Toolbox

MILWAUKEE, WI- Milwaukee Tool is proud to announce that it’s taking the performance of its new M18 FUEL™* Hammer Drill, Drill/Driver, and Impact Driver to the next level with the addition of ONE-KEY™. Through a ground-up redesign of the motor, mechanical, and electrical components of these core tools, these drilling and fastening solutions achieve 60% more power, are up to 2X faster, and are the most compact-sized solutions on the market. These newest additions include ONE-KEY™** functionality so users can also easily customize, track, and manage the tools through the app on their mobile device. Accessible within the app are a range of new features such as Anti-Kickback technology and a self-tapping screw mode that automatically shuts the tool off once a screw is seated.

“This summer we achieved the next breakthrough in drilling and fastening technology when we introduced the newest M18 FUEL™ Hammer Drill, Drill/Driver, and Impact Driver. These solutions feature a smaller yet powerful motor, more efficient electronics, and unmatched mechanical design that greatly reduces their size,” said Cole Conrad, Director of Product Marketing for Milwaukee Tool. “As advancements in technology have grown, so have the needs of many users for increased control over their tools’ performance. By launching versions of our new M18 FUEL™ drilling and fastening solutions with ONE-KEY™ capability, we’re providing these users with the ability to completely customize these tools for better control over power, speed, and consistency – as well as the ability to easily track and manage them in their inventory.”

Through ONE-KEY™, users can unlock an array of customization, tracking, and tool management functions.

ONE-KEY™ Tool Customization gives users access to a range of common task presets and features including Anti-Kickback and an improved Self-Tapping Screw Mode:

• Anti-Kickback Technology – Both the ONE-KEY™ enabled M18 FUEL™ Hammer Drill and Drill/Driver include this feature. The mode gives users increased control in bind-up situations, and they can adjust the sensitivity of the mode based on the application at hand. This provides users with more versatility and avoids the nuisance of dealing with shut-downs during certain applications. Additionally, users can choose to turn this mode on/off or adjust sensitivity depending on the job.
• Improved Self-Tapping Screw Mode – The ONE-KEY™ enabled M18 FUEL™ Impact Driver features the ability for users to select the steel gauge, screw length, diameter and head. Once set, the tool will automatically shut off once the screw is seated to reduce stripping of fasteners and damage to material.

Users can set their preferred task controls and, with the touch of a button on the tool, easily switch between saved tasks so each application is done with the most accurate and productive settings. Once the tool is set, a mobile device is no longer needed. Users can also access available setups based on common applications and materials.

The ONE-KEY™ Integrated Tool Tracking functionality allows users to identify where and when their tools were last seen. Records and locations will update when any device with the ONE-KEY™ app comes within 100ft of the tools, allowing users to quickly pinpoint missing tools. Integrated Tool Security provides an extra layer of protection by allowing users to lock out their tools to prevent theft and tampering. With Simplified Tool and Equipment Management, users also have a central place to take inventory of their tools and all other tools and equipment and keep detailed records of all inventory to easily build a budget and manage spend.

Milwaukee® is committed to improving productivity by providing performance-driven and trade-focused solutions so users can perform an entire day’s work on one battery system. The new M18 FUEL™ 1/2″ Hammer Drill, 1/2” Drill/Driver, and 1/4″ Hex Impact Driver w/ ONE-KEY™  are part of the M18™ System, now offering more than 175 power tool products, and are a true testament to Milwaukee’s focus on investing in game-changing technology that truly delivers breakthrough solutions for users.

* M18 FUEL™ is engineered for the most demanding tradesmen in the world. Delivering unrivaled performance, all M18 FUEL™ products feature three Milwaukee®-exclusive innovations—The POWERSTATE™ Brushless Motor, REDLITHIUM™ Battery Pack and REDLINK PLUS™ Intelligence Hardware and Software—that deliver unmatched power, run-time and durability on the jobsite. Simply put, M18 FUEL™ tools are the most powerful 18V cordless tools in their class.

**ONE-KEY™ is the first digital platform for tools and equipment. By integrating industry-leading tool electronics with a custom-built cloud-based program, ONE-KEY™ provides a new level of control and access to information that revolutionizes the way work gets done. The ability to customize, track, and manage through ONE-KEY™ fundamentally changes the way users interact with their tools.

