- Stroke Length: 1-1/8″
- Speed: 0-3,000 SPM
- Length: 17-3/4″
- Weight: 8.9 lbs (w/ XC batt)
At the 2016 Milwaukee New Product Symposium, Milwaukee Tool introduced their new M18 Fuel Sawzall reciprocating saw, model 2721. It’s it has the same specs as their standard M18 Fuel brushless Sawzall, but can be programmed and customized via One-Key.
The M18 Fuel Sawzall with One-Key can be set to operate just like a standard M18 Fuel Sawzall – you don’t need to use the cut optimization options. But according to Milwaukee, if you use the correct One-Key profile for the material you are cutting, you can cut faster and extend the life of your blades.
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See Also: More Milwaukee NPS2016 New Tool Coverage
Features
- Brushless motor
- 4 custom performance profiles can be saved to memory
- Keyless adjustable shoe
- Universal keyless blade clamp
- LED worklight
- Hanging hook
- Blade brake
- Weighs 7.4 lbs bare, 8.9 lbs with XC battery, 9.7 lbs with HD battery
There are 3 key parameters that can be controlled via the One-Key app.
The first is the trigger ramp-up. This controls how fast the saw goes from a standstill to the cutting speed you’ve selected when you pull the trigger all the way. This allows you to start a cut in a more controlled manner.
For instance, when starting a cut on a harder material, the blade might skate around before it bites. Adjusting the ramp-up setting allows you to start the cut at a slower speed, so it’s easier to keep the moving blade exactly where you want it.
With a standard Fuel Sawzall, or any other traditional reciprocating saw, you would need to feather the trigger to achieve this manually, and would probably still have less control than One-Key gives you.
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The second parameter is the cut speed. This allows you to dial in the right speed for the material you are cutting. If you cut through some materials too fast, they’ll heat up the blade and shorten its life. And if you cut too slowly, obviously the cut will take longer and you produce more vibrations, which makes it harder to hold and control the tool.
There was a speed control demonstration that pitted two One-Key Sawzalls against each other, in a contest to see which one would cut through a stainless steel pipe first.
One Sawzall was programmed to behave like a regular Fuel Sawzall, while the second was optimized to cut through stainless steel. I’ve queued up the race in the following video CopTool took at the Symposium.
Video Credit: Coptool
You should notice two important things: the customized One-Key Sawzall finishes the cut quicker, while the saw programmed to behave like a regular M18 Fuel Sawzall lags behind. Before it can finish the cut, it starts glowing and throwing sparks. Soon the blade is completely ruined.
The third customizable parameter is the cut brake. This feature uses the motor control electronics built into the tool to sense when you break through the cut, and it automatically stops the blade even if you are still squeezing the trigger.
So, rather than having to slow down as you come to the end of a cut, you can cut at full speed all the way through the material without worrying about damaging your surroundings with a moving blade. If you skip to the 9 minutes mark in the above video you can see the brake in action.
You are not on your own in having to figure out the optimum blade ramp-up and speed settings for an application. You can just walk through the settings of the One-Key app. There you can select the material you are cutting, the size of the material, and the kind of blade you are using. The app will even recommend a blade based on the material you are cutting.
You can still set the trigger ramp-up and cut speed manually, if you want.
In the software version I played with, you could also adjust the worklight duration, but I didn’t see an option for brightness or to always keep it on, like I did with a One-Key drill and impact driver to get through a recent power outage, but the final software hasn’t been released yet.
Like all One-Key tools, you can use the app’s tracking function to find your Sawzall, and to lock out tool down so only authorized people can use it.
The new One-Key Sawzall will be available in October 2016 in the following packages:
- Bare tool (2721-20)
- Kit with (2) M18 XC 5.0 batteries, multi-voltage charger, blade, and carrying case (2721-22)
- Kit with (2) M18 High Demand 9.0 batteries, multi-voltage charger, blade, and carrying case (2721-22HD)
We do not have pricing information yet, but based on other One-Key tools it’ll probably cost around $50 more that similar M18 Fuel Sawzall options.
If you are interested in more info check out the rest of the video I posted above or Milwaukee’s M18 Fuel Sawzall page.
