Milwaukee M12 2438-20 Operator's Manual
Cat. No. / No de cat.
2438-20
M12™ 2" SANDER / 3" POLISHER
PONCEUSE 51 mm (2") / POLISSEUSE 76 mm (3") M12™
LIJADORA DE 51 mm (2") / PULIDORA DE 76 mm (3") M12™
OPERATOR'S MANUAL
MANUEL de L'UTILISATEUR
MANUAL del OPERADOR
WARNING To reduce the risk of injury, user must read and understand operator's manual.
AVERTISSEMENT An de réduire le risque de blessures, l'utilisateur doit lire et bien
comprendre le manuel.
ADVERTENCIA Para reducir el riesgo de lesiones, el usuario debe leer y entender el manual.
2
GENERAL POWER TOOL
SAFETY WARNINGS
WARNING
Read all safety warnings, instructions, illustrations and specica-
tions provided with this power tool. Failure to
follow all instructions listed below may result in
electric shock, re and/or serious injury. Save all
warnings and instructions for future reference.
The term "power tool" in the warnings refers to your
mains-operated (corded) power tool or battery-oper-
ated (cordless) power tool.
WORK AREA SAFETY
• Keep work area clean and well lit. Cluttered or dark
areas invite accidents.
• Do not operate power tools in explosive atmo-
spheres, such as in the presence of ammable
liquids, gases or dust. Power tools create sparks
which may ignite the dust or fumes.
• Keep children and bystanders away while operating a power tool. Distractions can cause you to lose
control.
ELECTRICAL SAFETY
• Power tool plugs must match the outlet. Never
modify the plug in any way. Do not use any adapter
plugs with earthed (grounded) power tools. Un-
modied plugs and matching outlets will reduce risk
of electric shock.
• Avoid body contact with earthed or grounded
surfaces, such as pipes, radiators, ranges and
refrigerators. There is an increased risk of electric
shock if your body is earthed or grounded.
• Do not expose power tools to rain or wet conditions. Water entering a power tool will increase the
risk of electric shock.
• Do not abuse the cord. Never use the cord for carrying, pulling or unplugging the power tool. Keep
cord away from heat, oil, sharp edges or moving
parts. Damaged or entangled cords increase the risk
of electric shock.
• When operating a power tool outdoors, use an
extension cord suitable for outdoor use. Use of
a cord suitable for outdoor use reduces the risk of
electric shock.
• If operating a power tool in a damp location is
unavoidable, use a ground fault circuit interrupter
(GFCI) protected supply. Use of an GFCI reduces
the risk of electric shock.
PERSONAL SAFETY
• Stay alert, watch what you are doing and use
common sense when operating a power tool. Do
not use a power tool while you are tired or under
the inuence of drugs, alcohol or medication. A
moment of inattention while operating power tools
may result in serious personal injury.
• Use personal protective equipment. Always wear
eye protection. Protective equipment such as a dust
mask, non-skid safety shoes, hard hat or hearing
protection used for appropriate conditions will reduce
personal injuries.
• Prevent unintentional starting. Ensure the switch
is in the off-position before connecting to power
source and/or battery pack, picking up or carrying
the tool. Carrying power tools with your nger on the
switch or energizing power tools that have the switch
on invites accidents.
• Remove any adjusting key or wrench before
turning the power tool on. A wrench or a key left
attached to a rotating part of the power tool may result
in personal injury.
• Do not overreach. Keep proper footing and balance at all times. This enables better control of the
power tool in unexpected situations.
• Dress properly. Do not wear loose clothing or
jewelry. Keep your hair and clothing away from
moving parts. Loose clothes, jewelry or long hair can
be caught in moving parts.
• If devices are provided for the connection of dust
extraction and collection facilities, ensure these
are connected and properly used. Use of dust col-
lection can reduce dust-related hazards.
• Do not let familiarity gained from frequent use of
tools allow you to become complacent and ignore
tool safety principles. A careless action can cause
severe injury within a fraction of a second.
