Hot on the heels of Dewalt’s Atomic Series 20V Max cordless pin nailer announcement, Makita also issued a press release, announcing their own new cordless pin nailer. What are the chances this is coincidental timing?
Shown above is Makita’s latest 18V cordless pin nailer, which came out 5 years ago. We have nothing else to show, as Makita USA announced their XGT nailer without providing a single product image.
The new Makita XGT 40V Max pin nailer, model GTP01, will feature a brushless motor and will work with 23 gauge pins.
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Here’s what Makita says about their new XGT cordless pin nailer:
This powerful and portable Pin Nailer delivers up to 15% faster firing than the 18V LXT model XTP02. It will drive six different lengths of 23-gauge nails, with a max magazine capacity of up to 120 pin nails.
And, that’s it. This is the extent of Makita USA’s official announcement of their GTP01 pin nailer.
There’s no product image, pricing, availability details, or information about pin nail compatibility, other than “six different lengths.”
The incomplete announcement feels rushed.
Makita also has yet to announce USA availability for their XGT brad nailer, which debuted internationally one year ago.
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Makita’s XGT brad nailer looks to be an upgrade compared to their older 18V model, with claims of it being “up to 15% faster than the 18V LXT model.” Maybe the same will be true about their pin nailer.
It’s uncertain as to whether Makita has been able match or improve upon the size of their 40V Max nailer, compared to their older 18V model.
Also, keep in mind that the smallest Makita XGT battery is going to be their 10-cell 2.5Ah battery, which is the approximate size and weight of a 10-cell 18V 5.0Ah battery.
Milwaukee’s M12 cordless pin nailer is about as compact as can be, and Dewalt’s 20V Max Atomic pin nailer can make use of 5-cell battery packs or their new stacked-lithium PowerStack battery tech to help keep the weight down.
I did a comparison a while back, showing Makita’s 18V pin nailer with a 5Ah battery compared to an air pin nailer. Their 18V pinner is decent, but this is the type of tool where cordless convenience comes with significant tradeoffs.
The question is, will the size and weight tradeoffs be improved with Makita’s 40V Max XGT model, compared to their 18V?
Alfredo
Sometimes I think they just call each other before releasing something. All of them releasing staplers and nailers at the same time. Haha
Stuart
Sometimes it seems that way, but there are a lot of occasions where brands try to one-Up each other and steal some thunder.
Brand A might send info out with an embargo lifting in 4 weeks. Brand B might learn about it and and then push their release early to be able to say “industry’s first.”
Here, I can’t tell if Makita USA rushed their news trying to one-up Dewalt, or if their PR people are just lazy in pushing such an incomplete announcement.
Rog
It’s amusing to see your disdain for Makita come through in the way you talk about them 🙂
But on a serious note; are you aware of who does their marketing? Is it an outside agency or fully internal? I’d love to find out who is doing all this so poorly and just have a talk or ten with them…
MM
I don’t think I’ve ever read Stuart disparaging a Makita tool, though he has certainly complained–and rightfully so–about their marketing practices. From refusing to answer basic questions about a confusing presentation to having mid-level managers outright shilling under fake names on this very website I’d say his criticisms of Makita USA’s marketing are legitimate and well founded.
This situation sure is strange. Who on earth announces a new product without photos? Or anything else, really? All we have is a couple of vague tidbits, but nothing important: no photo, no price, no ETA to market, no physical specifications…. I’m not criticizing the tool, after all we know nothing about it. And how could we with such a weak announcement? When Dewalt and Milwaukee release new tools they have detailed press information with photos from multiple angles, price, ETA, part numbers, and all that. I have nothing against Makita tools, I own them myself, but man their marketing seems inept.
Rog
I was referring to their company practices for sure. They make great tools but dumb decisions around them.
Stuart
Oh, I think Makita Japan is great.
Makita USA doesn’t get special treatment. It is my general practice that, if there’s a meaningful hole in information or insights, and it’s not for lack of effort on my part, I make it clear that it’s the brand, retailer, or other responsible party’s fault.
And yes, a Makita USA manager left shill comments under a fake name – https://toolguyd.com/makita-xgt-comments/ . Their shill comments go back a few years, including where they bashed competing products (and by a former employer no less).
rob
Before you report on the ridiculous dump of XGT products that Makita just did in the US, beware that no one knows the actual CFM on the vacs. The marketing in the US claims 148 cfm. The US manual states 95 cfm. The marketing in other countries can’t decided if it’s 40 CFM, 95 CFM, 101 CFM or 108 CFM.
