In my opinion, brushless technology is worth waiting for, if you can mind the wait. If not, go out and buy yourself a current-gen model and rest assured that it won’t be rendered obsolete the day a brushless model is announced.

Of course, several brands already came out with their brushless drill/drivers – Milwaukee and Hitachi models are already on the scene. Both brands came out with brushless hammer drills at the same time, and Makita’s is also on the way.

But what about Dewalt and Bosch? And will Milwaukee and Makita release more compact and lightweight versions of their brushless drills?

It is unclear what’s on the horizon for Dewalt and Bosch. Dewalt just released their new brushless impact driver, but there’s no word yet whether a drill/driver or two are on the way. Bosch has kept mum about brushless, but if such tools are almost ready for market, Bosch may introduce them at their June media event.

If you bought into the Dewalt 20V Max lineup, there are plenty of great brushed drills to choose from. The same goes for Bosch’s 18V lineup of drills. You can wait, but if you need a new drill, buy one now. Even if both brands announce new brushless drills in June, it’ll be months before they appear on store shelves. Or you can go ahead and buy one of the other brands’ brushless kits. There’s nothing wrong with having a rainbow of colors in your cordless toolbox.

Remember – aside from Makita – most of the major brands are only now releasing their first generation of brushless tools. I guarantee that the second generation of tools will be even better. Oh, and the third? The third generation will make the first generation of tools look like play things.

There will always be better tools on the horizon. And be sure not to forget the risks of being an early adopter.

What’s so great about cordless tools with brushless motors? Here’s a quick intro to get you up to speed.

We’re pretty excited about the cordless tool industry’s push towards brushless motors, at least in pistol-grip drill and driver-type tools. So when we were given the chance to grill Dewalt about their new brushless impact driver and other brushless-related matters, how could we say no?

(Here’s our primer on brushed motors vs. brushless if you’d like a refresher.)

A note about the format – there are 7 questions (bolded) with each followed by an answer from the Dewalt product development team. The answers are a bit markety in tone, but they do offer some nice insight.

1. Why is this the right time for DEWALT to introduce a brushless impact driver?

A: Great question! In recent years, impact drivers have become one of the fastest growing tool categories in the industry. Many of our users find themselves reaching a bit less for their drill/driver – and more and more for their impact driver. Impact drivers offer several advantages over a traditional drill/driver, most notably being a smaller size/weight, faster speed of application (RPM) & non-reactionary torque output (tool will not try and “spin your wrist”).

Our cordless fastening team has spent the better part of the last five years researching and developing this new Brushless (BL) impact driver. The DEWALT designed and built BL motor works more efficiently compared to brushed motors, and provides our users with 57% longer run-time* (vs. the leading competitor).

That being said, this impact driver is more than just a motor upgrade. The tool is packed with innovative features that make it our best impact driver to date.

*Compared to standard DEWALT and competitive impact drivers with brushed motors.

2. Are there any other tools in the pipeline slated for redesign around brushless motors?

Yes, we are always interested in researching, developing and ultimately providing our users with a tool that delivers one of their most important requirements; run-time.

[Ed. Note: we didn't really expect an answer here, but had to try. It also doesn't help that we asked this as a yes-no question.]

3. Will we see brushless motors in tools other than drills and drivers?

Although I can’t be specific, I can say that we are looking at all options. Brushless motor technology provides the largest run-time improvements in drilling and fastening tools – and I think that is where most users will really want it.

4. Can you tell us more about the design work that went into the new push-button hex chuck lock?

Sure, one of the most common requests we began receiving from users in the field, was for a quicker and easier way to change their accessory bits. Our goal was to create a chuck that would allow contractors to complete one handed accessory changes – with the push of a button. It’s definitely one of the standout features of this tool and will be something that surely saves our users time and frustration.

5. The new brushless impact driver is 5-1/4″ long. Were there any significant hurdles in making the driver such a compact size?

