Milwaukee has come out with a new M18 Fuel cordless brushless band saw (2729) that features a new deep-cutting design.
Early product listings for the 1- and 2-battery kits (2729-21, 2729-22) have appeared on some dealers’ websites, but it might be some time before the new band saw is available.
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Johnny wrote in with the new product tip, and I can’t help but share his surprise.
Stu, where the hell did this come from?
Thanks to GortonsFisherman for the find and Johnny for the tip!
Here’s what we know:
1. The new M18 Fuel band saw is built with a brushless motor.
This presumably means it’s plenty powerful and should provide for long runtime.
2. It’s mostly a corded power tool, but without the cord.
Milwaukee says that the new Fuel band saw shares over 90% of the same parts as their corded band saw, including an all-metal direct drive system. This translates to mean you can expect to see exceptionally good durability.
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And while Milwaukee also says the new Fuel cordless band saw is the first to truly deliver corded performance with cordless productivity, they also say that it cuts faster than a corded saw.
3. It’s a deep cut band saw, with 5″ x 5″ cutting capacity.
According to Milwaukee, the 2729 band saw offers the industry’s largest cut capacity. We spent a few minutes searching and could not find any cordless model that could challenge this claim. It appears that yes, this another “first” for Milwaukee.
Additional Features
- 44-7/8″ blade length
- Speed: 0-380 SFPM
- Weight: 15 pounds
- Tool-free adjustable shoe
- Constant Power Technology maintains cut speed under load
- Armored frame with crush zone barriers for long-lasting durability and protection
- Sealed design helps protect internals from warm, dust, and debris
- LED work light
- Built-in Tool Hanger
- Kits come with (1) or (2) M18 XC 4.0Ah Li-ion batteries, a multi-voltage charger, blade, and carrying case
Buy Now(1-Battery Kit via Home Depot)
Buy Now(2-Battery Kit via Home Depot)
Compare(All Milwaukee M18 via Home Depot)
ETA: June 2014
Prices: The 1-battery kit (2729-21) is listed at $499, and the 2-battery kit (2729-20) is listed at $549.
First Thoughts: Should You Buy It?
When looked at the M18 Fuel and M18 brushed motor saws side-by-side, it’s clear that they’re two different tools. It’s not just that the Fuel brushless model is presumably more powerful and longer-running.
As mentioned, the new band saw has a 5″ x 5″ cutting capacity, while the other model, 2629, has a much smaller cut capacity of 3-1/4″. This means you can cut materials that your other cordless band saws cannot dream of handling. But this also means that it’s going to be larger and heavier saw.
There are plenty of applications that many users would be better off using the M18 non-Fuel cordless band saw for. But if you need the greater cutting capacity and can stand the extra weight, the Fuel band saw looks to be a great option.
Side-by-side, you can see how closely the 2729 Fuel cordless and 6232 corded band saws look alike.
The new Fuel cordless saw offers the power and capacity of the corded model, but frees users to move around the jobsite without having to drag an extension cord around.
So should you buy the new Fuel band saw? Are you looking for a cordless band saw with corded-saw capacity, corded-saw power, corded-saw durability, and the greater mobility provided by battery power? Then the answer is yes. If instead you’re looking for a compact or lighter saw with half the cutting capacity and a lower price, then this might not be the saw for you.
GortonsFisherman
I posted on GarageJournal.com this discovery last night.
Stuart
Okay. Thank you? Johnny emailed in with the tip last night. I don’t know where he learned about the saw from, and I didn’t ask, as it’s not unusual for readers to email in about new tools or deals they find on retailers’ sites.
JohnnyFbomb
Credit goes to GortonsFisherman. Found it on gj and thought stu should know.
Stuart
Ah, thanks for the clarification.
Thanks to you for the tip, and GortonsFisherman for the find!
Joe
People are so brainwashed on this brushless crap. You do these test running drills and whatever non stop,and of course the brushless is going to win first the motor runs cooler than brushed thats what kills the brushed is heat but who runs there drill non stop and second it’s a newer motor every newer model is always better than the previous model by 20 to 30% this is just a ploy to get you toolnuts to buy new tools.Another thing brushless motors are way more fragile than brushed just drop your brushless drill off a ladder or house and your drill probably won’t work. My brother works for home depot and that all that comes back are the brushless tools with problems mostly milwaukee but some dewalts and they sell more dewalts than milwaukee 2 to 1 I think milwaukee is getting into this brushless way to fast they seem so bent on beating dewalt that they aren’t putting there tools through test before they put the ou
t
matt
No brainwashing at all they flat out perform better run longer..
