1. 28 Construction Supply Specialists
Tech talk
Brushless:
the smart new
frontierThe arrival of brushless tools has been hailed the most significant
technological advancement for the power tool sector since
the introduction of lithium-ion batteries back in the early
2000s. Tracey Porter reveals how they have impacted the way
CSS member store customers go about their business

2. year—says the friction caused by the
physical connection creates waste
energy and causes problems with heat
build-up in brushed motor models.
Adding to that inefficiency is the fact
brushes wear, requiring ongoing
maintenance and eventual replacement.
Bostock believes the benefit of
brushless technology is threefold as it
allows manufacturers to develop smaller
tools with more features and power, as
well as extending the tool life and run-
time per battery charge.
While he is unable to reveal his firm’s
sales figures on how brushless tools
have tracked in recent times, he is
certain the category will only go from
strength to strength. “We have seen
brushless becoming more and more
popular year on year,” Bostock says.
Metabo Australia product manager
David Haley says his company offers
“a few” brushless items, including
a hammer drill driver and an impact
wrench, but intends to expand the
platform in July. His company has also
experienced growing demand for this
type of technology.
Similarly, Milwaukee has put
significant resources into developing
this technology. The brand, which
produces all motors for its ranges in-
house, currently has around 24 different
products in the brushless category with
a further 10 to be added later this year.
As a way of further differentiating its
products, Milwaukee created a sub-
brand labelled Fuel, which is embossed
on its brushless products as a means
of identifying them as having a higher
torque value and longer lasting motor
life than many
competing products.
Milwaukee brand manager
Tom Mathiesen says currently
cordless products account
for a high percentage of the
industrial construction tools market
with brushless tools’ share of that
growing exponentially.
Mathiesen says for those looking at
the lower end of the market, buyers
can expect to pay around $200 for a
basic brushless drill while at the top
end a brushless drill set containing
a tool, two batteries and a charger
could cost up to $600. However,
he cautions, you get what you pay
for. “There are so many variables
to consider. Just because it’s
brushless doesn’t mean it’s better
than brushed. Each needs to be
judged on its own merits as no
two products are the same.”
Haley and Bostock both agree
smart technology makes brushless
tools dearer to produce, so naturally
it’s more expensive to purchase—in
some cases, 10 to 15 per cent higher
than the brushed model options.
However, Haley suggests, the
difference will eventually prove
negligible as more end users are
seduced by the advantages of
accessing this type of technology.
Bostock agrees, adding that as
end users start to understand the
benefits of brushless power tools,
forking out the additional initial
outlay will become a “no-brainer”.
Haley says the technological
advancement in this area has
also driven refinements in battery
technologies to help support the
demand for brushless products.
“Without good battery technology
behind the tool, you can’t take full
advantage of the brushless technology.”
Bostock says that a 5.0Ah battery
paired with a brushless motor
produces so much run-time, there’s
Construction Supply Specialists 29
Metabo 90Nm brushless
hammer drill.
“We have seen
brushless becoming
more and more
popular year on year.”
Luke Bostock, DeWalt product manager
I
f there is one thing every industrial
tradie or handyman has in common,
it is the endless quest for better
performance from his or her tools.
While ergonomics, innovation,
cost and durability also play their
part, achieving the industry Holy
Grail is as much about finding easier,
efficient and more economical ways
to complete construction tasks as it
is about finding customers willing to
pay for the work to be done.
For this reason, an increasing
number of leading power tool
players are pointing to brushless tool
technology as the way of the future.
In a brushed motor, electromagnets
are attached to a shaft and conventional
magnets are permanently fixed to
the motor housing. In order to get
electricity from the battery pack to the
electromagnets (while still allowing it
to spin), blocks of carbon, known as
brushes, press against a commutator,
physically bridging the gap.
A brushless motor loses both the
brushes and the commutator. Because
the electromagnets are stationary,
electricity from the battery can be
delivered directly and the poles can be
alternated with the help of computer
circuitry, allowing the tool to adjust
according to the task.
In short, this means the brushless
tool is smart enough to recognise the
difference between driving screws into
a soft surface, such as ply, and into
a sturdier surface, such as titanium.
