September 19, 2008

Milwaukee M12 Copper Tubing Cutter

Milwaukee is in the process of releasing two very innovative products in their M12 lineup; the Hackzall, which we talked about in an earlier post and the Copper Tubing Cutter, which we're going to go on about now.

The Copper Tubing Cutter is a great little item that cuts through 3/8" to 1" copper tubing. It's simple to use, just put the mouth of the tool over the pipe and pull the trigger. There is no size adjustment, because the tool does that for you. The cutter is nice and small, so it only needs about 1-1/2" of clearance around the pipes. There is also a built-in LED light, so you'll avoid the hassle of trying to hold a flashlight when you're working behind the water heater.

According to Milwaukee, the Cutter can make around 200 cuts on a single battery. This, combined with the longevity of Li-Ion batteries, makes for a tool that needs very little upkeep. Even plumbers aren't making 200 cuts in a single day.

The Cutter is not the first of it's kind. Superior Tools has had something similar, The UltraCut, out for a while (theirs only cuts up to 3/4" tube and does adjust size automatically), but the battery compatibility with the rest of the M12 line and the Milwaukee name will definitely make this a popular tool among tradesmen.

It appears that the cost is going to be about $200 for the tool, a case, 2 batteries, and a charger. It's a lot for the DIYer, who likely won't use it all that much, but for the plumber or HVAC guy, it's a steal

At Amazon and Ohio Power Tools