Makita’s great new DCS551 metal cutter has a whole lot going for it. It has been designed to meet all the demands of metal cutting tasks with speed, efficiency and power.
The fact that it is cordless makes this metal cutter very convenient, without any loss of power. The Makita brushless motor means you can enjoy the same kind of power and performance you would expect from an AC model, but with cordless benefits.
What ‘brushless’ means for the user is a longer run time per battery charge in a virtually maintenance free model as the removal of the brushes removes friction and minimises wear. Combine that with one of Makita’s low impedance 5.0Ah batteries and you’ve got power to the max at your fingertips. Being brushless, the motor can also operate continuously for long periods of time without producing heating up.
Another major plus of this machine is it that it cuts cold. Little to no sparks in the workplace. More importantly you can hold the piece of metal to be cut for cutting without it heating up or burning your hand. This also protects the integrity of the item being cut – cold cutting does not weaken the material or reduce the temper.
This tool also delivers significant single pass cutting capacity of 57.5mm. Depending on your choice of appropriate blade you can cut 50mm round pipe, angle, channel, thin metal, rod, UNISTRUT and aluminium with ease in one pass.
Users have also found that this cordless metal cutter cuts very cleanly. Compare the finished cut to the type of cut you would get from an angle grinder or abrasive cut-off machine and you will find your cut edge requires little or no cleaning up after cutting before welding.
A variety of other Makita advanced operating technologies further enhance this cutter, chief amongst them being Makita’s automatic speed control. This quite literally changes the cutting mode from high speed light duty rotation to high torque heavy duty cutting according to both the load conditions and the material. This ensures optimum operation on every cut and very material, whilst also maximising blade life.
Other features are designed to enhance the overall experience of working with the DCS551.
The twin LED job light with pre-glow and after-glow functions are a real boon when you’re working on dark job sites and shady corners. The battery fuel gauge gives you fair warning of pending recharge requirements.
The electric brake is a great safety feature stopping the blade rotation fast but gently at the same time. An ergonomically designed handle with soft grip makes it a nice machine to work with, whilst the rubberized lever makes quick and easy depth adjustment simple.
One other real bonus is Makita’s XPT extreme Protection Technology which makes its tools ideal for use in outdoor applications and harsh environments where weather and airborne particles are an issue. XPT is engineered for improved dust and water resistance for operation in tough conditions.