The first brushless tools only hit
the market about three years ago but
already their impact is being lauded
with key players including DeWalt,
Milwaukee, Bosch, Hitachi, Makita and
Metabo introducing a range of new
brushless drivers, nailers, hammer
drills and multi-tool items.
DeWalt product category manager
Luke Bostock—whose brand has 11
brushless products in its range with
more to come in the 2015-16 fiscal

3. no real need to continually increase
Ahs until higher current drawing
tools are introduced that may require
a larger battery “fuel tank”.
“It’s always a balance between
weight, run-time, productivity versus
value for money. We feel this optimum
level has been reached as our user
needs stand today.”
Garry Hollis, trade key account
manager of German giant Bosch,
says his company recently expanded
its offering with a new brushless
cordless range it dubs Core.
He argues pairing Bosch’s own-
brand lithium-ion batteries with its
brushless range will double the motor
life of the tool, delivering up to 65
per cent longer run-times and 100
per cent longer battery life.
To help keep on top of the
advancements in this area, Bosch
recently introduced an ultra-light 6.0Ah
battery pack and is also about to
introduce what it has termed a “world-
first” wireless charging system that
auto-detects battery and auto-adjusts
30
Tech talk
All prices include GST
SCREEDS
ALL SIZES
SJ-SC12 1200mm $35.00
SJ-SC15 1500mm $38.00
SJ-SC18 1800mm $44.00
SJ-SC21 2100mm $49.00
SJ-SC24 2400mm $52.00
SJ-SC27 2700mm $59.00
SJ-SC30 3000mm $62.00
SJ-SC36 3600mm $69.00
STRAIGHT EDGES
ALL SIZES
SJ-SE12 1200mm $19.00
SJ-SE15 1500mm $22.00
SJ-SE18 1800mm $25.00
SJ-SE21 2100mm $29.00
SJ-SE24 2400mm $32.00
SJ-SE27 2700mm $37.00
SJ-SE30 3000mm $42.00
SJ-SE36 3600mm $49.00
Features
 Profile 20mm x 70mm
 Fluted Profile - Easy to Grip
Extrusion Design
 High Quality Extruded Aluminium
 Easy to Clean Powder-Coated Finish
FIBREGLASS
SLEDGE HAMMERS
ALL SIZES
SJ-SHFP4 4lb/1.8Kg $29.00
SJ-SHFP7 7lb/3.2Kg $45.00
SJ-SHFP10 10lb/4.5Kg $55.00
SJ-SHFP14 14lb/6.4Kg $65.00
Features
 Head Mechanically Pinned and
Chemically Fixed
 Hardened and Tempered Head
 Drop Forged Head
 Overstrike Guard On Sizes 7-14Lb
 Tough Fibreglass Shaft
 Dual Material Soft Grip Handle
SJ-SC12
SJ-SHFP4
SJ-SE12
Features
 Heavy Duty Structural Alloy
 Ergonomic Reversible Clamped
Handle with Vial
 Easy To Clean Powder-Coated Finish
 Cutting and Pushing Edge
Positioned for Comfort
 Profile Size 40 X 50mm
SJ-SHFP7
Haley says the life span of these
types of tools is difficult to predict as
there is no precedent.
While brushless motors in
automotive applications such as
water and fuel pumps—where
there is a low load on the motor—
can be expected to last for
around 15 years, the power
tool sector is a different
proposition altogether.
“The tool industry is
different; tools are pushed
hard and asked to do
jobs that push the limit.
They are subjected to external
contaminations such as water, dirt and
heavy vibration. The life of the machine
will be determined by how the machine
has been treated,” says Haley. 
If you want to know more about the
tool type best suited for your job site
application, please contact your local
CSS member store, whose details
appear on the front of this magazine.
Milwaukee M18 FUEL™
3/4” high impact wrench.
best charging
conditions to further
extend battery life and
further complement the
brushless offering.
Others such as DeWalt are
looking to incorporate bluetooth
technology into their battery
packs with a view to offering
users greater security,
diagnostic functionality
as well as aiding inventory
management.
Other features, such as
the ability to track battery
life, run-time and performance
from a smartphone, will be used as
a means of helping supplement the
benefits of the brushless firepower.
With the technology being relatively
new, the $10,000 question seems to
be, what’s the life expectancy for this
type of product?
While manufacturer warranties vary
from brand to brand, Metabo’s David