The last time I was on here a bunch of guys were making a big deal about Black and Decker moving Dewalt out of the US. There were some other tool companies moving as well.
I thought I would let you know that Milwaukee Electric Tool Corp is moving their plants in Blythville, Arkansas and Kosciesko, Mississippi to Madamores, Mexico. I’ve been to Madamores, MX. It is just over the border. Of course the decision was made by the parent company in Sweden.
I’ll try to attache a link…
Milwaukee to Move Blytheville Production to Mexico
Milwaukee Electric Tool Corp. makes plans to move production from a plant in
Blytheville to a new assembly plant in Mexico.
http://www.arkansasbusiness.com/news/article.asp?aid=34002
Replies
http://www.arkansasbusiness.com/news/article.asp?aid=34002&ct=1
“The startup of this operation will position Milwaukee to capitalize on its core competencies and to ensure profitable long-term growth,â€
Capitalize on its core competencies????
Why not just say they are doing it because labor is 10cents on the dollar over the border, and there is little to no enviornmental issues.
Don't candy coat bullsh!t with sugar, it still doesn't taste any better.
Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark, Professional build the Titanic.
CAG,
And here I thought Miwaukee tools were made in Milwaukee. Actually they still are sort of (just 4 blocks over the border in Brookfield and kiddie corner to Harley-Davidson by a couple of blocks). Big modern plant on the corner of 128th and Lisbon as well as a service center. Let's hope that that one stays put.
Jon
Edited 5/7/2003 4:16:24 PM ET by WorkshopJon
Jon,
I don't have to big of a problem, I guess, with a company moving a plant, would be nice to keep them here, but I understand why companies do it, I don't like the P.C. bullsht reasons they spew out when the decide to move though.
Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark, Professional build the Titanic.
"I don't like the P.C. bullsht reasons they spew out when they decide to move though."
Welcome to reality 101. That's just how the world is. Bothers me a little to. But on a scale of one to ten, nothing close to the former Iraqi Minister of Misinformation, or Bill Clinton, Mayor Daley...Need I go on. (funny I tried to type the French Prime Minister's name in the too, but kept spelling his first jacka$$.
Jon
workshop jon, be sure to add bushs name to that since we now realise what he's fooled us into thinking...
Frenchy,
You don't get to be President by not being one of them. Actually got to shake hands with GWHB. Sr. a few years ago. Came off as a pretty sincere guy. FYI, last names in polite society are spelled with a capital letter first.
Jon
Edited 5/7/2003 9:51:16 PM ET by WorkshopJon
waited for someone to pick up on that.. I think it's an improvement over refering to him as dubbya.
As for Sr. I think I could respect the former President. While there certainly are some unsavory things in his past, I felt that as the president by and large he acted honerably (within the political definition of honor)
Maybe it's my bias but I've usually been impressed by America's greatist generation. those who grew up in the depression, fought the big war and helped to save the world for democracy..
As a former Navy Pilot myself His early years earned my respect.. while there are a couple of issues with his wealth, and his conduct as head of the CIA, He came across as a decent guy who accepted the challeges handed to him by Reagan without complaint or finger pointing..
His high point was the thousand points of lite speech..
"be sure to add bush's name to that.."
Frenchy, be sure and change your name...."french" is no longer a tolerable name in this By God United States!
Davo
Like Jews during Hitlers rein we french will be prosecuted and harsassed until we either leave or go into hiding..
Personally I think I'll start wearing the french tricolor armbands..
Frenchy, the Jews were murdered by the millions in #### death camps. Don't even consider yourself or your compatriots in that same vein!
France is being "dissed" by the USA for the simple reason it was openly dissing the United States and their policies...and to put more fuel on this fire, France opposed the Iraqi War not on humanitarian issues (which is what they would have you believe) but due to trying to safeguard their own foriegn trade contracts with Iraq.