There are always challenges to making tools shorter. Luckily, this project was a complete ground-up design – so we determined very early on that the tool’s overall length had to be a priority.

[Ed. Note: during a new product intro a year ago, it was quite enthusiastically shared that the product development team was thrilled that they were able to shave a fraction of an inch off of the length when redesigning the 18V impact driver for the 20V Max platform.]

6. The 3 speed and torque settings appears to provide clutch-like maximum-torque control. Does this feature provide any other less obvious benefits?

As impact drivers have gotten more and more powerful – and faster and faster in recent years – it became clear that users needed a way to “dial-back” the speed and torque for smaller and more delicate (ex. Brass hinges) fasteners. Although significantly different from a mechanical clutch, it does provide users with more control when performing a variety of fastening applications.

7. Are there any aspects of the brushless impact driver that you hope to improve or upgrade in the next revision?

We are constantly searching for new ways to innovate all of our tools. At this point, we have not yet identified any opportunities for improvement.

[Ed. Note: we didn't really expect them to highlight any perceived flaws in their brand new driver, but thought it was worth a shot.]

Made it this far? Great, we hope you enjoyed this Q&A session! We love chatting it up with product managers and development teams. If this is something you’d like to see more of, comment below or email us with your requests.

The guys over at Tools in Action have been busy testing Makita’s new brushless hammer drill. But they’re not just testing the drill, they’re pushing it to its limits as they usually do. After doing so, they found that if you push the Makita drill too far, it will cry plumes of grey smoke.

Seriously, check out that screenshot (and the video below)! They were using the LXPH05 with a 1″ auger bit to drill holes in framing lumber. Some cordless tools have too-sensitive overload protection, but Makita’s new hammer drill appears to have the opposite problem.

Yes, they were using a high-speed gear, and yes they probably should have stopped pushing the drill as soon as it started smoking. But tools with proper overload protection usually turn off on their own.

The last drill I smoked was a Dewalt 12V drill/driver. I was using it to drive in a long lag bolt and it shut off on me. So I pulled the trigger again. Almost immediately, it shut off. I kept doing this a couple more times to finishing sinking the lag. After a few times it released a small puff of smoke and I took a break.

Most users won’t keep pushing a drill/driver after it starts to smoke. Still, no drill should be smoking up like that. The guys from TIA sent over a few thermal images that show a temperature of 175-235° at the air vents. That can NOT be good for the drill’s electronic and mechanical systems.

Important Considerations

• this is not recommended or proper tool use
• the model TIA tested might have been defective

We’ve heard a lot of complaints about many brands’ cordless tools shutting off during use. I complain about the same every now and then. But this is a great example of why tools have overload protection.

My suspicion is that either TIA tested a defective model, or the tool was designed with under-sensitive overload protection. We’ll see if we can reproduce this and will report back as soon as we can.

Any idea on what parts were being heated and releasing the smoke?

Metabo has just announced their new MAG 28 LTX, a cordless magnetic drill press that will be powered by their 25.2V lithium-ion battery packs. The drill is held to ferrous surfaces via permanent rare earth magnets, as opposed to electromagnets which would draw power from the battery.

Features:

• 2,500 lbs of holding force
• prism-shaped base for working on pipes
• safety strap for when working on overheard or vertical surfaces
• max drilling diameter of 1-1/4″ with annular cutter and 1/2″ with spiral cutter
• max drilling depth of 2″
• max stroke of 6-5/16″
• 2-speed motor – 380 and 680 no-load RPM
• dual-level permanently lubricated gearbox
• electronic thermal overload protection
• jam protection
• integrated gravity coolant container
• 25.2V 3.0Ah battery charges in 15-minutes
• on-board storage space for spare battery

Included Accessories:

• Weldon 3/4″ tool holder
• ejector pin
• chuck adapter and geared chuck
• chuck key
• MT 2 drift key
• safety strap
• allen key
• 2x 25.2V 3.0Ah battery packs

Pricing and availability is not yet available. We believe the drill also comes with a carrying case. There’s also no word on how much the tool weighs, but we’re guessing a lot.

