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Post by huntsgemein on May 22, 2017 19:04:44 GMT -5
Well they're here, or more correctly "there", as poor old Oz misses out (again) for the next few months I'm guessing.... www.metabo.com/t3/fileadmin/metabo/uk/070_news/00_specials/Specials-2-2017-UK_Sterling.pdfThere's the new 3.5 & 7.0AH batteries available, plus some of the tools featured at the Bau exhibition. Cordless stirrers/mixers (whoopie do), 18v caulking gun, 2 x 18v SDS hammers, plus a couple of surprises. One, an 18v brushless 7" (180mm) grinder on the same chassis as their existing BL 125 & 150mm grinders, claims similar cutting depth to a 9" corded equivalent, and a newly designed (well, the front end anyway) three speed EC (brushless) BS & SB drills. First & second gears offer similar performance to the existing range, but the top speed in third increases to 3800 rpm! Just the ticket methinks for sheet metal work, riveting, self drilling screws and the like. I've just been doing quite a lot of that myself recently, building a rather bizarre dead Gumtree sculpture out of recycled galvanised flue-pipe & sleeves, coffee cans, soup & home-brew tins etc. Being so thin & flexible, drilling 1/8" holes through 2 or more layers of ultra thin steel is proving problematic, even with 2050 RPM. The top layer is fine, but the inner is proving frustratingly resistant & flexible. Extra revs would I'm sure be invaluable. Oh well, needs must I suppose. The "Impulse" mode is proving markedly effective in reducing drill tip wander over the smooth, thin metal surfaces. Worse yet is the limited stop speed of my smaller 10.8v A12 equivalent Metabo drill (1400), needed for its angle drive to access the interiors of my tapered cones. There's also a "new" SSW 200 rattler listed. I'm dubious. How this is actually new is unclear. Same physical characteristics as the "old" one, same 3 speed/s, same fastening torque listed and no mention of any BL or EC motor. So what is actually new here? Maybe just the batteries. Call me cynical, but I suspect its just a ruse to maintain sales whilst a long-overdue BL model is in development. They're also claiming their 18v KHA SDS & SSW 400 wrenches as "new", too! er... Hello Metabo! Addition of a new/bigger/fatter/redder/faster interchangeable battery doth not a new tool make! Of course, the silver lining to this "clouded" new product release is that existing stocks of now naff & "old hat" 3.1 & 6.2AH Li-HD batteries are now effectively in runout, and should be available for bargain basement prices as a discontinued line whilst wealthier early adopters provide demand for the new, updated & more energy capacious versions. One salient fact in all this is that both Metabo themselves & by default Mafell as their contractual partners are proceeding apace with new, innovative and ultimately useful cordless tool development in both hardware and software. This augurs well for the future.
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Post by huntsgemein on May 22, 2017 21:45:42 GMT -5
Something else of note is that Metabo now appear to be marketing "badge engineered" Mirka Deros 5.0mm & 2.5mm sanders with 150mm pads. I've never seen any of the original products in the flesh, however many users lavish the highest of praises on these 2 sanders. A 1 kg. sander would I'm sure be a very ergonomically useful tool for all-day use.
Unfortunately, the 8.0mm orbit Deros doesn't seem to be available in green livery, so perhaps it's not quite time to sell your big Rotex/Bosch/Makita/Mafell/Kress dual action sander yet. At some 400 quid apiece (plus taxes) I think I'll be wearing my own Rotex out first, irrespective of how good they actually are. It's refreshing to see that the non-Festo branded manufacturers are taking a sensible, cooperative approach to technology sharing and licencing agreements. Sharing production facilities across brand platforms allows favourable economies of scale and hopefully better pricing to consumers.
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Post by henrun on May 24, 2017 15:53:04 GMT -5
huntsgemein: I have experience with the Deros - and I do like it a lot! We have the Deros 150/5 at the workshop permanently attached to a vac in the spray booth.
I used to have one but I exhanged mine for a Festool ETS EC 150/5 which is also a very good machine. For some tasks I prefer the Deros and for some the Festool. I went with Festool for cord compatibility in the workshop.
Dislikes with the Deros is the power cord connector which is prone to wear out. We are on the third cord in two years and they are not covered by warranty and very expensive. Except for that it is a very solid machine - light in use and does a great job.