You want to wear your armbands...go ahead. You want to go by the name "Frenchy", no problem. You want to say you think George W. Bush is not a good President, you have the freedom to do so....but don't think you can make those kind of remarks and not be challenged.
Davo
I'm glad to hear you repeat the party line.. it's been discussed here repeatedly and the answers are pretty pat..
France did not stand alone opposing the US . Most of the world did too except those bush could bully or buy..
The armbands comment was in response to your statement. I foolishly assumed you couldn't be serious.
"The answers are pretty pat...France did not stand alone opposing the U.S. Most of the world did too except those bush could bully or buy."....
Awww C'mon now Frenchy...I really don't want to get into a pissing contest with you...but actually, your assessment of the situation is pretty much the "pat" conclusions that all anti-Bush liberals are spewing....and your assumptions are just that; assumptions.
True, most of the so-called super-power countries were not in favor of the war. But that's because they had previous deals in place with Iraq which they did not want jeapardised. Bush never bullied England, nor Austrailia, nor Spain...nor he did he buy any of those countries. Turkey never got bought ( though I think they tried but the price was too high)...as for the others, I don't know and I really don't care. Also, I don't give a flying F### what these super-power countries think. Bottom line...USA has very few allies; PERIOD. USA gives money throughout the world, but when push comes to shove, these same countries who take and spend our money really don't give a flying F### about us or our way of life either.
What I admired most about President Bush was his statement proclaiming that the United States would take action regardless of what popular world opinion may or may not be. To me, that was a breath of fresh air. It's over due that we should no longer allow ourselves to be handcuffed by countries whose only real motive in the world is to someday overthrow the United States and be top dog ruler. They can all go to hell.
You being a former Veitnam Vet, I'm surprised you would even care what China Russia and France had to say. Did not China and France supply munitions to Vietnam? Did not East Germans and Russians man communist aircraft? Did not Russians send their special forces into that war? Did'nt they also head up interrogation/torture units? You being a Navy pilot, I'd think you'd hate their guts! Funny how those countries who helped kill your buddies are now the same countries you point to and side with. Sorry, I just don't understand where you are coming from.
Davo
Edited 5/8/2003 12:15:07 AM ET by Davo
This discussion is taking place in the wrong folder.
Ken Hill
Davo,
they are correct, let's move this over to the tavern where it belongs..
Believe it of not, I just got word that in the upcoming weeks, I will be building an end of the line dielectric testing fixture for a new tool for Milwaukee Electric Tool. Nice to have some work staying in this country.
Jon
"lets movethis over to the tavern where it belongs..."
Frenchy, I agree......Amen to that.
Davo
"What I admired most about President Bush was his statement proclaiming that the United States would take action regardless of what popular world opinion may or may not be."
That's good?
Sounds like world domination, and where are all of the WMD that we claimed to know where they were (we even had pictures and maps for the UN). We are also doing a great job installing a new government and providing the people with a better life. Didn't we install Saddam, the Shah of Iran and Norriega. Let the UN take over and the US should get out of there.
if only you was french!
yeh, well Germany is hated by the bush administration too! As is most of the world..
Im suppose if I really wanted to be hated I'd wear the UN flag.. Especially if I wore my VFW pin with it!
Yeah... I know exactly how you Germans are!
Unwad your panties! I only know that because I am a full blooded German who is proud to be an American!
Highlight this message to see how I know!
(shock!...gasp!) You mean Frenchy isn't really French? I disagree. I know he says that's just a nickname he got . I know he says that he fought on the U.S. side during Vietnam.
But...All I ever hear from this guy ( besides good roof stories) is anti-U.S. bashing. C'mon Frenchy...own up to it...maybe you weren't born a Frenchman ( congrats on that one!), but I think secretly you're a "closet frenchman".....C'mon Frenchy, come out of he closet and tell us the truth.
Jon, it's about as tough as spelling Luke Hamburger IV for a French speaker. Jean-Pierre Raffarin is pretty close, and Jacques Chirac is the president. Neither name should be especially difficult for an Anglophone. What's your excuse, ha, ha? I don't know anything about Milwaukee tools though. Never owned one, and never used one. Slainte.
