Over at Home Depot, this Milwaukee 100pc Shockwave bit set and Packout organizer combo just went on sale.
It’s regularly priced at $100 and is on sale as part of Home Depot’s early Black Friday promo for $50.
Advertisement
How is this set different from all of the other impact screwdriver bit set deals that you’ll see this month and next? Simply put, this set has a lot of 2-inch power bits. Yes, it still comes with 1-inch insert bits, but it includes a very good assortment of the longer power bits that are often scarce in holiday season accessory deals. Oh, and let’s not forget about the slim Packout-compatible organizer.
So, that’s two distinctions going for it. This is a good deal for anyone that i) wants and can use the Packout organizer, and ii) wants an assortment with better 2-inch power bit selection than most other impact-rated screwdriver bit assortments on the market.
Sale Price: $50
Regular Price: $100
Aaron S commented about this promo in another deal post:
I think I recall this being a quietly good pack out deal from last year.
Advertisement
Thank you for the heads-up! YES, this was a great deal last year! That was the first (and only) time I’ve seen this bundle go on sale for so low, and I’m both surprised and really glad the 50% promo returned!
I bought this set last year and it was worth every penny.
Following is the math I did last year when I analyzed the deal, and I believe it still holds up; I think this is an excellent deal.
The Packout organizer typically sells for $25. The 100pc bit set assortment comes with (34) 2-inch bits. Since a 5-pack of these bits typically sells for ~$6 at retail, you’re getting nearly $41 in 2-inch screwdriver bits. That’s just 34 out of the 100 pieces you get.
After I bought this set last year, I reused the organizer for something else, moved the hex bits to my workshop for use with a manual screwdriver handle, and I’ve been using the screwdriver bits and nutdrivers for various fastening tasks. I also used some of the bits to restock my task-specific organizers.
I know that some of you might mind that this set doesn’t come with much organization. Don’t worry, there will be plenty of other deals to discuss.
Here’s a full list of the sizes and styles that you get:
This seems like a decent deal for just the Milwaukee Shockwave screwdriver bits, but I also want the slim Packout organizer, which I use for small parts and as tool cases.
While the set doesn’t really have bit-optimized storage accessories, I actually prefer this, as it comes with standard Packout organizer cups instead.
I am definitely buying another set. Scratch that, I just ordered another set. I was going to wait until I added a few more items to my online shopping cart, but I don’t want to risk forgetting about it or missing out. Since Home Depot has free shipping on this item, there was no reason for me to wait.
Price: $49.99 with free shipping
Buy Now via Home Depot
Compare via Acme Tools
At this time, it looks like this is a Home Depot exclusive promo.
Lastly, in case anyone is wondering, yes – these are perfectly suitable for use with non-impact tools, such as conventional cordless drills and screwdrivers.
Travis
We have that set at work, great set. May have to pick one up for home now.
Aaron s
I keep being tempted on it but I have enough decent bits to for the foreseeable future and enough Craftsman bits to fill a file drawer… And at this point I’m bought into 4 modular storage systems that aren’t packout … So it would be ridiculous right?
Jon
Of course not 🙂
Adrian
Just buy it and then throw all the bits in the half off DeWalt parts bin lol.
Stuart
If the deal ends abruptly, will you regret not getting your order in?
Some of these deals sell out fast, others are more of a slow burn, giving you some time to think things over.
King duck
I had extreme missing out pain last year not this year though.
alan
I like the case but….how are the bits .Decent ? bit SNOB here. I like Vessel in PH, rarely use slotted and if I do, it’s finish grade so out comes the hand tools For Torx, I like Wera and Wiha.
Stuart
I buy Milwaukee Shockwave for my own use.
I find that they offer great quality at decent pricing.
I have better bits for critical use, but these are general all-purpose bits for manual, drill, and impact use.
For something like this, a 2-pack or 5-pack of bits are cheap enough to try on less critical applications to see how well they work for your needs and preferences.
Rob
I was not impressed.
IronWood
We’ve been using the Shockwave bits at work a lot with increasingly mixed results. They’re plenty good for general household use, but I’ve been seeing more and more failures under harder use. Time to get something better. I also just replaced my Milwaukee nutsetters because they were stripping out and never held the fastener very well, kinda disappointed lately with Milwaukee bits in general. I’ve been getting some Norske impact bits at the local supply shop and so far been fairly impressed for the price.
Munklepunk
They need to stop putting flathead bits in packs. That’s five bits that are completely useless to most people. I just threw away about 100 because I couldn’t give them away.
Considering the price increase of packout this is a decent price. There is also a sale with the same box but with the hole saw kit.
fred
I agree with no flathead bits in kits.
There are many times I need to drive slotted screws – but not with power driven bits nor ones that typically come in kits.
For brass wood screws – my tools of choice are well fitting hand screwdrivers. I use this combination almost exclusively in furniture building.
I also suppose that folks into gunsmithing appreciate well fitting hollow-ground slotted bits – but ones from Milwaukee, Dewalt, Makita et. al. are not them.
