We feel pretty lucky here at Tools In Action, lately we have had a good streak of getting you exclusive looks at new tools. Well today we have the highly anticipated RK2516 Rockwell Trans4mer 2 in 1 saw. Even though I saw this tool at the National Hardware Show earlier this year, when it arrived I had forgotten how compact and light it was, weighing in at 2.6lbs.
The saw looks inviting and well designed. This saw was designed for the DIY’er and homeowner in mind. For small jobs the trans4mer has tons of uses. It is powered be the Rockwell 12V lithium ion battery, which includes Rockwell’s lifetime battery warranty. The tool itself is covered by a 2 year warranty. In my opinion, Rockwell has a good reputation for quality and I have never had a problem with any of their tools. The Trans4mer feels solid and well balanced even though there is a motor protruding on the right side of the unit. I actually used it for a handle for a precise cut when I was cutting some sheet metal. It has a nice over molded grip at the top. At the bottom of the tool, it does not really have a conventional jigsaw shoe. Instead it has a metal pad, this could be an issue when working on delicate laminates as it might scratch them. A plastic non marring shoe guard would have been a good addition.
The motor produces 2200 SPM. While the RK2516 does not have insane power, it holds its own. This is a classic “let the tool do the work” situation and with the right blade, it will accomplish the task. The switch is on and off , there is no variable speed. A bright LED light illuminates your work and it also has a built in dust blower. Now for the cool part, on the head of the unit is a level you pull and it allows your to pivot the head in six different positions including zero degrees to give you a reciprocating saw. It uses standard T shank blades and includes 2, a metal and wood cutting blade. The blade change system is quick and simple, just rotate the cam lock and the blade falls out eliminating the need to touch a hot blade. The 5/8 stroke allows you to cut through wood up to 2″, aluminum up to 1 3/4″ and steel up to 5/32″.
To wrap it up the Rockwell Trans4mer is an innovative cool tool that will fit in perfect with your tool collection. I will be using it for all my small jobs.
Very cool