Website The poster formerly known as Sgian Dubh.
Edited 5/8/2003 11:43:42 AM ET by RichardJ
milwaukee makes some very good tools.. I've got a lot of them and some are very old.. Too bad, I'm gonna miss buying them..
It's my only defence against the yuppies who think that there is a fast buck way to get through life..
When their sales fall off hopefully someone in the board room will stop and wonder when it occured and put two and two together..
If you insist on buying American made tools what brand are you going to buy? Unfortunatly it's a global economy out there and I don't know of a single tool company that is 100% made in America. It might be "assembled in America" but with foreign components or it's assembled in Mexico or China or Korea with US made components.
I just got back from a manufacturing technology conference in Chicago and guess what, there are no longer any 100% US made cars or trucks in this country, haven't been for years. 75% of Boeing jets are made overseas. Most appliances are made with foreign components. All we can ask is that the companies be honest with the PC crap and tell us the real reason they are moving is to save a buck and influence the foreign countries to buy their products, because they now have a stake in building them.
Experienced, but still dangerous!
fair enough,
point well made, however I stopped buying Dewalt when they went to Mexico, I'll do the fair thing and stop buying Milwaukee... I think Mikita makes stuff in the US and I know Honda does too..
Dewalt had to move to Mexico to get you to stop buyin` them? J. D. Reynolds
Home Improvements
"DO IT RIGHT, DO IT ONCE"
ooch! that hurt!
frenchy, didn't I read a post from you some time ago where you said you wouldn't buy any thing but Ford to drive? Where do you think most of the Ford's parts are made? Or Chrysler and GM? In fact, a Nissan is more American made than any of the big 3.
First Iraq, then France, then Hollywood!
Ford? Fix Or Repair Daily? or do you mean, Found On the Road Dead.
Sorry nothing but a Jaguar or MG man myself.. The Chevy pickup I drive is the property of the gardener.. Or is it the upstairs maid. I forget!
Frenchy-
What? Jaguar, MG, British Leyland, as well as others that instantly conjure up vision of constant tinkering and repair bills. You were being facetious, no?
Ken Hill
No! I have had wonderful times in Those cars.. if you are tinkering then you don't know how to maintain them properly.. MY TD's are 50 years old and I work on them only to change the oil or make them faster.. (I vintage race) My buddy has a MG TF as a daily driver and he does less work on his than I do on mine.. (and he's a faster racer too!) He regularly puts well over 10,000 miles on his Morris Minor Woody.
Properly restored or prepared they tend to be relatively low maintinance vehicles. I say relatively because anything designed in the thirties will naturally have more maintinance that stuff designed today..
On the other hand, I don't need a computer to tell me what wrong with the car either..
You like Jag's and MG's? frenchy, you're alright! (gag!..huh...gag!)
First Iraq, then France, then Hollywood!
I don't like them, I love them. I have two MG's (both TD's and two Jags, a "D" type and and XK-E V12 Roadster (both race cars).
I've restored them, I've collected them, and I've vintage raced them.. They are wonderfully fun and amazingly reliable cars.. a serious part of the reason I am building this timberframe is to have a proper place to display them..
"a serious part of the reason I am building this timberframe is to have a proper place to display them.. "
That's pretty cool man.
Could also be why they call me wacko!
Frenchy,
For someone who agreed that (some days ago) that some of the topics in this folder should be taken into the tavern, you're doing a good job of keeping them here on a Saturday night. LOL
Jon
Ya know your wife may be understaning about the construction process and all, but I have this feeling, any sane rational women will have a problem when you try to bring those cars into the living room :)Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark, Professional build the Titanic.
"any sane rational women... "
Ain't no such thing buddy.
well at least it makes me feel good I ain't always been dating the looney ones...
Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark, Professional build the Titanic.