More Info(via Milwaukee)
fred
Nice features – can now see some real potential for One-Key to justify the extra cost.
One thought about reciprocating saw design is that you often wear out the first inch of the blade quicker than the rest. This is probably because to have actually selected a blade that is longer than needed for the work. Sometimes this is a practical matter – as you might decide to carry 5-6 inch long blades rather than 3 inch ones. A lot of blades get trashed still having good teeth closer to the tip. My frugal self says that if the saw’s show could be repositioned 1 inch further out – we could extend blade life.
With my scroll saw – I often extend blade life by adding a piece of MDF (cutout to clear the blade) to raise the work up.
Chris
Use the repositionable baseplate to change where on the blade is actually cutting.
fred
Darn those fat fingers – should have said “the saw’s shoe”
Chance
Why acquire skill and common sense, just grab your One-Key Sawzall and your smart phone and you can be a carpenter with no need to think about anything. Sip your latte and catch-up on Facebook while you cut since the saw automatically stops after your cut is done!
Seriously, what kind of person has the time to open an app and change cut settings every 3 minutes as they are demoing a project?? If you don’t know that you need to cut slowly on stainless steel then you need a teacher, not an app. Just another way to remove any chance of the next generation actually learning how to operate and use tools properly. I imagine all these safety features will end up giving people a false sense of safety and will actually cause more damage.
Bill
Yes and if man were meant to fly he would have wings.
BonPacific
The cut break is a nice-sounding feature, but also something that could be added to a regular sawsall. I agree with Chance, this just seems like a huge timesink between cuts, or worse, forgetting to switch it back to steel-mode after cutting a bunch of lumber.
I have a question for contractors on here. How much time do you spend cutting exactly the same thing with your sawsall? I’m a homeowner/DIYer/woodworker, so my sawsall is pulled out infrequently, and this tool isn’t really for me. I’m curious if you find yourself spending an hour+ doing the same repetitive cut, or tend to pull out your sawsall for the same task over and over again?
fred
My thought is that if we were cutting exactly the same thing – we would not be using a Sawzall. It is more a jack of all trades demolition tool – than a special purpose one – and probably why we had one on most every truck. For some repetitive metal cutting – we might bring a portable band saw, metal cutting circular saw or something else.
My first Sawzall was a model 414 passed on from my dad – who bought it sometime in the early 1950’s it to cut out old rotting windows. I remember him using it – and it seemed like once he’d gotten the hang of it – it worked well for that job. My impression was that it bucked and bounced as much as it cut – until it finally stopped working altogether in the early 1970’s. I replaced it with a Skil 474 which was double insulated – but didn’t work any smoother. Subsequent Milwaukee and Makita reciprocating saws that I’ve bought for home and commercial use have improved things (cutting speed, easier blade changing, less vibration etc.) quite a bit – and I’m happy that Milwaukee (others too) keep trying to innovate.
Chris
I guess you have the option to buy it with or without the technology. I like tech for the most part but I prefer to learn how to make cuts through trial and error.
Ross
Thank you. That is exactly what my biggest two issues are with this whole concept. Spending more money on tools with a lot of fancy electronics (that inevitably will fail long before their “dumb” tool counterparts) so you can hire cheap, inexperienced workers, and wasting time constantly having to mess with a phone to adjust the settings on the tool (let alone setting up everyone’s phone with every tool).
I wish more companies spent time on innovations that actually improve tools (e.g. Dewalt’s FlexVolt) rather than making the tools easier to use to account for lack of experience. Maybe someday they’ll come up with a OneKey hammer that will stop your arm before your hit your thumb.
Dan
I might have missed it, does this one have the savable settings like the drill?
I like that it’s optional to use that stuff, I just had a saw walk off with a drywaller the other day. I’d pay whatever Milwaukee wants to be able to stick it back to him!
I think you guys are getting hung up on the little things, I appreciate they’re looking at things differently, so tired of everybody just saying they’re “25X faster” than everybody else
Benjamen
Yes, it was in the bullet points of features: “4 custom performance profiles can be saved to memory”
There is a mode switch inside the D-Handle, you can just see it in the topmost picture. I was debating on whether to throw in a picture that showed the switch from a better angle in or not. Maybe I should have.
