We’ve talked about quite a few of the new Milwaukee tools that were revealed at their recent media event, and there are still quite a few more to talk about. One of their more interesting brand new tools is this 4-1/2″ and 5″ M18 Fuel braking grinder (2783-20, 2783-22), which will complement the models released in 2013.
As you might have assumed, the new grinder will be powered by a brushless motor. Thanks to the greater efficiency of the brushless motor, you could probably expect for greater power and runtime compared to brushed motor cordless grinders.
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But what about that braking part? According to Milwaukee, this will be the world’s first cordless braking grinder solution, and that it will stop cutting and grinding accessories in under 2 seconds.
Milwaukee had a couple of the new M18 Fuel braking grinders at the recent media event, but there wasn’t really an opportunity to use them. Hopefully we can get our hands on one for testing later on when it’s available.
Here’s a quick video clip I took that shows how fast the new braking grinder comes to a stop, compared to a random corded grinder.
The grinder is also equipped with a non-locking paddle switch.
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There is also a FIXTEC nut, which provides for tool-free wheel changes. The FIXTEC nut has a fold-down half-ring that can be hand-loosened and tightened for accessory changes.
Additional features include the same metal housing and gearing system that’s found in Milwaukee’s high performance corded grinders. I don’t know what the inside of their corded grinders look like, but thanks to this cut-away tool, we have a glimpse inside the housing of the new M18 Fuel braking grinder.
In addition to the braking action, there’s a kickback-reducing clutch, Job Site Armor screen that prevents motor debris contamination over time, and an anti-vibration handle.
Features & Specs
- No-lock paddle switch
- 8,500 RPM
- 5/8″-11 arbor size
- Wheel size: 4-1/2″ and 5″
- FIXTEC nut for tool-free blade changes
- 15.25″ long
- Weighs 6.1 lbs
The 2783-22 kit comes with the (2) M18 XC 5.0Ah Li-ion batteries, an M18/M12 multi-voltage charger, (1) FIXTEC nut, a type-27 wheel guard, a type-1 wheel guard, and a carrying case. A bare tool version, 2783-20, will also be available.
ETA: July 2015
Pricing: $219 for the 2783-20 tool, $449 for the 2783-22 kit
Buy Now(via Home Depot)
First Thoughts
To start, I just want to say that I’m pleased to see that Milwaukee is including both type-27 and type-1 wheel guards with the grinder. This means you can use grinding wheels or cutting wheels with it. Some brands don’t offer cutting wheel guards with their cordless grinders – at all – and others make it an optional accessory at extra cost. Speaking as someone who uses angle grinders more for cutting than grinding, this is a huge plus.
One of the interesting points about the tool is how it’s designed to come to a stop in under 2 seconds. They could have made it stop even quicker, but not without risking self-loosening of the arbor nut.
Milwaukee isn’t shy about emphasizing how this is a 100% tool-free grinder. Guard adjustments and changes, as well as wheel changes, are all tool-free. That’s right, there are no hex keys or wrenches to keep track of.
Another interesting point is how this is said to be a 4-1/2″ / 5″ grinder. I had been assuming that there would be separate 4-1/2″ and 5″ grinders, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. It seems that this is a dual-size grinder, something I don’t think I’ve encountered before.
I have used 4-1/2″ grinders and seen 5″ grinders, and always considered them to be 2 different sizes of tools. But that doesn’t seem to be the case here, as as official Milwaukee materials describe this as an M18 FUEL 4-1/2″ / 5″ Braking Grinder. Am I less familiar with angle grinder options than I thought, or do you find this to be a little unusual as well?
Update: I asked for clarification, to which Milwaukee added:
The guards we provide with the tool are acceptable for both 4-1/2” and 5” accessories. No guard change is needed due to size. We do provide both T27 and T1 guards so users can use the appropriate guard for their T27 and T1 accessories.
Overall, this looks to be a nice new grinder option to me. But I also tend to prefer paddle switch grinders over those with slide switches. Being able to let go of an angle grinder – whether intentionally or accidentally – and have the motor slow to a stop, or a rapid stop as with this new brushless model, is a great safety feature.
What do you think? And no, Milwaukee doesn’t plan to release a slide-switch version of the braking grinder, as that kind of defeats the safety benefits of the quick braking action.
Nick
I’ve been wondering lately if tool guy’d has been acquired by Milwaukee.
