Many tools accomplish their work with finesse and precision. In fact, thatโs often why we choose to use them. Every once in a while, however, we need a tool that gets the job done with brute force. We need the big, mean, junkyard dog kind of tool. Thatโs theย hawgโspecifically, the Milwaukee M18 Fuel Super Hawg 1/2-inch Right Angle Drill (2809-20 or 2811-20).
Every guy has things that make him feel more manly. Maybe itโs chopping some wood, perhaps eating a rare steak bare-handed, or crushing an empty beer can on his forehead. Hey, different strokes, right?
But let me suggest another way: drilling some holes with the Super Hawg. It just might put some hair on your chest or cause you to start grunting like the Tim the Toolman Taylor himself.
Milwaukee 2809-22 First Impressions
Iโve reviewed quite a fewย excellent Milwaukee plumbing tools recently, but not one that I was quite as excited about as the Milwaukee M18 Fuel Super Hawg. The Hawgโs purpose is making holes in wood large enough to accommodate pipes (or conduit for electricians), which is most helpful for plumbers and HVAC guys. Itโs powered by a Milwaukee M18 RedLithium battery pack. The kit I reviewed (2809-22) included two XC6.0 amp-hour High Output batteries as well as a charger. Milwaukee also offers a Hawg with a Quik-Lok chuck (2811-22), but I reviewed the standard chuck version.
Milwaukee M18 FUEL Super Hawg Performance
The Super Hawg is a beast.ย At 14 pounds it feels substantial, but donโt let that dissuade you. Anyone whoโs ever done the work that the Super Hawg is meant to do knows that the weight is an advantage. Itโs normally used in an attic or other tight spaces where you canโt gain the leverage on it to push through the hole โ itโs heavy so gravity can help do the work for you. Generally, we want our tools to get smaller and lighter, but just as Daniel Elms recently wrote, a hefty tool is sometimes the best tool.
The Super Hawgย can make holes up to 6-1/4 inches in diameter, but standard hole size for most work is 2-9/16 inches. Milwaukee claims that the 6.0 batteries can make 100 or more of them on a single charge! It boasts a brushless motorย (thatโs given away by the โFuelโ designation if youโre a Milwaukee rookie), Milwaukeeโs RedLink Plus electronic communication system, low speeds of 0-500 RPM, high speeds of 0-1,550 RPM, a metal keyed chuck, a heavy-duty front handle, and a bright work light for dark attics and corners.
Re-piping with the Milwaukee Cordless Super Hawg
Although I plumb new construction, remodels, and retrofits, I find myself most often repiping a home. In fact, I average about 2 re-pipes a month with Curry and Co Plumbing. Of course, it feelsย like we predominately work on re-pipesย during the blistering Florida summers. This makes attic temperatures downright infernal! We welcome any tool that can speed up the job.
Iโve been using a corded Milwaukee right angle drill for years, so itโs easy to imagine how the cordless Milwaukee M18 Fuel Super Hawg would be a huge improvement. Dragging a cord through an attic and having it snag 10 feet behind you on a truss isnโtย a lot of fun. Whatโs more, metal trusses can cut through a cord and expose you to electrical shock. Cordless is definitely the way to go.
Milwaukee 2809-20 Power
This tool simply blasts through the wood. I used Milwaukeeโsย 2-9/16 inch SwitchBlade self-feed bitย (not to be confused with a Forstner bit), and the studs and caps didnโt have a chance. The Super Hawg feels well-built, heavy-duty, and awesomely powerful. More importantly, itโs faster and more convenient than any other right angle drill Iโve ever used โ including corded models. The weight does the work for you and helps control against twist injuries in a bind-up situation.
Safety
The Super Hawg not only has an easily-adjusted high and low settingย but also a variable speed trigger. Some right-angle drills Iโve had were โbinaryโ. They either went at full bore or nothingโmaking them very โtorqueyโ. Thatโs bad news if you hit a nail or otherwise bind the bit because the whole tool can kick dangerously.
Such wrenching has even caused a plumber or two to get hit in the face with the drill. Itโs much easier to start and safer to complete a hole with the variable speed trigger. I typically use low in anย attic. High speed is great for mixing concreteโstick a paddle mixer in the Super Hawg and mix away.
Two safety features stand out to help you control that massive power aside from the weight. First, you can install the auxiliary handle on either side by screwing it in place. Thatโs in addition to the top handle that I end up using most frequently.
Internally, a mechanical clutch auto-engages in a bind-up situationโbut only in Low speed. This is almost critical to saving your wrists and elbows when calling on all the torque the drill has to offer.
Sometimes the LED light on a cordless tool is more of an afterthought. Thatโs not the case on the Super Hawg. Milwaukee placed it perfectly to light up the immediate work area.
Run Time
The 6.0 amp hour RedLithium battery is exemplary. One charge usually lasts me through 2 re-pipes and many of those holes are double and triple caps. I just use a Milwaukee quick extension bit and pull the trigger.
The Bottom Line
Thereโs a lot of weight here at 14 pounds (12.5 pounds bare). Thatโs still a little lighter than the corded model. The weight works for you at times, considering gravity helps bore your holesโunless youโre working overhead or vertically. Because of the size and length, itโs not as easy for the torque of the tool to wrench your wrists and elbows. Donโt get me wrong though, Iโll happily take a lighter tool if they can maintain the safety and power of this model.
Run time with the included 6.0 amp hour batteries is outstanding. Cycling between the two of them should never leave you waiting for a charge. You get excellent runtime from the kit version which includes two XC6.0 amp-hour High Output batteries.
Milwaukee Super Hawg Pricing
I heartily recommend the Milwaukee M18 Fuel Super Hawgย to other professionals. At about $399 bare and $699 for the kit I reviewed, itโs not a small amount of money. But I guarantee you that as you move cordlessly through an attic or around a jobsite to blast through headers, you wonโt have any regrets. If you exclusively use 7/16-inch hex flat or groove shank bits, take a look at the Quik-Lok models. Thereโs no premium on the price to go with that easy-to-use chuck.
Available Models
- Milwaukee 2809-20 (bare) โ $399
- Milwaukee 2809-22 (kit) โ $699
- 2811-20 (Quik-Lok bare) โ $399
- 2811-22 (Quik-Lok kit) โ $699
Milwaukee M18 Fuel Super Hawg 1/2-inch Right Angle Drill Key Features
- PowerState Brushless Motor provides constant power under load to power through 6-inch Holes
- RedLink Plus Intelligence Ensures optimal performance and overload protection to prevent damage to the tool or battery during heavy applications
- Over 75 2-9/16-inch holes per charge with a RedLithium XC5.0 battery
- Up to 100 2-9/16 in. holes per charge with an XC6.0 battery
Milwaukee M18 Fuel Super Hawg 1/2-Inch Right Angle Drill Specifications
- Power: Milwaukee 18V RedLithium battery pack
- Length: 22 in.
- Weight: 14 lbs.
- Chuck: 1/2-inch metal keyed
- Speed: 0-500 / 0-1,550 RPM
- Wood drilling capacity: Up to 6-1/4โณ inches (hole saw)
- Warranty: 5 years (3-year battery)