I am from the RC world and clowns that did not embrace the Brushless revolution there got left behind.. Its the same thing with the tools.. Brushless is the future of the tools.. And the tech is not being rushed.
And I am sorry but more fragile is not really factual either. Either motor can have a issue if misused.. If anything Brushless motors are better protected from the abuse then brushed motors ever were.. Brushed motors never had cutouts to shut things down if the user was over amping the tools or running below the correct voltage levels..
joe
Simple math..quantity over quality…the truth is out there…:)…but I would have to admit that brushless motors are the way to go….A/C units have them and called ‘induction motors’…your computer hard drive has them. Your ceiling fan has them. Your bathroom fart fan is one. Your dishwasher is another…the compressor motor inside your outside ac unit is one…the alternator in your car is brushless…your generators motor is brushless….your bluray player (or any computer cd/dvd reader/whiter has a brushless motor)…
The benefits are out there are proven…but i’m sure some people will take a chunk of the money to just advertise ‘brushless’ with out even caring about quality though 🙂
JohnnyFbomb
Brushless + all this new battery tech = insanely long run time.
James
Brushless motors and induction motors are NOT the same thing. Brushless motors have permanent magnets, where as induction motors do not. Also induction motors can run off of straight AC, though they are fix output under those conditions, but because of this their application was feasible since before inverters were created in the 1960s . You can say the designs are somewhat similar, but the motors are not the same, not by a long shot. The two have very different trade offs associated with them as well, and so specialize in different applications. For instance brushless DC has superior top end efficiency, whereas AC induction has superior efficiency up to 80%. People seem to think brushless DC and AC induction are the same thing simply because the inductions motors don’t have brushes, but they are very different motors with different capabilities and engineering challenges.
James
Thought I would share a little personal experience on dropping Milwaukee brushless tools off of roofs…
I actually recently dropped my M18 FUEL 1/4″ Hex Impact Driver (2653) off of my roof on to my driveway. I thought for sure I killed it. (It sure scratched the heck out of my craftsman 11mm socket!) But other than one small nick on the tool retainer, there are ZERO signs that this tool took a 15’+ foot fall onto concrete. …and let me tell you, it hit HARD. Picked it up and finished the job.
Larson
Looks awesome but I’d like to see a Fuel SDS rotary hammer, now that’s a tool I could put to work!
Javier
I agree +1
JohnnyFbomb
+2
I really need one.
Gordon K.
I have the Makita 18V cordless bandsaw and I would say it cuts faster than my corded bandsaw and weighs less too. I can use it almost all day without a recharge. It’s been out for 4-5 years now. First is a hard thing to claim. Brushless is nice but these guys sure like to make a deal out of it.
matt
Looks like a pretty sweet addition to the line up..
that plumber guy
Looks neat but 1, this thing will be a battery hog and 2 its to big
And heavy to take advantage of cutting the cord. Also don’t understand the cuts faster bit as they both have variable speed?
Nick Hoover
This is a big deal. I have the cordless milwaukee M18 unit, and while it does a great job, one of the primary tasks I use it for is cutting 3″ PVC conduit on electrical panel jobs. It can barely (and I mean you really have to push) cut 3″ PVC because the throat is too small. I wish i had the brushless model for that reason alone. I used to cut conduit with a cutting wheel and other tools, the bandsaw is second to none
Phil
Dammit Milwaukee, take my money (again) already!
I have my original deep cut (4.5×4.5) corded saw that has been doing fine duty for over 25 years now without a problem. Recently I picked up a Bosch 18V cordless saw that has been a wonderful addition for those smaller, more frequent cuts I make during the course of fabricating stuff, installing, etc. The light weight and cordless nature of the little beast makes it a delight to use. The big Milky saw still has its uses, of course. I’ve been bitten heavily by the cordless bug and see it as a default now, and all too often dealing with cords is a pain, especially when working overhead, elevated, under vehicles, in tight spots, etc. Knowing how well brushless tools work as far as runtime, power, power/weight ratio (I have several Milwaukee and Bosch) it will be all I can do to not buy this thing. They addressed all my issues with the original M18 saw (primarily the battery in the wrong place, cutting capacity and blade length compatible with the corded tool), though I’m sure the weight is approaching that of my old corded saw. Not having to swing the tool about to deal with the cord will be a plus that will help me ignore the weight.
