2458-20 M12 palm nailer
The 2548-20 is a cordless palm nailer for the M12 battery system manufactured by Milwaukee.
In 2021 it was the only palm nailer in the M12 system.
A palm nailer is a specialized tool that is different from other types of nailers because it does not have a magazine for driving many nails sequentially. It is more like an automatic hammer that can be used to drive nails in hard to reach spots where there is not enough space to swing a hammer.
Exterior
Unlike most other power tools this one does not have a handle, but the whole machine is designed to fit within the palm of an adult human hand.
The body is made out of red plastic with a black rubberized top for better grip. An M12 battery is inserted in the back.
On the side of the body, below the battery is a small black strip with four LEDs that act as a battery charge indicator. Milwaukee calls this the "fuel gauge".
The bottom of the machine also has some rubber for additional grips at the tips of the fingers. There is also a white LED that illuminates the working area.
At the front there is a downwards pointing collet which has a magnetic sleeve with an anvil that moves up and down inside it to strike the head of the nail.
Operation
The machine is activated by pushing the black button on the side of the bottom with the collet positioned above the head of the nail. It is up to the operator to apply the right amount of pressure for the nailer to work effectively.
On top of the machine is a slide switch which acts a s trigger lock. When the lock icon is visible the machine will not torn on when the button is pressed.
An optional hand strap can be used for better grip. It is not included with the bare tool, but with the kit that includes a battery and charger.