Stuart
Nope. Would you have rather seen a 10,000 word post with 200 images the week after the media event?
The Milwaukee tool box review from earlier today is simply coincidental; it happened to be at the top of my post schedule this morning.
logan
Ditto for me and a couple guys at work.
Jay k.
You guys are cheap. Try the latest, and milwaukee is#1. Whether it is made in the U.S. or not. You have biased opinions…
logan
Everyone has biases. Don’t let your own cause you to immediately dismiss opinions that conflict with yours.
Jay k.
Not a bias – simple fact -i have the 36v dewalt set… and hands down -weight to power ratio as well as unit watts out or whatever you choose to rate power in – milwaukee wins. I’ll trade my 36v dewalt set right now for a m18 set…
Philip
Dewalt 6ov flex 6 inch grinder kills Milwaukee 4.5 5 and 9 grinder. In every way.
I have all of them. Especially torque and dewalt battery will no trip. It’s the 6ov keeps battery cooler.
I love Milwaukee too. But 18v cant handle HO job requirements.
I would even say dewalt 60v is twice as fast… if the Milwaukee would keep running.
Rule of thumb for Milwaukee m18 zip cutting . Nothing more than a 1/4 inch thick
pete
The company that has released the most new AND updated tools is Milwaukee. I would expect nothing less from ToolGuyd. IF dewalt or Makita(from my understanding doesn’t like to play ball with bloggers/youtubers) had released the same amount of tools I’m sure that you would also see the same amount of posts.
Keep it up stuart! Love the coverage.
logan
I’m wary of his seemingly constant harping for Milwaukee, but he is thorough, and I still check in every day. I wish Stuart covered a couple other brands, but I’ve yet to find anyone who does as good a job at what they do cover. His writing mechanics, which aren’t usually the focus of comments, are excellent. That alone has my respect.
RJT
Im starting to think the same thing Nick. looks like Old Stewie boy is in bed with Milwaukee now. This site should be about attraction , not promotion !!
Fred
Nothing else worth covering. Also, this is what he’s got info on. This grinder is a big deal. May move over from Blue to Red cause of this thing.
logan
He doesn’t cover Makita. Makita, until the new Fuel drill was announced, had the highest torque cordless drill. Makita also just released two brushless cordless grinders. One paddle, one toggle. Not a peep about any.
MT_Noob
Seems to me there is a lot of Milwaukee posts because there has been a lot of Milwaukee news. Plenty of other tool blogs and youtube channels are also posting lots of info from the recent Milwaukee event.
I personally like that fact that Stuart is releasing the posts at a steady state as well as interspersed with other tools instead of one giant post show info dump. Clearly he is taking the time to create well thought out posts.
Milwaukee did a smart thing inviting the press and bloggers to see their latest improvements and that has resulted in a lot of good posts on many sites.
I particularly like toolguyd because Stuart is always clear about the difference between advertisers, banners and honest tool reviews. And he isn’t shy about calling out flaws or recommendations so I doubt he is in anyones pocket.
I would also add that it has been my personal experience that if you send Stuart a suggestion for a post or a question about a tool that it can lead to an article. So if you have ideas for posts other than the latest Milwaukee news, use the contact page and pass along your ideas/requests.
glenn
Agreed. 100%
Joel
There were lots of Dewalt posts after the Dewalt event and lots of Milwaukee posts after the Milwaukee event. I’m not sure why that’s so hard for you to understand…
Jason
It’s because Milwaukee just had a big media even a few weeks ago. Dewalt did the dame thing. People go to these things and report back. In a few weeks you won’t see as many articles about Milwaukee will that make you happy. Jeez the things people get up in arms about. The reason Makita isn’t on tool blogs often is they don’t participate and send out review copies of tools to review for the most part.
logan
No, but they have press releases, just like the companies that give things away.
Interesting which ones get posted. Hint:the ones who offer freebies
Pete
How can you put together a review for a tool by watching some one demonstrate it at a press release? Or even using for 2 minutes?
Milwaukee is a marketing power house and obiviously its working. I along with the rest of us on this site go here to check on tool news and reviews. If
Stuart
This isn’t a review, it’s a new tool preview.
I do the same for other interesting tools, regardless of whether I can get one for free to test out.
ToolGuyd has a healthy tool budget, but power tools are extremely cost prohibitive to review. If I can’t get a test sample of a power tool, I probably cannot test it.
