We dissect a Milwaukee bandsaw.

PRODUCED:

CHINA

TIME TO DISASSEMBLE:

1 HOUR, 59 MINUTES

NOTES: If you’re a plumber, electrician, or militant DIYer with a bunch of pipe to cut, Milwaukee’s M18 Cordless

Band Saw is a gift from the tool gods. It’s a favourite of contractors because this saw is as burly as they come. Power comes from a high-speed brushless motor (1) that rotates the toothy metal band (2) at 115 surface metres per minute. The 127 × 127 mm cut capacity is the biggest you’ll find on a cordless bandsaw, allowing you to blast through wide pipes, thick fence posts, and steel bollards. It’s also less prone to breakdowns, thanks to a direct-drive system that removes the need for a chain, a component destined to stretch and require servicing. At 5.9 kg, without the lithium-ion battery (3), the M18 isn’t the most portable or the easiest to carry, but there’s no better way to make clean, spark-free cuts through steel pipe.