They're all looney, just comes out at different times depending on the woman. Some times it appears, then goes into remission, then comes out again about 28 days later. It's a strange thing that woman mind. Strange in deed.
this weekend was probably the most trying of the construction peocess.. It rained about 3 inches and the whole inside of the house managed to get wet.. I got clever and built a inside rain gutter to direct the rain into a dryer hose and down into the grain in the basement..
carpets all got soaked, the ceiling in the room with the washer/dryer fell in, and a general mess was made.. It'll be several months before the roof will be complete enough to curt down on the leaks..
ome mothers day present for her!
my condolances, frenchy - not what we would wish - - so sorry - how about roll roofing to keep water out till you do the real roof? -
This year isn't as bad as last year.. so far.. last year all of my tools and shop equipment stayed under plastic since often the only protection they had was the subflooring above them..
as it was last year an unused Delta planner got wet and i didn't notice it... It'll take some serious cleaning to get that working again..
sorry to hear that, carpet in before the roof though?
and carpet in your castle? seems a little to modern lol,
Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark, Professional build the Titanic.
Before this gets out of hand, i voiced this concerned directly to Miwaukee on their web site. Here is a quote of what they said:
Rich Peterson - 05/09/2003 05:16:34 PM:
View Image
Subject:
Manufacturing Locations
Response To:
View Image Manufacturing moving to Mexico
Category:
Manufacturing
Comments:
As you have read in the media over the past year, both Porter-Cable and DeWalt’s parents have announced plant relocations to the Far East and Eastern Europe and will close all manufacturing facilities in the US.In the foreseeable future, we are not closing any facilities in the US. In fact, we are just completing an $8 Million, 50,000 square foot addition to our plant in Greenwood, Mississippi. We currently have production facilities in Greenwood, Jackson and Kosciusko, Mississippi; Blytheville, Arkansas; Brookfield, Wisconsin and now Matamoros, Mexico. The decision to add a facility in Matamoros was so we can remain competitive while ensuring the product quality, reliability and durability. No matter where our products are assembled, they all pass our same drop test. Wherever we manufacture a product, we do so to the highest standards of quality.
that's interesting, Now I get to keep buying Milwaukee!
add another plant in Mexico, fine! However Dewalt with their Nascar good ol boy connection is the height of hypocracy. As for Porter Cable, well no big loss as far as I'm concerned..
Carpet is in the old part of the house to be torn down eventually. NO there isn't gonna be much carpet in the place when I'm finished.. the great room will feature those 22 inch wide burled oak planks as flooring while the majority of the flooring will be wide (and long) hard maple planks..
A little marble at the entry and in the kitchen and the billard room plus the bridge will feature black walnut.. The upstairs bedrooms might have carpet (or if there is enough black walnut left just rugs over the walnut)
First I need to finish the outside of the new part before I start to do the inside. let the neighbors stop cursing me for a bit, before I attack the middle and the front.. Since they've put up with me for well over a year and a half. I can understand their eagerness to see grass growing where mud has been for the past couple of summers..
you know Jaguar is owned mostly by ford dont you?
No Jaguar is completely owned by Ford.. Also Aston Martin, and MG is owned by Rover which is owned by BMW Rolls Royce name is owned by VW and the car manufactoring plant is owned by BMW. However Morgan is owned by ....Peter Morgan...
Here I think "capitalize on core competencies" might have some meaning. To wit, Milwaukee knows it is better designing tools/engineering/selecting vendors then actually building the tool. The tool made be made in USA, but the parts all from China or Japan. Milwaukee knows they can be assembled somewhere under contract for the same price or less as to do it in their own plant, and they don't have to worry about managing that process or other details, instead concentrating talent/money on design/engineering.
Whether you think it unfair or not, you may not be able to fault them from a business perspective. IMHO, just because it is from overseas doesn't make it junk; the company that selects the particular plant to assemble it and determine the QC regime is the one that makes it junk.