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Post by henrun on May 24, 2017 16:07:04 GMT -5
The LiHD 3,5Ah looks nice. I will run down my three 3,1Ah batteries before getting any though. The 7Ah battery is interesting but how long would it take to charge it on my Ultra ASC charger??! Two hours? And how heavy is it?
Metabo tools are usually very good to great. But, there are some new items that are less than stellar. I got me an STA 100 corded jigsaw - very lightweight and narrow body. Looked perfect for the menial tasks at the workshop with precutting/roughcutting lumber. The machine was cheap so I bought one. Short story: it was horrible in all aspects - very high vibration, would not cut square and very cheaply made. Sent it back and got a refund - but the whole experience tarnished my respect for Metabo.
Some machines are coming of age and I think they need to refresh some of the machines.
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Post by huntsgemein on May 25, 2017 6:43:20 GMT -5
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Post by henrun on May 25, 2017 11:02:46 GMT -5
Thank you, I read your previous posting on this topic. Thanks for the rehash. I am glad I have the Ultra charger. I am happy with charging times for the 3,1Ah batteries - I thought I placed the wrong battery in the charger - it was charged up so quickly. Overall I am quite pleased with the battery platform and machines. The jigsaw STA 18 LTX 140 (barrel grip) is a slight let down as it does not cut square but I will try a few different blades and will see if it improves. It is no worse than a Carvex, except it rattles more. I don't use the jigsaw for precision work anyway but it would help if it cut square...
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Post by henrun on Jun 1, 2017 11:52:01 GMT -5
huntsgemein: you were dead-on-clearvoyant in your assessment of the potential price drop on 3,1 Ah batteries. If I were to order them from the UK now, a set of three batt's and a charger would cost WAY LESS THAN HALF (!!!) of what I paid here in Sweden last year when they were the shizzle.
Would make me consider the 3,1Ah batteries over the 3,5 at this price if I were in the market for new batteries. The current price actually makes them cheap, very cheap.
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Post by huntsgemein on Jun 1, 2017 19:38:33 GMT -5
It's ironic, really. Just as the prices have come down to reasonable levels (in the UK anyway, Oz suppliers, many of whom are also Festo suppliers [with obligatory fixed extortionate pricing], wouldn't know what a discount was if it jumped up & bit them), I've attempted to order some discounted batteries too.
However, Oz Post/Customs & Excise/Civil Aviation Safety or some other faceless, moronic bureaucratic entity have decided in their infinite wisdom to ban the airfreight of all (or at least my) lithium batteries. Thus, the last couple of flea-bay purchases have been returned to sender as "undeliverable", and one of my regular suppliers (Mr. Toolstop of Glasgow) has stopped supplying OZ with ANY products whatsoever, cordless or no!
This is a disaster for me! I'm seemingly obliged to pay top whack for anything remotely power toolish, especially if it comes with a battery attached! WTF??? Whilst much of the western world has a quite justifiable paranoia in regard to the vulnerability of aviation to the malevolent intentions of a certain messianic medievalist doomsday cult, this is stifling international trade and free enterprise. In other words, the theological fascists are achieving their aims of widespread paranoia and disruption and we, or at least I, lose. It's just not right.
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Post by henrun on Jun 2, 2017 16:25:14 GMT -5
Amen to the whole pre-apocalyptic-but-well-founded-rant.
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Post by kraftt on Jun 2, 2017 19:25:22 GMT -5
At the beginning of the year in the states they made you ship li-ion as ‘regulated dangerous goods’. Unless, they were shipped with ‘equipment’. So I’m surprised they won’t even ship the tool complete to you. In the past when a batt pack failed me I would buy individual cells locally (in higher mAh’s), crack open the plastic case and replace old ones. I’m not sure what you need, i.e. just higher mAh or a new design, but China underwrites shipping for the whole country so maybe - since it all comes from there anyways - there’s a loophole or a sea cargo method that’s reasonable (?) AliExpress - email one of them and ask what they can do. ( direct link dies after one attempt so you need to type in - Metabo Battery - into their search box )
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Post by holmz on Jun 2, 2017 19:44:38 GMT -5
It's ironic, really. Just as the prices have come down to reasonable levels (in the UK anyway, Oz suppliers, many of whom are also Festo suppliers [with obligatory fixed extortionate pricing], wouldn't know what a discount was if it jumped up & bit them), I've attempted to order some discounted batteries too. However, Oz Post/Customs & Excise/Civil Aviation Safety or some other faceless, moronic bureaucratic entity have decided in their infinite wisdom to ban the airfreight of all (or at least my) lithium batteries. Thus, the last couple of flea-bay purchases have been returned to sender as "undeliverable", and one of my regular suppliers (Mr. Toolstop of Glasgow) has stopped supplying OZ with ANY products whatsoever, cordless or no! This is a disaster for me! I'm seemingly obliged to pay top whack for anything remotely power toolish, especially if it comes with a battery attached! WTF??? Whilst much of the western world has a quite justifiable paranoia in regard to the vulnerability of aviation to the malevolent intentions of a certain messianic medievalist doomsday cult, this is stifling international trade and free enterprise. In other words, the theological fascists are achieving their aims of widespread paranoia and disruption and we, or at least I, lose. It's just not right. I susupect that they return the tools to the sender, which means that they double the air time. And double the risk. Note to self: 2x0 is twice as bad 1x0. that bloke that went from the mental health clinic towards KL out of Melbourne last night, or the night before, intending on bringing down the plane. Now if these people were armed with drill batteries then I could see how one could make a connection. Interestingly lithium is used for the treatment of some bi polar (mental health) issues. In a slow Texan style drawl... W. T. F. ?
