SIMPLIFYING WORK WITH ONE SYSTEM

For any professional contractor, there is no such thing as a typical working day, so being prepared for every eventuality is key to ensuring work can be undertaken efficiently and safely. Whether working indoors, outdoors, in confined spaces, up ladders or down holes – being armed with a reliable set of tools that can tackle a wide selection of tasks with ease can help streamline work, maximise productivity and tick off the jobs (planned and unplanned) from the day’s list.

The development of brushless motor technology and the use of lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries has transformed the performance of cordless power tools. Li-ion batteries provide high levels of charge and high voltage to work for long periods of time. What’s more, Li-ion batteries can be charged at any time, as they don’t need to be drained down completely beforehand and they do not self-discharge, meaning equipment can be stored for long periods and will be ready to use at the next session, without delay.

Thanks to advances in tool, motor and battery technology, today’s cordless tools can achieve torque and speed outputs that are comparable to its corded and pneumatic counterparts – with categories of cordless tools now available that were once considered unthinkable.

This is great news for professionals who have access to a vast choice of cordless power tools that can be used for almost every task. Furthermore, users are afforded with the additional benefits of increased flexibility and efficiency that battery powered tools offer in comparison to its corded counterparts.

By removing the need to carry transformers or locate a power source and get that power to the work area, battery power reduces the amount of set up time, and the risk of injury from trip hazards or cord entanglement is eliminated. Working in tight and awkward spaces is easier as cordless tools offer the flexibility to freely move around the work area and operators can position themselves in a way that makes the work easier and safer. In addition, battery-operated tools are often lighter and better balanced, giving users better control over the equipment.

By investing in a system or family of tools that share a common battery platform, work can be streamlined, especially on jobs where there is a need to swap between tools throughout the day depending on the task. If every tool uses the same type of battery, then it is simply a matter of switching the battery to the required machine to carry out the next task. For example, the Makita LXT platform encompasses more than 300 different products, all sharing the same battery, including disc cutters, angle grinders, SDS hammer drills, metal cut saws and multi-tools.

This also simplifies the amount of kit needed on site as one type of battery and charger can be used across the complete set of tools. An additional advantage to investing in a battery system is that it allows new tools to be purchased more cost effectively. This is because it allows tradespeople to take advantage of ‘body-only’ options as they already have the batteries.

For more demanding tasks, it is also worth considering cordless tools that feature a twin voltage system within the same battery platform, that are utilised to supply a more powerful motor. Systems that employ two complementary batteries to achieve this offer tradespeople the simplicity of staying within the same battery system, while benefiting from the greater power and longer runtimes required for high drain applications, such as drilling large diameter holes in masonry, cutting and chasing in stone, or removing brickwork.

Well designed twin battery systems will allow batteries with different capacities and even levels of charge to be used together. For example, a 4Ah Makita 18V LXT battery and a 5Ah Makita 18V LXT battery can be used to create 36 volts of power on twin 18V models (18V x2) and the tool will simply stop when the lower capacity battery is empty.

Cordless tools offer a number of advantages, including ease and flexibility of working and improved safety. With a wide range of products now available that use modern lithium-ion technology combined with sophisticated tool and motor design, there are very few tasks that cannot be completed cordlessly. Investing in a single system will help make work easier and simpler, especially where there are options for twin battery tools that deliver improved performance within the same battery platform.

Makita, makitauk.com