The Auto Hammer is back!
Skil came out with a new PWRCore 12V brushless auto hammer, model AH6552A-10. It features a 3-position pivoting head and is advertised as being able to drive up to 3-1/2″ nails.
Update: A reader asked for an off-beat power tool gift idea for the holiday season. Rather than duplicate the effort, I thought I’d bring this Skil Auto Hammer intro post back to everyone’s attention, which was originally published on 2/17/22.
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The Skil Auto Hammer has a magnetic collet, for easier nail-starting.
Its 3-position head can be adjusted to 0°, 45°, and 90°.
Key Features & Specs
- Brushless motor
- Drives nails up to 3.5″ (2d – 16d)
- 4200 IPM impact rate
- LED worklight
- Magnetic sleeve
- 9.22″ tool length
- 1.94 lb tool weight
The kit comes with a charger and 2Ah battery. The battery has a built-in USB port that allows it to double as a power bank to charge electronic devices, and the PWR Jump charger can charge the battery to 25% in 5 minutes and 100% in 45 minutes.
Price: $99 (Kit with battery and charger)
Black Friday 2023 Sale Price: $69
Discussion
The Auto Hammer is all about driving in nails in tight spaces, or for other applications where it might be difficult or awkward to swing a manual hammer.
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Skil’s parent company came out with the first Auto Hammer more than 10 years ago, with the second generation model introducing the pivoting head design. Ryobi later came out with their own 12V-class model, but it was not on the market very long.
While this isn’t the type of tool everyone can use, it’s good to see its return. The new model features a brushless motor, and the battery has Skil’s PWR Assist USB port power bank feature. The $99 kit pricing seems fair.
fred
May not be a replacement for a pneumatic palm nailer – or the Milwaukee M12 palm nailer – but I’ll bet that they will sell some around the Mother’sDay-Father’s-Day holidays.
Carpet and flooring guys sometimes use magnetic driving bars to nail down tack strips etc. in place where you can’t swing a hammer.
Franck B.
I would really like to see a corded (electric) palm nailer. The main problem I’ve seen with pneumatic palm nailers (other than when a user tries to use a heavy hose, and that you need a usually bulky noisy compressor) is that the diaphragms are really finicky and dry out, so they don’t work reliably for long without vigilant maintenance. Of course, they’re cheap enough that you can keep a stock on hand to use when necessary, but the miser in me really would prefer that I had one that worked consistently.
I thought a 20V version would be nice but the batteries would reduce the size advantage, so having a few with small built in batteries that could rotate on a fast charger would be ideal.
fred
Many of the negative reviews about the M12 verson complain that it is too bulky compared to a pneumatic – so just imagine adding a slide-on 18/20V battery.
I also recall that we had a few full-sized palm nailers from Bostitch that I believed came with some spare parts when you bought them. When we opted to try some “mini” versions ( both Senco and Bostitch) – I think there were even more maintenance issues. Regarding the hose – some of our crews seemed to like to add swivel connectors and a short whip hose to their pneumatics in order to improve mobility
Big Richard
Concept art of an 18v/20v palm nailer-
https://www.facebook.com/adzysgoods/photos/a.121023946077812/479887110191492
Munklepunk
I have the M12 and it’s definitely bulky, however it’s been useful enough that it’s easily paid for itself. We have a ridgid pneumatic that has been used for years and it’s been super solid.
RI Guy
I have the m12. Used for all sorts of stuff. It’s bigger than pneumatic and not a powerful but for the occasional pain to the brain fastener is great that said the sleeve slid forward so it’s not perfect. At some point I’m going to disassemble and see what retaining clip is missing.
Aaron
I have the craftsman version that looks like this and I use it a lot more often than my Milwaukee m12 palm nailer. The Milwaukee doesn’t like nails with smaller heads so it is less useful for general around the house stuff. Also, because of the design on the craftsman (and this one) it will get into tighter places.
KJ
Definitely a DIY type tool, good point about mother’s/father’s day. I’m a carpenter, doing a bit of everything but mostly framing and I can’t see myself ever getting one using an auto hammer. When in tight spots, palm nailer ftw. I haven’t tried out or even seen the M12 palm nailer in use but would be interested. Except for a brand new DeWalt roofing nailer and a couple air palm nailers, we switched to the M18 Fuel nail guns for everything (framing, 15ga, 18ga, 18ga crown stapler, and hopefully the 23ga pin nailer for cabinets we’re about to install.) very pleased with them. Though we have been eyeing the second gen finish nailers; smaller and just feel better when shooting.
nigeldh
Thanks @fed for mentioning the Milwaukee M12 palm nailer.