Yesterday I previewed a couple of new Makita 18V brushless tools - an impact driver, hammer drill, and rotary hammer. In doing a bit of research for the post, I found a For Construction Pros video from World of Concrete 2012 where, at the beginning of the post, a Makita rep says “this is the first brushless rotary hammer.” While this may be Makita’s first brushless hammer, it’s not true industry-wide since Bosch came out with an 18V brushless rotary hammer in 2011.

The Bosch brushless rotary hammer kit (3/4″ SDS-Plus), model RHH180-01, is fairly compact and lightweight at 5.7 lbs. Due to the brushless motor’s greater efficiency, the hammer is said to have up to 25% greater runtime than competing models. Bosch says that you can drill up to 100 1/4″ x 1-1/2″ holes in masonry on a single battery charge. Max-torque is rated at 360 in-lbs, and the hammer operates at 0-1400 RPM and 0-4550 BPM.

It features an electro-pneumatic SDS-Plus impactor mechanism, which [sound fancy yet vague and] contributes to a boost in drilling performance. Electronic motor protection prevents the tool from overheating and electronic cell protection helps prevent battery overloading, overheating, and deep discharging. Additional features include an LED work light, auxiliary handle, and depth rod.

The kit includes two 18V FatPack batteries, a 30-minute charger, and a carrying bag.

Buy Now(via Amazon)

Also available is the bare-tool RHH180B, at huge savings over the kit.

If 5.7 lbs is still a bit too weighty, don’t forget that Bosch recently came out with an even more compact 4.6 lb rotary hammer. No, it’s not brushless, but it’s also more affordable than the RHH180 previewed here.

(Check out our brushless motors 101 post to read more about the merits of brushless cordless tools vs. tools with brushed motors.)

Meanwhile, Makita’s competitors have been busy releasing a couple of exciting new brushless cordless tools that either just hit the market or are coming down the pipeline in the near future. Dewalt’s impact driver; Milwaukee’s FUEL drill, hammer drill, and impact driver; and Hitachi’s (new to the US market) brushless drill and hammer drill are the most notable new designs.

Don’t worry, although there’s been little buzz so far, Makita’s engineers haven’t been sleeping – they’ve been working on a few new brushless tools, including a rotary hammer with built-in HEPA dust collection.

Makita LXDT08 18V Impact Driver

The new impact driver doesn’t look to replace the current model (LXDT01), as it does not feature a similar 3-speed setting torque-control. What it does feature is a 5-7/8″ overall length, 0-2500 RPM and 0-3200 IPM motor, 1420 in-lbs max torque delivery, 3.4 lb weight with 18V LXT battery, and the kit comes with a 30-minute rapid charger.

Makita says that the new impact is further optimized for up to 50% longer runtime per charge. [vs...?]

ETA is Spring 2012, and MSRP is estimated to be $319.

Makita LXPH05 18V Hammer Drill

The new hammer drill is 7-5/8″ long and weighs 3.8 lbs, making it a fairly compact model. Its small size doesn’t come for free, as the torque ratings show. Still 400 in-lbs of max torque is fairly respectable, and should be suitable for many users. The 2-setting gearbox is rated at 0-400 RPM/0-6000 BPM and 0-1500 RPM/0-22500 BPM, and there are 16 clutch settings.

Like the impact driver, the hammer drill kit appears to come with a new 30-minute rapid charger.

ETA is Spring 2012, and MSRP is estimated to be $319.

Makita LXT239 Combo Kit

This 2-piece combo includes both the impact driver and hammer drill/driver, 2 18V LXT batteries and a 30-minute rapid charger.

ETA is Spring 2012, MSRP appears to be $329 via Home Depot.