An exception would be if a power tool is aligned with my personal needs, which is rarely the case anymore, as I already own all of the tools I need. For example, how many personal grinders do I need? There’s little justification for me to buy another one anytime soon.
There’s a particular Makita tool I requested several times, but haven’t received a response about yet. I could spend $X00 to buy one for review, or I can spend that same money on a bunch of new or different hand tools and offbeat brands.
There is another Makita tool that I have been testing, and it’s a fantastic offering. The review is taking a little longer – as much time as it needs – to allow for a more thorough post. And if it’s ready the same day they give the go ahead to post about a preview I had been asked not to post about yet, there will be two Makita posts that day.
But all this is everyday business.
Why are there so many Milwaukee tool posts recently? Because these things are all at the top of my mind. This grinder preview was going to be rolled into another M18 new tool post, but the press release came in and had additional details and technical specs to allow for a separate preview post.
I don’t think “maybe I shouldn’t post so many Milwaukee/Dewalt/Bosch/etc posts today/this week.” Well, at least not this time of year.
Chris
That’s kinda how I feel about Milwaukee, they pump a lot of cash into marketing and it’s working… A toll company could build pure trash but with a good marketing team could sell ice to an eskimo
Ken S.
I came in here to post the same thing. Milwaukee is generally at the bottom tier of what I would consider quality tools, while I appreciate their ingenuity, not everyone has their shop outfitted solely with Milwaukee tools.
But on to the topic of grinders, Metabo.
logan
There are Type 27 cutting wheels. You might have to go to an industrial supply store, but they exist. Typically higher quality and cheaper than those available at box stores, especially if you buy a few at a time.
logan
On sizes, a 4.5 and 5 are typically the same except for the guard. 6″ grinders tend to be different, and 7-9″ are a whole nother beast.
Pablo
Their claim of “world first” rests largely on who makes it available on the market first.
Looks like you can pre-order the Metabo already…
https://www.metabo.com/com/en/machines/cordless-devices/cordless-angle-grinders/wpb-18-ltx-bl-115-quick-613074640-cordless-angle-grinder.html
http://www.toolstop.co.uk/metabo-wpb-18-ltx-bl-125-quick-angle-grinder-with-dead-mans-paddle-brake-asc-3-p71924
fred
One of the pictures shows the grinder in what appears to be a shop setting
We had a pipe and metal fabrication shop and used handheld grinders – angle and straight as well as a pipe beveling machine and some stationary grinders . A few years ago – a cordless grinder would have been thought of as a joke in this setting – but I guess they are getting better/stronger.
For a jobsite application it looks like Milwaukee is really trying to make a dent in the new market – with braking, size optionality and dual guards standard.
While Pablo talks about the Metabo – I’m betting that Milwaukee will sell lots more because of better distribution channels and brand recognition in the US.
As an aside, I’m not sure why braking is not offered on more cutting tools. My early 1990’s vintage Black & Decker Supersawcat (arguably the best sidewinder saw ever made) has it and it still works after all these years – but that was an age when B&D still made professional grade tools under their name.
BTW as Logan commented – there are Type 27 cutting wheels fairly readily available. We used ones from Norton, Diablo and Forney
Mike
It seems that few, if any, major (electric)power tool brands can claim total superiority with any one certain tool…Metabo grinders being the possible exception. Fein also makes a fine grinder, but I’ve only seen two out in the world. Personally, I’ve never needed to upgrade beyond a Makita rat-tail, but I’m just a pansy electrician.
No doubt Milwaukee will rake in $$$ with this grinder, especially since Home Despot, err …’Depot’…, doesn’t shelf stock any decent Makita or DeWALT models-around here at least. I have no hate in my heart for Milwaukee, though their slogan could be changed to something like this: “Milwaukee-We get your money’s worth.”
also, fred, I must ask…you have praised the B&D SuperSawcat on several occasions. Do you hold them in higher regard than Mafell saws, in quality overall? Maybe just price/performance/value? I’ve used Mafell saws, but never a Sawcat, though I have used old school B&D wormdrives and sanders…very solid indeed. I will admit a bias against sidewinders, I guess. I always use either a worm gear saw(or hypoid occasionally) or a trim/track saw, if that’s more suitable. Only sidewinders(excluding Mafell) I thought were worth a snot were older P-C lefties or high end Makitas…and they both cost too much, IMHO.
