Each year at the Milwaukee New Product Symposium (a fancy way of saying New Milwaukee Tools Media Event), we see some interesting things. Fortunately, we can discuss 99% of those things, although there are a couple of areas that were off-limits for dissemination to our Pro audience until August 1; then we can let the remaining details out of the bag.ย This year, the companyย introduced over 80 new Milwaukee tools for 2015 and 2016. And really, there are wayย more than 80 actual productsโfor example,ย the entire Shockwave Generation 2 driver bit line is just one of the 80+ new tools.
As you can imagine, this wouldย be a rather lengthy articleโฆwhich is why we need to break it up. This first part will deal with Milwaukee hand tools for 2015 and 2016. Weโll likely releaseย a series of additional articles over the next several weeks to help showcase all the latest tools we saw atย the event. As always, for an advanced peek, check out our existing coverage on Facebook and Twitter.
To ease us in, I need to provide a brief summary of what we did on the first day of the eventโand that began with a tour of the Milwaukee Tool facilities.
Touring the Milwaukee Tool Facilities
It had been a while since we toured the Milwaukee Tools facilityโ7 or 8 years, in fact. Since that time, theyโve done a lot to expand their rapid prototyping and accessory testing. In fact, we saw numerous new innovations and machinery in both areas, from entirely new, built-out sections of the facility dedicated to engineering and design teams to brand-new, large multi-axis CNC milling machines, such as the Mazak Integrex i-200.
Of course, weโd be remiss if we didnโt also point out that we caught a glimpse of one of our articles on the companyโs wall of fame!
Milwaukee One Key
We really canโt tell you anything about this, but I thought Iโd tease it anyway. This was the thing weโve been tweetingย about in the weeks leading up to the event. Unfortunately, itโs still under embargo until August 1, 2015. When that lifts, weโll have a dedicated article detailing all the things this new technology represents. The first evening was all about Milwaukee One Key, and weโre excited about what it represents for construction tool-users everywhere.
OK, now onto Milwaukee Hand Tools!ย The first area we got to see was dedicated to Milwaukee hand tools. Tim Albrecht, Bobby Shaw, and crew showed off a ton of new Milwaukee hand tools from plumbing to electrical to HVAC and more. This was clearly a huge area of growth for Milwaukee this year, and it will be fun to review some of these tools in the coming months (and believe me, weโve got our eyes on more than a few that we want to test out).
Milwaukee Cheater Pipe Wrench
The Milwaukee Cheater pipe wrench provides the leverage of a 24โณ pipe and the capacity of an 18โณ wrenchโall with the accessibility of a 10โณ wrench. There are two extension handles included to give you the option of a 10โณ wrench (no extension), 18โณ (short handle), and 24โณ applications (long handle). The tubular handles slide right into the tube of the wrench handle. The new Cheater pipe wrench is designed for pipes up to 2-1/2โณ in diameter. This is going to be a new favorite as it replaces three tools in one, saving time and moneyโand giving you greater access in the process. This wrench launches in February 2016.
Milwaukee Adjustable Wrenches
This new adjustable wrench comes with a more comfortable grip and a brand new redesigned thumb screw that holds its position better once set. It has a few more turns than a traditional adjustable wrench, but the trade-off is greater precision (check out the laser-etched markings on the jaws) and a better hold. Itโs also really smooth to adjustโwe like it a lot.
Milwaukee Basin Wrenches
The new Milwaukee Tool basin wrenches have a comfortable handle (inspired by a doorknob), with a torque lock system that lets you place a screwdriver inside as needed to get additional leverage. You can also place a 3/8โณ ratchet into the bottom to give you even more flexibility and greater turning speed. These will be out in November 2015.
Redesigned Milwaukee 6-in-1 Pliers
With theย Milwaukee 6-in-1 pliers,ย you had the first long-nose pliers and wire stripper in the same head. The second-generation 6-in-1 combination pliers adds 8-gauge wire cutting support for dryers and ranges (so the full cutting range is now 8-20 gauge). While the existing and second-gen 6-in-1 combination pliers are also forged, Milwaukee added a new model for stripping non-metallic wire. The new forged non-metallic wire stripper for 14/2 wire and 12/2 wire also cuts 14 and 12-gauge solid wire. The design has also shifted to a curved cutting blade, allowing for the cutting of thicker wire. In this series, Milwaukee Tool also added a lightweight wire stripper to round out the line. The new pliers and wire strippers will all come out in March 2016.