Specifications

M18 FUEL™ 1/2″ Drill/Driver w/ ONE-KEY™ Kit (2805-22)- replacing 2705-22

• Volts: 18V
• Torque: 1,200 in-lbs
• Speed: 2 Speed
• RPM: 0-550 / 0-2,000 RPM
• Drive Control: 3-Mode Customizable
• Chuck Type:  1/2″ All Metal Ratcheting Chuck
• Tool Length:  6.9”
• Tool Weight (w/ XC5.0 battery): 4.8 lbs

Includes M18 FUEL™ 1/2″ Drill/Driver w/ ONE-KEY™, (2) M18™ REDLITHIUM™ XC5.0 Battery Packs, M18™ and M12™ Multi-Voltage Charger, Side Handle, Bit Holder and Belt Clip.

*Also available as a bare tool (2705-20)

M18 FUEL™ 1/2″ Hammer Drill w/ ONE-KEY™ Kit (2806-22)- replacing 2706-22

• Volts: 18V
• Torque: 1,200 in-lbs
• Speed: 2 Speed
• RPM: 0-550 / 0-2,000 RPM
• BPM: 0-32,000
• Drive Control: 3-Mode Customizable
• Chuck Type:  1/2″ All Metal Ratcheting Chuck
• Tool Length:  6.9”
• Tool Weight (w/ XC5.0 battery): 4.8 lbs

Includes M18 FUEL™ 1/2″ Hammer Drill w/ ONE-KEY™, (2) M18™ REDLITHIUM™ XC5.0 Battery Packs, M18™ and M12™ Multi-Voltage Charger, Side Handle, Bit Holder and Belt Clip.

*Also available as a bare tool (2806-20)

M18 FUEL™ ¼” Hex Impact Driver w/ ONE-KEY™ Kit (2857-22)- replacing 2757-22

• Volts: 18V
• Torque: 2,000in-lbs
• RPM: 0-3,600 RPM
• IPM: 0-4,300 IPM
• Drive Control: 4-Mode Customizable
• Single Hand Bit Insertion
• Tool Length:  4.59”
• Tool Weight (w/ XC5.0 battery): 3.8lb

Includes M18 FUEL™ ¼” Hex Impact Driver w/ ONE-KEY™, (2) M18™ REDLITHIUM™ XC5.0 Battery Packs, M18™ and M12™ Multi-Voltage Charger, Belt Clip, and Bit Holder.

*Also available as a bare tool (2857-20 and -22CT)

Also Available

M18 FUEL™ w/ONE-KEY™ 2-Tool Combo Kit (2996-22)

• M18 FUEL™ w/ ONE-KEY™ Hammer Drill (2806-20)
• M18 FUEL™ w/ ONE-KEY™ 1/4″ Hex Impact Driver (2857-20)
• (2) M18™ REDLITHIUM™ XC5.0 Battery Packs
• M18™ and M12™ Multi-Voltage Charger
• (2) Belt Clips
• (2) Bit Holders
• Contractor Bag

The new Gen-Eye X-POD® from General Pipe Cleaners features a powerful new Command Module with USB port to record video inspections on flash drives.

The lightweight X-POD combines camera, reel, and monitor into one compact package. Standard features include:

• Big 7” LCD Color Monitor
• USB Recording Drive
• One-Touch Recording
• Digital Zoom 4X
• Voice-Over Recording
• Date & Time Stamp
• Flash Drive Capacity Indicator

The Command Module also includes a 3 ft. Probe Rod with color camera for inspecting hard-to-reach places – like ducts, furnaces, and wall spaces.

The full size X-POD features a self-leveling color camera and 200 ft. Gel-Rod® for inspecting 3” to 10” drain lines. The compact Mini-Reel carries 100 ft. or 200 ft. of Gel-Rod with mini color self-leveling camera for trouble-shooting 2” and 3” lines. The rugged steel frames and reels include a drag brake and reel lock. The full size reels sport 10” wheels.

For additional information, contact the Drain Brains® at General Pipe Cleaners at 800-245-6200 or 412-771-6300, or visit www.drainbrain.com/geneye.

Program is in beta test with industrial users both on the jobsite and off

When Bosch introduced its Bluehound asset tracking solution to select customers, the focus was on builders on the jobsite. That’s still the case. But a great beta test site has turned out to be a rental equipment and supply house that works with its customers.