Stuart
I probably won’t – those “announcements” are negligently incomplete, and it seems they’re desperate to be part of the conversation as Milwaukee’s M18 vacuums hit the market.
rob
Possibly. I think their desperation effort may have more to do with them already destroying their relationship with US customers that bought into XGT and then just sat there watching while seemingly everyone else in the world got new products and Makita USA just stayed quiet while the Americans got nothing.
Now after a lot of complaining. Everything that came out in the past year is announced at once…
This whole time, they could have just reached out to customers and explained the game plan and the shortage difficulties. But they didn’t. Now they’re being goofy, as always.
All of these products they just announced…no ship dates…
Rob
My memory serves me incorrectly, it’s 61, 83, 100 and 109 in other countries.
Dale
It depends on which hose is used for that version.
Jared
Ha, that timing is curious indeed!
I have to say, I have a tough time envisioning XGT being around for the long haul.
I realize Makita did it because their tech couldn’t keep up on the most powerful tools, but their response, creating a new platform that doesn’t work well for small form-factor tools, is bewildering.
I understand they say they will keep both lineups alive, but… I don’t get the advantage. If they had gone “multi-volt” like Metabo it would make a lot more sense.
Stuart
I don’t think they know what the plan is yet.
Makita USA’s emphasized selling point at launch was that you can do everything with one platform, and with batteries you can use with an impact driver. And then they announced this one: https://toolguyd.com/makita-xgt-8ah-battery/
So now, XGT is still grossly incomplete, and with batteries that contradict all of their competitive talking points a year ago.
At least they’re filling in some of the holes.
Kingsley
40V, but why? Why? 40V screwdriver next!
Aaron S
hoping for dual battery 80v pinner so we can get it another few percent faster!
Rafe
My thoughts also. 18V is plenty. I run the same 5AH battery in one for like a week.
Perry
Their 18v pin nailer was garbage, my first one broke after a week, second one a few days after getting it. I love almost all their other offerings, but I’ve been burned enough with their nailers that I won’t buy another one. The narrow crown stapler I had jammed so much I tossed it
Andrew
Did someone pull a prank on Makita management and they thought you do this on May 1 instead of April 1? From where I am sitting, putting a giant 40V battery on a 23 ga. nailer doesn’t seem well thought our, unless the goal is to give the finish carpenters some firepower when they have target shoot-outs on their lunch breaks.
Rob
The April Fools was when they announced the tea kettle in lieu of bringing any XGT to the USA.
James C
I’ll wait for the MX Fuel pin nailer.
neandrewthal
Agreed. It’s not worth it if you can’t fire at least 10,000 on a charge. Plus you need some heft to counter the massive kick of a pin nailer.
Jimmie
Maybe Ego will come out with a line of power tools compatible with their OPE batteries. Imagine mounting a drill or impact driver to their 7.5Ah battery…
Stuart
The people behind Ego have a new cordless line – Flex 24V.
JMG
After the XNB01Z fiasco, I pretty much gave up on Makita battery powered nail guns. This new offering does little to inspire interest on my part. They have already failed once with the 36v platform and ended up selling off much of the old stock in the US with adapters using 2 18v batteries… A light weight pinner with a large battery seems counter productive to me, but I will applaud them for hanging in there on their newest attempt on the higher voltage platform.
While I will continue to invest in their 18v offerings, other than nailers, I don’t trust MakitaUSA enough at this point to buy into another platform for fear that they will repeat the last attempt and drop it without warning, or fail to fully support and expand it properly.
Nathan
yeah I don’t get the idea of an XGT model other than if they are going to make every 18V tool available with the new battery system. Even then perhaps this will get a pouch battery system.
Adam
The performance won’t be any different from the 18 volt, surely.
OldDominionDIYer
40V pin nailer? Maybe they’re bring a 2x18V next, I mean why not? The size (and of course performance) are key to a good pin nailer, it needs to be small, nimble and as light as practical. 40V screams overkill, but hey I’m not their customer base so what do I know.
Adam
My question is why do you need a 40 volt XGT pin nailer, what difference does it make 18 volt or 40 volt in a cordless pin nailer, a bigger battery won’t drive the nails any different will it, or maybe I’m missing something.
Rx9
40v pin nailer? Pitifully underpowered.
What finish carpenters really need is a nuclear powered 60-ft tall exo-suit capable of firing at least 250k 23ga pins per second…at a minimum
3200fps, sustained rate.