POWER TOOL USE AND CARE
• Do not force the power tool. Use the correct power
tool for your application. The correct power tool will
do the job better and safer at the rate for which it was
designed.
• Do not use the power tool if the switch does not turn
it on and off. Any power tool that cannot be controlled
with the switch is dangerous and must be repaired.
• Disconnect the plug from the power source and/
or remove the battery pack, if detachable, from
the power tool before making any adjustments,
changing accessories, or storing power tools.
Such preventive safety measures reduce the risk of
starting the power tool accidentally.
• Store idle power tools out of the reach of children
and do not allow persons unfamiliar with the
power tool or these instructions to operate the
power tool. Power tools are dangerous in the hands
of untrained users.
• Maintain power tools and accessories. Check for
misalignment or binding of moving parts, breakage of parts and any other condition that may affect the power tool’s operation. If damaged, have
the power tool repaired before use. Many accidents
are caused by poorly maintained power tools.
• Keep cutting tools sharp and clean. Properly maintained cutting tools with sharp cutting edges are less
likely to bind and are easier to control.
• Use the power tool, accessories and tool bits etc.
in accordance with these instructions, taking into
account the working conditions and the work to
be performed. Use of the power tool for operations
different from those intended could result in a hazard-
ous situation.
• Keep handles and grasping surfaces dry, clean
and free from oil and grease. Slippery handles
and grasping surfaces do not allow for safe handling
and control of the tool in unexpected situations.
BATTERY TOOL USE AND CARE
• Recharge only with the charger specied by the
manufacturer. A charger that is suitable for one type
of battery pack may create a risk of re when used
with another battery pack.
• Use power tools only with specically designated
battery packs. Use of any other battery packs may
create a risk of injury and re.
• When battery pack is not in use, keep it away
from other metal objects, like paper clips, coins,
keys, nails, screws or other small metal objects,
that can make a connection from one terminal to
another. Shorting the battery terminals together may
cause burns or a re.
3
• Under abusive conditions, liquid may be ejected
from the battery; avoid contact. If contact accidentally occurs, ush with water. If liquid con-
tacts eyes, additionally seek medical help. Liquid
ejected from the battery may cause irritation or burns.
• Do not use a battery pack or tool that is damaged
or modied. Damaged or modied batteries may ex-
hibit unpredictable behavior resulting in re, explosion
or risk of injury.
• Do not expose a battery pack or tool to re or
excessive temperature. Exposure to re or temperature above 265°F (130°C) may cause explosion.
• Follow all charging instructions and do not charge
the battery pack or tool outside the temperature
range specied in the instructions. Charging im-
properly or at temperatures outside the specied range
may damage the battery and increase the risk of re.
SERVICE
• Have your power tool serviced by a qualied
repair person using only identical replacement
parts. This will ensure that the safety of the power
tool is maintained.
• Never service damaged battery packs. Service
of battery packs should only be performed by the
manufacturer or authorized service providers.
SPECIFIC SAFETY RULES FOR
SANDER/POLISHER
Safety Warnings Common for Sanding and Polishing Operations:
• This power tool is intended to function as a sander
or polisher. Read all safety warnings, instructions,
illustrations and specications provided with this
power tool. Failure to follow all instructions listed
below may result in electric shock, re and/or serious
injury.
• Operations such as grinding, wire brushing
or cutting-off are not recommended to be per-
formed with this power tool. Operations for which
the power tool was not designed may create a haz-
ard and cause personal injury.
• Do not use accessories which are not specically
designed and recommended by the tool manufacturer. Just because the accessory can be attached to
your power tool, it does not assure safe operation.
• The rated speed of the accessory must be at least
equal to the maximum speed marked on the power
tool. Accessories running faster than their rated
speed can break and y apart.
• The outside diameter and the thickness of your
accessory must be within the capacity rating of
your power tool. Incorrectly sized accessories can-
not be adequately guarded or controlled.
