Cuts a variety of jobsite materials quickly and accurately

Mechanical, electrical, plumbing and general construction professionals constantly fabricate channel, bar stock, conduit and other building materials for custom-sized components. That takes many repetitive short cuts where a cordless multi-purpose metal cutter can excel in speed, portability and accuracy. The EY4542LR2M metal cutting kit and tool-only EY4542XM models use one of five 5-3/8"-diameter special-purpose blades designed to slice through common metal, wood, plastic and PVC building materials. The compact tool's no-load 3,600-rpm speed has the power to cleanly cut through materials. At only 5.84 lbs., including battery, the tool is easy to handle in a variety of cutting positions. The tool's inline cutting design is comfortable to use and an LED light illuminates the work area to make the cutting line easier to see. A transparent window in the blade guard makes seeing the cutline easy and helps control wood or plastic dust or metal filings. The three-way guard controls dust with an attached vacuum, attached dust case or an ejector that directs dust out the rear of the tool. Its maximum 1-13/16" cutting depth is easy to adjust to match blade contact area with the work piece for fast, accurate cuts. An electric brake stops the blade quickly once the trigger is released; a safety switch lock helps prevent unintended tool start-ups. The 13/16" arbor has a shaft lock button that makes blade changes simple.

Tough and long-lasting battery packs

The tool, powered by Panasonic's exclusive 14.4-volt 3.3Ah LR Li-ion battery pack, is built for heavy use, long runtimes between charges and long cycle life. The tool can run for 50 minutes per battery charge. Unlike manganese-based Li-ion batteries used in many cordless power tools, Panasonic's exclusive cobalt Li-ion battery technology produces less internal heat buildup that can kill battery packs. The battery packs also feature Panasonic's Solid Solution technology, a proprietary process for dissolving and hardening cobalt and nickel and other key battery components. This unique chemistry dramatically improves battery pack safety, reliability and power output. A special heat-resistant ceramic coating layer separates cells and protects them from heat buildup. Together, the chemistry, battery design and manufacturing process add up to powerful batteries that promise to deliver long running lives.