Makita LXRH01 18V Rotary Hammer

All we know about the new brushless rotary hammer thus far is that it accepts SDS-Plus bits, weighs 11.1 lbs, and is designed with a built-in HEPA dust collection kit. It has a no-load speed of 0-950 RPM and 0-4700 BPM. ETA is Summer 2012.

All tools will also be available as bare-tool add-on models.

Thanks to K for the heads-up about the hammer drill!

Rudy sent us a note that Hitachi’s new 18V cordless brushless hammer drill is due to be released this week. The new drill, model DV18DBL, features a max torque delivery of 654 in-lbs, tool length of 8.7-inches, 4.8lb weight, 1800 max RPM, 27000 BPM impactor, keyless 1/2″ chuck, 22 clutch settings, and a base-mounted LED work light.

Compared to Milwaukee’s new FUEL M18 brushless hammer drill, the Hitachi is longer and the motor delivers a bit less oomph.

Like the new brushless drill/driver, the new hammer drill features 2 mechanical gear settings and 4 electronic power settings. The power-limiting settings seems redundant in the presence of an adjustable clutch and different speed gearbox settings, but maybe such a feature will come in handy.

The kit includes 2x 3.0 Ah lithium-ion batteries that recharge in 45-minutes. Also included is a side handle, metal belt hook, and carrying case.

MSRP is $299.

Buy Now(via Lowes)

Thanks to Rudy for the heads-up!

Amazon is currently holding a Porter Cable spring sale where cordless and cordless power tools, pneumatic tools, and power tool accessories are eligible for a $20 off $100 discount.

Listing of all eligible Porter Cable tools.

Take a look at our Porter Cable post archive for past tool previews and reviews.

Coupon is applied automatically at checkout, and expires April 30th.

Stanley Black & Decker is launching a new line of power tools – corded and cordless lithium ion – under the Stanley FatMax label. Right now we have no idea how/where it places in the Stanley B&D brand families (Dewalt, Porter Cable, Black & Decker), but we think they’ll be marketed as premium DIY or value-priced pro tools.

It seems that this shouldn’t make sense, but it does. Dewalt launched their hand tool lineup in 2011, and they seem to have been doing well. So why not launch a Stanley FatMax power tool lineup. If we had to guess, we’d think that the brand was created to steal market share from Craftsman, Ryobi, and Kobalt, but maybe it will go up against more pro-oriented brands as well.

Remember when we said there were tools we knew about but wouldn’t talk about yet? This is what we were referring to. Luckily we just now came across a wealth of new information, so we’re moving forward with the preview. We’re still in need of product details and specs, and will share updates as they come in.

Stanley FatMax Cordless Power Tools (Lithium Ion)

• FMC010LB – 12V 3/8″ drill driver kit
• FMC040LB – 12V 1/4″ impact driver kit
• FMC620LB – 20V compact 1/2″ hammerdrill kit
• FMC640LB – 20V 1/4″ impact driver kit
• There are MORE 20V tools in development

Based on some of the designs of upcoming tools that we’ve seen, we don’t think these are relabeled “lick and stick” tools. Plus, if they were, we would expect a much larger launch. It seems that some of the new designs may be heavily inspired by current Dewalt/Porter Cable/Black & Decker models, but we’re hoping the FatMax tools will offer some distinction.

Stanley FatMax Corded Power Tools

• FME305K – 7-1/4″ circular saw
• FME600 – 2.5A oscillating tool kit

Additional FatMax Power Tools

FatMax air compressors and power tool accessories are also a part of the initial launch. There will also be “FatMax screwdriver sets” in the power tool category, but we’re not sure what that means yet.

Our Thoughts

Stanley Black & Decker has a very clean and clear plan for their brands. While there is cross-over in some cases, many of their parallel offerings are distinct enough to justify their existence under the separate child brands. It may seem a little ridiculous for them to introduce another power tool lineup when they already have three. But whereas Porter Cable and Dewalt are aimed at professional users, only Black & Decker tools are strictly aimed at DIYers and home users.