• Threaded mounting of accessories must match
the grinder spindle thread. For accessories
mounted by anges, the arbour hole of the accessory must fit the locating diameter of the
ange. Accessories that do not match the mounting
hardware of the power tool will run out of balance,
vibrate excessively and may cause loss of control.
• Do not use a damaged accessory. Before each use
inspect the accessory such as abrasive wheels
for chips and cracks, backing pad for cracks, tear
or excess wear, wire brush for loose or cracked
wires. If power tool or accessory is dropped, inspect for damage or install an undamaged accessory. After inspecting and installing an accessory,
position yourself and bystanders away from the
plane of the rotating accessory and run the power
tool at maximum no-load speed for one minute.
Damaged accessories will normally break apart during
this test time.
• Wear personal protective equipment. Depending
on application, use face shield, safety goggles or
safety glasses. As appropriate, wear dust mask,
hearing protectors, gloves and workshop apron
capable of stopping small abrasive or workpiece
fragments. The eye protection must be capable of
stopping ying debris generated by various operations. The dust mask or respirator must be capable
of ltrating particles generated by your operation.
Prolonged exposure to high intensity noise may cause
hearing loss.
• Keep bystanders a safe distance away from work
area. Anyone entering the work area must wear
personal protective equipment. Fragments of
workpiece or of a broken accessory may y away and
cause injury beyond immediate area of operation.
• Hold the power tool by insulated gripping surfaces
only, when performing an operation where the cutting tool may contact hidden wiring. Contact with
a "live" wire may also make exposed metal parts of
the power tool "live" and could give the operator an
electric shock.
• Never lay the power tool down until the acces-
sory has come to a complete stop. The spinning
accessory may grab the surface and pull the power
tool out of your control.
• Do not run the power tool while carrying it at your
side. Accidental contact with the spinning accessory
could snag your clothing, pulling the accessory into
your body.
• Regularly clean the power tool’s air vents. The
motor’s fan will draw the dust inside the housing
and excessive accumulation of powdered metal may
cause electrical hazards.
• Do not operate the power tool near ammable
materials. Sparks could ignite these materials.
• Do not use accessories that require liquid cool-
ants. Using water or other liquid coolants may result
in electrocution or shock.
Kickback and Related Warnings
Kickback is a sudden reaction to a pinched or snagged
rotating wheel, backing pad, brush or any other acces-
sory. Pinching or snagging causes rapid stalling of the
rotating accessory which in turn causes the uncontrolled power tool to be forced in the direction opposite
of the accessory’s rotation at the point of the binding.
For example, if an abrasive wheel is snagged or
pinched by the workpiece, the edge of the wheel that
is entering into the pinch point can dig into the surface
of the material causing the wheel to climb out or kick
out. The wheel may either jump toward or away from
the operator, depending on direction of the wheel’s
movement at the point of pinching. Abrasive wheels
may also break under these conditions.
Kickback is the result of power tool misuse and/or in-
correct operating procedures or conditions and can be
avoided by taking proper precautions as given below.
• Maintain a rm grip on the power tool and posi-
tion your body and arm to allow you to resist
kickback forces. Always use auxiliary handle, if
provided, for maximum control over kickback or
torque reaction during start-up. The operator can
control torque reactions or kickback forces, if proper
precautions are taken.
• Never place your hand near the rotating acces-
sory. Accessory may kickback over your hand.
• Do not position your body in the area where power
tool will move if kickback occurs. Kickback will
4
SPECIFICATIONS
Cat. No. ..................................................... 2438-20
Volts .............................................................. 12 DC
Battery Type .................................................M12™
Charger Type ................................................M12™
Rated RPM .......................................High 0 - 8 300
Low 0 - 2 800
Spindle Thread Size ................................M9 x 0.75
Sanding Disc Diameter ........................................ 2"
Polishing Pad Diameter ....................................... 3"
SYMBOLOGY
Volts
Direct Current
Rated Revolutions per Minute (RPM)
C
US
UL Listing Mark for Canada and the U.S.
