When we were invited to Milwaukee’s press event this year, one of the tools we saw appeared to be off the beaten path for the company, but no less impressive. The new Milwaukee Door Lock Installation Kit seemed every bit as handy to use, and dare we say innovative, as many of the company’s newest power and hand tools. The tool is a kit containing a clamping guide for Milwaukee’s “Ice Hardened” Bi-Metal Hole Saws. We got to test it out and the system is both quick and accurate. It gives a considerable amount of stability when boring holes for locksets and deadbolts.
To begin, the system uses an auto-centering drill guide. That alone saves tons of time on setting up your hole for the latch and deadbolt. Then, they used a non-slip clamp design, so it doesn’t move around on you while you’re lining up the hole or beginning the process of drilling out the lockset with your Milwaukee M18 FUEL brushless drill. There’s also tool-free backset adjustment and depth stop that keeps you from blowing out the backside of the hole when drilling into wood doors.
The Way Milwaukee Sees the Process of Drilling Out a Lockset
- Clamp the Door Lock guide in place
- Drill out your holes (both the lock and the latch)
- Install the door lockset
Yeah…that’s pretty much it.
I’ve used a ton of lockset drilling rigs in my day. While they will all get the job done, you end up really compromising and learning how to compensate fora poorly though-out design. Milwaukee seems to have all that licked and it’s a good bet that this kit is going to fly off the shelves.
The new kit is available as of September, 2013.
Milwaukee Door Lock Installation Kit (49-22-4073) Specifications
Wood and Metal Doors
- 1-3/8” to 1-3/4” Door Thicknesses
- 2-3/8” and 2-3/4” Backset
- 2-1/8” Cross Bore Hole
- 1” Latch Bore Hole
- Includes: Auto-Centering Drill Guide; Anti-Splinter Depth Stop; 2-1/8” Ice Hardened Hole Saw; 1” Ice Hardened Hole Saw; Small Arbor & Pilot Bit ; Arbor Adapter and Spacer; 3/32” Drill Bit and 1/8” Drill Bit