Enthusiasts and advanced DIYers typically turn towards professional brands for their better features, higher specs, and typically more robust and durable construction. Maybe Stanley B&D is hoping for the FatMax lineup to appeal to this market. With Dewalt hand tools seemingly designed and be marketed as a slight upgrade over Stanley FatMax hand tools, perhaps the FatMax power tools will take a similar position slightly below Dewalt or Porter Cable tools, but on the consumer side of the fence.

What are your thoughts, and what would you like to see emerge under the new Stanley FatMax power tool branding?

Update: We’ve been told that this may be a Canada-specific launch. Still, we spied a couple of new tool designs that seem to be based off of the Dewalt 20V Max lithium ion battery platform. Even if the Stanley FatMax tools are in fact “lick and stick” Dewalt relabels, we now know additional 20V Max tools are in final stages of development. And maybe we’ll finally see a Dewalt oscillating multi-tool. We’re still waiting for additional details and product specs.

We caught glimpse of a game-changing cordless drill driver design that we absolutely had to share with you! News of the drill is not exactly supposed to be made public yet, but its features are so innovative and its styling so kick-ass that we’ll risk a few angry phone calls to bring you this preview.

(This is one of the tools we were talking about in yesterday’s venting about keeping new tool secrets.)

Still, since we’d like to limit the number of angry voice-mails we are bound to receive, we have decided to at least keep mum as to which major tool manufacturer plans to release the new driver. We’re told that the project is so secretive that the brands’ marketing and PR contacts haven’t even been briefed about it yet.

We’ve been told that this project has been codenamed “Batman” internally, with the vision and goal to create a super-compact drill-driver with advanced features that could be carried on-person. It is hoped that, eventually, several other cordless tools could be scaled down without there being a sacrifice in features or power.

One question thus far – what color will the utility power belt be? That’s right, there’s a utility belt in the plans as well, AND it charges your tools as you work. Our source preferred not to discuss the kinks that “set this project back a few years.”

Heck, we’re already seeing 12V hammer drills and a 12V compact band saw that can be operated with one hand. Smaller and lighter is the way of the feature. But what sets this drill/driver apart from other minified tools is its impressive high-tech features.

1. Body Composition and Brushless Motor

The body of the cordless drill/driver is made from high-strength plastic and magnesium, making it incredibly lightweight and durable. This might change in the final version, but it sounds pretty reasonable.

The drill will feature a brushless motor, but we are not privy to additional details. If/once we find out more, we will update this post accordingly.

2. Optical Trigger Switch

The drill features a true optical trigger that senses flesh or any normal glove material.

The idea of an optical trigger switch is not exactly new, but current designs, most notably Hitachi’s new brushless drill, still require a traditional trigger to toggle an internal optical switch.

3. Secondary Trigger Safety

When you toss the drill into your bag or holster with a bit still in the chuck, you don’t want it turning on by itself. There are three optical sensors in the handle that must be covered with your hand before the trigger switch can be used to operate the drill. One sensor is at the back of the handle, and there are two more on opposite sides that allow for right- or left-handed operation.

4. 1/4″ Hex Chuck

As we discussed previously, we’re not exactly in-love with hex-chucked drills. But at least we can pop in 1/4″ hex-to-drill chuck adapter. We know that a traditional 3/8″drill chuck model is in the pipeline for later release, but until then we consider this drill/driver more of a driver than a drill.

5. Auto-Adjusted Speed Control and Max-Torque Settings

There’s a whole lot of technical and marketing mumbo jumbo used to describe this feature, but we’ll cut to the bottom-line. A microcontroller chip is used to control both speed control and maximum torque settings, automatically. A special sensor (see feature 6, below) aids in determining the proper settings.

