If you’ve spent any time working with metal, you may have come across, or even have used, a mag drill to assist with your tasks. They’re excellent machines, able to bore through material quickly, neatly, and with ease. Hougen has been one of the leading names in the mag drill industry since the release of their first portable mag drill in 1974, and they’ve been innovating to further perfect their craft ever since. The HMD130 is one of their latest and, arguably, greatest solutions that they’ve produced, capable of providing the same excellent power we’ve come to expect from Hougen motors while maintaining a sleek, low profile to fit into spaces you never would have expected to have been able to use a mag drill before.

Hougen knows that a lot of the day is spent using your upper body strength. Whether it be carrying, lifting, hauling, or even just cutting or drilling, one thing we’re all tired of is having to lug equipment all over the place to get to the next project site. With the design of the HMD130, Hougen has ensured almost feather lightness (in relative terms of mag drills). Coming in at just under 25 pounds, the HMD130 is one of the lightest mag drills ever constructed, and Hougen has been sure to pack as many features as they could inside its sleek chassis. The magnetic base at the bottom has a 1,200lb deadlift rating while on 3/8” plate and a whopping 2,165lb rating on 1” plate. The powerful motor housed inside is capable of operating from any standard 115 or 120 volt power source, and spins up to 450 no-load revolutions per minute (RPM), while a heavy-duty, high-torque gearing ratio provides continuous reliable RPM and a uniform surface feet per minute (SFM) to give you higher feed rates even in tougher materials and the power to cut holes up to 1-⅜” in diameter in materials up to 1” thick. For projects with even tighter spaces, Hougen also included a removable feed handle for optional ratcheting.

Your safety while using this mag drill is also paramount to Hougen, and to that end, they’ve included a series of features designed specifically to keep you and those around you safe while the tool is in use. If for any reason the drill should come loose from its magnetic anchor causing a potential safety hazard, a no-adjustment safety switch is able to power the drill down within moments as soon as any sort of lift of the base is detected. A visible LED indicator is included entirely to monitor the safety switch’s sensors, and will alert if it detects power to the drill without the switch having been flipped. The HMD130 also features a 2-stage power on switch, which prevents the drill from rotating entirely unless the base has been first engaged, and will keep the power to the drill off in the event of a loss or interruption of power until the start button is pressed manually. A rigid quill feed arbor not only prevents vibration in the drill, but also eliminates gibs, slide/way adjustments, and loads of maintenance in order to maintain its sleek low profile.

The Hougen HMD130 is an incredible mag drill, and its lightweight form factor and host of incredible features makes it a perfect addition to anyone that works closely with mag drills. Be sure to pick yours up at one of the links throughout this post (including this one, right here!) and feel free to reach out with any questions, comments, or concerns to 614-481-2111 or cs@ohiopowertool.com. Don’t forget to follow us wherever you consume your social media these days to stay up to date on the latest deals, announcements, and more!