Cole Breese, inventory warehouse manager, 365 Equipment and Supply, Barrington, Ill., knows an advantage when he sees one. “We’re always looking to get better,” said Breese of the company’s decision to test Bluehound. “We’ve been testing this out on a big project for about seven months. We need to see where equipment has been so that we can optimize asset availability, verify quantity access and monitor records tied to individual assets.”

Getting the Jobsite Running

365 rents everything from power tools and work platforms to cranes and front loaders, in a market area that stretches from Chicagoland to Milwaukee. The company is a one-stop shop for contractors, sub-contractors and municipalities. 365 also sells power tool accessories to support its rentals.

Ryan Braschko, warehouse manager at 365 Equipment and Supply, says there are 7,800 pieces of equipment in the company’s fleet. Up to this point, the company has relied on traditional methods to track when products were rented, when they left a site and when they were returned. If a product stays in the field, the 365 team has limited information as it moves from jobsite to jobsite.

With Bosch Bluehound, Braschko can accurately track every job an item has served, as well as duration and status. While 365 hasn’t implemented the entire Bosch solution, the pair notes that Bluehound has been able to complement and enhance their current system. Bosch tracking tags can be placed on every piece of equipment so it’s easier to see where an item is in real time. The 365 goal is to replace the manual tracking/static bar code-following computer software system that captures tool serial number, jobsite name and contact information for the foreman at a single jobsite.

Efficiency of Asset Flow

Bluehound development has pushed the Bosch research team to consult with everyone from jobsite managers to company owners, from site owners and general contractors to developers and sub-contractors. Bosch has also talked to distributors about how sales representatives find products when they’re in the field.

Even with the diverse feedback Bosch has gathered, there’s no test site quite like 365 Equipment and Supply. “Most of the adjustments we’ve made to Bluehound were influenced by our experience at 365,” said Eli Share, mobile and IoT lead, Bosch Power Tools. “We’re working to be the software link between the tool crib and the jobsite. We’ve seen the influence this technology can have here.”

Share notes that one of the biggest challenges for their customers is that tools and equipment walk from jobsite to jobsite. Nothing has been stolen, but no one in the organization knows which site has what products and equipment. There’s no clear reporting, yet some companies generate thousands of pages of paperwork. He observed that many man-hours of manually checking and verifying records doesn’t prevent lost and stolen items.

What’s clear is that companies want to know where tools and equipment are located all the time, including small tools. One of the things that makes Bluehound attractive is that users can immediately tell if a product is lost or stolen due to manual status updates in the system. And that’s related to the tag.

“On the jobsite, people see the tag – that’s a theft deterrent to start,” said Braschko. “But the real value is that it saves time by showing equipment location on a map.” And any discrepancy about tool location can potentially be cleared up with a single phone call.

The Service Angle

In the case of 365, it’s less expensive to repair serviceable tools rather than having to replace them on a regular basis. With Bosch Bluehound, users know what the maintenance history is so repairs can be completed in a proactive manner. The system also reduces the reliance on manual maintenance administration.

“Everything we need is there in Bluehound,” said Breese. “The system was raw when it first came in, but the team has built up a hierarchy of asset tracking, locations and other details. Initially, we didn’t know what to expect, but we knew this was an opportunity to improve our business.”

The lifecycle for products at 365 is remarkably consistent: small tools, three-to-five years; larger tools, five years; laser measuring tools, seven to eight years. Efficiency and cost savings come when Breese and Braschko know where tools are located all the time rather than having to purchase replacements.

Today, 365 Equipment and Supply buys more tools than it takes in return, but that’s now a product of growth. Throughout the course of its short history, 365 has seen its business grow and become balanced season to season. With Bluehound, the company has been able to optimize asset availability, quantity access and records tied to individual assets. And these functions can be done from anywhere.

“This is the first time we’ve used a live tracker,” said Braschko. “It’s been good.”

The Plumber’s Third Hand tool makes installing and removing garbage disposals an easy, one-person job. This patented tool eliminates all the aggravation and challenges of installing garbage disposals saving you time and money. It holds the disposer and parts in place, leaving two hands free for installation. The installation tool offers a universal fit for residential and commercial disposers.

The tool allows the weight of the disposal to hold down the flange while installing the mounting hardware and raises disposal off of the ground so both hands are free to complete the installation of the garbage disposal. Simple threaded shaft and spin down locking wing nut can be used by one person in crowded installation spaces and works with all standard garbage disposal designs.

For more on the Plumber’s Third Hand Tool, visit the website.