Milwaukee 1680-21 Super Hawg 13 Amp 1/2-Inch Joist and Stud Drill

Milwaukee 1620 Super Hawg drill

Heavy duty 1/2" right angle drills have tremendous torque, especially at their lowest speed setting (300 or 450 RPM). They excel at drilling large holes into wood, steel, or masonry (w/core bits). Perhaps this analysis, which I used to pick the Super Hawg, will help you.

I see heavy-duty right angle drills falling into two groups:

1. Compact: Milwaukee 1675 Hole Hawg, Makita DA6300, Ridgid R7130.
2. Non-compact: Milwaukee 1620 Super Hawg, DeWalt [Timberwolf] DW124, Makita DA4031.

The advantage of compact drills is the tool body occasionally fits into work spaces too large for their longer cousins. Disadvantages are the tool's short length and lack of a clutch (except the Ridgid) increases the kickback effect on the operator, and the motor sometimes gets in the way when you're drilling. Kickback is a safety issue, and is enough for me to avoid this tool design. I owned a Makita DA6300, and while it was a nice tool, its kickback once cracked the tool's plastic handle and several times came close to hurting me.

The advantage of non-compact drills is their length provides greater operator control & leverage over kickback (making them safer than compact models), and the motor doesn't get in the way. The disadvantage is that occasionally, the longer tool won't fit the work area.

Here's a comparison of the non-compact drills, with my "winner" in each category listed first:

Power:
1. Milwaukee @ 13 amps
2. DeWalt @ 11.5 Amps
3. Makita @ 10 Amps

Speed Choices:
1. Milwaukee: 450 & 1750 RPM (bigger motor allows higher speed = greater productivity)
2. Dewalt & Makita: 300 & 1200 RPM

Switch handle rotates 90 degrees left or right:
1. Milwaukee & Makita: yes (no tools required)
2. DeWalt: no (fixed handle)

Adjustable top handle:
1. DeWalt & Makita: yes (tool required)
2. Milwaukee: no (but it has a low-profile fixed handle)

Tool Weight:
1. Makita: 12.3 lbs.
2. DeWalt: 13.5 lbs.
3. Milwaukee: 14.65 lbs. (Bigger motors have more copper windings.)

Length (longer equates to greater control over kickback):
1. Milwaukee: 22"
2. Dewalt: 21"
3. Makita: 18.25"

These tools cost roughly the same and have a low-speed clutch to mitigate tool damage and operator injury during kickback (when the bit binds). They have ball-bearings, triple-gear reduction, a chuck key with holder, two-position side handle (included), and similar hole-size capacity. The Makita comes with a case, as does the Milwaukee 1620-21, and DeWalt DW124K (kit). Amazon reviewers give them all high marks.

The advantages of the DeWalt over the Super Hawg are an adjustable top handle and lower weight. On the other hand, the Hawg is more powerful, has faster RPM's, and an adjustable rotating switch handle, which the DeWalt SHOULD have.

The Makita has adjustable top and switch handles, and is the lightest, but the Hawg is 30% more powerful with 50% greater RPMs, and is 4" longer, which reduces kickback effect.

The Super Hawg's 2.5 HP motor delivers awesome performance. Check out Milwaukee's web site video of it quickly cutting through 2x lumber with self-feed bits! The tool's 22" length provides the best control over kickback. The switch handle, quickly set in one of three positions, makes a safer tool, since it's never awkward to control the switch. The only negatives are it's a bit heavy and the top handle isn't adjustable.

I am a marine contractor for 26 years and have 2 there the best electic drills we ever owned ....

Please note: approach this drill with caution, it is not for the feint of heart. Any drill whose instruction manual spends most of its pages explaining how not to break your arm while using it is pretty hardcore.

I purchased this on sale at Amazon for a pretty great price, just in case I ever needed one. It was my first Milwaukee purchase, and has since sold me on their tools. I don't think they could have made this more heavy duty. The first thing through my mind was "what in the heck am I going to drill through with this monster???" the second thought was: "whatever I want to". I purchased Milwaukee's self-feed bit set as a companion and I'm going to plagiarize a previous review and say, sit on it and ride, 'cause it ain't stopping for nothing.

The 2 speeds and rotating handle are both handy options, well thought out and well executed. If you're looking for a drill like this, the super hawg is the one to get.

We are using this Super Hawg for something that most operations wouldn't.
We are using a 20 pound ground auger we designed and built. We are drilling into compacted clay and rock and are wearing out carbide cutting heads. But the Super Hawg just keeps going, amazing!

We've had this drill on the job for about 2 months now. Bought it after our Milwaukee RA drill busted while running a self-feed bit. This is one of the most powerful tools I've used. It got away from me, threw me off the roof into a pile of sand, pushed over a huge stone chimney, then spun out into the driveway and crushed a concrete truck, then knocked over a row of porta-potties with guys using them. The crane operator dropped a unit of pan decking on it to get it under control. Make sure to use the side handle!