BonPacific
Okay, this makes a lot more sense.
Bremon
Do you haul your materials to the job site in a wagon using a horse as your towing vehicle? Why not? Less moving parts, and those whiz bang iron blocks always have something going wrong…
The drum of progress keeps beating. Sometimes it’s a swing and a miss but this technology could evolve into something truly useful. Yes, even more useful than yet *another* battery platform from Dewalt (with misses of their own before they even hit the market: corded/cordless hybrid miter but no hybrid option on the table saw, table saw could have been 120v and used different blades. etc.)
Anyway, the electronics are already packed into all high end cordless tools, might as well take it the next step further. It’s not hard to imagine using this on a demo with a ton of nail embedded wood and saving money on blades.
That said, I’m perfectly happy with my No-Key Fuel Sawzall and don’t mind using corded ones at work either so I will take a pass on this.
My main problem with One Key is it’s added expense that’s hard to justify, not so much with kits, but with bare tools the premium is very noticeable.
Doresoom
You do realize that you can set the four One-Key buttons once with a Bluetooth device, and then never connect to it again, right?
Switching between the stored on-board modes is just pressing a button. Hopefully that’s not too complicated and time consuming.
KL
Why not, you drove to work in a car with an automatic (’cause very few people even know how to drive a manual these days), a backup camera (what ARE those shiny things hanging outside by my windows??) and rain-sensing wipers.
That said, I want a TIG w pulse so sometimes I like technology too…..
Tim
I have no use for the other features.
I’m in it for the lockout feature.
I want my tools to stop working when I leave work and start when I come back.
Gonna buy the kit just for that and the two 9.0a batteries. Thats an awesome kit right there.
Dan
Amen
Mnoswad
Or…..they could make cordless recip saws that have a speed dial like the corded versions.
Used a corded sawzall the other day….wow, forgot how smooth it was. No vibration, I almost didn’t realize that it was actually cutting.
And I was able to dial in the max speed for the material in addition to the variable trigger.
No need for one key, a speed dial would do the same.
James C
Back in my day we used hand-cranked recip saws! These electric versions are for wimps!
fred
You know the story about the guy who returned a Craftsman chainsaw to Sears complaining that it hardly cut. He told the service guy that despite the 20 inch bar and being called “professional” – he could hardly cut down 1 pine tree a day with it. So the service technician agreed to check it out – put gas in it and started it up. Whereupon they customer exclaimed “what’s that noise!”
Chip
As a “red” tool owner, I hope they fixed the keyless blade holder.
We use them for cutting roots (in ground) while digging fence post holes, as well as cutting chain link pipe primarily.
With a little wear it takes 2 people to change blades.
We keep one (dirty) with a pruning blade, and the 2nd (clean) with whatever.
The pruning blade stays until it breaks.
taras
You know that you can lubricate/flush out the blade collet?
Industr
I prefer pro saws with speed dial and a simble switch that limits the movement of the variable speed switch .
Steven
I gather the general consensus is…why? Why one key for a demolition tool?….. Exactly.
Take away one key, have 3 presets like the impact or even 4
1-full throttle
2-half throttle
3-full throttle with linear start
4-half throttle with linear start
I wont buy into one key products…. There are cooler things for me to buy for the$50 premium….like another tool? Its a “smart phone runs everything gimmick”
Doresoom
You just described exactly how the One Key products work, but instead of having a preconfigured preset, you get to pick the profiles yourself.
Doresoom
I guess I should clarify, the tool itself has the selection buttons on board. You just configure them through Bluetooth. Once that’s done, you never have to connect your phone again if you don’t want to.
Steven
I will never purchase a power tool that has a $50 premium for bluetooth show-boating…. Maybe im the only one here that thinks this…….does bluetooth make this tool so substantially better that a future customer would push aside non One key tools?
A skilled tradesman can throttle the trigger to achieve desired results…….without his smortphone.
Non iphone connected “presets” for those that think they require the help…..without “one-key” cost.
Doresoom
Fair enough perspective. Milwaukee hasn’t stopped offering its non-One Key versions, and I doubt they will any time soon.
