Dewalt has recently come out with a new modular right angle attachment for cordless drills and impact drivers – thank you to everyone who wrote in about this!
The new Dewalt modular right angle accessory set, model DWAMRASET, features several components that help you to better access fasteners in tight or obstructed areas.
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The accessory set is said to be impact-rated, and features a metal gear case, magnetic bit holder, and low-profile 1.5″ height.
To start off, it comes with two attachments for your drill/driver, a standard shaft handle, and a flexshaft extension.
The standard handle can be used with the right angle attachment to create a typically proportioned right angle adapter.
Or, you can use the right angle adapter by itself and what appears to be a removable end cap, in a stubby configuration.
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An accessory handle can be attached to the short right angle adapter for extra support.
We also have the flexshaft adapter, which can be used with the right angle head for working in tight spaces.
As a bonus feature, the flexshaft can be used on its own, thanks to the built-in 1/4″ hex bit holder.
Overall, this looks to be a very versatile accessory. The handles and modular interface do look to increase the size of the right angle adapters compared to standalone attachments, but this doesn’t take away from its low-profile head length. In other words, you gain a lot of flexibility and functionality without any significant tradeoffs.
Price: $35
If you’d like to save some money, there’s a smaller kit where you get the standard length handle, right angle attachment, and handle accessory.
Since the flexshaft attachment can be used on its own, it seems like a worthwhile addition for just $10 more. But, if you don’t have a need for it, you still get the core modular components with this smaller set, model DWAMRA.
Price: $25
If you don’t think you’d benefit from the modularity of the new accessory set, you can still purchase Dewalt’s standard right angle adapters. The MaxFit version is $20, and the Impact Ready (black housing) version is $22. The Impact Ready version is said to have more durable gearing.
Buy Now: MaxFit Adapter via Home Depot
Buy Now: Impact Ready via Amazon
I picked up the MaxFit right angle adapter during the winter holiday shopping season with a bit assortment for $15. At its regular price of $20, I’d likely pass on the MaxFit adapter, opting to spend just a little more for either the Impact Ready version or the new modular kit.
From all these choices, I think the Impact Ready right angle adapter ($22), or the full 4-in-1 modular set ($35) are the two options most users will be choosing between. I suppose the smaller 2-in-1 modular package ($25) might also be compelling, but it depends on how useful the right angle head will be by itself or with the handle accessory.
With this being a modular set, do you think there are any other handle or bit holder accessories Dewalt can come up with to make the system even more versatile?
JoeCool
A tear down of both of those max fits to see whether claim to be impact ready is true might be nice
Koko The Talking Ape
I agree. I wonder what they mean when they say the Impact Ready version has “more durable gearing.” Are they made of harder material? The housings and all are identical with the regular MaxFit, so I imagine the gears can’t be any bigger. Or can they?
Vids
I’m sure it’s a matter of plastic gears vs. metal gears
Stuart
This is the official answer:
A reader took theirs apart and there were some differences, aside from the Impact Ready one weighing more.
I bought both, but the holiday season deal sold out before I could do a teardown, so I backburnered the idea.
Dennis
I’ve used mine with impact and it held up! So far so good!
Jason S.
I have used a variety of these right angle adapters. I still prefer the Milwaukee versions. They seem to fit in much tighter places and seem to be a little more sturdy. Also, I exploded my dewalt flexshaft while using it and thought I broke my hand. Be careful with that tool, I think it’s intended for “light” use only. I’ve used and still have the dewalt standard right angle adapter (the black one pictured above) without any issue, but it still has a fairly large profile which makes it tough to get into tight places.
Mike S
Which of the Milwaukee?
The very similar looking w/ plastic housing:
https://www.milwaukeetool.com/Products/Accessories/Driving-and-Fastening/SHOCKWAVE-Bit-Holders-and-Extensions/48-32-2390
Or, the skinnier, seemingly all metal version:
https://www.milwaukeetool.com/Products/Accessories/Driving-and-Fastening/Driver-Bits—General/49-22-8510
A W
The original one (48-32-2100) is really helpful for getting into tiny books and crannys, although it’s only rated for 100 in lbs.