fred
I put the super sawcat on a bit of a pedestal based on a combination of things as you suggest – price/performance/build quality/innovation (like the electronic brake) and longevity in use. It was produced by Black &Decker at a time when they were still putting their name (rather than just Dewalt) on professional-grade tools. BTW, I too prefer worm gear saws – from my old 7-1/4 inch Skil 77, another one with a 10-1/4 BigFoot attachment, and my 4-1/2 inch Rockwell-Porter Cable 9314. Anyway I’m now mostly retired – so I’m not likely to be buying a Mafell sidewinder to see if it knocks the Sawcat off its pedestal. I recognize that a 25 year old (or so) piece of technology does not always favorably compare with something more modern. While I have never had the chance to compare my Super Sawcat to a modern Mafell. I have had the opportunity to see a big (12+ inch) Mafell planer and one of their slot mortisers in use and I can say that their plane seemed to be much more than the similarly sized Makita we used. I have no doubt that Mafell produces some fine tools and if the big plane is an example, they should be at more than twice the price of their competition. Cost difference is certainly why I opted for Festool track saws instead of the Mafell for both my business (when I was buying for it) and for my home shop – hobby woodworking
fred
Fein is a company that doesn’t get a lot of attention in the US. For jobsite work – we bought several Fein vacuums over the year – the were good performers and quiet. At the time we bought our first one, they seemed to be leaders in dust collection and sound attenuation. Now there are many other choices on the market for quiet and efficient vacuums – but Fein should probably be on your “compare list” if you are in the market.
We like many other were introduced to Fein via the Multimaster – when Fein held the patents and were the “only game in town” for oscillating multi-tools. While their original model was well built – the socket-screw blade holder was a joke by today’s standards. When I retired – the crews were still using some of the old multimasters – and Fein Supercuts.
In our metal shop – we used 3 hand tools from Fein – that were very task specific – and don’t seem to have much competition. One was a pipe polisher (#10-70) that has a sanding belt that snakes around some idler pulleys. Another Fein tool was a grinder (#10-38) specific for fillet welds. The third tool (#14-25) came in a kit for polishing out stainless steel – using various grit wheels.
mnoswad
wont buy a paddle switch grinder again. i like to move my hands to different spots on the handle to avoid fatigue. A slide switch is better for high use scenarios.
So……this being the only type of grinder switch milwaukee is offering, makes me rethink my cordless tool buy-into plan.
Time to look at blue and yellow again.
Eric
They actually do offer a locking switch m18 fuel grinder, the 2781. It’s not carried in bog box stores but readily available online.
mnoswad
Oh man, thanks for the correction! I’m back to milwaukee as the front runner to my switchover.
mnoswad
Yep found it.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Milwaukee-M18-Fuel-18-Volt-Lithium-Ion-Brushless-Cordless-4-1-2-in-5-in-Grinder-Slide-Switch-Lock-On-Bare-Tool-2781-20/204410441
Bruce
I’ve been impressed with the newer cordless grinder options on the market. They seem to hold their own and kill batteries less quickly than I expected. Personally, I’ll never buy a grinder without some kind of locking switch. That much tool vibration should be handled delicately, I don’t want the pressure point.
Eric
I’ve had my M18 fuel grinder a little over a year now and love it. I have 6 different grinders and it’s usually the one I reach for first in the shop unless I know I’ll be grinding constantly for more than 10-15 minutes. And it’s always with me when I’m installing metal work in the field.
A few notes comparing this model to mine (the 2781):
As others have said, screw paddle switches, they may be safer than locking switches as they turn off as soon as you let go but locking switches are so much more comfortable to use for any period of time.
The 2781 has a “design feature” in that it doesn’t spin smoothly without power, there almost seem to be tension points in it’s rotation (I always assumed it was either the gears locking together or the magnets in the motor aligning)… In practice it means that it stops spinning much faster than my corded dewalt grinder (stops faster than the 8,500 vs 11,000 rpm difference would suggest). This is nice for normal cutting and grinding discs, you can set it down quickly and get on to the next task. However I’ve had twisted wire wheels fly off as their momentum keeps them spinning and they unscrew themselves… I just went and timed it with a cutting wheel on, 3.5-4 seconds to stop all spinning.
The 2781 also fits 4.5″ or 5″ discs (or 7″ if you take the guard off all together, but highly not recommended).
I worry about the no tool lock nut on this new one. If the fold down handle folds down while I’m using it (because it’s old and worn or because it catches on something in a tight space) I’d be very upset if it marred the surface of my work. I will stick with the wrenches as I always know where that nut will be and it can’t transform on me.