I'm sort of in between in the whole made in usa deal. . I mean, is it better to have a grumbly american making your power tool who thinks he is underpaid and deserves more, or have a foreigner who is happy to have the job and paid way more than the chicken farmer down the street? A generalization to be sure, but a possibility. It all comes down to the particular management . . .
I don't fault them for a business move, and it really doesn't matter to much to me where things are made, it's a global economy and I realize that.
What I don't like is a company trying to sugar coat things, maybe it's just because of the countless reports of corporate corruption in the last year or so that have been on the news, but I like people and companies that shoot straight.
Maybe your right about the engineering/design thing, but when I read it it sounded an awful lot like an excuse trying to soften the blow because most Americans don't like it when companies move production to another country
I'd have a lot more respect for a company that came out and said we moved to Mexico because the cost of production is far less and by doing this we will be able to remain competitive and increase profit for our company and our investors.Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark, Professional build the Titanic.
"What I don't like is a company trying to sugar coat things, ...I like people and companies that shoot straight."
CAG,
From your posts I get the impression that you want to go into business for yourself someday. Honesty and integrity certainly have there place. I personally think that people in general don't hold those values in high enough regard. One of the reasons I decided to move from NY to WI (and so many seem to think it was for the cheese) , but sometimes you do have to put a little sugar on top too. After all, friends and acquaintances of the displaced workers may one day find themselves needing to purchase a hand held power tool some day.
Jon
> Here I think "capitalize on core competencies" might have some meaning. To wit, Milwaukee knows it is better designing tools/engineering/selecting vendors then actually building the tool.
Design and engineering are precisely where I think Milwaukee is most vulnerable. Their stuff is old fashioned and cumbersome, it can't get out of its own way. The sawzall, their flagship product, is really only useful with the blade in the position that they consider to be "upside down". There's a real opportunity for another tool company to observe real world remodeling problems, and design tools that would knock Milwaukee out.
-- J.S.
Be interesting if that fixture turns out to be for a redesigned Sawzall, wouldn' it? LOL.
Jon
Edited 5/8/2003 4:40:06 PM ET by WorkshopJon
Edited 5/8/2003 5:24:22 PM ET by WorkshopJon
If it is, I'll be very interested to see it. If it'll fit in a joist bay and cut parallel to a joist 1 1/2" away, I'll be one of the first to buy.
-- J.S.
Can't comment as I've only made individual components. Can say that there is active R&D going on on that tool. We make those fixtures once a new tool is about to hit the market. Last one was for the router in the current Fine Woodworking on page 30.
Jon
Edited 5/8/2003 7:07:13 PM ET by WorkshopJon
"Be interesting if that fixture turns out to be for a redesigned Sawzall, wouldn' it?"
"If it is, I'll be very interested to see it. If it'll fit in a joist bay and cut parallel to a joist 1 1/2" away, I'll be one of the first to buy."
-- J.S."
JOHN,
What do you mean by,
"fit in a joist bay and cut parallel to a joist 1 1/2" away?"
Just curious. I can't comment much (don't want to loose my job) on the new MKE Elec. tool that is coming out (I've seen it) , but would certainly be willing to pass on any info to the appropriate people, if opportunity permits, about what you are getting at. My read is you want to be able to cut through one sistered joist without cutting into the other. Is that the case?
Jon
-- J.S.
Actually, I want to cut through existing blocking between joists in such a way that I can break out a piece 1 1/2" long and slip a new piece of 2x10 in there to sister an existing joist. The other way of doing it would be to pull the block all the way out, but that gets super messy because the exterior stucco is on the far side of this block, and I really want to avoid breaking it and getting into the whole stucco patch syndrome.
Feel free to forward all my other messages in this or any thread to anyone you want at MKE.
-- J.S.
JOHN,
I'm having trouble picturing what you are trying to do, If you could post a pic it would be helpful.
Jon
OK, after a re-read, i think I see. I'm thinking now you want a thin Sawzall, not one that resembles a 90 degree hole hawg. Is that correct?
