Milwaukee for your pipes

Milwaukee is now producing the third generation of their M12 heated jacket line, and they have made a ton of improvements in the latest version.

The first change in a pretty neat feature: instead of having one power button on the chest that controls the heat in the front and back of the jacket, the third-generation jackets have two buttons. The main button still controls the heat settings just like in the old jacket, but a new second button controls a whole new set of heating pads—in the pockets! These built-in hand warmers are a great idea, especially for those who work outside. Because the pocket pads  are controlled independently from the body pads, the former can be turned off to preserve battery life when you are wearing gloves.

And speaking of battery life—something else new to the jacket is the addition of accessories. To start, there is now a 12-volt adapter cord available that will allow you to plug your jacket directly into any 12-volt automotive outlet. This setup will work perfectly for those who wear their jackets on their snowmobile, motorcycle or ATV, or even equipment operators on a jobsite.

Milwaukee's third-generation heated jacket puts safety first

Milwaukee also has something for those of us who would like more runtime when we aren’t near a 12-volt outlet. A new adapter allows the use of the 18-volt battery pack for super long run times, and fits into the new battery-pocket design of late second- and all third-generation jackets. The 18-volt adapter even has a USB port built in to power your MP3 player or smart phone.

Give your gadgets life with juice from an 18-volt battery

And speaking of MP3 players—the new jackets now have ports built in to allow you to run your USB and other cables throughout the coat. No more wires hanging out means your gear is protected and makes you safer around machinery.

Adding to the existing range of red, black and camouflage, Milwaukee has introduced a high-visibility model with a removable hood that is pretty much tailor made for our climate. Even better, the Milwaukee M12 high-visibility heated jacket meets Canadian CSA standards for worksite safety. It is CAN/CSA Z96-09 Class III certified (if suitable pants are worn) or Class II certified if worn on its own: a welcome development.

Finally, here’s a look at a series of tools that will speak to anyone who has a copper plumbing job to do. Below are pictures of the M12 copper-pipe cutter and the M12 press tool. They are also available in 18-volt for those who like to go big or go home.

The cutter works when the pipe is put into its jaws, the trigger is pulled and the tool cuts copper pipe cleanly in about two seconds. No more twist-spin-twist-spin (and repeat), which is especially nice in tight areas.

No flux? No solder? No problem. Just compress this fitting

Now imagine being able to join copper pipes in seconds with no heat, no flux, no wire brushes, no solder—just the pull of a trigger. How, you ask? Copper fittings with O rings. You put your fitting in place on the pipe, place the jaws of the press tool around the raised rib on the fitting and pull the trigger. The tool compresses the fitting in place on the pipe, and flashes a green light at you when it senses it has applied enough pressure (5,400 lb. by the 12-volt tool) for a perfect seal. It just doesn’t get any easier than that; and trust me, foolproof plumbing is a good thing, especially around my house!

Well that was a look at some of the new and noteworthy stuff coming from the fine folks at Milwaukee, but check back. There is some very big news coming down the pipe that will change the way you look at (and use) cordless tools. I’m not allowed to tell you quite yet what it is, but as soon as I get the OK from Milwaukee to let that particular red cat out of the bag, you can bet you’ll see it here at Canadian Home Workshop.