Shopsmith Forums

Just wanted to see if anyone uses an impact Driver out there. And why you needed it versus a driver drill for the type project you worked on.


Thanks,
Dave C.

calver wrote:Just wanted to see if anyone uses an impact Driver out there. And why you needed it versus a driver drill for the type project you worked on.


Thanks,
Dave C.

I use this one for fasteners because I feel better control.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/d ... mber=93481

calver wrote:Just wanted to see if anyone uses an impact Driver out there. And why you needed it versus a driver drill for the type project you worked on.


Thanks,
Dave C.

I use this one on fasteners because I have better control.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/d ... mber=93481

Hi,

I'm guessing you're talking about something along this line?
http://www.toolbarn.com/category/hitach ... ss-impact/

I don't own one but wish I did...

My son worked for a season building decks and the crew used them for putting lag bolts in and larger screws. I think for uses like that they out perform drill drives by a wide margin.

I bet with a little time and google you can find some comparisons if you do decide to buy.

Ed

calver wrote:Just wanted to see if anyone uses an impact Driver out there. And why you needed it versus a driver drill for the type project you worked on.


Thanks,
Dave C.

An impact driver is for installing screws, lag screws, nuts on bolts etc. It is NOT practical for driving a drill bit. As soon as it meets resistance it starts the impact mechanism and drill bits are made for constant forward motion - not stop and start.

I have the Makita 14.4V impact driver and love it for its intended purpose. It drives deck screws like a hot knife going through butter. I recently had to remove and replace about twenty boards on my deck and the impact driver removed AND replaced about 100 three inch deck screws without needing to recharge the battery.

One advantage of the impact driver over a drill/driver is it will not damage the slot on the screw head anywhere near as fast or as often as the drill driver does.

But forget about driving a drill bit with it. The "chuck" on an impact driver is like the coupling on an air hose. It is not a drill chuck. You can buy drill bits with a hex shank that may work but they are expensive and in my opinion not worth the effort.

I have both x2. I bought a Ryobi Lithium-ion 18 Volt (Lime Green) set at Home Depot. My son wanted to build a new pergola(Outdoor Patio Cover). We used the drill driver to pre drill the screw holes. Then we sank long screws into the large beams with the impact driver. That driver worked all day without skipping a beat. I have build homes using drill drivers only to have them go out midway in the project. If I had have a impact driver I would still be using it. Only one word of caution. You will go thru screw bits fast unless you use real hard ones. I also choose square drive screws over Phillips because the Phillips head screw strip out faster using a impact driver. To use a impact driver on hardwoods, I would first always pre drill the holes so that you don't get splitting in your wood. And be light on the trigger of the impact driver. They sink screws fast. They are a great tool. I will never go without one again.

I use a DeWalt 18v Impact. Great tool. I too will never be without one. I can drive the same 3.5" screw over and over again into a pressure treated 4x4 to full depth without stripping the screw head. I rarely get to full depth with a standard Dewalt drill driver without stripping the head in side by side comparison.

I don't have a great deal of experience but I will say that for driving and removing screws et al, the impact driver is the class way to go. It is sooooo much easier with an impact driver.

Thanks for the feed back. Bosch is coming out with an 18V Lith. in April. I have a 1/2 inch Bosch Driver drill because of some special discounts offered last fall. Also got two additional batteries with their rebate offer.

I wonder if the impact driver would be ok with pocket hole screws?


Dave C.

One would be "OK" on pocket hole screws but I stopped using one for that because they tend to drive the screws so fast that you keep turning them after they are bottomed out and strip the threads in the part you are "attaching". Thus you lose all the strength in the joint (except for the glue - if you also glued the joint).