Tool Box Buzz

Milwaukee 12″ Aluminum Measuring Wheel Review – Model 48-22-5012

Measuring wheels in the construction industry aren’t as popular, as say the miter saw or impact driver, but they do have their place. Measuring long distances by wheel is certainly much easier than a standard tape measure and some instances the new hi-tech laser measuring tools. We took a look at the Milwaukee 12″ Aluminum Measuring Wheel.

The Surveyor’s Wheel

Often called  surveyor’s wheel, this 17th century creation is still being used today! Early devices were made of wood and sometimes had an iron rim to provide strength. The wheels themselves would be made in the same manner as wagon wheels. The measuring devices would be made by makers of scientific instruments and the device and handles would be attached to the wheel. The device that read the distance travelled would be mounted either near the hub of the wheel or at the top of the handle.

Today measuring wheels are mostly constructed of aluminum, and have pneumatic or hard plastic tires. The Milwaukee 12″ Aluminum Measuring Wheel even has a nice feature of collapsing down which is great for storage.

Milwaukee 48-22-5012 Manufacturer Specifications

• 12″ Measuring Wheel
• Zero Point Indicator
• Top Handle Clearing Function
• Top Break Function
• Wheel Debris Cleaning Flap
• Re-enforced Locking pivot points
• Attached Kickstand

First Impression

The Milwaukee 12″ Aluminum Measuring Wheel and was recently released, along with its little brother, the 6″ wheel. While we were at the Milwaukee New Product Symposium [NPS] this past summer, we were really impressed with its rugged design and some of the features Milwaukee has added. The aluminum frame is lightweight with rugged characteristics. During their demonstration at the NPS Milwaukee dropped a 20lb weighted tool box on the locking pivot point, with no resulting damage. The aluminum frame / rail was unscathed,  straight, and all the mechanisms worked the same.

Milwaukee 48-22-5012 Standout Features

The Milwaukee 48-22-5012 comes equipped with several standout features that separate itself from the competing measuring wheels. It has a large plastic wheel with a debris cleaning wheel flap, an ergonomically designed handle with braking lever, an odometer reset button, is collapsible and has a cool spring loaded kickstand.

Handle

The handle of the Milwaukee 12″ Aluminum Measuring Wheel has a braking level, as well as the odometer reset button. The braking handle allows the wheel and odometer to lock giving users precise accuracy. Additionally having the odometer reset button on the handle prevents users from having to bend over to reset the odometer.

Collapsible

Storage is always an issue when it comes to bulky / large tools. Fully extended the Milwaukee 48-22–5012 measures at 40″. When folded down you are now dealing with 22-1/2″.  Reinforced locking pivot points provide smooth a transition for deployment to storage with ease.

Kickstand

Milwaukee incorporated a large metal frame style kickstand on both the 6″ as well as the 12″ measuring wheel. It is spring loaded and can be easily operated with either your foot or your hand. The kickstand support can be used both in the extended or folded position.

Selling Price and Where to Purchase

The Milwaukee 48-22-5012 sells for just under $70.00 at Home Depot here: Milwaukee 12″ Aluminum Measuring Wheel

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