FUNCTIONAL DESCRIPTION
1. Trigger
2. Trigger lock
3. Spindle
4. Side handle
5. Spindle lock
6. Side handle sockets
7. Speed control
8. Fuel gauge
9. Handle
1
4
5
6
7
3
2
8
9
propel the tool in direction opposite to the wheel’s
movement at the point of snagging.
• Use special care when working corners, sharp
edges etc. Avoid bouncing and snagging the accessory. Corners, sharp edges or bouncing have a
tendency to snag the rotating accessory and cause
loss of control or kickback.
• Do not attach a saw chain woodcarving blade or
toothed saw blade. Such blades create frequent
kickback and loss of control.
Safety Warnings Specic for Sanding Operations:
• Do not use excessively oversized sanding disc
paper. Follow manufacturers recommendations,
when selecting sanding paper. Larger sanding
paper extending beyond the sanding pad presents a
laceration hazard and may cause snagging, tearing
of the disc or kickback.
Safety Warnings Specic for Polishing Operations:
• Do not allow any loose portion of the polishing
bonnet or its attachment strings to spin freely.
Tuck away or trim any loose attachment strings.
Loose and spinning attachment strings can entangle
your ngers or snag on the workpiece.
Additional Safety Warnings
• Maintain labels and nameplates. These carry im-
portant information. If unreadable or missing, contact
a MILWAUKEE service facility for a free replacement.
•
WARNING
Some dust created by power sanding,
sawing, grinding, drilling, and other
construction activities contains chemicals known to
cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive
harm. Some examples of these chemicals are:
• lead from lead-based paint
• crystalline silica from bricks and cement and other
masonry products, and
• arsenic and chromium from chemically-treated lumber.
Your risk from these exposures varies, depending on
how often you do this type of work. To reduce your
exposure to these chemicals: work in a well ventilated
area, and work with approved safety equipment, such
as those dust masks that are specially designed to
lter out microscopic particles.
5
ASSEMBLY
WARNING
Recharge only with the charger
specied for the battery. For specic charging instructions, read the operator’s
manual supplied with your charger and battery.
Removing/Inserting the Battery
To remove the battery, push in the release buttons
and pull the battery pack away from the tool.
WARNING
Always remove battery pack before
changing or removing accessories.
To insert the battery, slide the pack into the body
of the tool. Make sure it latches securely into place.
WARNING
To reduce the risk of injury, always
use a side handle when using this
tool. Hold securely.
Installing Side Handle
The side handle may be installed on either side of
the gear case. Position the side handle in the location which offers best control and guard protection.
To install, thread side handle into side handle socket
and tighten securely.
Sanding Disc Selection
Use sanding discs and accessories that are:
• correct size as written on tool’s nameplate.
• rated at or above the RPM listed on the tool’s name-
plate.
• correct accessory, wheel type and grit for the job.
Select the correct type of sanding disc for your job.
Generally, use 24 or 36 grit for heavy stock removal;
50, 60, or 80 grit for medium stock removal and 120
grit for nishing. Always begin with a coarse grit, using successively ner grits to obtain the desired nish.
•Aluminum Oxide: For fast cutting, general purpose
discs for most metal jobs. Best for cold-rolled steel,
stainless steel or metals requiring tough, fast cutting,
long lasting abrasives.
•Aluminum Zirconia Bi-Cut: Unique grit pattern is
arranged in clusters for faster stock removal and
cleaning. Ideal for removing paint from cars, boats,
etc. without clogging.
•Ceramic: Lasts up to 3 times longer than Aluminum
Oxide Discs. For general metal working. Ideal for
tough jobs.
Installing/Removing Sanding Discs
Use Roloc™ type sanding discs.
1. Remove the battery pack. WARNING! Always
remove battery pack before changing or removing
accessories.
2. Press in the spindle lock and thread sanding disc
onto the backing pad. Hand tighten securely.