Electronic torque controls are built into Dewalt’s new brushless impact driver, and Milwaukee’s FUEL brushless impact driver. However, the technology that allows for such control also limits the maximum speed (RPM) that can be achieved at a given torque setting.

The tech behind the speed and max-torque of this new drill/driver, on the other hand, can control the speed and torque settings independently.

6. Worklight Plus Speed and Torque Control Aid

A white LED worklight illuminates low-light work areas. Right next to it are two LEDs (or lasers??), spaced about 1/2″ apart, that pulse a red beam several times a second. What this does is measure the thickness of a drill bit, if you’re drilling a hole, or fastener you are driving in. This ensures that the tool is always operating within 10% of the recommended speed.

Without a mechanical or physical trigger with pressure-sensitive contacts, or optical trigger with position encoder, this is the only way to provide variable speed control.

The maximum-torque setting is also set based on the thickness of whatever fastener you are driving in. Taking into account different fastener materials, the drill starts with the lowest max-torque. It measures the distance between fastener-head and the surface of the workpiece, and increases the torque setting if the max is reached before a fastener is driven flush.

Once the fastener is driven flush, the drill/driver turns off. This can be easily overridden as necessary.

7. Reverse Switch

Here is another optical switch. Touch or cover it once to engage “forward” mode, twice to engage “reverse” mode, and a third time to lock the drill/driver. The LED changes from green to red, and then off.

To save battery life, the drill goes into sleep mode if locked for more than 30-minutes, but it can be woken up by inserting a drill or screwdriver bit into the chuck.

8. Inductively Charged Battery

The drill/driver is powered by a 12V (10.8V actual) lithium ion battery that is inductively charged. Capacity is 800 mAh, which seems to be a bit on the low side, but runtime is claimed to be 90-minutes under continuous average load. It takes 15-minutes to fully charge the battery via the included charger. We assume this was done to reduce the upfront cost of the package.

We searched around a bit more and found that one distributor already put up a preorder page:

Availability & Price

We’re told that these neat little drivers will start shipping ~12-months from now, around April 1st, 2013. MSRP is estimated to be $1 more than you can afford.

Update: it looks like one distributor already put up a preorder page!

Buy Now

Image Source: David Miller, a very talented industrial designer. You can see more of his work at Dave Miller Design.

Back when we first reviewed Porter Cable’s 18V li-ion drill driver, we were a bit surprised as to how much we liked it. It performed reasonably well, was comfortable to use, and it was quite solidly built. So when we received word that Porter Cable had come out with an upgraded 18V drill, we had high hopes.

The new 18V drill, model PCL180CDK, has been updated in a number of ways compared to the PCL180D we reviewed so long ago. First, the battery slides on from the front rather than the rear. Second, the gearbox is now exposed, resulting in a more compact body. Third, the motor and gearing have been updated to provide higher max torque output (424 in-lbs) and higher max speed (1500 RPM).

First Impression

Porter Cable is marketing their new tools towards tradesmen who are looking for heavy-duty but value-priced products. This has been made clear by Stanley Black & Decker execs. But… we think that someone forgot to pass the memo to Porter Cable designers.

To be honest, we feel that some of Porter Cable’s new tools and accessories are intended for DIYers and homeowners, an idea support by such tools’ low retail prices. This is NOT the case with the PCL180CDK 18V drill.

Our first impressions were very positive. The new drill/driver felt solid and appeared well built. It also wowed us during initial performance tests. A few of Porter Cable’s tools have exceeding our expectations in the past 2-3 years. What this means is that we’re going to have to raise the bar, and consider them on equal terms with other top-tier brands such as Bosch, Dewalt, and Ridgid, Milwaukee, and Makita.

Features, Comfort, and Ergonomics

The handle design was tweaked so that the 18V slide-style battery pack is inserted from the front of the tool instead of the rear, with the goal being more efficient jobsite battery changes. Maybe it’s our imagination, but we feel that the change helps with tool balance as well. Or maybe the better balance was achieved through the conscious resdesign of the motor-gearbox assembly and position, it’s hard to say.