Scott K
I planned on picking up one of the bit sets with the adaptor during the holiday season, but my local HD sold out too quickly. I’d like to get this at some point- it won’t see regular use around the house, but when you need it you need it.
Jared
Very neat concept. I have the regular right-angle version now, but would have sprung for the new one if it was available at the time.
In my experience this is one of those tools you buy because of all the times it would have been handy to have, but once you own it those situations never arise again.
Koko The Talking Ape
Exactly. It’s a preventative measure. 😀
Mac
Don’t lose it or you’ll need it again
Chris S
What is the “Philips #2” looking hole on the back of the case head for?
I don’t see it on the older models.
JoeCool
It’s for pushing out short bits, there’s is a magnetic ring for a screw
Peter Fox
It looks neat although I am not sure if it does anything that I can’t already do with either of my two Dewalt or Milwaukee right angle drives. and a 6″ or 12″ Irwin locking hex extension.
If I actually need the flex shaft plus a 90 degree head what are the chances I can even get my hand or arm in as well to hold the head? I have not yet run into any fastener that was not reachable with my existing tools that this would have worked better for.
What I would be very interested in would be a solidly built right angle drive with several solid covered extension shafts that all lock together such that the covers of the extension and the shafts are all coupled and do not rotate with respect to each other. Something robust enough for the times that you cannot get you hands in you could hold the shaft maybe 6 to 8 inches back from the head.
I recently had to drill up through a floor into an exterior wall cavity with a 1″ bit. Due to obstructions I had to reach about 24-30 inches between the floor joist to reach where the exterior wall was. It was hard even with a milwaukee right angle extension and two 12″ irwin extension shafts. I have been thinking about making a metal tube sleeve with some bearings or bushing to slide over the Irwin extensions to give me something else to grab.
fred
In our metal fabrication business we had aircraft customers who always seems to come to us with close clearance specs that seemed near impossible for servicing fasteners. There are, however, lots of (mostly pneumatic) drills and drivers that can fit into very tight situations and drill at 45 and 90 degree angles. Many of these tools used 1/2-28 threaded adapter drill and driver bits rather than hex or round shank twist drills. There is a company called Tight-Fit Tools (available on Amazon) that have adapted this concept for other trades and home use.
One of our suppliers was Pan American Tool:
https://www.panamericantool.com/
fred
Adapter drills have 1/4-28 threaded shanks – not 1/2
and here’s a link to Tight Fit:
https://www.amazon.com/tight-fit-tools/s?k=tight+fit+tools
Koko The Talking Ape
I never heard of threaded bits! How do the driver bits work in reverse? Wouldn’t they come loose from the 90-degree adapter?
DRT
Oh yeah. I love those things. I have two Dotco 90 deg head drills and a bunch of 1/4-28 threaded bits. With a stubby bit, you can drill in really tight spots.
To answer your question – the drills that take these bits only rotate in the “forward” direction, and you can’t get LH bits. They do tend to tighten up a bit after drilling a hole, especially the larger sizes, and I can’t always remove them by hand. My Dotco drills don’t have a chuck lock (not aware of any drill in this style that has a chuck lock), so I stick an open end wrench on the square part of the bit, and hit it with a hammer to spin the bit out.
Here are some more links, if somebody is interested.
https://www.aircraft-tool.com/shop/detail.aspx?id=775
https://www.aircraft-tool.com/shop/search.aspx?keyword=threaded+drill+bits
fred
When we bought the fabrication business and looked over the inventory – we laughed that the prior owners must have had stock in Apex – considering that almost all the pneumatics were either Dotco or Cleco – with a few Hios and Delta Regis tools for the finer work
Pan American’s Nova tools are not to bad either – but I had been more familiar with IR, Chicago Pneumatic and Sioux
Koko The Talking Ape
I guess if those drills or drivers are used only in assembly and not disassembly, then forward is all you need!
DRT
Oh yeah, they only drill holes.
fred
BTW – I see that you link to ATS . You my know that they do some repackaging of items from Pan American Tool. There are also other specialty aircraft tool suppliers who cater to the smaller aircraft businesses:
Yardstore is one that comes to mind:
https://www.yardstore.com/
DRT
I haven’t tried any Pan American tools yet, but they are on my radar and I will certainly consider them next time. Right now, most of my pneumatic stuff is IR, Sioux, or Dotco.