3. To remove, reverse the procedure.
Installing Backing Pads
1. Remove the battery pack. WARNING! Always
remove battery pack before changing or removing
accessories.
2. Wipe the accessories and
spindle to remove dust and
debris. Inspect the parts for
damage. Replace if needed.
Use only MILWAUKEE
mounting hardware designed
for your tool.
3. Press in the spindle lock and
thread the backing pad into
the spindle. Hand tighten securely.
4. To remove backing pad, remove the battery pack
and reverse the procedure.
Installing/Removing Hook and Loop
Polishing Pads
1. Remove the battery pack. WARNING! Always
remove battery pack before changing or removing
accessories.
2. To install, line up the polishing pad with the back-
ing pad and press rmly onto the tool.
3. To remove, pull the polishing pad off of the backing
pad.
NOTE: Use side handles for better control.
OPERATION
WARNING
To reduce the risk of injury, always
wear safety goggles or glasses
with side shields.
Fuel Gauge
To determine the amount of charge left in the bat-
tery, pull the trigger. The Fuel Gauge will light up for
2-3 seconds.
To signal the end of charge, 1 light on the fuel gauge
will ash for 2-3 seconds.
Selecting Speed
Allow the tool to come to a complete
stop before changing speeds.
1. For Low speed, push the speed
selector to display “1”.
2. For High speed, push the speed
selector to display “2”.
Locking the Trigger
Always allow the motor to come to a complete stop
before locking the trigger. Always lock the trigger or
remove the battery pack before performing maintenance, changing accessories, storing the tool and
any time the tool is not in use.
To lock the trigger, push the trigger lock from the
LOCK side of the tool. To unlock, push the trigger
lock to the
UNLOCK side of the tool.
General Operation
1. After installing an accessory or beginning a period of work, test the wheel by letting it spin for
one minute before applying it to the workpiece.
WARNING! Never use a accessory that has been
dropped. Out-of-balance or damaged accessories
can mar workpiece, damage the tool, and cause
stress that may cause accessory failure.
2. Use a clamp, vise or other practical means to hold
your work, freeing both hands to control the tool.
3. WARNING! Hold tool securely with both hands.
Start the tool.
NOTE: If the battery is inserted when the tool is
ON, the tool will not run. Turn the tool OFF, then
back ON to begin work.
4. Allow accessory to come to full speed before
beginning work.
5. Control pressure and surface contact between accessory and workpiece. WARNING! Never bang
accessory onto work. Too much pressure causes
accessory failure or slows speed.
6. When nished, turn off the tool and make sure it
comes to a complete stop before laying it down.
6
MAINTENANCE
WARNING
To reduce the risk of injury, always
unplug the charger and remove the
battery pack from the charger or tool before
performing any maintenance. Never disassemble
the tool, battery pack or charger. Contact a
MILWAUKEE service facility for ALL repairs.
Maintaining Tool
Keep your tool, battery pack and charger in good
repair by adopting a regular maintenance program.
Inspect your tool for issues such as undue noise,
misalignment or binding of moving parts, breakage of
parts, or any other condition that may affect the tool
operation. Return the tool, battery pack, and charger
to a MILWAUKEE service facility for repair. After six
months to one year, depending on use, return the
tool, battery pack and charger to a MILWAUKEE
service facility for inspection.
If the tool does not start or operate at full power with
a fully charged battery pack, clean the contacts on
the battery pack. If the tool still does not work properly, return the tool, charger and battery pack, to a
MILWAUKEE service facility for repairs.
WARNING
To reduce the risk of personal injury and damage, never immerse
your tool, battery pack or charger in liquid or
allow a liquid to ow inside them.
Cleaning
Clean dust and debris from vents. Keep handles
clean, dry and free of oil or grease. Use only mild
soap and a damp cloth to clean, since certain cleaning agents and solvents are harmful to plastics and
other insulated parts. Some of these include gasoline,
turpentine, lacquer thinner, paint thinner, chlorinated
cleaning solvents, ammonia and household deter-
gents containing ammonia. Never use ammable or
combustible solvents around tools.