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Post by huntsgemein on Jun 2, 2017 20:39:10 GMT -5
There's a lot of embodied energy stored within modern lithium cells. They do present a clearly defined danger to users, particularly from poorly manufactured products. There was a rather infamous youtube video of a "hoverboard" pyrotechnic explosion whilst being charged that prompted our government to ban importation of these devices, plus anecdotal evidence of further housefires being caused too. It's not unheard of for tradies' utes/vans/lorries to be lost for similar reasons. Even laptops and other digital devices are not immune. Then there's the Samsung cellular telephone debacle...
DeWalt have taken the matter seriously, accepting the innate risks involved in shipping collections of batteries. Their Flexvolt? batteries are shipped (when new) with special cappings, electrically isolating each bank of 5 cells from their 2 companions. Accidents do happen, and high current cells could only too easily start a fire from something as simple as an ill-placed nail, screw or even a paperclip or staple shorting across their terminals. Easily sufficient energy to start a freight fire that could become a catastrophic tragedy in any mode of transport, but especially in air freight.
Yet it seems that only in Australia has the risk been met with such draconian measures as a total ban on postage. The USA have proposed legislation banning laptops and similar devices from aviation hand luggage for completely different reasons: suicidal passengers harbouring malicious intent. Presumably something about a laptop's packaging could possibly conceal some sort of explosive or pyrotechnic device whilst avoiding current detection technology.
It's a sign of the times, I suppose, but from a personal perspective I'm more than a mite pissed about the fact that there's canyon-wide inequities in international pricing policies by locally represented international tool manufacturers. One certain culprit, selling sanders in a lime green and ultra-dark blue livery, has the temerity to charge me almost $600 for a variant of a basic Random Orbit Sander that they then in turn offered (albeit for a limited period) for a mere US$99 to the north american market. To add further insult to the injury, this $99 special is inclusive of a further US$50 gift voucher!
I'm sure that Aust/NZ isn't alone in this situation, and that some other markets are being inequitably treated. Some local, provincial or national taxes and duties can increase prices too. However, when the situation approaches inequities of approximately 10:1 pricing differential, I am indeed moved to comment.
Normally I would simply choose to buy elsewhere, as I have done in the past. This is the most obvious remedy for such a situation. International markets offer not only better pricing, but also greater variety and permutations on what may be available locally. Yet many manufacturers seem hell-bent on stifling international tool trade. Warranties are automatically invalidated. Fair enough, I suppose. One well-known German manufacturer has apparently threatened some international traders with witholding of supply as a rather heavy-handed punishment, to effectively prevent customers' freedom of choice in cross-border trade. I choose not to support such dictatorial policies, and have a self-imposed moratorium on that particular company's products.
However, now that I no longer have effective access to not just alternative cordless products from other international sources, some of my long-established sources are now unwilling or able to supply any product at all, citing my own country's rather unique and eccentric policy on E-trade and freight. I quite rightly feel somewhat caught between the metaphorical rock & a hard place, with little or no wriggle room.
The presence of heavily discounted products offshore that are tantalisingly unavailable due to this uniquely eccentric domestic bureaucratic ineptitude merely adds fuel to the flames of frustration.
So what is a fellow to do but rant? Rage against the stultifyingly Kafka-esque incomprehensibility of it all.
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