Made-in-USA tools from Milwaukee Tools

[oldbrownhat]

There's a useful tool website called ToolGuyd, and he recently posted this:

Milwaukee Tool Raises the Bar with New USA Factory

and a couple of days ago, a review of one of their new "onshore" pliers.

Could be a good thing if they can make a go of it.

 

[NYlakesider]

In 2005, I purchased a Craftsmen 1/2" corded hammer drill. I drilled 2 holes in green concrete and burned up the drill motor. I returned it and bought a Milwaukee. It's still going...

Retired construction worker here, we used a lot of Milwaukee tools because they were so dependable. Our contractors supplied all our tools!

Course I have now been retired since after the turn of the century and do not know how valid my above statement is now.

My personally owned corded reciprocating/ AKA demolition saw I bought in 1975 is still going strong.

 

[Greyman50]

All my tools were Original Craftsman, Snap-On and MAC, most given to son and grandson, tools will last over 100 years.

 

[husker51]

I found myself going with Milwaukee tools a few years ago. I am well pleased with the tools I have purchased. Their M18 line is great! Recently bought a 3/8" M12 socket driver. Great stuff! My older tools are Craftsman. Don't have a lot but have a few cordless craftsman tools. I should have went with Milwaukee years ago.

 

[Squarebutt]

I've bought Milwaukee corded tools for decades. Currently have a Sawzall, circular saw, 3/8" drill, and three 1/2" drills, including a right angle model as well as a drywall gun and a 1/2" drive impact wrench, and probably a few I forgot.
Last winter our boiler gave up during the coldest week in January. We relied on a great local HVAC contractor to get us warm again. His three guys went to work and it was like a ballet, with each of them doing a different bunch of tasks without bumping into each other. Everything was done with Milwaukee cordless M18 and M12 tools. They even had a cordless crimping tool that sealed the joints in copper pipes without solder. I was so impressed that I purchased a Milwaukee M18 weedwacker/polesaw combo set for yard work and a driver-drill which will replace an older Makita. The new tools hold a charge for a long, long tome.

 

[Rudi]

They make great tools.

 

[eveled]

I'm glad hear this. Great American made tools!

Strangely enough Milwaukee is owned by TTI. TTI is based in Hong Kong.

No matter how much we try to buy American some of our money goes overseas.

 

[Donn]

I've seen a few You Tube vids singing the praises of Milwaukee hand tools. I don't doubt their quality, but at my age, along with guns, I'm not buying any more tools. I'll have to muddle thru with what I've got, mostly USA made Craftsman.

 

[quikdraw67]

Where I work is a Milwaukee distributor. Almost all the battery powered tool are made in PRC. The corded tools are mostly USA assembled.

But I have to say, they're good tools, no matter where they are made.

Happy to see stuff made here again.

 

[yeti]

Good info. I am trying not to buy PRC made items. China is a problem.

Will seek out the new Milwaukee line.

 

[Narragansett]

Nice to see an old name making hand tools in the USA.

As an electrician, my hand tools are Klein and Channellock

Power tools are Milwaukee, and Greenlee.

Sockets are Craftsman and Snap-On

All USA made. I have a rule about tools and knives. Got to be USA made. Shoes too

 

[oldbrownhat]

...All USA made. I have a rule about tools and knives. Got to be USA made. ...

The real hardware store where I often shop in Bellingham WA carries USA-made Wright socket wrenches as their main line. (And lots of Channellock & Klein.) And Triumph twist drills, made in MN. I often scour second-hand shops for old US-made tools.

 

[Bugkiller99]

ANY addition of quality products made in the USA is welcome.

Like others, my tool box is as full as I will need in the my future. Though, with the increased use of torque screws, I could use a good set of drivers. Gawd, I hate a cheap screwdriver!

 

[jjrr]

Klein tools are the standard for the electrical field but Milwaukee has always made high quality power tools and no reason the USA made pliers wouldn't be good. Williams wrenches we're the absolute best I ever used and they don't warranty their tools their saying is if you break one of our tools you abused it. In my years in the maintenance of electrical and instrument and control these were the tools I always relied on.

 

[Nevada Ed]

Klein tools are the standard for the electrical field but Milwaukee has always made high quality power tools and no reason the USA made pliers wouldn't be good. Williams wrenches we're the absolute best I ever used and they don't warranty their tools their saying is if you break one of our tools you abused it. In my years in the maintenance of electrical and instrument and control these were the tools I always relied on.

+1 on Klein side cutters for my work with placing miles and miles of re-bar
in all shapes and forms from freeways mats, bridges, over passes, parking garage columns to tilt ups for building warehouse buildings.

We need good, made in the USA companies, for the working people, in our country.

I wish that they do well.

 

[oldbrownhat]

A... Gawd, I hate a cheap screwdriver!

This ^^^ Nothing worse than a cheap, chrome-plated driver with high-gloss chrome plate which slips when a bit of torque is needed. Up here (Canada) we use motly Robertson screws (aka square drive) and a real Robertson™ tip is worth having.

For those who like the convenience of a multi-bit driver, MegaPro are the best I've found. I only recently discovered that the company is Canadian, based here in BC, but the drivers are made in Oregon. They have a range of specialty drivers with various bit sets. The regular steel bits have a dull finish, not chrome plated, and grip well. They may be marketed under different names in the US; I see General Tools has an identical-looking "MultiPro" although they may not have the specialty sets that MegaPro make.

(BTW, there are numerous styles of "Phillips-type" heads, as this online article shows: "When a Phillips is not a Phillips!")

 

[Maddog 521]

Our 12" floor fan quit a couple of weeks ago. I cleaned it and lubed the shaft up and turned it on. In order to get it to run I had to spin it by hand. It was running very hot so I decided to scrap it.
I did some research and found the Air King company. I bought a new high velocity 3 speed fan that is very well built and "Made In The USA". There are many sellers on the WWW so look for the lowest price and free shipping. Works for me

 

[MRB1]

Like most others, I prefer USA made OLDER tools. My tool cabinets house older Craftsman (a few), Snap-On, Proto and Challenger. They've all been with me since the early 70s, and show little physical wear. Sadly, today if a tool says made in USA, that's no guarantee of quality at all. American craftsmanship isn't near what it used to be and imported components can result in some pretty pitiful tools. If I need a tool (seldom) my first stop is the pawn shops.

 

[oldbrownhat]

L...my first stop is the pawn shops.

Yup. I've picked up a number of "pre-loved"old tools in secondhand shops. I seem to have a predilection for C-clamps. Got an unusual pair of large Giller pliers with two different-sized convex openings in the jaw, a big manual Oster pipe-threading tool (c.1930), a 2" capacity tubing cutter... I'm keeping my eye out for a pair of electric metal shears next.

 

[MRB1]

Yup. I've picked up a number of "pre-loved"old tools in secondhand shops. I seem to have a predilection for C-clamps. Got an unusual pair of large Giller pliers with two different-sized convex openings in the jaw, a big manual Oster pipe-threading tool (c.1930), a 2" capacity tubing cutter... I'm keeping my eye out for a pair of electric metal shears next.

Brings back a (bad) memory. I was walking through the metal shop and noticed an assembly on the fixture that was being held together by several C-clamps, and a 1" micrometer. At least he met his quota for the day.