Without a doubt, the drill has great balance. But beyond that, the grip was improved as well. The pistol-grip handle angles are more comfortable, and the contours and rubbery lining are well thought out.

The speed selector seemed to be too small at first, but slides between settings with ease, even when toggled with a gloved hand. The trigger itself has a more curved contour, which we liked, but isn’t a significant upgrade by itself, and the clutch is also easy to adjust with a bare or gloved hand. Finally, the single-sleeve all-metal ratcheting chuck is wobble-free and holds bits securely.

New drill on left, previous model on the right.

Performance

There isn’t much this drill can’t do. We tested it with 3/4″ and 1″ spade and auger bits in wood, several bi-material hole saws in aluminum sheets, 1/8″ to 1/2″ holes in mild steel bars, and drove a number of common fasteners from #6 to 5/16″ lags.

The max-torque is stated to be 424 in-lbs, which is sufficient for a compact drill/driver. If the tool were any beefier, we’d expect it to come with an auxiliary handle and extended-capacity battery out of the box.

Conclusions

To be completely honest, Porter Cable surprised us. Yes, again. The 18V PCL180CDK is a well-designed drill/driver, and it performed as well as expected. Could it endure the rigorous demands of a tradesman at a jobsite? Maybe, but we cannot answer that ourselves, so we passed it along to an electrician. After two weeks we asked for feedback and the only complaint was that the LED worklight was only so-so. Sounds like two thumbs-up to us.

Given our experience with the PCL180CDK, we can easily recommend it. DIYers and tradesmen will be hard pressed to find a better drill at this drill’s $150 price point.

Buy Now(via Lowes)
Buy Now(via Amazon)

Technical Specs

The kit also includes a small lunch-bag style carrying case and 30-minute charger.

Thank you to Porter Cable for providing the sample for this review unconditionally. Review samples are typically returned, donated, or in some cases retained for further testing or comparison purposes.

Hitachi Power Tools sent me a direct message via Twitter today, saying that I should check out their newest 18V brushless drill driver. They also mentioned that it features a lifetime warranty, and the message included a link to their entire Hitachi Power Tools Canada product lineup.

After I asked about USA distribution, they replied that the drill is launching in both Canada  and USA today and that I should call the Atlanta head office for complete details.

Okay, that’s a little weird. Manufacturers send me notices about their new products all the time, and I do my own digging and research as well. I am often asked “how can we get our product mentioned on ToolGuyd?” It’s simple – if the product is of potential interest to ToolGuyd readers, just send me information, such as a press release of fact-sheet, or point me in the right direction.

In over three years of writing tool previews and reviews on ToolGuyd, this is the first time I’ve ever been told so little about a new product and then asked to call up an unspecified phone number for more details.

After I determined the model number of Hitachi’s new brushless drill (DS18DBL?), a little digging reveals that it features up to 50% more runtime, increased power and extended durability with essentially no maintenance. The motor delivers a maximum 593 in-lbs of torque and up to 1800 RPM. A 4-way electric speed toggle and 2-way speed switch provides for up to 8 different speed/power calibrations.

The drill also features a 1/2″ keyless all-metal chuck and a 22-stage keyless chuck (clutch) that delivers 22 torque settings and a drill mode. The motor’s variable speed is controlled via an optical trigger switch that is said to offer better response and greater wear-resistance.

Coupled with the 3.0Ah battery, the Hitachi brushless drill weighs in at 4.4 lbs, which is a hair lighter than Milwaukee’s Fuel brushless drill driver. But the Milwaukee bests the Hitachi  with 22% greater max-torque delivery.

The kit comes with two 3.0Ah li-ion batteries. ETA and pricing is unknown.