Acme has the kit on sale for $119 – $30 less than the bare tool $149. go figure.
http://www.acmetools.com/milwaukee-m12-cordless-lithium-ion-palm-nailer-kit-2458-21/045242240555.html
Jared
Unique tools like this always get my attention. Glad to see it lives again.
Why is there no cordless replacement for air-hammers? Lots of pneumatic tools have cordless equivalents these days – even if they sometimes end up a bit large and cumbersome.
Is it just not possible to make one that’s usefully powerful? I want to be able to put my air hammer chisels right into a cordless tool.
MM
That’s a good question. It’s obviously possible to make cordless “hammering” tools, cordless rotary hammers are a thing and can be operated in hammer-only mode. I think Makita just came out with a new cordless demo hammer (hammer only).
…but all the ones I’ve seen are meant for masonry tools, with SDS, SDS Max, and similar sorts of retention. I’ve never seen a cordless hammer with a .401 taper for automotive type tools.
I think it must be possible: I have an older Snap-On Super Duty pneumatic hammer, if I remember right it’s about 8-9 joules and 2500 bpm. Meanwhile, for comparison, Dewalt’s rotary hammers range from 1.1 joules for the DCH072B (12v) up to 19.4 joules for the DCH773B (Flexvolt). So they’re obviously making tools in that power range, they’re just a lot bigger than the pneumatic.
Jared
Bring it on! 😄
That’s some interesting information to consider though. Obviously most people don’t want an “air hammer” powered by a gigantic flexvolt pack and a tool the size of the DCH773B.
Perhaps Dewalt and other top-tier pro brands would not want to release such a tool if it was noticeably weaker or way larger than its pneumatic counterpart.
There’s a lot of different power levels between air hammers though – I assume a cordless version capable of keeping up with a typical short-barrel air hammer would still have utility if it existed. That would probably be a tool best-suited for Ryobi development though.
I’d buy it.
MM
My guess is that the typical short barrel air hammer is about 5 joules, as the Snap-On I mentioned is on the high end of the scale of that sort of tool. That would compare with, say, the DCH416 rated at 4.5 joules. Yeah it’s bigger than the air hammer, but it seems like it could work for many applications, and if nothing else it shows that the tech is getting closer to making it possible.
Also, those are *rotary* hammers. Simplifying the mechanism to make it hammer-only could likely make the tool more compact.
Steve
I have the auto hammer attachment for the Ridgid jobmax, it’s pretty much the only reason I keep the jobmax around. Can’t beat it for nailing up nylon wiring staples overhead or in tight spaces. This looks good, but I’m not anxious to add a 4th 12v charger to my wall…
Ecotek
Agreed. It’s a shame they stopped making it. It’s a go to when you just can’t get a hammer into a tight spot. The low price was just gravy.
MarylandUSA
“I’m not anxious to add a 4th 12v charger to my wall…”
Heck, I keep 12V chargers attached to a power strip for
– Craftsman
– Hitachi
– Makita CXT
– Milwaukee M12
– Skil PwrCore 12
Not to mention a 4V charger for my Milwaukee M4 screwdriver.
Nathan
I was going to say last one I saw as a ridgid device .
I see some appeal for them I’d have to use one with thepivot head to see if that’s all that useful or not.
but I like the idea.
Ball_bearing
Just saw a video of it working, quite nice.
Definitely good for places with limited space.
I wonder if it would make it easier for my grandmother to hang decorations or if the weight would be too much.
KJ
Most likely. Just make sure to give her some 3.5″ 16pennies to make sure the decorations will be secure 🤣
Ball_bearing
Oh dear! XD
Plain grainy
I wonder if it would be good for people with bad wrists? Perhaps the feedback develops some torque. Talking right angle drills awhile back for tight spaces. What about the Milwaukee 1/4” right angle m-12 impact, it features 600. “# torque. Has some good rpm’s, could be used with 1/4” hex drive drill bits. The right angle drills on the market have about 40% of this Milwaukee’s impacts torque. I think I would opt for the impact over the drills.
MM
I have that M12 right-angle impact driver, and it’s super handy. Surprisingly powerful too.
