Ridgid’s JobMax modular tool system, shown above, has grown a little long in the tooth. I had great experiences with the Ridgid JobMax tools that I had tested and used. They released some nice attachments over the years, and broadened the types of base handles, but not much has happened in recent years.
The JobMax system deserves recognition for trying to cater towards so many different types of users. There’s an 18V base handle, a 12V Max base handle, a corded base handle, and even a pneumatic one. Being able to power different tool attachments using 2 different cordless platforms, AC, or air-powered motors is quite the accomplishment.
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But Ridgid hadn’t done anything with the JobMax system in a while. The motors haven’t been updated and there are no recent new tools.
One of my attachments doesn’t fit base handles very well anymore, likely due to a drop that caused a noticeable dent near the attachment ring.
To keep up with the times, Ridgid would really need to overhaul the base handle, and also update their battery pack capacities. I’d like to see 2.0Ah as standard, with 2.5ah and higher capacity 4.0Ah options.
As you might have guessed from the title and commentary about the JobMax system, Ridgid is planning something, and it’s going to be BIG.
We don’t have a lot of information yet, but I was too excited to keep this all to myself.
Ridgid is coming out with a new modular tool system, MegaMax. I’m waiting on more information, but here’s what I know so far:
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Confirmed: Ridgid MegaMax will be an 18V modular tool system that’s said to be more robust than the JobMax system.
Might we see 18V brushed motor, AC, and pneumatic base handle options? What about a brushless motor?! Oooh, imagine that – it would certainly be somewhat of a game-changer in the modular tool market. As an aside, the “modular tool market” only has 2 players – Ridgid and Black & Decker. I suppose Craftsman can also still be considered a player, but many of their Bolt-On tools and attachments can be found as Black & Decker Matrix products.
There are a few modular drill/drivers, such as Bosch’s FlexiClick, but I digress.
Here are some of the things the trademark application says about Ridgid MegaMax:
Batteries and battery chargers; battery packs; power base for power tools
Fans; hydraulic pumps; transfer pumps
Multi-purpose oscillating tool for use with interchangeable heads for crimping, cutting, sanding, grinding, sawing, drilling, scraping, driving, pumping, fastening and/or hammering; interchangeable power tool head systems; accessories for power tools, namely, shear heads, saw heads, rotary hammer head, angle drill head, multi-tool head; multi-function power tool heads; power tools, namely, drills, impact drivers, saws, buffers, grinders, jacks, scissors, hammer chisel, rotary hammers, impact wrenches, sanders, rivet guns, winches, loppers, pipe threaders, drain cleaners, magnetic lift handles, rebar cutters, bolt cutters, chain cutters; kits consisting primarily of power tools and specially designed battery packs and battery chargers; power-operated hedge trimmers; power-operated vacuum cleaners; power-operated paint rollers; power-operated mixers; power-operated shears.
I don’t think we’re going to see ALL of those different types of tools; TTI or their IP lawyers was likely trying to broaden the scope of the trademark application, just in case they did want to expand the Ridgid MegaMax lineup with different types of tools.
Magnetic lift handles? Power-operated paint rollers? Winches? Rivet Guns?
While we wait on more information, let’s hear what you might want to see Ridgid come out with as part of their MegaMax modular tool lineup.
To me, “more robust” means heavier duty. Ridgid has had 8 years of cordless power tool tech to integrate into their new MegaMax tools. I can’t see how a new system wouldn’t be heavier duty. But keep in mind that “heavier duty” is my claim, not Ridgid’s.
Plus, the JobMax tools seem to have been designed as 12V Max tools and then expanded to include other options, including 18V. Part of the very limited information I was able to squeeze out from my source, was that MegMax will be an 18V system.
Satch
Very interesting. To be honest, I am surprised we haven’t seen a bit more of this. Particularly from a house brand like Ridgid. I have one of their 18v drill/impact kits and it would be an easy thing to add an oscillating tool and recipro saw to the mix. And some other possibilities mentioned sound very intriguing.
Adam
I never loved the 12v JobMax, but it was nice. I’m pretty sure I had a bad tool, because I had new & old batteries go bad in it, and that’s when I gave up on it. I mainly used it for the OMT, and the battery problem prevented much work from getting done. Then they were a bit slow to provide other 12v offerings. It was a real pain just to find the 12v impact, to go along with the drill that was offered in just about every sale. Then I went red. lol
I would consider the Craftsman Bolt-On dead. It is clearanced out in all their stores, and most stores that I did see the B&D offering, no longer carry it.
Hang Fire
Adam’s post underscores the point that the quality of the batteries often make or break a system. That is where Bosch, Dewalt and Milwaukee excel (usually, anyway), and others do just OK or hit and miss.
James C
I get a lot of use out of the Ryobi Job Plus version so I hope they also come out with a cross-compatible version of this MegaMax.