Drew M
After having used a Metabo angle grinder with variable governed speed for many years, I flat out refuse to buy any new angle grinder that doesn’t have variable speed. Being able to slow the disc down to just a few thousand RPM is extraordinarily useful. It’s also great if you just need to do a little quick grinding and don’t want all the noise that goes with an angle grinder running at full speed.
Milwaukee’s nut looks interesting but the ‘thumb nut’ on the Metabo is very easy to use and doesn’t have some flimsy wire handle that pops out. Frankly, I think Milwaukee could learn a few things from Metabo on angle grinder design.
Finally, if I bought an angle grinder with a brake, I would want to be able to disable the brake for things like heavy wire wheels that can come loose when stopped rapidly.
Chris Fyfe
It looks like a good rig , I like totally tool less operation . I own it’s M18 Fuel 41/2/5 Grandpa it’s a great tool , I just wish this one had come out earlier .
I’m glad Tool Guyd covers newsworthy innovations , the source being less important . That’s just good journalism .
Chris
Matt
I really like the tool free option! Looks like the blue grinder is going to collect more dust or go down to San Diego with my brother.
Jerry
I like that it is tool less. I both cut and grind and am always looking for where I last put the wheel nut spanner wrench.
As for switches, I prefer the paddle switch. I don’t grind for long periods of time, and prefer the added safety of the paddle.
The electric brake sounds like a winner, as well, especially for cutting. Cut off a rusted bolt, put down the grinder in 2 seconds, instead of having to wait sounds like a time saver.
KL
Sorry to see the Milwaukee hate. Stu just went to the Milwaukee NPS, so he’s got lots of info from that.
As for the braking, I don’t care. Any experienced metalworker learns to stop the tool on the work. And yeah, the paddle switches suck, plus a “runaway” Fuel grinder is no way near as scary as a corded version. As good as these tools are, they don’t have the unstoppable torque of a 110V electric motor.
Stuart
I were on the outside, looking in, I might feel the same way. With all these Milwaukee posts, the need to discuss the tools while they’re still fresh in my mind outweighs the good practice of spreading things out.
I still have 2 more preview posts (at the least), 1 half review, 1 review, and maybe a wrap-up post left in the queue.
Milwaukee has really been pushing the “corded-like performance” claims about a lot of their newer high performance tools, this grinder included. It seems to be a hybrid design – cordless brushless motor, plus the same gearing and housing as their corded model. If the motor can keep up with corded-like speeds and torque, then there’s a good chance that their corded-like performance claims will start to stick.
I bought a cordless grinder because I needed the portability and cord-free cutting capabilities. But if I ever took up welding or needed to use a grinder more frequently in my workspace, then I would also gravitate towards a corded model.
Cordless grinders no longer deliver horrendous runtime, especially when you pair a brushless grinder with a high capacity Li-ion battery pack, but they cannot compare to AC tools. At least not yet. Milwaukee begs to differ, and there is truth to their claims, but a lot of users are still better off with corded grinders than cordless.
Jay k.
So true… makita’s cordless grinder lasts me less than 10 min…
Nathan
another one of those cordless tools where I honestly would prefer it be corded. or so I keep telling my self.
however looks like a good design – I suspect run time if fairly good on those 5ah batteries. Also about your discussion on the brake thing – since nobody has one out that is under 2 seconds – it’s as good a bench mark as any – also braking will require some power out of the batteries – and I wonder if they tried to incorporate brake regeneration out of the motor – I doubt it, but you never know – would cost more.
either way nice idea – yes I expect to see a dewalt and a makita version at some point – what I really want to see is a more efficient and equally features corded version.
KL
I’ve got the Milwaukee Fuel 4.5″ and it is NOT corded-like performance. That’s just marketing speak. The tool is good and has its place (I actually want at least one more), but no…..no way……no how does it truly rival a corded grinder.
I actually prefer cutting a lot of things with cordless if I need to do it one-handed because the kickback is so much less should something go awry. There are times when more power is not good.
dave
It depends on the corded grinder …. i have not try them side by side but the M18 fuel grinder seems as good as my 450 watt hitachi, but obviously will not keep up with my two 800 watt Bosch or my 1100 watt Makita with heavy grinding but a lot of the time i don’t need full welly if i am not grinding …like using a 1mm slitting disk or a backed flat pad