Milwaukee has expanded their M12 line of cordless Li-ion power tools with a new variable speed polisher/sander. The new tool has separate polishing and sanding modes to ensure the proper speed range for the job.
The new M12 polisher/sander is intended to be a sidekick to a larger full-size polisher. According to Milwaukee, the M12 polisher is perfect for use on small, thin, or curved areas. Then, a full-size polisher can be used over larger surfaces.
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Milwaukee conducted field research with automotive detailers and found that they had shortened their detailing time by up to 20% when the M12 polisher is used in conjunction with a traditional polisher.
According to Milwaukee, the new cordless polisher can deliver the performance of a pneumatic polisher, but without the hassle of having to drag an air hose around.
Features
- Tool-free accessory holder
- Removable side auxiliary handle
- 0-2800 RPM polishing mode
- 0-8300 RPM sanding mode
- Weighs 1.6 pounds
- 5-1/8″ length
The new M12 polisher will be available as a bare tool (2438-20), a 2-battery kit that comes with (2) compact Li-ion batteries(2438-22), and a 2-battery kit that comes with (1) compact Li-ion battery and (1) XC high capacity battery (2438-22X).
The M12 polisher/sander will ship with a 5pc accessory pack that includes (1) 3″ sanding backing pad, (1) 2″ sanding backing pad, and (3) polishing pads (1 wool, 2 foam).
ETA: August 2014
Price: $149, $199, $229 for the bare tool, compact battery kit, and compact and XC battery kits respectively.
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Buy Now(via Home Depot)
First Thoughts
No, you’re not going to want to use this on a full car, but the new polisher/sander looks to be an appealing opting for light detailing work.
I also think that the new Milwaukee M12 polisher would great to use on headlights and other areas where you don’t really need to size of a traditional polisher.
This is somewhat of a specialty tool, but I think it’s nonetheless an appealing addition to Milwaukee’s sizable M12 tool lineup.
Why Not Just Use a Drill?
Milwaukee’s new brushed motor M12 2407 drill can reach speeds of up to 1500 RPM, and the M12 Fuel 4203 can reach 1700 RPM. The new polisher can reach speeds of 2800 RPM for polishing, and 8300 RPM for sanding. When using a polisher or sander, you sometimes need speeds that high. Speed does the work in polishers and sanders, and not torque.
For reference, the edge of a 3″ polishing wheel spinning at 2800 RPM can move at a linear speed of about 2200 feet per minute. This is the same linear speed the outer edge of a 7″ polishing wheel rotating at 1200 RPM would move at.
As an aside, to get the linear speed of anything that is in constant rotational speed a given distance away from the center of rotation, multiply the circumference (diameter x pi) by the rotational speed. In the case of a 3″ polishing pad, the linear speed at the very outer edge of the pad would be 3 inches x 3.14 x 2800 RPM x 1 foot/12 inches = 2198 feet per minute.
So in addition to a motor and gearing that’s more conducive for polishing and sanding applications, the new M12 tool is designed with a removable auxiliary side handle that should make it easier to use and control than an ordinary 12V-class cordless drill.
jay k.
So super awesome!!! I still want a trim saw though, I almost bought the bosch 12v overseas!!!
matt
I have a air powered one and its super handy..
Add pic seems kinda of well…..
Glenn
Perfect for motorcycles.
But please Milwaukee, where is the M12 angle grinder and circular saw?
Glenn
Did a bit of searching around and it appears that its not so limited after all. It comes with 2 and 3 inch backing pads that look like they are the roloc type.
If indeed they are roloc backing pads then it will truly be useful as it will allow the use of all the prep and polishing discs needed for metal surface conditioning, polishing etc not to mention cleaning up and prepping fibregass.
Stuart
An M12 angle grinder? I don’t know about that…
Milwaukee M12 users have been asking for a compact circular saw for ages. Maybe 2014 will be the year their wishes come true. Or maybe not. Makita and now Bosch (at least in Europe) have come out with 12V-class trim saws. All that’s left now is Milwaukee and Dewalt. I’d love to see a Fuel brushless M12 saw.
Glenn
Why not Stuart? A brushless 4″ grinder would be great! I would certainly buy one.
Although I already have 18v gear including a grinder, work wise I just don’t need the bigger 18v stuff, hence jumping on the 10.8v platform. Also hobby wise (cars & motorcycles) I find myself reaching for the smaller stuff as well.
I have seen the Makita and Bosch circular saws and if Milwaukee release a version, I will be amongst the first to buy one.
Hers is hoping!
Noah
A mini circ saw is the one thing that still interests me in the other brand lines. That and a right angle impact driver.
John Bomis
For those times I need to just wax/polish a quarter panel?!
Mike
Why not brushless? Or is it and just not mentioned? Specialized tool, that isn’t cheap should get all the tech. An entry level drill still being brushed I understand, but $150 is a decent chunk of change.
Stuart
I don’t think brushless is on the way, at least not anytime soon, otherwise Milwaukee might not be offering 2 different kit options.
Brushless and M12 Fuel typically means longer runtime, yes, but also more power. With polishing and sanding, you need speed more than power. With the Fuel drills and drivers, the tools seem to share the same or similar motor design. That same motor might not have worked well in this case.
It likely costs more because the manufacturing cost is higher.
John G
How is this really a polisher though? This looks like a 12V drill with one of those nifty little polishing pads that you can buy at any auto supply shop. I think there was a TV infomercial with these types of ball polishing pads on a few years back, stick it on any cordless drill…buy now and we throw in the 3 for the same price $19.99.
Stuart
Did you see the “Why Not Just Use a Drill?” part? Speed and ergonomics.
Greg Flores
Is it a rotary/circular polisher or a random orbital polisher?
Greg Flores
And is that a set of quadruplets working on that Bimmer? 🙂
RX9
No, that’s actually a single auto detailer and 3 of his clones, each of which was created with the new Milwaukee M12 Fuel Duplicator Ray Gun (coming fall 2014).
Stuart
I believe rotary.
Looks to me like the same guy photographed in 4 positions using a tripod-mounted camera with the separate images blended together using Photoshop.
KL
If I could fit 2″ & 3″ Rolocs, that’d be awesome. I polish a lot of aluminum cuts this way.
Phillip
For more detailing work and cordless I use the Makita 18V sander. It actually is random orbit for those quick quarter panels or bike details.
http://www.makitatools.com/en-us/Modules/Tools/ToolDetails.aspx?Name=LXOB01
SteveR
Greg Flores asked an important question: Is it just a rotary polisher, or a random orbital? As you know, a rotary polisher/sander stays in one place, and the user moves it around. A random orbital will still have to be moved, but it runs in an overlapping pattern, which better distributes the force on a panel. It is easy to burn through the paint with a rotary polisher, so you have to keep the tool moving as it’s being used. A random orbital is more forgiving in that respect, and a non-professional (like me) can use them with more ease and achieve better results. You’re also less likely to induce scratches with a random orbital buffer, owing to the overlapping action, when compared with a rotary polisher.
The advantage of having the smaller rotating head is that it can get into crevices and scalloped areas, and it can buff narrow roof pillars more easily. Using a 7″-10″ buffing pad may cause the operator to “bridge the gap”, and it can end up burning the paint on either side as you polish. Modern cars (especially high-end vehicles) have more “character lines” that create scallops and raised areas, making a 3″ polisher a very useful tool in your arsenal.
Neil
Could you put a 7″ pad on it? Main use would be for surfboard shaping and repairing.