It seems that Hitachi’s direct message may have been spammed to all of their twitter followers, explaining why I was shrugged off and directed to call their HQ phone number for details. When I asked whether they sent the same DM about the brushless drill to all of their followers, they replied that the worldwide audience will see it on their twitter feed.

I have a couple of questions about the new drill/driver that I hope to have answered. Even if I had the desire to track down the USA HQ phone number, chances are that their general customer service won’t be able to answer technical questions about a brand new product that just launched today.

What does it mean that the drill has a 4-way electric speed toggle and 2-way speed switch? The 2-way speed switch obviously refers to the low/high gearbox settings, but what’s a 4-way electric speed toggle? Does this mean that the “optical trigger” only has 4 variable speed settings, or does it relate to what appears to be a small control at the base of the drill?

And the “optical trigger” – how “more responsive” is it? What is the anticipated service rate or frequency of the optical trigger vs. for mechanical triggers?

How much does the drill kit cost, and where can it be purchased? Will there be a compact version introduced as well? What other brushless tools are in development or scheduled for release?

Summary: the new Hitachi brushless drill driver looks to bring several new technologies to market. I find the features and specs to be interesting, and the product is definitely deserving of additional attention. But asking me to chase down details after receiving a mass-spam message is extremely frustrating.

Amazon Dewalt Tool and $25 GC Promo

Deal ends March 31st, 2012.

We’re really excited about the new Milwaukees 18V Fuel brushless drill driver that’s coming out right about now. There’s also a new brushless hammer drill, and we have recently learned that an impact driver and two impact wrenches will soon be announced as well!

To be honest, we’re more excited, ecstatic actually, about Dewalt’s brushless impact driver than the prospect of a Milwaukee Fuel impact driver, but maybe that will change once full details emerge.

Right now, here’s what we know about the new Milwaukee Fuel 18V brushless impact driver, model 2653-22ct:

• It will feature an electronic speed/torque control at the base of the tool near the battery. Three settings for light, medium, and heavy duty fastener-driving tasks.
• Improved runtime and power. We’ve seen this for the other new Fuel tools, and it will hold true in the impact driver.
• It will be shorter and more compact than previous models. Unless the teaser image is misleading, which we don’t think is the case.

We’re not sure as to whether the 1/4″ hex bit chuck has been improved, but our source didn’t mention anything noteworthy about this. The first thing they pointed out was the torque delivery control, so that will likely be the marketing focus of the tool.

A release date and pricing has not yet been set, but we’ll probably receive more details and specs as the tools are shipped out to distributors. From what has been hinted, the impact driver will be released prior to the two impact wrench models.

Why do brushless power tools get us all hot and bothered? Power Tool Tech: All About Brushless Motors.

We put Porter Cable’s new 18V lithium-ion drill driver through a few grueling tests and then into the hands of a contractor. We’re still putting the finishing touches on our review, but thus far it looks like the drill earns high marks across the board.

Porter Cable: We’re really proud of our upgraded 18V li-ion drill/driver!

ToolGuyd: I can see why – we’re definitely liking its ergonomics and performance.

Porter Cable: Do you think one of your readers would like to win one to use in their Spring home improvement projects?

ToolGuyd: Definitely!

Porter Cable has offered us one PCL180CDK-2 compact drill kit to give away to a randomly-selected reader! To enter the giveaway, simply leave a comment and tell us why you want to win the new 18V drill driver!

For an extra bonus entry, look through Porter Cable’s catalog and your own tool collection and answer any of the following questions: Which Porter Cable tool is your favorite? Which ones are on your wishlist? Are there any Porter Cable tools you would like to see reviewed here on ToolGuyd?

Only those with addresses in the contiguous 48 US states are eligible to win. The giveaway entry period end March 30th, 2012.

Check out Porter Cable’s Facebook page for news and other giveaways. You can also connect with us on the ToolGuyd Facebook page.

Update: Here is the randomly-selected winning entry.