Plain grainy
Dewalt also sells a 12” right angle flexible impact extension, I think it comes with a removable side handle. $29?
Lance
I use the M12 impact for automotive work all the time. It’s fantastic for really small fasteners, but starts to struggle on fasteners 10mm hex and larger. It’s positively fantastic for all the small screws holding engine compartment and wheel well shields in place. If they made a Fuel version with 25% more torque and the same compact head design I’d be all over it.
I have the M12 palm nailer and haven’t used it much, but when I have it’s been about the only solution to getting a nail in. In a pinch it’s worth its weight in gold! I have not used a pneumatic model so I can’t compare.
Lance
EDIT: Meant to say Right Angle Impact
Big Richard
I’d recommend Skil’s 12v right angle impact over the M12, unless you are deep into the M12 platform. It’s a bit bigger, but has an additional 300 in-lbs torque, 250 RPM , and 450 IPM. Plus its brushless, which is generally a plus. Admittedly I have not used the M12, but I love the Skil.
Skil’s 12v line is seriously underrated in my opinion, and I will probably buy this auto hammer, too.
Plain grainy
The M-12 has 2400 rpms, plus variable speed. But the Skil has some serious torque.
Plain grainy
I see the Skil impact also has variable speed. Looks nice.
Big Richard
All the numbers I mentioned were in addition to the M12’s specs. When I said 250 RPMS I was saying it turns 250 more RPMs than the M12, same with IPM. So the Skil beats it in every spec (torque, RPM, and IPM). I know specs aren’t everything, I’ll have to buy the M12 and test them side by side.
MM
Speaking of the Skil 12v line being under-rated, I was very impressed with how some of the Skil tools performed in online tests. For example, in Torque Test Channel’s tests of right-angle impact drivers the Skil outperformed Milwaukee M18 and Makita LXT–both of which are 18V platforms–and that’s also while the Skil kit with battery and charger costs less than just the bare tool from Milwaukee or Makita.
Plain grainy
Home Depot has the Milwaukee adapter(3/8” square socket to 1/4” drive). Sells for $17 as another option.
Dave the tool
I purchased the Skil 5 tool 12v kit during Christmas Season as it was a awesome sale price at Lowes. I had read so many good reviews that my curiosity got the best of me especially for the $99 price that Lowes was doing. Bluetooth speaker is cool and convenient but looks a lot better than it sounds unfortunately. Led pivoting light is awesome, drill and impact are great and I have not used the OSC tool as of yet but it feels and runs similar to the Milwaukee brushless M12 OSC Tool which I already have. The drill and impact feel better in my hand than the M12 because of the slide battery and I have large sized hands. I did pickup the Skil 12v Recip saw as a bare tool for a great price to add to the set! Again this tool feels and balance are similar to the Milwaukee M12 brushless. I was intrigued when I read the Skil Recip saw actually had a longer blade stroke than the M12 Milwaukee! Have only used it a few times but this far I am impressed! Price per dollar the Skil 12v lineup is excellent IMO…if you purchase on sale. I am fearful however that sales have not been great for Skil on their 12v brushless tools and possible may be discontinued but I hope not! I will wait and see if the new hammering tool goes on a sale and probably purchase then. I remember the Ryobi version and it was neat EXCEPT extremely LOUD and definitely required ear protection! Keep up the great work Skil!
Ecotek
You got a 5 tool kit for $99?! That’s awesome. At that price it’s pretty hard to pass up. They want $99 at my local Lowes for just the drill kit. Their 12V stuff caught my eye eye the extra small circle saw and the pretty solid reviews.
Stuart
Here’s a bit of background:
2009: https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/craftsman-nextec-12v-auto-hammer/%3C/a%3E%3Cbr /> 2009: https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/ryobi-auto-hammer/%3C/a%3E%3Cbr /> 2010: https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/ryobi-auto-hammer-hands-on-review/%3C/a%3E%3Cbr /> 2011: https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/craftsman-nextec-g2-hammerhead-auto-hammer-with-pivoting-head/%3C/a%3E%3Cbr /> 2013: https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/hammerhead-12v-impact-driver-auto-hammer/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
Lowe’s put zero effort into marketing the Hammerhead at the time – https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/home-depot-sears-lowes-holiday-2013-report/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
Chervon made the Auto Hammer for Craftsman Nextec, and it sounds like they made the Mastercraft too. Chervon owns the Hammerhead brand, and now owns Skil.