Repairs
For repairs, return the tool, battery pack and charger
to the nearest service center.
ACCESSORIES
WARNING
Use only recommended accesso-
ries. Others may be hazardous.
For a complete listing of accessories, go online to
www.milwaukeetool.com or contact a distributor.
SERVICE - UNITED STATES
1-800-SAWDUST (1.800.729.3878)
Monday-Friday, 7:00 AM - 6:30 PM CST
or visit www.milwaukeetool.com
Contact Corporate After Sales Service Technical
Support with technical, service/repair, or warranty
questions.
Email: metproductsupport@milwaukeetool.com
Become a Heavy Duty Club Member at
www.milwaukeetool.com to receive important
notications regarding your tool purchases.
SERVICE - CANADA
Milwaukee Tool (Canada) Ltd
1.800.268.4015
Monday-Friday, 7:00 AM - 4:30 PM CST
or visit www.milwaukeetool.ca
LIMITED WARRANTY
USA & CANADA
Every MILWAUKEE power tool* (see exceptions below) is warranted
to the original purchaser only to be free from defects in material and
workmanship. Subject to certain exceptions, MILWAUKEE will repair
or replace any part on an electric power tool which, after examination,
is determined by MILWAUKEE to be defective in material or workman-
ship for a period of ve (5) years** after the date of purchase unless
otherwise noted. Return of the power tool to a MILWAUKEE factory
Service Center location or MILWAUKEE Authorized Service Station,
freight prepaid and insured, is required. A copy of the proof of purchase
should be included with the return product. This warranty does not
apply to damage that MILWAUKEE determines to be from repairs
made or attempted by anyone other than MILWAUKEE authorized
personnel, misuse, alterations, abuse, normal wear and tear, lack of
maintenance, or accidents.
Normal Wear: Many power tools need periodic parts replacement and
service to achieve best performance. This warranty does not cover
repair when normal use has exhausted the life of a part including,
but not limited to, chucks, brushes, cords, saw shoes, blade clamps,
o-rings, seals, bumpers, driver blades, pistons, strikers, lifters, and
bumper cover washers.
*This warranty does not cover Air Nailers & Staplers; Airless Paint
Sprayer; Cordless Battery Packs; Gasoline Driven Portable Power
Generators; Hand Tools; Hoist – Electric, Lever & Hand Chain;
M12™ Heated Gear; Reconditioned Product; and Test & Measure-
ment Products. There are separate and distinct warranties available
for these products.
**The warranty period for Job Site Radios, M12™ Power Port, M18™
Power Source, Jobsite Fan and Trade Titan™ Industrial Work Carts
is one (1) year from the date of purchase. The warranty period for the
Cables for the Drain Snake is two (2) years from the date of purchase.
The warranty period for the LED in the LED Work Light and the LED
Upgrade Bulb for the Work Light is the lifetime of the product subject
to the limitations above. If during normal use the LED or LED Bulb
fails, the part will be replaced free of charge.
Warranty Registration is not necessary to obtain the applicable war-
ranty on a MILWAUKEE power tool product. The manufacturing date
of the product will be used to determine the warranty period if no proof
of purchase is provided at the time warranty service is requested.
ACCEPTANCE OF THE EXCLUSIVE REPAIR AND REPLACEMENT
REMEDIES DESCRIBED HEREIN IS A CONDITION OF THE CON-
TRACT FOR THE PURCHASE OF EVERY MILWAUKEE PRODUCT.
IF YOU DO NOT AGREE TO THIS CONDITION, YOU SHOULD NOT
PURCHASE THE PRODUCT. IN NO EVENT SHALL MILWAUKEE BE
LIABLE FOR ANY INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR
PUNITIVE DAMAGES, OR FOR ANY COSTS, ATTORNEY FEES,
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