Edited 5/22/2003 11:15:07 PM ET by WorkshopJon
A thin sawzall (3" thick overall) would be excellent. Another alternative would be to put the blade off center so you can put the plane of the blade parallel to and 1 1/2" away from a large plane, like the side of an existing joist.
-- J.S.
John,
Sounds like you have just described the P-C Tiger Saw to a "T". I believe that it has a joint where the bull gear turns, as you say it. And the blade is off-center from the motor's central axis to get a closer cut with a parallel obstacle.
I wonder if Milwaukee is planning on doing something like what P-C has done?
Tools
I know I`m old school more often than not....but if it aint broke, why fix it?
I`ve always viewed the Mil. Sawzall as the gold standard of recip. saws. After my ten year old model was stolen a couple months back, I compared several of the competitors before purchasing a new one. The redisign features are part of the reason I went with the Milwaukee again. I don`t know how you can claim that their flaws are in design and being old fashioned. Cumbersome perhaps, but it is a demo tool. Here are the improvements I`ve noticed in my new one compared to my old:
1. More powerful
2.Greater depth of stroke
3.Orbital action
4.Twist lock cord
5.Keyless chuck
6.Removable base plate
7.Non denting/rusting plastic case (with blade storage compartment)
If anything, its the rest of the recip market that needs to keep pace with Milwaukee. Don`t they also make a new model that allows you to angle the head? (I`ve never used it so I can`t give a review.)
Got a couple Milwaukee corded drills that when the time comes I will replace with same. While all of their tools aren`t the best of the bunch, I don`t know of any other manufacterer that could make that claim either.J. D. Reynolds
Home Improvements
"DO IT RIGHT, DO IT ONCE"
They haven't looked at the overall size and shape of the machine. For instance, in sistering joists, I'd like to make a cut thru a block parallel to an existing joist and 1 1/2" away. The sawsall is too fat to do that with the body of the machine in the joist bay, and they don't make the offset attachment any more. The handle and trigger stick way far out the back, and there's no way to adjust their position relative to the body of the machine. I've been in closets where I couldn't use the handle at all, and was limited by it hitting the wall.
> 1. More powerful
OK, power is good.
> 2.Greater depth of stroke
But stroke is not adjustable. The bugbear of the sawzall is hitting the end of the blade on something. Longer stroke makes that harder to avoid, so it's a mistake.
> 3.Orbital action
But that orbital action is only usable for cutting in the direction of the body of the machine. Most of the time, I have to try to get close to some obstruction, like maybe the top of the downstairs ceiling, so I use the saw with the blade facing the other way. So for me, the orbital action is a non-feature.
> 4.Twist lock cord
Why is this an advantage? The plug-in connection is one more thing that can go wrong.
> 5.Keyless chuck
Amen, I love that one.
> 6.Removable base plate
Mine jammed solid the first week I had it. I might be able to knock it loose with a hammer, but why bother? I'm just leaving it in the all the way up position.
> 7.Non denting/rusting plastic case (with blade storage compartment)
OK, but not such a big deal. Most tools have plastic cases now.
> Don`t they also make a new model that allows you to angle the head?
Not that I've seen -- It would be great if they did.
It sure looks to me like there's plenty of opportunity here for some maufacturer to knock the sawzall off the top of the recip hill. But so far, nobody's done it, which is why I bought one again. I'd love to see Bosch give it a try.
-- J.S.
> The bugbear of the sawzall is hitting the end of the blade on something. Longer stroke makes that harder to avoid, so it's a mistake.
A shorter blade or backing off from work peice usually solves this....and for the rare occasion it comes up, I certainly feel the longer blade stroke is an improvement. (This happened with the shorter stroke as well) Adjustability would be an improvement on the improvement. I got no prob with that.
>But that orbital action is only usable for cutting in the direction of the body of the machine.
