Kevin covered Makita’s hypoid 7 1/4″ circular saw back in June, but there’s another feature in the range worth noting. That model, the 5477NB, has the same internals as the 5377MG pictured above, so you get the 15A motor, carbide-tipped blade, 2 3/8″ cut depth at 90°, and wear-resistant hypoid gears, but they’re contained in a magnesium casing. The result is a weight drop from 13.9 pounds to 13.0 pounds, and Makita claims the balance is improved as well.

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If you need to recess a large bolt when building a deck or other outdoor project, it’s usually a two-step process. This is okay if you only have to hide a few bolts, but if you have to recess a ton of bolts it’d be easier to slide Makita’s counter bore over one of their industrial ship auger bits and do it in one step.

Slip the counter bore over an auger bit with a 5/8″ diameter shaft, tighten the set screw, and you’re set to hog out a 2-1/2″ hole for recessing the bolt in addition to the through-hole. You can pay anywhere between $45 and $80 for Makita’s slip-on counter bore.

Counter Bore Collar [Makita]
Street Pricing [Google Products]
Via Amazon [What’s This?]

The sub-compact 3/8” drill market must be a place where Bosch and the few others were making a killing last year, because almost all the heavy hitters are rolling out with them this year — and Makita is no exception. The DF330DW should look very familiar to anyone that’s been scoping other models of the same class.

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This new 7-1/4″ saw from Makita looks very similar to their other circular saw offerings, and to most other brands on the market, too.  But it hides its special feature on the inside — a hypoid gear drive.

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If you’re in the market for a high-quality drill/driver, Amazon is selling this factory-reconditioned Makita 18V compact lithium ion drill/driver kit for $138 — it would usually run you around $200 new. The kit includes the drill/driver, two batteries, a 15-minute charger, and carrying case.

Via Amazon [What’s This?]
Street Pricing [Google]

Amazon is selling this Makita 5″ Turbo Rim diamond saw blade, used for cutting masonry, for $10 — a low price on a normally expensive blade!

Via Amazon [What’s This?]
Street Pricing [Google]

Makita’s compact driver set includes a two-speed drill driver, an impact driver, two lithium-ion batteries, and a 50-minute charger, all packed in a hard case.  The impact driver can deliver 800 inch-pounds of torque at up to 3,000 impacts per minute, and the two-speed drill driver spins up to 350 RPM at the lower speed setting and up to 1,300 RPM on the higher speed setting.

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Tool King is selling this factory-reconditioned Makita 8.3A, 3/4″ hex demolition hammer for only $200.  It weighs 11 pounds, bashes away at 2,900 BPM, and comes with a case — not a bad tool if you’re starting on a demo job.

A demolition hammer will treat your body a lot better than a sledgehammer will, and it’s quicker, too.  Of course, reconditioned tools can be iffy, but they usually hold up as well as new ones.  Check the warranty details first, though.

Reconditioned Makita Demolition Hammer [Tool King]
Street Pricing [Google Products]

We don’t get around to cutting much stone or masonry around the Toolmonger shop, but these Turbo Rim diamond blades interest us.  Makita says their slick, no-segment design provides constant contact with material and delivers a smoother finish than segmented blades.

It’s hard to believe that such a small change as a solid rim can make such a big improvement, but we’ve seen them tucked into quite a few stone and masonry saws on jobsites where hardcore cutting is going down. We’ve talked to guys who swear by them — and others who just shrug and say their segmented blades have always worked fine.

What do you think? Are these smooth operators already entrenched as the best way to go?  Or do all the blades cut about the same, as long as the heat’s whisked away? Let us know in comments.

Turbo Rim Masonry Blades [Makita]
Street Pricing [Google Products]
Via Amazon [What's This?]

In the Tool Talk Podcast #38, a caller asked about replacing the chuck on his Skil hammer drill. Though Chuck and Sean weren’t able to answer his questions on the spot, I found some answers at eReplacementParts.com, which boasts the Internet’s largest selection of power tool diagrams and replacement parts . By looking at a diagram on their site, I found that the chuck in question is standard-thread and removable. Also, before you can remove the chuck, you have to remove a securing screw that goes down the middle of the barrel.