I’m sure they’re monitoring demand for the One-Key tools vs. traditional, and if the market isn’t there they’ll eventually abandon it or eliminate/lower the premium.
Benjamen
I somewhat doubt a skilled tradesman can throttle the trigger to achieve the same results as One-Key, they can probably get close, say maybe with 10%, but that last 10% is still going to mean the blades are going to last longer and you’ll get more work done with a One-Key Sawzall. What’s the payoff time have to be for the extra $50. If you save a few more blades and get a little more work done what’s $50?
It’s been said many times above, you don’t need a smart phone on the job site to get this to work, just program the 4 most used materials into the mode switch and you never have to worry about programming it again. Or maybe 3 and leave the last slot as full bore.
To be fair and it’s also been said, if you are really cutting the same material over and over, there’s probably a better solution than a Sawzall.
Also if I was a contractor, I’d probably be all over every One-Key tool (or any other tools that can be tracked). I was just reading about another contractor on instagram who had all his equipment stolen. T he peace of mind that I could potentially track down my stolen tools or at least make them worthless to the crooks that stole them would be worth an extra $50 per tool.
Just a thought but I wonder if you would get a discount from insurance if you had tracking?
Nathan
I’ve said before it’s not a horrible Idea. Now I use my sawzall mostly for what the hell cut it away mode more than I do anything else.
but I have occasion to cut some steel with it. it’s rare. but I admit I’m sure I don’t know the optimal speed or what have you to cut steel with it. (rebar) but I’ve seen it done a few times and when I need to I just go at it. It would be nice to know that I need to start with _______ SPM and then ease back to _______ spm and that will help the cut.
but I don’t know that more importantly I don’t know where on the trigger the _____ spm would be anyway damn way. do you? Now if it had a dial on it or something like my polisher then I’d know to leave the dial on 6 vs 8 vs 3 for some material. but that doesn’t exist. HOnestly I’d prefer that to One Key but I like the feature set – I wouldn’t pay for it for my uses. which are very minimal
Goodnight johnboy
What a POS! First of all, its cordless & will never be able to have the reliability, efficiency, power, stamina as a professional(corded) recip saw(along with all of other of the garbage cordless saws these companies make. They need to stop trying to make power tools “smart”. It’s pathetic that they can’t/won’t come out with a battery that can hold a charge & handle an eight hour day of use. R&d ain’t smart enough for that one. And why the f__k should I have download an app or anything related to use a tool? All that stuff has absolutely nothing to do with the quality of the tool. They’ve taken it way too far with the “smart” tool garbage they’re bullshi__ing people with. What the hell happened to just making a tool with some good old fashioned balls? Let’s be honest, any cordless tools other than an impact driver/drill or lamp/light is a joke. But they come up with this lame sh_t,please. Its bad enough that they put those chickensh_t “safety” buttons integrated into the power switch. Whoever came up with that needs their ass kicked. I have been a contractor for over 18 years & have never seen such useless tools like the ones these imbeciles are making today. When is it going to end? Toolguyd please tell these companies that the shenanigans have gone on long enough.
Sam
Well I agree with you as far as the bs with one key an all this apps and smart tools but I think a m18 fuel Sawzall Is amazing. I don’t own a corded one. An i know I know. That’s me. But I do construction work as much as guys that use corded ones an i just operate with four 5.0 batteries and it works awesome. But thanks for the opinion.
Ryan
Yeah yeah yeah and back in your day you had to walk to school… uphill, both ways. You are dismissing the significant inherent advantages of cordless. Time savings, safety, convenience, powerless job sites… the list goes on. I don’t think anyone is naive enough to think they’ll last decades like an old school hole shooter or a delta unisaw, but with a five year warranty I don’t think the price is unjustified for what you get. And their new 9.0ah batt will let you work all damn day with one charge. I’m not going to change your mind, but you know what they say about teaching old dogs new tricks…
MichaelHammer
It’s a demo tool! A demo tool…how smart do ya have to be?
Sam
I love milwaukee tools an especially my m18 fuel set but I don’t buy this one key business . Too much messing . Only think I want so badly is one of those 9.0 batteries lol
Bill
Do any of the cordless reciprocating saws currently available offer anti-vibration features?