This New Sander From Milwaukee Looks Interesting

[Bob D.]

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Milwauke...1-20/320268509

https://www.protoolreviews.com/milwa...sander-review/

[BadgerDave]

Except it's not available at any HD within 100 miles of me or online. The $149 price tag is a little on the high side for what it is don't you think?

[Bob D.]

Yes, it is high. I expect it will come down after the initial thrill wears off. And probably go on
sale for the holidays.

I emailed Milwaukee this morning and they got back to me and said mid-August is the release.
Imagine that, a tool company replying to an email within 6 hours. Before you know it RIDGID
will have a track saw.

I have a few M12 tools, no M18. Milwaukee has over 100 M12 tools. I bought their Installers Drill
set not long ago and that is a very nice drill. Reminds me of the Festool CXS.

The Milwaukee has one flaw that I see, but maybe it's personal preference. The FWD/REV switch
is not located where you can reach it with your trigger hand. It's up on top of the tool and requires
you to use your free hand to press a button that toggles from FWD to REV or if you hold it for a
couple seconds locks the trigger. It's not a physical switch that you push left/right like every other
drill since Noah used when building the Ark, it's an electronic switch. Other than that it is comfortable
to hold and use. It would have been nice to see an electronic clutch in place of the mechanical one
(which Noah also used) and brought the tool into the 21st century. I have a Bosch 12v with the EC
and also a Festool drill with Electronic Clutch and they are nice to use.

[BadgerDave]

I'm also a fan of the M12 platform. I especially like the M12 Right Angle Drill/Driver. It's very light weight and fits nicely into those tight awkward places that even the smallest of the other 12v drill/drivers have trouble fitting into. And, KUDOS to Milwaukee for their fast response to your email.

[museum_guy]

Looks good but way to pricey. I have several detail pads from various multitools, the work and can be modified as necessary. If it does come down in price, maybe.

[cactusman]

I am so tired of manufacturers and big box stores presenting tools that simply do not exist!
Pure vaporware!

They think we, the tool users, and in many cases brand loyalists will wait 6 months to a year or like Ridgid NEVER for the tool
to appear on sales shelves!

I understand marketing to manufacture, to shipping and today's issues with inventory.

Let's see.... Ridgid tells us of an 18V glue gun, an 18V stapler, among other tools that never seem to appear!

It also seems the USA tool market no longer seems to get the first production runs.
I have seen Canada, The Netherlands, Australia, and even parts of Europe getting new tools before we do!

What is worse is product support. Expendables like the most obvious, 18V planer blades are never offered by
the places that sell the tool... Then the tool is obsoleted and without fresh blades you now have a pretty colored door stop.

I'd even say 90% of the battery powered tools we buy today are designed to have a limited life cycle and are all disposable.

E-Replacement parts still has many parts available, but more times than not they even tell you "no longer available"

What is so sad is Ridgid parts never seem to have a significant inventory of parts for their specific tools!

Maybe Harbor Freight Tools has the right marketing plan! Buy a $20.00 reciprocating saw, use it for the project,
and throw it away when you are done or when the tool burns up! HA!

I need more coffee....

Cactus Man

[Bob D.]

In this case for the soon to be released Milwaukee Detail sander I got wind of it on ProToolReviews website. I went looking for it on HD website to see if it was there and sure enough they have a webpage for the tool BUT it does not come up if you do a search using the HD search box. I found it by doing a Google search for the sander and the HD webpage was one of a few links in the results.

I'd say it's not vaporware. They are getting ready it seems to me. Now maybe that page on HD's site should have been kept offline until the beginning of August but it was not visible through a normal search of their site AND there is the option to be notified when it comes in (which I did because I'm interested in this) so not vaporware to me.

Now if it doesn't show up in August or never materializes then that is vaporware to me.

[AverageHomeowner]

I'm disappointed there were so few Milwaukee tools on sale this past holiday weekend. Waiting for the seasonal sales has been my solution to their higher list prices. Maybe the supply chain shortage has resulted in lower inventory and less incentive for promotions.

[Bob D.]

I'm disappointed there were so few Milwaukee tools on sale this past holiday weekend. Waiting for the seasonal sales has been my solution to their higher list prices. Maybe the supply chain shortage has resulted in lower inventory and less incentive for promotions.

Items go on sale because sales overall are slow. If you are selling all you can make at your list price there is no incentive (for the seller) to lower the price. Companies are not in business to satisfy consumers, they answer to stock holders and all they care about is earnings. Consumers are catered to (in the form of promotions and sales) only as far as is necessary to keep a favorable opinion of the company with the public.

Look at cars. They are in high demand because supply is low, there are few sales like you saw a few years back. It's just the opposite for many models. The new Ford Lightning is selling for as much as $30,000 over sticker price. No one in their right mind would have bought a vehicle at that price 3 years ago.

The real estate market if the same. With lumber prices being high and available labor numbers low the cost of new construction has shot up. This increases the value of existing homes significantly. Houses around me and no doubt elsewhere are selling in hours for thousands more than the asking price. A house on my block sold last year in a bidding war between three interested parties for 15% over the asking price.

So if I am a manufacturer with tools people want why would I decrease my profits and place a significant percentage of my inventory on sale just because it's the Fourth of July or any other holiday. If the manufacturer is having a hard time procuring materials or a labor shortage to make his products he will need every dollar that can realized from each sale as possible.

[Alphacowboy]

Bob, link doesn’t work anymore, what tool is it?

[Bob D.]

I see that it no longer works. It's not due out for a while so maybe they removed the page from their website completely.

This link to the ProToolReviews review should work though. He has some photos of the tool on his site.
Apparently he had one to evaluate for a while.

https://www.protoolreviews.com/milwa...sander-review/

I should have done a screen snip of that HD page, didn't think to.

[Alphacowboy]

Bob, figured that’s what it was. I’ve had a test mule for over a year. They’ve made some changes to it since I got the test unit. Good little sander.

[Bob D.]

Alphacowboy

Only four speed settings, no variable speed?

Are there other sanding pads for different contours and/or maybe a blank you can cut to a custom profile to match you work.

If I read correctly when the page was visible on the HD site it's a very short stroke, only 1.5mm, is that correct?

[drainman scott]

I have an Porter Cable 444 profile sander corded had it for about 20 years ... Very similar but with the cord and pretty sure it's orbital.

[PLUMBER RICK]

Isn't that similar to the multi-tool with a pad Sander attachment?

Rick