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The AVT in Makita’s AVT line of tools stands for Anti-Vibration Technology. The AVT tools work on the same principle as a boxer engine in a motorcycle: a mechanism inside the tool propels a counterweight that balances the force of the tool’s stroke. In addition to giving the user a much smoother experience, the technology also increases the efficiency of the tool, because it isn’t jolted all around while it’s cutting or pounding or whatever. Toolmonger has featured the AVT jackhammer — and of course, we’d all love to use a jackhammer at least once. But now the AVT technology is also available in a tool your average Toolmonger can get some use out of, a recip saw.

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When I’m doing heavy grinding, I hate having to stop and change over to a flap wheel for the finishing work, so this is the perfect deal for me. Home Depot’s offering a two-pack of Makita 4-1/2″ grinders for $80. Most comparable grinders cost $80 for just one, so when I spotted this combo package while wandering through Home Depot’s tool corral, I couldn’t pass it up. But it’s in-store only, so keep your eye out!

Makita Grinder (In-Store Only) [Home Depot]

Makita’s “Experience More” Tour continues to roll around the country this year. The black and blue semi still has plenty of planned stops left to go — they’ll be doing demos in the Florida area in the near future.

The Makita website says the mobile event and training trailer is geared to professional tradesmen who use power tools to make their living. It showcases 125 trade tools along with hands-on demo stations, engineering exhibits, and touchscreen displays with interactive video. And on occasion, the Makita girls will appear at the events.

You might be asking, “What do hot chicks with power tools have to do with cordless drill performance specs?”  That’s up for debate — but if you’re into it, check out the schedules on the Makita site.

“Experience More” Tour Event Dates [Makita]

Meet the new 18V 1/2″ LXT lithium-ion hammer drill/driver kit from Makita. I know, I want one too. This baby’s four-pole torque motor delivers up to 560 in-lbs of torque, which is a lot of power considering the Makita is only 9-7/8″ in length and 4.9 lbs. It drives in three speeds, and with Makita’s shift-lock system you can quickly shift it from hammer into driver mode.

The lithum-ion battery gives the tool a longer running time with 5x lower self-discharge; the battery also sports 16 firm-holding contact terminals for constant high-power output. The fan-cooled charger can charge the battery in 45 minutes and has three active controls for current, heat, and voltage, to optimize the charging capacity of the battery.

The tool comes in a carrying case and includes two batteries, a charger, screwdriver bits, and Makita’s standard three-year warranty on the tool and one year on the battery. The lowest price I found was $266 over at Tool Plus.

BHP451 [Makita]
Makita BHP451 Kit [Tool Plus]
Street Pricing [Google Products]

Lithium-ion batteries are allowing tools usually limited to cords to break out into cordless versions — Makita’s concrete pencil vibrator is one of these tools.Makita’s 18V Li-Ion concrete vibrator improves the finish and strength of your freshly poured concrete by vibrating it at 13,000 VPM.

Makita makes two models, with either a four foot or eight foot extension depending on how big the job is. The Li-Ion batteries will only run for 25 minutes of continuous vibration under load, but the batteries can completely recharge in 45 minutes, so downtime is limited.

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One of my favorite tools, the angle grinder oozes testosterone, with its metal-grinding noise and showers of sparks. This Makita 18V cordless LXT lithium-ion grinder offers the same macho experience, except it’s smaller at 12″ in length, lightweight at 5.4 lbs., and portable with its 18V lithium-ion power-pack.

The included Makita Optimum Charger charges the battery in 45 minutes — it also communicates with the battery to optimize the charge and increase the battery’s life by 280%. The battery powers the grinder to 10,000 RPM. The grinder features a built-in overload protector and a sliding power switch with lock-on.

Makita protects the tool with a three year warranty and covers the battery with a one year warranty. All2ools is selling the grinder for $310.

BGA452 Angle Grinder [Makita]
Makita BGA452 [All2ools]
Street Pricing [Google Products]

If you think a chain mortiser looks like a cross between a chainsaw and a drill press, you’ve just about pegged it. These tools speed up post and beam construction, and they look bad-ass.

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