Low Profile Mag Drills: Measure Before You Choose
Measure low profile mag drill clearance, base space, feed access and cutter-system limits before choosing the Hougen HMD130.
MagDrill field guide
Mag Drill Buying Guides
Choose a magnetic drill around the work you actually need to do: hole diameter, depth, access, power and total package cost.
Start with the mag drill buying guide, then use these focused articles to check the details that matter for your next job.
Budget Mag Drill Buying Guide: Calculate the Usable Cost
Find value in a budget magnetic drill by checking required capacity, complete accessories, documentation and service before price.
Rent, Buy Used or Buy New: Mag Drill Cost Worksheet
Compare magnetic drill rental, used equipment and new purchase using complete job cost, condition, support and realistic reuse.
Start with the constraint that changes the purchase
Use these offers only after the linked buying guide and Finder have narrowed the job. Compact capacity, low clearance and cordless power are different reasons to shop—not a best-to-worst order.
- Evolution S28MAG: For a compact corded shortlist when the hole schedule stays within the documented 1-1/8-inch annular limit and the mounting surface meets the published requirements.
- Hougen HMD130: For low overhead clearance when the job also fits the dedicated RotaLoc Plus system and 1-inch cutting-depth limit.
- Milwaukee M18 FUEL 2787: For cordless-site planning after battery, charger, exact kit suffix, working depth and restraint requirements are confirmed.
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Model guide availableEvolution S28MAG
a compact-capacity corded drill for hole schedules that stay within its 1-1/8-inch annular diameter limit
- Annular diameter
- 1.125″ maximum
- Cutting depth
- 2″ maximum
The 2-inch depth figure is separate from diameter, and a 2-inch cutter is not automatically a 2-inch-diameter cutter. Evolution specifies a 3/8-inch minimum plate thickness. The published magnetic adhesion figure is not a lifting capacity or a reason to ignore that minimum.
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Model guide availableHougen HMD130
a purpose-built low-profile option when physical clearance prevents an upright drill from reaching the hole
- Annular diameter
- 1.375″ maximum
- Cutting depth
- 1″ maximum
Cutter compatibility is the main purchasing trap. RotaLoc Plus uses a bayonet-style shank, so an ordinary 3/4-inch Weldon set is not a direct substitute. The 1-inch depth limit also means a compact body does not give the same material range as a full-size 2-inch-depth drill.
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Model guide availableMilwaukee M18 FUEL 2787
a cordless 1-1/2-inch drill whose purchase economics depend heavily on the batteries and charger already in your workshop
- Annular diameter
- 1.5″ maximum
- Cutting depth
- Confirm manual
Milwaukee now marks 2787-22 no longer available, while its current kit page's in-the-box area shows only the 2787-20 tool. The retained offer is exact by model name but does not prove current stock or package contents; verify batteries, charger and accessories with the seller.
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