Makita, on the other hand, is a Japanese company founded in 1915 as an electric repair company.
Makita got their start by repairing old generators and other electric equipment. It wasn’t until 1958 when they manufactured their first power tool, the electric planer. Over the years they continued to grow, servicing the mid-level price range buyers with quality tools. Although, when you look at Makita’s pricing these days, they’re very similar to Milwaukee!
Today, they manufacture in 8 countries worldwide. Makita is known for making excellent mid-range tools for the average homeowner, DIYer, or woodworker.
They produce all sorts of power tools, cordless tools, and even gas-powered equipment such as mowers, blowers, and generators. In 2019, Makita raked in over 4 billion dollars in global sales.
History of Makita Tools
1958 marked the release of Makita’s first power tool, a portable electric planer. Later that year Makita furthered its position as a specialized manufacturer of electric power tools with the introduction of a portable groove cutter. A Makita electric circular saw and electric drill soon followed in 1962.
After 10 years of design and testing to ensure quality, Makita introduced its first 7.2V Cordless Drill in 1978. Significant investments in research and development resulted in increased power and run time, shortened charging time and longer tool life. These same attributes would become hallmarks of Makita cordless tools. By 1987 Makita’s line-up of 7.2V cordless consisted of 15 different tools that all used the same battery and charger. A 9.6V line-up was made up of 10 tools.
Makita first developed brushless motor fastening tools in 2004 for the defense and aerospace industries. Engineered for extended run time, increased power and speed, and longer tool life, the Makita brushless motor was ideal for precision assembly applications. Makita extended this efficient technology to contractors in 2009 with the industry’s first 18V brushless motor impact driver.
Makita created the 18V Lithium-Ion category in 2005, and today offers the world’s largest cordless tool line-up powered by an 18V slide-style battery. 2015 marks the release of the 100th Makita 18V tool – and they’re powered by the industry’s fastest-charging 18V Lithium-Ion batteries. Makita’s expanding 18V line-up is giving tool users more power, longer run time and superior ergonomics, with more opportunities than ever before to unplug the cord.
Makita Tool: Outdoor Power Equipment
Makita invested heavily in the outdoor power equipment market, back in 1991, with the acquisition of Dolmar – a very high quality German manufacturer of petrol-powered gardening, forestry and agriculture equipment.
Although the original Dolmar name was retained in a handful of European countries, notably where they had a brand presence, it was re-badged Makita in the UK. In 2008, the combined knowledge of Dolmar, Makita and Japanese engine manufacturer Fuji Robin, created a brand new user-friendly and affordable 4-stroke engine.
Compared to traditional 2-stroke, the new 4-stroke MM4 engine increased power output by up to 30% and reduced emissions by an astonishing 90%.
Why You Should Buy Makita Products
If you are considering purchasing Makita power tools, here’s why you should buy them.
- Innovative Designs: With more than 100 years in the business, Makita has been more aggressive in research and development. As a result, they have innovative designs and keep producing more advanced tools.
- Lighter Tools: Working with portable tools requires using your hand for extended periods. Makita products are much lighter due to the material used in production. This makes it easier to use and has less hand fatigue.
12V Cordless Tools
Makita recently upgraded their sub-compact battery from 10.8V to 12V. The new 12V Lithium-ion ‘slide-on’ battery has multi-contact terminals to ensure a more stable contact, even under extreme work or vibration conditions.
18V Cordless Tools
Without doubt, 18V is the most popular battery platform sold globally. Makita made a decision to develop a ‘fully-fledged’ 18V Lithium-ion cordless platform in 2005, increasing the range to over 150 machines within just ten years and currently featuring over 225 tools.
It was a bold step, that has proved to be crucial in establishing and maintaining Makita as one of the biggest selling brands within this category.
Makita key technologies:
Makita is known for investing a big slice of its budget in the research and innovation department. They have a wide set of patented technologies to improve their batteries, tools, and accessories, next, we’ll review the most crucial ones:
- STAR PROTECTION COMPUTER CONTROLS™: STAR is a communication tech that monitors conditions during use, allowing the tool and battery to exchange data, in order to protect against overloading, over-discharging, and overheating.
- ACTIVE 3 CONTROLS: With Active 3 Controls the battery and charger communicate through a built-in chip inside the battery and exchange information to control current, voltage and temperature. The optimized management of these conditions is engineered to help optimize the charging process, so your battery spends more time working and less time sitting on the charger.
- XPT™ EXTREME PROTECTION TECHNOLOGY: This is a series of integrated seals engineered to channel away dust and water for increased durability. Wherever the job takes you, Makita tools equipped with XPT™ are engineered for increased durability and longer tool life.
- AUTOMATIC SPEED CHANGE: this tech adjusts speed and torque for optimal performance, even in the harshest applications. During operation, if the tool is put under heavy load, Automatically Speed Change™ detects the added demand and applies more torque and speed to finish the job.