Cr8on
My brother-in-law has a couple 18v jobmax’s with OMT, right angle drill, right angle impact and jigsaw. It’s been a handy tool to use, especially the right angle impact. I’m sure he’ll be quite interested in what’s coming.
Corey
Picked up the jobmax in searching for a possible second platform to adopt 12v from. Chose it for the lesser battery investment, 2-3 for the power handle vs 1-2 per stand alone tool. Being my interest was in 12v, I’ve used it only on something I deem less strenuous type jobs, but she’s performed perfectly well to my anticipations. Bought it from a buddy who had it a couple years after his initial purpose, came with 4 heads, bought myself the rotozip head same day, and completely happy with it.
ca
MegaMAX? I think marketers could put in a little more effort. What’s next? SuperUltraMegaBestEverMAX?
Stuart
Could be Megamax, MegaMax, or MEGAMAX. I was going to write it out as MegaMax, but it came out as MegaMAX, and it looked better so I kept it that way.
Sometimes marks are all-caps, and it looks good on packaging but not text.
For example, DeWALT. I write it as Dewalt. 12V MAX. But 12V Max is easier to read.
In this case, it’s too early to judge.
Hang Fire
Yes, it is amusing watching marketing departments trying to top the previous generation tools’ excessive hyperbole.
glenn
It will be interesting to see what they come up with.
I must admit to being tempted by the Jobmax system in the past, albeit under the AEG banner but decided against it as I pretty much had all the single tools already in M12.That and the fact that it seemed to be a stagnant line.
Even if they only come out with of the things listed it could be a very useful tool.
Tyson
I have a refurb 12V showing up today, the irony! I have a 12V drill that comes in handy for quick jobs and though this with the angle drill and impact driver will be a real gem. Hopefully it will use the same 18V batteries. I just bought a Gen4 kit to get some new batteries to make my Gen2 set useful again and they’re still going strong after 14 years!
Josh
I do a lot of work with pop rivets. A good cordless riveter would be a godsend in the field.
Hang Fire
Good point. Something without the backlash, that is so hard on the hands. Good air riveters exist like the Astro PR14, which is on my shortlist. But this is one tool where cordless makes more sense for most people.
Joe J
The name is a bit silly.
Stuart
Sillier than your email address? =P
Joe J
Hey. My email address is not a brand for a multibillion dollar company 🙂
Nathan
color me intrigued. I’d like to see a cordless and a corded handle set. I think that would be nifty. Especially when you want to use something like a sander, or saw.
corded hand jig – trade to cordless – trade back when back in the shop or if your battery died.
5 inch disc sander – cordless for a spot job – corded for a table top.
etc. I don’t know if pneumatic needs to be in there but meh why not.
Doresoom
That’s one of the best ideas for quelling the age-old “wish it was hybrid” complaint I’ve ever heard. Just throw an AC motor in the corded base, and a DC motor in the cordless, and then no more worries about the bulk of a transformer.
firefly
I wasn’t aware of that there is a cord and pneumatic head available. That’s really neat. The biggest concern that I would have for a system like this is ergonomic. But for tool that I don’t use a lot such as a grinder I wouldn’t mind buying into a system like this. Especially if I have the ability to switch between cord and cordless…
I wonder if somebody will come up with a clever configuration for a miter saw…
Hang Fire
Such modular systems to back to the 60’s and 70’s with corded tools. The 90’s included some really lame efforts like Black & Decker cordless, featuring what may have been the world’s largest and least powerful cordless drill/driver. They always follow the same pattern that you need to buy all the modules within 2 years, because then comes the discontinuance and the weeping, that the set was never completed. (This was a bigger issue before eBay). The problem with that is… if you’re very budget conscious, it can be a burden to buy all the modules within the period of manufacture. And these tools are always marketed to the budget conscious.
Besides the race against the discontinuance clock, there is also a combined quality and perception issue. These are always consumer grade tools, unlike major brand 18/20V systems where you can get both a consumer and a pro model drill/driver. Some of the modular system will fall below the acceptable quality/usability/durability limit, and to get something better, the disgusted modular buyers will have to upgrade to a major brand of discrete tool system… noisily disclaiming the modular system as they go.
Then when the original tooling wears out, the manufacturer drops it like a hot potato. Remaining modular buyers who were happy cannot complete sets or replace tools, and they swear off module systems forever.
Experienced buyers have seen this cycle repeated so many times, they know to avoid modular tool systems.
Will the new MegaMax system break this quality cycle with real heavy duty tools? Maybe, remains to be seen. Will they break decades of (justifiable) negative consumer perception on modular tool systems? Probably not.
ToolOfTheTrade
Yeah
Matthew Mills
@concordcarpenter posted a picture of the new tool with the 6.0 battery and on facebook Ridgid posted about a February release for both battery and new megamax.
Andrew
Have the job max and mega max tool system’s. For what I do heavy duty dyi. These sets are phenomenal.