IMO a slotted impact rated bit and impact driver are just an invitation to ruin screws
Munklepunk
I have a single flathead in each of my but cases. I use mine about twice a year. Almost always on outlets.
I always thought it would be funny to me to put something together that I know is going to be taken apart but have every single screw a different drive style, and a nail.
Jeremiah Ducate
Something to be given to your buddy that isnt into tools and barely has a screwdriver and hammer in the junk drawer. Maybe on the first of april.
IronWood
I replaced an outlet box once that had a slotted wood screw, stripped out phillips drywall screw and an 8d nail holding it in. I don’t remember it being super funny at the time, but it makes me laugh now.
MM
This suits my needs too, I almost never need flathead hex bits for a power tool. I absolutely do use them for gunsmithing but like Fred mentioned those are special hollow-ground bits, not standard contractor types.
But I think that this is one of those situations where different people’s needs vary greatly. Personally I use #2ph, T20, 25, and 30, and various hex sizes (SAE and metric), a 1/4 square drive adapter, and nutdriver bits often. I almost never use Robertson or Pozi. But I could certainly see other people rarely using the hex bits and needing lots of Robertsons and/or PZ. It all depends on the specific work you’re doing.
fred
As you say – different people have different needs.
Our installers – using Blum and other German or Austrian hardware – used lots of Pozidriv. When our carpenters were doing deck building we seemed to use lots of Robertson #2.
King duck
I don’t need impact rated but I drive a ton of flathead screws with my power driver installing electrical outlets and switches.
Luke
As someone renovating a house built in ’77…. hard disagree. While I agree 5 may be unnecessary (literally 20% of this kit is slotted), I’d hate to see them abandoned altogether.
Frank D
Never have used a slotted bit from any of these kits, certainly can’t impact with them and already have probably 100 excess new in box short bits that I don’t like to use … and have thrown many bunches of non impact ones out.
Nathan
so one decent kit – thanks for the update. two – what is a PR 2 bit. Is that the philips with the extra thick square stem?
Finally I would love to see someone impact drive a slotted screw. I too see no point in sloted bits in impact rated sets. Yes in that ratcheting driver set and I have plently of them now and I do use slotted bit. Like someone else said often for socket cover removal or refurbing a MG. (yes 1952 MG TD I think is made of slotted screws and off size sockets people call witworth)
anyway.
Power driving slotted screws I have done – and do so slowly – but I pull them out when I can. When I worked on my buddy’s MG the last time I swore up and down I was going to put together a new hardware list for screws and such in either torx 10 /15 or hex or something. but they want to keep it period correct.
meh atleast we got rid of the brass screws. drilled enough of those out for a lifetime and a half.
fred
But if you are making furniture with antique-looking brass hardware – how would a Phillips/Robertson/Torx drive steel screw look? Those drive style were not invented in the period that the furniture seeks to represent.
I sometimes will run in a steel screw to “form the treads” – then remove it and replace it with brass – on furniture I’m building. I also will use a tapered dill bit to create the pilot hole. Both of these are time consuming – all for the sake of looks – and not something I’d be doing for general cabinetry or carpentry.
Having worked on (in my younger days) some British vintage motorcycles – with their Whitworth standard fasteners – I can sympathize with you about that ’52 MG
OldDominionDIYer
I missed out on this deal last year and regretted it, not this year! I made the purchase and look forward to restocking my bits and having another slim packout case.
Charles_A
Great deal!
Not for nothing, but Makita also has a 100 piece (not nearly the number of 2″ pieces) going for $20 at the Homer.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Makita-ImpactX-Driver-Bit-Set-100-Piece-E-00038/310193214
Stuart
I saw that too, but considered Milwaukee’s 120pc bit set ($25) to be a better buy, and bought one on the spot. Then I came home, saw Aaron’s tip about the 100pc set, and bought that too.
HD also had a Makita XPS bit assortment, but it didn’t seem like a good value either.
Steve
I’d still be disappointed in the lack of bit holders in these things if I was in the Packout system. Still a good deal though.
Stuart
It’s not the worst thing in the world. Here’s what I did:
https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/dewalt-toughcase-organizer-with-milwaukee-screwdriver-bits/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
Steve
That’s cool. If I was in Pack Out myself I would probably buy this set just for the case and bits as a bonus and use them separately.
fred
When we built houses a few decades earlier the power screwdriver of choice was a Yankee. They came in different lengths and there was also a drill – that was popular among telephone installers. If you needed something more powerful (there were no cordless impact guns back then) – you switched to a bit brace.
The last time I saw one in use was when watching Elwood using one in the Blues Brothers movie to take off an elevator control panel. But I still have mine (3 plus the drill) for nostalgia’s sake.
Albert
I don’t use 1 inch bits so am going to plug for the $9 and $13 Irwin sets at Menards:
https://www.menards.com/main/find.html?find=2525395
https://www.menards.com/main/find.html?find=2525370
Only buy if there is a store near you. Menard’s shipping is steep and they add a processing fee, so it wouldn’t be worth it.