After using MILWAUKEE TOOL’s cordless M18 FUEL™RINGER™ Roll Groover from start to finish on a recent project, 1901 Inc. of Madison, WI, estimated saving 40–50 hours of labor, thanks to faster setup time and easier mobility compared with traditional electric grooving machines. Jeremy Baillies, a steamfitter foreman at 1901 Inc., said, “It’s way more efficient, much faster, much safer; it saves all kinds of time.”
For over 100 years, 1901 Inc. has built a reputation of delivering high-quality designs, builds, installations, and services of MEPF systems across the Midwest. With over 20 years in the field and the past eight at 1901 Inc., Baillies leads HVAC installations across large-scale projects, managing teams of up to 15 people. His focus is clear: Get the job done right, safely, and efficiently. In his role, Baillies is often at the center of complex installations where previous roll grooving methods have long posed challenges from physical strain to time constraints and safety risks. “Manning the tool up there then you would have to crank it around the pipe,” he recalled. “It was very straining on the body and very, very time-consuming.”
When possible, 1901 Inc. turned to a traditional electric grooving machine, but that came with its own limitations. “It was large and heavy. You had to use a pallet jack to move it or lift it from floor to floor. And the pipe itself had to spin, which was dangerous and limited what we could do.”
1901 Inc. and Baillies himself “almost have exclusively Milwaukee cordless tools,” already, so when they were introduced to the world’s first cordless roll groover by Milwaukee, Baillies initially remembered thinking, “It’s going to be a game changer.” Now, having implemented the M18 FUEL RINGER Roll Groover throughout his latest project, Baillies’ verdict is clear: “I don’t feel like I would ever buy a corded tool again if they made a cordless version of that tool.”
Work Anywhere
With the M18 FUEL RINGER Roll Groover now in full use, Baillies and his team are seeing major improvements in setup time and mobility. Traditional grooving tools often require lengthy setup, access to power, and multiple crew members to transport and operate. With the M18 FUEL RINGER Roll Groover, “There is no setup time,” Baillies explained. “You just grab it out of the job box, slap a battery in it, take it to where you need it, put it on [the pipe], and push the button. One person can just go grab it, take it upstairs, and they’re ready to rock.”
Whether grooving pipe on the ground or in the air, the tool’s cordless operation gives users the flexibility to work wherever it’s most convenient. “You can take a short 3” piece of pipe, set the machine on the ground, push go, and it’ll just sit there and spin on the pipe,” Baillies added. This level of portability and ease of use has redefined how his team approaches grooving onsite.
Easiest Way to Groove
Beyond mobility, the RINGER Roll Groover simplifies the grooving process itself. “Once you groove one, then you’re sticking with that size pipe, you don’t ever have to change it again,” Baillies said. “Once you have it set, it’s good to go. You can keep going through the rest of the day.”
Milwaukee’s integrated control panel allows users to select pipe type, schedule, and size, while the groove depth offset dial ensures consistent, in-spec grooves. This automation eliminates the guesswork and manual checking that used to slow down the process. “This one, once you get it set, it automatically stops. It does all the checking for you,” Baillies said. “It’s accurate, once you set it, you don’t have to think about it again.” By removing the need for ratcheting, cranking, and constant adjustments, the RINGER Roll Groover delivers a hands-free process with up to 65-percent reduction in peak muscle effort.
With up to 25 3” schedule (Sch.) 40 grooves per charge, the M18 FUEL RINGER Roll Groover for 2” to 6” Sch. 10/40 delivers dependable runtime. But for Baillies, the real value is cordless freedom. “Runtime was not a concern of mine, we got plenty of grooves off one battery,” he said. “Even if it had less runtime, I would’ve still been fine with it because of the amount of time it saves. I mean, I would just get more batteries if I needed to.” Fully compatible with the M18 battery system, the RINGER Roll Groover eliminates the need for temporary power sources and extension cords, allowing crews to stay focused and mobile.
Reducing Risk
The cordless roll groovers from Milwaukee also bring significant safety improvements. With traditional grooving machines, long sections of pipe were spinning and could unexpectedly swing or shift, creating the risk of injury to workers or damage to nearby materials. The M18 FUEL RINGER Roll Groover keeps the pipe stationary while the machine does the spinning, allowing users to work in tighter spaces without compromising safety and eliminating the physical strain of manual cranking.
“The wear and tear on the body is huge, there is none when it comes to this,” Baillies emphasized. “There’s all kinds of different reasons why that pipe not spinning is a huge safety feature out on a project.” Without the need to spin long sections of pipe or operate heavy, corded equipment, 1901 Inc. has reduced physical strain and minimized risk for workers.
Saving time, improving accuracy, and increasing safety on the job with the M18 FUEL RINGER Roll Groover made 1901 Inc.’s decision to invest in more roll groovers an easy one. Baillies concluded, “We’ll start out with a couple of them and see how much more we need…. We’re investing in a few of these just to start with, just because of how much simpler it makes the process.”
For more information, visit www.milwaukeetool.com.