- DXT™ DEEP AND EXACT CUTTING TECHNOLOGY: this is a series of features that give Makita miter saws more cutting capacity and out-of-the-box accuracy for superior cutting performance.
- Other Makita technologies are ADVANCED AVT, MM4 4-STROKE ENGINE, SJS- SUPER JOINT SYSTEM, BIG BORE, QUICK SHIFT MODE, IMPACT GOLD, IMPACT XPS, ULTRA PREMIUM DIAMOND BLADE, XTRACT VAC, and more.
Best Makita Tools in 2021:
Makita showed off their latest innovation in Las Vegas in one of the biggest shows of the year. Figuring out which tools make the top of the list is tough, but we’re up for the task. Here are our picks for the best Makita tools at World of Concrete 2021!
1. Makita XFD10R I8V Compact Drill
This drill has a 4-pole motor that was designed and built by Makita itself. It is capable of delivering up to 480 inch-pounds of torque which is remarkable power for this size. There is a 2-speed transmission system to accommodate different driving and drilling situations. Choose between 0-600 rpm and 0-1,900 rpm. The speed has been increased by 25% from the previous generation.
Working in dark areas is not a problem thanks to the dual LED lights located just above the trigger. These shine directly in front of them so that the user can see the drilling progress. The handle has curves designed for utmost comfort and reduced fatigue. It is also covered by a rubber material to improve grip.
The batteries have built-in circuits that protect them from overloading, overheating, and over-discharge. Sensors detect danger and kick into action right away. This should lead to longer service life. The charger is also equipped with the LXT Rapid Optimum technology for 3x faster charging.
2. Makita 18V LXT Mid-Torque Impact Wrench
Makita’s upcoming mid-torque impact wrench is a fantastic balance of power and size. Larger than a compact model and well under the size of Makita’s larger models, this impact wrench packs an impressive 516 ft-lbs of fastening torque and 738 ft-lbs of nut-busting torque.
It’s a 4-speed model that also includes some electronic assistance. There are three levels of forward auto-stop when you’re fastening. These give you a few options of how much tightening you want to do without overtightening.
In reverse, there’s also an auto-stop feature. These are great, but sometimes you’re working on a longer bolt with a deep socket and you’d rather not hand thread off 3/4 of the length. For that, Makita drops down to a slow reverse to help you control the speed without having to feather the trigger.
3. Makita 18V X2 or AC Upright Light
Makita’s new upright light pops up to 5500 lumens from its hybrid 18V X2/AC power sources. You can run just the left side, right side, or the full 360º of LEDs. When you’re running on AC power, you can daisy chain multiple lights together.
There are a couple of things Makita is doing differently, starting with the handle design. It’s balanced in a way that lets you carry the light with one hand but without slapping the base against your leg as you walk.
Another intentional design feature is that the light doesn’t pop back up if you lean all the way on its side. That’s because it’s easier to store and transport multiple lights when they can lay down and stack.
FAQs
Do the batteries get drained while the tool is not in use?
Since these are lithium batteries, they are able to hold their charge longer than other cell technologies. Owners can leave them in the tool for a while without noticing any large discharge. In fact, some users report that they had no problem using their drills right away even after storing them for months.
Will Makita Lithium-Ion tools ever be compatible with Makita Ni-Cd or Ni-MH batteries?
No. Makita designed every aspect of the 18V LXT® Lithium-Ion and 18V Compact Lithium-Ion line of tools to deliver four promises to the pro user: More Power, Less Weight, Better Fit and More Work. LXT® and Compact tools are not just existing tools with a new Lithium-Ion battery; they are completely re-designed with the most advanced power tool Lithium-Ion battery and charging system available on the market. Makita designed and built the LXT® tool platform from the ground up to complement the lightweight LXT® and Compact battery platform.
Can I overcharge a battery?
No, Makita chargers are designed so that they will not overcharge a Lithium-Ion battery. For example, the Makita Rapid Optimum Charger (DC18RC) communicates with Makita 18V Lithium-Ion batteries to detect its charge level. Upon reaching a full charge, the charger goes into a maintenance mode and actively monitors the battery’s charge level to keep it fully charged.
How often should I change or clean the air filter on my power cut saw?
Makita power cutters come with a five-stage filter system with Advanced Directional Air Flow for increased performance and easy maintenance. The foam pre-filter should be checked and cleaned daily or at least every four operating hours when cutting with high dust amounts. When cutting wet or when cutting steel, the foam pre-filter should be cleaned weekly or every 25 operating hours (never use compressed air to clean the filters).
Can I use a cut-off wheel on any of the Makita grinders?
In order to use a cut-off wheel, the Makita grinder must be equipped with an approved cut-off wheel guard for the particular grinder. Consult the grinder’s Instruction Manual to determine the proper guard. Also, grinder accessories must be rated for at least the speed recommended on the tool warning label.