Nate
The Ryobi Auto Hammer was pretty pathetic. I finally decided to weld on a 1/2″ cold chisel to knock out mortar in door hinge pockets in new grouted frames and it works great for this. I’ve gone thru one of these tools and am on my backup, this might be the next generation for my chisel.
Liam
Cheaper than the one hart has
Kingsley
I’d like to see a mallet or sledge version.
fred
We used to use one of these – called an air mallet – for banging PEX into place in underfloor radiant heating installations:
https://www.amazon.com/Taylor-Pneumatic-Automatic-Hammer-90PSI/dp/B000KL4V7M
fred
For nailing in awkward spots you are probably better off with a manual solution like a nailing bar:
https://www.amazon.com/Roberts-10-151-Nail-Driving-Bar/dp/B001NIUV5C
or in other instances using a slide hammer “pea shooter”
https://www.acmetools.com/big-foot-tools-24in-mag-tip-pea-shooter-pt-ps24m-pt-ps24m/637827513026.html
MM
Many years ago I saw a small version of that “pea shooter” at a hobby shop in Denmark. It was intended for driving the tiny nails for model railroad tracks. It is interesting to see that a full size version exists.
fred
Brad Drivers may have been what you saw:
https://www.amazon.com/GreatNeck-BD1-Magnetic-Brad-Driver/dp/B000GAWXCC
MM
It’s possible, this was more than 30 years ago so my memory of the specifics isn’t the greatest. I do remember that the shaft portion was either brass or brass-plated and the handles were dark wood. They packaging was in German which I could not read, the only thing I recognized were scale letter codes like N and HO. Thinking back on it they could have been carpentry brad drivers that were repackaged for model use.
fred
Perhaps like this one from the venerable UK toolmaker Crown
https://www.amazon.com/Crown-Tools-110XW-Rampin-Pusher/dp/B001C04FYO
fred
Or maybe one like this:
https://www.micromark.com/Push-Hammer
MM
@fred
The closest thing I could find online was this:
https://www.expotools.com/acatalog/75100-ULTRA-FINE-PIN-PUSHER-75100.html#SID=16
…though I remember the ones I saw had a darker wood handle, and the handle was proportionally a bit shorter while the narrow “nose” of the tool was longer. The tools also had some kind of sleeve with a finger-grip collar similar to that found on a screwholding screwdriver. The collar was brass or brass-plated like the rest of the nose of the tool.
Jared
Neat. I’d never heard of either of those tools. Thanks for sharing!
Rich
Yeah, fred is on a roll!
I followed the Roberts link and found a tool I may well need if I pull some carpet and put in some kind of electric membrane heating underlayment, then wood flooring atop.
Carpet puller
https://www.amazon.com/Roberts-10-10-Clamping-Activation-Installation/dp/B008O0W8BM
One time job. I guess I could just punch a hole and bolt something through the carpet to pull it.
Flotsam
I got the old discontinued Ryobi version off ebay for like $20. Its a limited use tool that is most beneficial nailing in hangers.
This Skil model looks similar to that. OK
Big Richard
Related deal, the gen 1 drill/impact kit is $59 on amazon right now – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FKTQS8W/
Nice kit for someone who just needs a little drill around the house.
Koko The Talking Ape
Wouldn’t this tool twist in your hand if the head is in the 90 or 45 deg position? That could get tiring after a while.
Stuart
I don’t see how it would twist.
Koko The Talking Ape
I mean twist upwards in your hand, as if you’re firing a pistol.
Stuart
Ah. In my experience, they don’t recoil, although there is some vibration.
jsbson
$69.98 at Lowes
Actual price was $119.00
$119.00
Save $49.02 Save $49.02 Offer ends on Nov 29Ends Nov 2
SKIL PWR CORE 12 3.5-in Cordless Nailer (Battery & Charger Included)
Item #5041691 |
Model #AH6552A-10
Stuart
Thank you!!
I added a link to the post. It was showing up at regular price when I checked earlier.
Nathan
This is also on sale on Amazon for $69 for Black Friday
Nathan
My last Ryobi auto hammer broke and I was able to purchase the Skil for 69 doll hairs. Got the chisel welded on and ready to knock mortar out of door frame hinge pockets. Haven’t needed it yet but two things i like about it is the adjustable head and that its brushless which should run a lot longer on the 2.0 battery than than the ryobi did on the 1.2 ah.