First Look at the M18 FUEL™ 1/4″ Blind Rivet Tool w/ ONE-KEY™ Kit
Rivet tools are frequently used by Trailer Technicians. While pneumatic riveters certainly have their place in a trailer shop, they do require a hosed connection that can be inconvenient on certain jobs. It is that inconvenience that has lead to the cordless riveter being one of the most common tool requests that I receive from Technicians.
In 2018 Milwaukee introduced their M12™ Rivet Tool. While the M12 riveter can be used for some trailer work, it is limited to a maximum rivet size of 3/16″. This is a bit less than the 1/4″ rivet size that we frequently use for trailer repairs. Fortunately, Milwaukee recently announced the release of their M18 FUEL 1/4″ Blind Rivet Tool, which definitely got the attention of our Technicians!
After some discussion with the Technicians, I was convinced that the shop really could benefit from a cordless riveter. Given Milwaukee’s excellent reputation, and the fact that most of our Techs already have a stockpile of M18 batteries, we decided that it made sense to give the M18 FUEL Blind Rivet Tool a try.
Arrival
It has been my experience that walking into a shop with biscuits and gravy is one of the best ways to get the attention of Technicians. Well… I can now confirm that showing up with the Milwaukee M18 FUEL Blind Rivet Tool Kit (2660-22CT) is even more effective. Clearly, the Technicians are excited about this tool!
The full kit (2660-22CT), which is what we are reviewing, includes the bare tool (2660-20), two M18 REDLITHIUM CP2.0 batteries, an M18 & M12 Multi-Voltage Charger, and a Contractor Bag. Everything you need to get started. While this kit is available at a reasonable price, you can save a little by purchasing the bare tool only. After all, there is a good chance that you already have some Milwaukee batteries and chargers laying around.
M18 FUEL™ 1/4″ Blind Rivet Tool w/ ONE-KEY™ Kit (2660-22CT)
- (1) M18 FUEL™ 1/4″ Blind Rivet Tool w/ ONE-KEY™ Bare Tool (2660-20)
- (2) M18™ REDLITHIUM™ CP2.0 Battery (48-11-1820)
- (1) M18™ & M12™ Multi-Voltage Charger (48-59-1812)
- (1) M18 FUEL™ 1/4″ Blind Rivet Tool w/ ONE-KEY™ Retention Nose Piece 4-Pack (49-16-2660RP)
- (1) Nose Piece Wrench
- (1) Mandrel Collector
- (1) Hanging Ring
- (1) Belt Clip
- (1) Contractor Bag
Expectations & First Impressions
The Milwaukee riveter is going into this review with some very high expectations placed upon it. I have some specific qualities I am looking for, as do our Technicians. As our review proceeds, we’ll be able to provide much more insight into the following:
General Performance
Of course, the most important thing we want to see from this riveter is that it can consistently install 3/16″, 7/32″, 1/4″ and 9/32″ aluminum, steel, and stainless steel rivets. With the Brushless Motor delivering 4,500 lbs of pulling force, this shouldn’t be a problem.
We have already conducted preliminary testing with all the rivets we typically have in stock (3/16″ – 1/4″). The riveter installed them with ease. We don’t often use 9/32″ rivets and didn’t have any available, but we’ll get some in for testing.
Durability / Cost to Operate
To date, our shop has used nothing but pneumatic riveters. Despite using several different brands and models, they have all seemed to be overly fragile and susceptible to breaking down. When you combine tool down time and the cost of repairs, the pneumatics have always had a very high cost of operation.
Our initial impression of the M18 Riveter is that it was designed to be durable. That being said, an optional Protective Boot (49-16-2660B) is available. I have held off on releasing the riveter to the shop until we receive this extra bit of protection.
One-Key System
This cordless riveter is equipped with Milwaukee’s One-Key System, which isn’t a feature we’ve encountered in a riveter. In fact, this is the first tool in our shop with this technology.
One-Key is a program that allows you to manage tool inventory, track tool location, and enable/disable tools remotely. While this isn’t a feature I was seeking in a riveter, I can definitely see the appeal.
Within minutes I had the One-Key app installed on my cell phone and linked to our new riveter. As advertised, I can now track the location of the tool and enable/disable it from any location. I’ll be talking a lot more about this technology as we continue with the review.
*Milwaukee has an extensive line-up of One-Key Compatible tools and equipment.
Review Updates
Updates to this review can be found on the Main Product Page.
- Product Page: Milwaukee M18 FUEL 1/4″ Blind Rivet Tool