Milwaukee Cut Out Tool – M18 Power 2627

Another new addition to Milwaukee’s huge line up of 18 volt tools, the Milwaukee Cut Out Tool.  As you probably know, cut out tools are a huge time saver.  No more getting your drywall knife out and having to cut around a box or door.  Instead you can use a cut out tool to make quick work and move on to your next sheet of rock.  A cut out tool is probably the most used tool by a drywaller.  Yes, they use a drywall gun just as much, but as you will see soon, Milwaukee has that also.  Milwaukee must have hired a drywall guru as they have this tool and a drywall gun out at about the same time.  One big problem with cut out tools is the cord, well not any more.  While Dewalt and Makita have their cut out tool, Milwaukee wasn’t about to be out done and they came out with their own version.

Milwaukee designed this with a four pole motor to give it speed and power.  In fact, this bad boy has a 28,000 rpm which makes this the fastest cordless cut out tool on the market.  Now I am not sure how many feet you can cut with this cut out tool, but according to Milwaukee you can make up to 120 cuts per charge with a 3Ah battery.  I am not sure how long the cuts are, so I guess this is something we will have to test and report back to you on.  The tool has an LED light, belt clip (not reversible)and tool free guard adjustment.  Another feature this tool has is a vent on top of the tool to blow debris away from the user.

Okay, now that you know a little bit about this tool, let’s talk about using it.  As you know, this tool is really designed for the drywaller so when I talk about the following points, that is who I am assuming is using this tool.  First thing on the list, ergonomics of the tool.  For me, this is a very comfortable tool.  For me it doesn’t matter if you’re using it overhead to cut out can lights or down below cutting out electrical boxes.  The unit has a very nice grip and feel to it.  Personally I think it has a much better balance with their compact battery installed over the XC battery pack.  However, if you use the tool with the compact battery, you will get better balance, but sacrifice run time.

I would have loved to seen a reversible belt clip as there is room for this, but for some reason they didn’t.  So lefties, you are out of luck.  The arbor lock is nice and big, plus easy to depress to change bits.  Even with gloves on you can change bits with the provided wrench.

Okay, now onto something regarding safety.  Yes, you always have to be careful when using this tool, but we all know that sometimes safety gets in the way and sometimes we bypass it.  Now according to our lawyer (well if we had one), I have to disclose and tell you that you should always use all safety precautions when using power tools.  What I am about to talk about would be in fantasy land only.  One very cool feature to this tool is the tool free guard adjustment.  I love how you can adjust the depth of the guard for a variety of reasons like expanding the life of your bit or not cutting too deep and ruining what’s on the other side of the drywall. But as we know, most drywallers remove this guard because it makes cutting much easier.  I just love how easy it is to set different depths, but very easy to remove the guard.

I know some drywallers like to bump their tool in the off position when they are done with a cut.  The location of the power button does make it require two hands to turn it on/off.  Not a huge deal, but something to note for those guys who do this.  Again, safety first so my pretend lawyers told me never bump off your tool.  Use safety and use two hands.

So what about longevity of this tool?  Well, only time will tell.  We all know that drywall dust kills these cut off tools.  Considering this is new to market, I am not sure how long they will hold up over time compared to the competitors.  Considering it’s Milwaukee and they are designed for the pros, I am assuming that they will last just as long or even longer in these types of dirty environments.

Milwaukee Cut Out Tool Specifications

• RPM – 28,000
• Length 8.9″
• Weight 1.8 lbs
• Width 2.0″
• Warranty 5 Years

Bottom line this is a great addition to Milwaukee’s already huge line of M18 power tools.  The tool is smooth and easy to use.  Any drywaller or anyone looking for a cut out tool, the Milwaukee Cut Out Tool is a must have.  As we know, drywall dust is the number one enemy of these tools, so time will tell how well they are built and how long they will last.  If you have been abusing your Milwaukee Cut Out Tool, let us know how it has been treating you.