Having made the entire world wait nearly a year for its M18 High Torque 1-inch impact tool, Milwaukee decided to release an interim solution to fill the temporary gap for Pros looking for the ultimate in cordless torque. The new Milwaukee Tool Mini Diesel 1-inch Impact Wrench offers an astounding 3,500 foot-pounds of torque and is capable of securing together 1-inch thick steel beams at a uniform load capacity of 30,900 kN. That makes the Milwaukee Mini Diesel impact wrench the first cordless tool eligible to be certified by the FDOT for high load applications.
NOTE: This was an April Fool’s post from 2019
“At this point, nothing even comes close to the power-to-portability this tool offers. Milwaukee Tool continues to push the envelope with what cordless 18V tools are capable of, but in the meantime, it’s hard to beat pure diesel power for a seriously tough task. It was an opportunity we simply couldn’t ignore.”
– Paul French, VP of diesel miniaturization technology
Mini-Diesel Technology
It takes a lot to miniaturize any technology—but diesel presented more than a few challenges. According to the company, the original prototype was phenomenal, for example. It didn’t, however, reduce the size and weight enough to allow the operator to use the tool without a sever top-heavy overbalance. Here’s a photo of the first engineering sample:
The initial model required a side handle that extended too far above the tool in order to steady it. In the final shipping tool, Milwaukee managed to reduce the size of the diesel engine further, allowing true portable use.
On a single tank of fuel, the Milwaukee Mini-diesel impact wrench can fasten up to 350 2-inch diameter bolts to 3,500 ft-lbs of torque before requiring additional fuel. The battery simply supplies the high voltage starting ignition to get the system running. A single 8.0Ah pack will last 3 tanks of fuel. Still, the kit sells with two batteries in case you plan to work in a remote location where power simply remains unavailable.
Milwaukee Tool Mini Diesel 1-inch Impact Wrench Features
- Model Number: Milwaukee 9876-54
- World’s first mini-diesel 1-inch high torque impact wrench
- 0 – 1650 RPM/0 – 2450 BPM
- Up to 3,500 ft-lbs of fastening and 5,800 ft-lbs of nut-busting torque
- Fastens bolts up to 3″
- With battery attached, it weighs 22.9 lbs
- One-Key enabled with 4 customizable modes
- $3,900 kit with two M18 8Ah batteries and charger
Conclusion
The new tool may present itself as a stop-gap, but it also represents a potential new direction for the company. At $3,900, this is a Pro-focused solution for sure. If Milwaukee can continue reducing the size of its mini-diesel technology we could see tons of new products such as thickness planers, benchtop saws, and even horizontal metal-cutting band saws. Who knows what else might hit the market!