My main concerns with this tool, as with all the cordless tools both brush-type and brushless that are primarily used for cutting metals is how well the tool is sealed up against debris and the permanent magnets inside becoming fouled. Unlike corded tools with universal motors running on AC, the DC motors all use permanent magnets. Metal chips and swarf that find their way inside the tool will become stuck to these magnets, and this can build up over time. In one unfortunate case as I was cleaning up the workbench after making a rather large amount of steel shavings, I accidentally knocked one of my cordless drills right into the collected pile, and lots of this ended up being pulled into the housing. I took apart the drill and cleaned out the mess, which is never easy with strong magnets holding it all in place. High pressure compressed air works the best, but makes for steel micro projectiles flying everywhere. The brushless motors seem to be component in nature, they are assembled into the tool body piecemeal rather than a canned assembly, this makes cleaning a bit easier. Also, unlike brushed motors with their stationary magnet poles, the brushless motors use the magnets in the rotating armature, this seems to help shed metal from sticking while the motor runs.
By far, the biggest worry with cordless tools versus metal particles is the potential for the electronics to get shorted out. Most of the newer cordless tools, especially with LiIon battery tech, have a large amount of electronics on board. Most of this is made up of very fine pitch SMD components. The Bosch 12V and Milwaukee M12 and some M18 gear have open circuit boards with a bit of conformal coating (a thin, shellac-like coat) to help prevent damage from particles and liquids, most of the Bosch 18V tools have the electronic assemblies potted in epoxy to make them impervious. Knowing how much sawdust can cover and be ingested by the cooling fans of these bandsaws makes me hope Milwaukee took a bit of extra care in keeping the electronics safe.
Any word if this saw will come as a tool-only version? Though I would most likely want the storage case, something that generally isn’t available separately in the cordless line.
Stuart
I believe it will be available as a tool-only version. The model number will be 2729-20.
Just looking at the product images, it looks like the new band saw is sealed up pretty well. I don’t work with steel very often, but when sawdust, metal swarf, or plastic chips accumulate quickly enough to where they pose a hazard to my equipment, I make a point to use dust collection where possible. That’s not always possible when working with certain materials, but it helps for most.
Phil
I am revisiting this post after seeing it linked from one of the recent entries and I knew I left a comment in here that was worth an update. Of course, I had picked up this saw about six months ago, and have been putting it through its paces. It’s a beast, and it is not only more powerful and cuts faster than my beloved corded Deep Cut saw, but is is easier to maneuver, more accurate and more versatile. The little LED light does wonders in helping follow a line, the shoe is light years ahead of the simple angled strut on my old saw, and despite there being a battery on top of the motor, the new style smaller motor makes seeing around the tool easier. All the various work I’ve been doing, as well as playing with and showing off the saw to friends, I still have the 4AH battery I originally installed on the saw when I brought it home, and it still shows two out of four bars of power. This is true with all my brushless tools (Milwaukee and Bosch, so far), the batteries easily last near twice as long than on my older cordless tools.
My concern was the potential for accumulated metal particles building up inside the tools, and as I tend to do with nearly every new
toytool, I tore it open to see how the inner construction would likely hold up. As usual, I wasn’t disappointed by how Milwaukee either coated or encased the three major electronic assemblies in epoxy or plastic. Only the heat sink on the driver/commutating module is in the direct airflow pulled through the tool by the rather large fan on the armature, so sawdust flying along inside is not going to accumulate on the connectors and other wiring points. Since the magnets are on the armature and spin along with it at high speeds, I think this will be largely self-cleaning, compared to the fixed permanent magnets in typical brushed cordless tools. Steel grit retained in DC brushed motors can bring about their downfall, I’ve attempted repairs of tools that were used in very dirty work situations doing metal work, a couple of these (both were drills used by a friend who does metal fabrication and custom hitch installations on trucks) had gotten filled with large amounts of steel dust from being used mostly vertical underneath vehicles, allowing the dust to fall over the tools continuously, this made the dust accumulate around the commutator and armature, eventually shorting the poles of the commutator, overloading the speed-regulating control built into the trigger switch and blowing it out. This was a case of extreme usage with a side order of abuse and neglect, but the tools did have a pretty long service life. Both were early 18V DeWalt drills, and not even high end ones at that, similar to the holiday bargain sets sold over the years. I have a higher-end DeWalt 3-speed hammerdrill, and it too lost the trigger switch in a similar, lost-the-magic-smoke fashion, but in my case it happened when a hole saw repeatedly snagged at near full throttle.I would recommend anyone expecting to use a cordless tool primarily to work with cutting, drilling or shaping metal to buy a brushless model, as they are inherently better at dealing with metal dust. Even so, it can increase any tool’s life to periodically blow accumulated dust out of the tool motors with high pressure compressed air.