Matt Coddington
Guest Writer
As a locksmith and security technician, I really like Makita cordless power tools. I like the array of tools that Makita offers and their battery technology. They’re fairly light and easy to handle. Fully charged 5.0 or 6.0 batteries last quite a while before it’s time to recharge.
My current Makita collection consists of drill, jigsaw, bandsaw, concrete drill, vacuum, blower, belt sander, two grinders, two impact drivers, and two dual-battery chargers. This collection meets most of my needs. The two missing tools are a circular saw – which is required for undercutting metal and wood doors – and a nibbler so I can cut aluminum and steel mesh for gates and fences. Those two are on the list for 2026.
The impact drivers are equipped with #2 and #3 Phillips extended screwdriver bits, so I don’t have to change bits. I simply pick up the tool I need. The driver with the #2 is a “soft” impact, which is great because I can control the amount of impact through the trigger.
The drill motor is heavy duty, has a metal chuck, and accepts bits over ½”. It offers a hammer drill setting which is great.
It’s badass.
The grinders are set up with sanding discs and cutting wheels. After I cut metal – aluminum especially – the cut leaves slag. I use the grinder with the sanding discs to remove the slag, create a smooth edge, and radius the sharp corners if necessary. I use the grinder with the cutting wheel to make the cut.
The bandsaw is really good, and in many cases I use it with another technician. One man operates the hand-held tool while the other feeds material into the blade for a perfect cut, then grinds off the slag.
The concrete drill is excellent. This hammer drill requires two batteries, and it pushes through any concrete like butter. In many cases I’m drilling quarter-inch holes for a new threshold or Knox Box, hammering in concrete anchors, and sinking the screws. This thing makes it look easy.
Though the vacuum and blower are necessary tools for cleanup, the final and ultimate tool in this arsenal is the belt sander, a.k.a., the “Uber Sander.” The Uber is a cordless belt sander capable of various angles. The sanding belts, in three-eights-inch width, are available in various grits and will sand through brass, aluminum, steel, and wood. This tool is indispensable for any detailed work, which lock and security usually is.
So that’s part of my tool arsenal that gets the job done and allows me to create a successful family of clients, a career that has created income for myself and jobs for other people, and a safer and more secure community.