I have ordered from Yardstore before, and I agree they are a good source. If I remember correctly, they have a lot of used and surplus aircraft tools. Like HJE for aircraft !
JoeM
There is also a FlexTorq edition of this that came out around Boxing Day/Black Friday… Don’t ask which one, because Covid has desperately messed with my sense of time.
https://www.atlas-machinery.com/dewalt/dwamrasetft/
As per the question asked on Facebook and Instagram: Would I buy one? I tried. Several times. Atlas was always out of stock, and I couldn’t find it on Amazon Canada. If they were both in stock, I would buy both. FlexTorq and MaxFit are my favourite bit systems from DeWALT, they work fantastic on my original series Brushed 20V Max tools, as well as my 680 8V Max Gyro Screwdriver.
I both love and trust both systems. In fact, I see them as a somewhat integrated system in my hands. One is a continuation of the other. Like Mild or Spicy Salsa from the same brand. There are definite differences in the actual bits, but the way I use them, they come down to “Tighter Fastener in the Material” versus “Better Fit Between the Bit and Fastener, with Less Torque-Out” …Either way… Put a fastener in, you won’t get it out without removing it yourself.
I do want both editions. And I’m sorry if I seem over-excited to see the MaxFit edition. It makes me happy for unknown reasons.
Joe H
I have the older flex shaft and I use it occasionally and I like it but sometimes its hard to hold the bit to the fastener so I like that I have more to grab on to. I dont think the additional size will be a problem for my use. I’ll definitely pick this up at some point.
Dave P
Nothing new—I’ve had several similar Milwaukee’s for years.
The flex shaft deal–Maybe for something like drilling a small hole with a short bit (that’s one thing people forget with these attachments–you need SHORT bits to make them any good) or driving a small screw….. I’ve had several flex shafts and none of them are any good for hard impact hits–they’re better suited for a drill/driver than an impact.
If you don’t have some very short/modified bits, the times these attachments will bail you out are quite rare…..
Old news…..
Nathan
so did they discontinue the flex right angle adapter? I really like mine though I’ve only used it twice.
I could see some uses to that straight end flex shaft. it would be nice to have a good handle hold while running say a nut driver on it under the dash of a car. I bet it would do well there
Stuart
Possibly? The DWARAFS is no longer available from Amazon or Lowe’s, but some online retailers and industrial suppliers are still selling it.
JoeM
Available in Canada still. Hasn’t really stopped any of the Right Angles or Flex Shafts from being produced, as far as I can tell. Can still get the DWARA60, 100, and 120, plus the DWARAFS, all from Amazon or Atlas.
I look forward to adding the FlexTorq and MaxFit kits to my tools ASAP.
Mac
Looks like lowes still has some in stock dwarafs-z anyway — https://www.lowes.com/pd/DEWALT-FlexTorq-Right-Angle-Drill-Attachment/1000282635
As much or more expensive than the newer kit being discussed. Mine binds when driving screws the final moments(always predrill), but is way better than any flexy amazon garbage I’ve seen people try to use. If more than a once in awhile need, I really want a reason to invest in the 12v installation driver kit milwaukee offers.
The black version at lowes is normal priced 5 bucks more than the yellow at hd, but on sale currently for 10 bucks off – or 5 bucks cheaper than the yellow and also cheaper than remaining stock of the older model–
https://www.lowes.com/pd/DEWALT-Flextorq-Right-Angle-Drill-Attachment/5001612883
MicahMc
I picked up the black version at Lowe’s this past weekend for $30.
(I had the cheaper yellow right-angle attachment, as well as the DWARAFS-Z in my current collection, but this new DWAMRASETFT will replace both of those, and even add some additional features I may/may not use!)
eddie ski
If anyone gets this, is it able to allow a hole saw to drill 2×4 for wire run? (not talking contracting work, just a few holes for reno). Otherwise, I might find right angle rental. (some of those 60v Dewalts look wicked…like they would through you!)