searching for the proper combination of button pushing to access the space boiler settings.  I feel the manual could highlight this procedure a little better for ease of use in the boiler room. I would like to note the easy access to the wiring connections. The access to and nice open area where the board is located in the cabinet is a nice feature when compared to some other wall hung boilers.

Right out of the box this model is set up for 2” vent piping.  The max distances allowed for combination vent & intake piping for the CDN040 is an impressive 100 equivalent feet.  As with any power vent system an account of fittings as they equate to feet of pipe must be taken. An optional room air kit is available for the intake to the boiler but is recommended for commercial applications only. A chart included in the installation manual provides information on approved vent materials.

There are a couple things I did take issue with while installing the boiler though, nothing major but I think they are worth noting.

First, and I talked about it above, the manual like all others is written by the designers/engineers and key information (like control access functions) can easily be missed if the installer is not enitrely familiar with the Lochinvar program.  Maybe it was just me or the fact that it was the end of a long day but I found myself paging back and forth having missed this bit of info when needed.  That being said, I feel my situation represents the norm for most installers in that this procedure will be happening after a long day on the job and the annoyance it presented was unwelcomed.  Seems like and easy fix. The information is there, I am not implying it is not, maybe a “quick-start” control supplement would be more helpful?

Second, and last. The supply and return piping provided out of the bottom of the boiler jacket is situated too close to one another in my opinion.  Both are bare-ended ¾” copper tubing but are spaced so that immediate redirection is needed to provide enough space fot eh recommended fittings such as unions, tee for temp./pressure gauge and isolation valves.  The tubing is sturdy and secured nicely as it exits the cabinet but spacing was a key issue for me.  I would like to see another inch or two for allowing the direct fittment of any fitting needed.  This would definitely be welcomed in a more limited space installation, also the reduction in one or two joints/fittings will lessen the labor and materials on each install.

Overall I would say the Cadet is a solid, no frills boiler. My experience with Lochinvar products in the past has been positive, mostly due to build/material quality and feature functionality.  I expect the same from this new model.

The book includes an interesting history of the evolution of retailing and the creation of the discount superstore. There was a time before Wal-mart when small shops sold specialized products through educated salespeople. Now, everything is propelled by mass advertising everywhere, followed by do-it-yourself shopping. Now, I personally like reading tons of peer reviews on Amazon before buying a product, but you have to admit that the genius of a store like IKEA is that so much of the cost is shifted onto the consumer. We load up the huge boxes onto a shopping cart ourselves, cram it into our car, drive it back home (paying for the gas), and build it ourselves with hours of labor.

There is also the interweaving of behavioral economics topics, for example, you probably get excited when you buy something marked down 60% at the mall. We’re all genetically wired to get hyped up for that, so it’s not surprising. Well, these days basically everything is marked down. Only 20% of department store merchandise is actually sold at full price. If everyone is getting the same “deal”, is it still a deal or just manipulation?

On a related note, discount stores often tout “everyday low prices”, but they really just try to compete hard on things that we buy most frequently and are most familiar with. Wal-mart actually has higher than average prices on about 1/3rd of its inventory. On the items for which prices are lower, the savings is 37 cents, with about 1/3rd of items carrying a savings of no more than 2 cents. The loss leaders draw us in and make us feel like we’re saving money, but the other things we toss in our basket make the profit.

You’ll see after reading the book that many trade company business models are somewhat related to the concepts of retail and service industry pricing models.  Its a great read filled with history and will either open your eyes to a new outlook on the retail structure of reaffirm what you’ve been thinking all along with info you might have previously not know about.

You can pick the book up here.

Milwaukee Electric Tool has long been in the business of manufacturing quality power tools for the trade professional, and its persistence in developing tools useful to the professional shines brightly with this drill/driver kit. From the moment I first pulled it out of the case and held it my hand I was impressed by the fit and feel.  Now I know most tool reviews include side-by-side comparisons between two major market competitors, but this one doesn’t.  I chose to review this drill based off actual work on the job rather than on the workbench, as you might see in the many YouTube videos available.

I’ve been in the plumbing and hydronics business for about 15 years. One of the first lessons learned as a contractor is that spending your money on quality tools is well worth the investment.  Today that investment continues to grow as new technology ups the manufacturing costs and the demand for hard(er)-working tools requires tougher, more expensively built materials to get the job done.  “Get the job done” is exactly what Milwaukee has built-in to this compact, 18V lithium-ion powered brushless motor drill/driver.

At first glance, I noticed that the case, although well-built, allowed no room for additional storage for extra drivers or drill bits.  I know all the major brands offer separate “cases” or kits that keep all your often-used accessories in one place, but I tend to keep at least a couple hex drivers along with a Phillips bit with my drill for quick and easy access. Neither this case, nor the drill itself allow for such storage. I will point out, however, how well everything fits in its place; cradled snugly are every included item.  Included in the kit are (2) M18 REDLITIUM batteries, Milwaukee’s signature Multi-Voltage charger, the drill/driver and a very useful auxiliary side handle assembly.

I have been carrying this drill on and off job sites for a couple of weeks now and I’ll say I have thought about leaving my electric right-angle drill at the shop to free up some valuable truck space more than a couple times.  The all-metal ratcheting locking chuck provides maximum grip, bit retention and durability, quite the departure from other cordless drills I have owned and used in the past. 

The new contoured soft grip fits in my hand and feels great each time I pick it up, but what I most wanted to test was the battery life and power produced by the brushless motor.

Battery

Milwaukee’s website touts the REDLITHIUM™ extended capacity battery pack as able to deliver more work per charge and more work over the pack life than their competitors. It has an onboard fuel gauge to help you monitor the charge with the push of a button. I found this feature very useful and accurate. The batteries are built in-house by Milwaukee, a fact they are very proud of and should be; they deliver a solid power supply for an extended time period, miles ahead of their predecessors.

Brushless Motor

By now you’re probably aware of the push toward brushless motor technology for cordless tools. Milwaukee promises 10 times monger motor life if you select their tools. What sets this motor apart from competitors is the ability to perform at peak capacity 25% longer because of its built-in intelligence system or REDLINK PLUS™.

REDLINK PLUS™ (built in to each FUEL™ series product) is an intelligence system made to give a “full-cycle” communication between the battery, charger and motor. This system will optimize performance by constantly monitoring the internal workings of the drill. With the advanced technology in Red Lithium batteries, the new Fuel series drill is made to give optimal motor performance while under load.

Overall I’d say this drill/driver kit is a rock solid tool, making it a great investment for anyone looking to purchase what might be their last cordless drill. This particular model doesn’t include a hammer function (check out the 2604 series kits for the hammer option). I can’t say there is anything about this drill that disappoints, storage for bits in the case would be the only improvement needed as I see it. The 2 9/16” auger bit I drilled (pictured) into seasoned 2x-framing seemed to be well within it’s designed for working range.  Each time I have put the 2603-22 Drill/Driver to the test has been to tackle tough jobs, it has yet to let me down…and the runtime of the batteries is nothing short of fantastic!

Specifications:

Voltage ~ 18V

Speed ~ 0-550/0-1,850 RPM

Peak Torque ~ 725 in-lbs

Chuck Type ~ 1/2″ Metal, Ratcheting Lock

Charge Time ~ 1 Hour

Tool Waranty ~ 5 Years

Battery Warranty ~ 3 Years