Milwaukee InkZall Liquid Paint and InkZall Metallic Markers
The Milwaukee InkZall line is expanding with a metallic marker that combines the acrylic nib with a metallic paint for high contrast on black pipe or other dark surfaces. Theyโve improved the dry time for these new InkZall markers as well and have also provided heat resistance for hotter climates where these pipes get well over 100 degrees. The Milwaukee InkZall liquid paint marker and Milwaukee InkZall metallic markers round out the line to allow the company to put its mark on virtually anything. These markers are very new and will be hitting shelves around February 2016.
Milwaukee Insulation Knives and Duct Knife
Milwaukee says their insulation knives are up to 4x sharper than the kitchen knives most people use to cut pipe insulation, and the steel used in these blades will hold their edge far longer. They also offer these new insulation knives in both smooth and serrated options, and both come with a plastic sheath to allow you to toss them in your kit without fear ofโฆwell, you can imagine. These knives (and the duct knife below) are close to production and should be out in August of this year.
They also have a new duct knife that has a full tang that goes all the way through the handle. It wonโt break, no matter how hard you push or pry on it. It alsoย includesย a sheath for easy (and safe) carry. If you ask us, it looks like a sort of boot knife,ย particularly with the plastic belt clip holster.
Milwaukee Fastback 3 Knives and Assisted Open Knives
The Milwaukee Fastback 3 takes the same technology as the Milwaukee Fastback 2 utility knifeย and original Milwaukee Fastback knife and provides room to carry 4 spare bladesโallย at the same thickness as the Fastback II. Thereโs also aย new 45-degree cut feature that locks the angle for easy pull cuts. Not content to stop there, a new Compact Milwaukee Fastback knife allows you to carry a utility blade knife in a much thinner profile, offering the same cutting abilityย with less bulk. The Fastback expansion will be fully available in March 2016.
We also saw a new Milwaukee spring-assisted knife, which comes in RealTree camo. It has a much smootherย open and seems a marked improvement on the lineโin addition to beingย came, which is just cool. The Camo Fastback knife is scheduled for release in August.
The newย Milwaukee carry knives are made withย D2 steel andย use a frame lock. They also include aย spring assist open, and Milwaukee makes these knives with a 4-position belt clip for left or right tip-up or tip-down carry. The new tactical spring-assist knives are alsoย offered in 2-1/2โณ, 3โณ, and 3-1/2โณ sizes.
Milwaukee Work Gloves
We thought the new Milwaukee work gloves looked fantastic, and it will be cool to see how well they hold up. They feature ample knuckle protectionย along with anย integrated terry wipe on the back of the thumb and a โSmart Swipeโ knuckle thatโs good for unlocking your phone without having to remove your glove or hit it with your potentially grimy fingertips.
Milwaukee Jobย Site Organizers
Unlike many job site organizers that clip together but have to be detachedย for access, the new Milwaukee job site organizers clip together, but allow you to open stacked containers without having to disengage them. Milwaukee also built โno-travelโ bins to keep parts separated and also includedย screw mounts in the lips of the bins so you can mount them easily rightย where youโre working. These organizers are also weather sealed to keep the contents protected. We saw a bunch of washers played in one of the containersโat which point the entire organizer was lifted over assistant product manager Matt Vargoโs head and shaken. Not a single washer migrated to any of the other bins. While these under-$30 organizers have been out since May, this was our first up-close look at them.
Milwaukeeย Chalk Reels
Theย new Milwaukee chalk reels use a 6:1 retract ratio and a new planetary gear system (four central gears with a large surrounding gear on the handle)ย with a StripGuard clutch thatย prevents tearing when youโre reelingย in the chalk string. Milwaukee claims you simply canโt strip out the gearsโand you wonโt easily ruin the string if it happens to get caught up or snagged on something. As an added bonus, a thin line chalk reel modelย offers more dust retention, though theย trade-off isย a less visible mark (better for indoor use or a more sensitive remodel). These hit retailers in February 2016.
Milwaukee Tape Measures
With some new tape measures, Milwaukee will now have two lines and 30 total tapes. With the general contractor tapes they widened the base and allowed for less movementโsuch as when placedย on an angled roof, or when you simply bump it. They also gave it enough stabilityย that you canย maneuverย itย from the extended tape side when needed. We got to see Milwaukee drop 30-pound weights on these tapes from around 4 feet in the air, simulating a 30-foot drop onto concrete. While some other very popular tapes were destroyed, the Milwaukee tapes came out unscathed. The new 30 ft and 35 ft tapes will hit the market in September 2015.
On the premium MEP line (mechanical, electrical, plumbing) they included a wider tang, dual-sided printing, and a blueprint scale. These also feature finger stop gap technology, allowing you to manually slow the tape during retraction. All of Milwaukeeโs tapes include their nylon coating for durability.
And of course, youโll be able to buy all of these new tools when they come out from our friends at:
