At a recent Metabo press event we got a look at the latest cordless grinder (it's a beast), as well as some other new tools. Here’s a look at what we saw.
A table setup outside of the event conference room displayed ear…
A table setup outside of the event conference room displayed earlier versions of come current products. Here, Metabo's cordless 9.6V barrel grip jigsaw. It had 4 stroke settings, a dial to adjust the speed, and a variable speed trigger. The new version of this, STA 18 LTX 140 , still has 4 stroke settings, a variable speed trigger, and speed dial. But at 6.4 lbs, including the battery, we're guessing it's considerably lighter than the 9.6V showed here.
Chris Ermides
Here, the new KFMPB 15-10 F chamfers a steel plate with more pre…
Here, the new KFMPB 15-10 F chamfers a steel plate with more precision than a conventional router. This tool can chamfer up to 10mm, features a paddle switch and brake system. You can set the plates from 0° and 90°. What was cool to see with this model is the tool-free depth adjustment that can be adjusted in .1 steps. It has a power brake, overload protection, and soft start. Cost: $2800
Chris Ermides
Here, the new KFMPB 15-10 F chamfers a large steel pipe. You can…
Here, the new KFMPB 15-10 F chamfers a large steel pipe. You can't see it in this picture, but there's a stop roller attached to the tool's plate that's riding along the pipe on the inside. The whole setup was reminiscent of a standard can opener except that the resulting edge here was smooth and perfect.
Chris Ermides
Here's a look at the edge left by the beveling tools in the prev…
Here's a look at the edge left by the beveling tools in the previous slide.
Chris Ermides
The AV 18 is a cordless fan that Metabo released last year. It r…
The AV 18 is a cordless fan that Metabo released last year. It runs on their LiHD 18V battery platform and can run for 7 hours (presuming on “low”) on a 5.2Ah battery. Here it’s mounted on a tripod via an integrated mounting plate and tripod socket. Both the housing and blades are metal, and it has 3 speed settings: Low, Medium, High. Cost: approx. $155.
Chris Ermides
Chris Ermides
Here we watached a demonstration of Metabo's well-known cut-off …
Here we watached a demonstration of Metabo's well-known cut-off wheel called "Slicer" race agasint two other brands' cut-off wheels. The guy kneeling was in the middle with the Slicer. He's nearly finished with the cut while the guy on the right lost his wheel and the guy on the left, whom you can't see, is still standing. It was a typical "shoot-out" we see at a lot of these events. And while it's not surprising the the Metabo won the race, it was still impressive to see it in action.
Chris Ermides
Chris Ermides
Chris Ermides
I had a chance to visit with the Metabo team recently in Philadelphia at the Franklin Institute. The purpose of the event was to commemorate the 50-year anniversary of its angle grinder safety break, and also unveil a few new tools. Past and present presidents of the company attended, as did a whole group of product managers and developers from around the country and abroad. Here are some interesting statistics before launching into the fun stuff:
There are 1,800 employees worldwide, spread out over 125 countries.
Metabo currently holds more than 500 active patents.
The company grosses $460-$500 million a year. While that might be hard to believe since it isn’t a readily available brand here in the U.S. (at least not yet; its recent acquisition by Hitachi will likely change that), it does have a very strong hold in the European market – particularly in commercial to industrial applications. What was particularly interesting was that Metabo is the only fully integrated manufacturer in Europe, meaning that it produces most if not all of the parts for its products within the company.
Metabo’s first electric drill, which came out in 1934, cost a craftsman two month’s wages.
Metabo is most noted for being the first to manufacturer a “one-hand” angle grinder, which hit the market in 1966. Its safety clutch and braking system, which is mechanical and functions much like disc brakes on a car, allowed users to use a grinder with one hand without fear of losing control. While it stopped touting the “one-handed” functionality of the tool many years ago, it still has an impressive safety brake, which we got to see in a demonstration at the event.
Check out the photos for a look at some new tools, as well as some old ones. There’s a new one at the end that’s the largest cordless angle grinder on the market today. The thing is a beast – and fun to use.
Before joining Tools of the Trade as an editor, Chris Ermides was a project manager for a custom home builder, a carpenter and remodeler. These days when he’s not writing or editing, he’s testing tools as he renovates his 1850 farmhouse in upstate New York.
