Southwire Tools & Equipment recently introduced the drill-operated Southwire Max Punch XD knockout tool. The punch uses an 18V cordless drill and three point dies to deliver knockouts up to four inches in 10-gauge mild and stainless steel. It features a two-piece draw stud, replaceable chuck adapter, and is compatible with most industry standard knockout dies.
“The Max Punch XD Knockout Tool is designed for safety and convenience. By allowing you to use your own drill, you don’t have to keep track of an extra charger or battery pack. The tool’s design also helps eliminate the potential safety issues associated with hydraulic pumps and hoses. So, you can set up your punch and go. Southwire is proud to lead this product category with innovation, providing solutions to hole making applications.”
-Tanner Hansen, product specialist
Our Take
Ask most electricians what they use for punching holes in steel and you’ll probably find a lot of hydraulic users. Ask the same group what they’ve like to use and you’ll probably hear a desire for cordless options like what Milwaukee, Greenlee, and Southwire offer. Those come at a pretty significant cost though.
Enter the Southwire Max Punch XD system. As long as your cordless drill is capable of delivering 550 inch pounds of torque or more, it can become a knockout tool for a much lower price.
From the look of things, the Max Punch XD is a rolling replacement for the Max Punch Pro system that launched a couple years ago. At this point, there’s simply not enough information available to know for sure, but since Southwire seems to have taken down the Max Punch Pro product page, we can guess that there have been some incremental changes, possibly on the durability side of things… but that’s just a guess.
Southwire Max Punch XD Features
Southwire Max Punch XD Features- Drill operated
- Three point dies
- Up to 4-inch knockouts in 10-gauge stainless
- Two-piece draw stud
- Replaceable chuck adapter
- Compatible with most industry standard dies
Southwire Max Punch XD Specifications
- Model: Southwire MP-XD (drive unit only), Southwire MPXD-SD (Kit)
- Dies Included in Kit: Six 1/2″ – 2″
- Minimum Drill Requirement: 550 inch pounds of torque
- Max Steel Gauge: 10
- Max Punch Diameter: 4″
- Die Compatibility: Thread-in/thread-out removable drawstuds (universal to fit most common KO dies)
- Price: $1,372.00
- Warranty: 5 years (1 year on dies)