Comes in handy when necessary....and this feature IS adjustable....turn it off on the occasions that you dont need it.
This is what I was talking about...I had forgotten it was cordless, you might wanna have a look see:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00005QEW8/qid=1052532624/br=1-5/ref=br_lf_hi_5//103-6155663-9591867?v=glance&s=hi&n=228409J. D. Reynolds
Home Improvements
"DO IT RIGHT, DO IT ONCE"
I have that "Hatchet" as part of a combo kit. Works well for a cordless, and has done all that I ask from it. Admittedly, I have not asked that much from it in my projects; but I do not yet have a corded sawzall, so I threw more at it than a cordless should ideally see. If this were available in corded version, I'd consider it.
(Doubt I'd look at the PC Tiger "Claw", though; IIRC, the PC articulates between motor and blade, Milw. articulates between motor and handle. I'd worry the power transfer wouldn't be up to snuff/weak link.)If everything seems to be going well, you've obviously overlooked something.
> A shorter blade or backing off from work peice usually solves this....
Just yesterday I used the sawzall to cut some nails going into the end grain of 2x6's, with a ledger board immediately behind them. That resulted in having only 1 1/2" between hitting the end of the blade on the ledger behind the 2x6 and hitting the end of the blade on the near face of the 2x6. Fortunately this was outside where I could hold the machine on a steep enough angle to do it. If that had been in a closet, the long motor and handle sticking out might have made that impossible.
> This is what I was talking about...I had forgotten it was cordless, you might wanna have a look see:
Thanks for the link. Swinging the battery and handle around is sort of a step in the right direction. But that cutaway view shows that the smart way to go would be to make it possible to swing the whole motor mount around the axis of the bull gear. That would really buy you some clearance. This could be done with positive detents to handle the torque required. It just needs to be able to get out of the way, not to adjust to every possible intermediate position. But of course I'd want that on the corded saw.
Making the stroke adjustable could also be done as a two position detent choice. You really only need "Regular" and "Short". But it looks like a bear to do cost effectively.
And making it possible to get the side of the blade within 1 1/2" of a parallel obstruction should be a no-brainer, as should getting the teeth parallel to and a hair away from a surface perpendicular to the cut.
A while back there was a comment that it's just a demo tool, so it's ok to be rough, crude, and sloppy. I'm not so sure about that. Care and accuracy in doing demo can save a lot of work, and therefore money, in re-doing and re-finishing.
In any case, the time is long overdue for either Milwaukee or a credible competitor such as Bosch to re-think the fundamentals of the recip saw.
-- J.S.
Bosch was making what they called an "in line" saber saw a while back (looked to be a small recip. saw for the most part).....I had originally planned on purchasing one but I never got around to it. I`m not sure whether or not they still make it though.....I don`t recall seeing it in any of my catalogs of late.
I`ll look around and let ya know what I find.J. D. Reynolds
Home Improvements
"DO IT RIGHT, DO IT ONCE"
Knowing and using all the capabilities of your Sawzall includes doing 'finesse' work with it.
Ken Hill
Actually, my drill is made in Germany.
Have not looked to see the sawzall or sidewinder are made. Who cares. They work.Quality repairs for your home.
Aaron the HandymanVancouver, Canada
I haven't looked in a while. From my 18V tools, this is how I remember:
Drill - GermanyBatteries - JapanFlashlight - ChinaCharger - USACirc. saw - USA(?)"Hatchet" - USA(?)If everything seems to be going well, you've obviously overlooked something.
Need to get some facts straight. Milwaukee is MOVING two assembly lines and a returned-tool reconditioning line toMexico Greenwood Jackson Mississippi Blytheville , Arkansas Brookfield , Wisconsin Matamoros , Mexico
Wherever we manufacture a product, we do so to the highest standards of quality.
I think the facts are straight. Someone will probably lose their job. I never said you are closing all your plants. I'm sure your products are good. I'm sharing info that everyone would have gotten sooner or later anyway.