# Who has a cordless impact driver?



## gafftapegreenia (Sep 14, 2011)

About two years ago I upgraded and purchased an 18v Makita lithium ion drill/impact driver kit. While I could make a whole separate thread about how great li-ion drills are, this one is about impact drivers. If you haven't discovered the cordless impact driver yet, you owe it to yourself. 3" screws have finally met their match. I have become a firm believer in the value of a cordless impact driver. Of course, I also just put a new motor in my 7 year old DeWalt 12v drill, for two reasons. 1) It still has better torque than the drill that came in my Makita set and 2) I'm not ready to give up that 3 speed clutch, because most drills only have two speeds. 

As for all the impact bits, namely the DeWalt Impact Ready and Milwaukee Shockwave offerings, I'm still undecided as to if they are gimmicks or not. Now, certainly impact sockets are different, since they are made to resist shattering, as will happen with normal sockets when used on an impact tool. However, the impact driver bits don't seen to have a much longer lifespan than normal bits, and the DeWalt impact bits actually seem to have a shorter life (and normally I laud DeWalt accessories)

So, impact drivers, discuss.


----------



## Van (Sep 14, 2011)

I bought three Ryobi cordless drivers a couple of years ago. I love and hate them. They arte indispensible for driving long screws and make short work of medium size screws but you really have to remind folks that they will drive a screw right through certain materials. Oh and they are annoyingly loud. 
Other than that I agree they are fantastic.


----------



## LXPlot (Sep 14, 2011)

Yes, we have them at work and they are pretty much indispensable for driving screws into 1by or 2by. They don't do much else though.


----------



## derekleffew (Sep 14, 2011)

Impact Drivers | McFeely's

Agree with Van on the noise issue. A friend recently bought these for his shop, and just loves them: Shop for Bosch PS41B 12 Volt Lithium Ion Impact Driver Bare Tool (PS41B) from The Home Depot .


----------



## 65535 (Sep 14, 2011)

I have both a Milwaukee impact and Makita impact, just the other day I had someone nearby using a Ryobi and the Ryobi unit is far louder and more shrill than the other two. Not to say impact drivers aren't loud, but some more than others.


----------



## Van (Sep 14, 2011)

LXPlot said:


> Yes, we have them at work and they are pretty much indispensable for driving screws into 1by or 2by. They don't do much else though.


 
Oh They are pretty good at a few other things..... Like when you need to pop out to the parking garage and fix something real quick. the impact driver is great at removing certain nuts and bolts which were installed at the factory....


----------



## soundlight (Sep 14, 2011)

My cordless stuff is all Hitachi 12v Max Li-Ion, and I have the impact driver (and the drill/driver, screwdriver, and recip saw), and that impact driver can sink lag screw after lag screw after lag screw in to case wheelboards with no issues. Used it to put new wheelboards on a bunch of chainmotor cases and didn't have any battery issues. As a side note, I really do love the Hitachi 12V Max stuff and the battery life and power is really surprisingly good, as is most of the newer 12V LI-ION stuff these days.

To have a tool that can sink lag screws over and over again without an air hose is wonderful. And the size is another bonus.


----------



## Edrick (Sep 14, 2011)

I've got a Dewalt Impact 18V and it's the best thing since sliced bread, unfortunately now that I got it I haven't had any projects to work on.


----------



## Sony (Sep 14, 2011)

We have 8 DeWalt 18v Impact Drivers at the school. Couldn't live without them, we barely use our normal drills. Hopefully gonna pick one up for myself sometime soon.


----------



## MPowers (Sep 14, 2011)

I have 6 Milwaukee 18v impact with the lightweight battery. We use them extensively on installations. They will drive a 3/8" x 3" concrete anchor (BIG concrete TapCon) without hesitation. When installing a T-bar guide wall, 100 plus fasteners, that's a biggie. The half weight 18v LiOn batteries don't have the charge time of the full size, but the wear and tear on your hand and arm is cut in half due to the weight. That makes a big difference at the end of an 8 hour day. Get a couple extra batteries, keep up on charging and the crew will thank you profusely at the end of the day. 

When assembling tracks or raceways, the speed of the tool is incredible. Saves a LOT of time. Because there is no measurable or set-table torque setting, the crew is trained on the required torque need for each fastening and they check frequently to stray within the requirements. For batten clamps and track hanging clamps, we have found that two or three rattles sets the fasteners at well over the needed torque. YMMV.


----------



## avkid (Sep 14, 2011)

I have a Ridgid impact and it's changed the way I work.
No more drilling a pilot hole then fumbling around for a driver bit.


----------



## seanandkate (Sep 14, 2011)

I found that using our Ryobi impact driver, many of my high school technicians didn't strip out screws with the frightening regularity that they otherwise might with an ordinary screw gun. And loving them for longer screws and lag bolts. But +1 about the loud issue.


----------



## jglodeklights (Sep 14, 2011)

I personally own an 18V Hitachi Cordless Impact Driver and Cordless Drill/Driver. I have used impact drivers from Makita, Milwaukee, Ryobi, Dewalt, Ridgid and Bosch. When it comes to quickly putting together standard platforms of 2x4 and 3/4" OSB, they make quick and easy work of the 3" screws in framing and legging (I know, I know not shear rated, but we don't have an air powered nail gun and take them apart and reuse the materials - screws). However, my preference is still to use my 18V Drill/Driver or 12V Milwaukee Drill/Driver for the 1-5/8" screws used to secure the lid. Less likely to drive right through the OSB, and the 18V Drill/Driver definitely picks up a bit more speed on the shorter screws than the Impact.

Reasons I purchased my Hitachi:
1. Excellent battery life. Fade Free (blessing and a curse, it dies right at its limit but has up to 80-85% power all the way through that point).
2. Excellent torque and speed.
3. Even with its full size battery it isn't overly heavy.
4. Smaller, contoured, more comfortable grip to my hand. 
5. Usually available at a very reasonable price. 

What I don't like about it:
1. Impact Driver does get hot, but never manages to overheat.
2. The LED light is slightly high on the driver and is obscured at close range by the driver/tip/guide.
3. As much torque, but not as much speed, as the Makita Impact Drivers.

Would I buy it again? 
Yes, absolutely. Outprices Makita; usually outprices Dewalt, Bosch and Milwaukee. Better feel to the driving than Dewalt, Bosch and Milwaukee IMO. Ryobi and other brands are less expensive, but have less torque and speed. Usually less well contoured grip and feel to drive. IMO, again.


----------



## erichart (Sep 15, 2011)

I've had the little 10.8V Bosch Impact Driver for a few years now, and I love it. Almost as powerful as the 18V Dewalt impacts we have at work. Certainly faster at driving screws than the 18V regular drills (and lighter, so easier on the wrist).


----------



## tjrobb (Sep 15, 2011)

Both in maintenance and tech I love impact drivers, I have yet to find an easier way to drive Tapcons into our eighty year old concrete.


----------



## rsmentele (Sep 15, 2011)

Impact drills really have change my life, in regards to construction and maintenance, of course. I use a dewalt 18v at work and have a 18v ryobi at home, I really love the dewalt, and for home use, my ryobi is fine, but I am really looking to upgrade to a li-ion soon. I work with some set carpenters that have the ion's and i really love those. So someday the upgrade will arrive. 

I love the fact that you can easily switch from driving 3" screws to a 3" lag bolt and not have to get a darn socket wrench out, I think that's what I love most.


----------



## NickVon (Sep 15, 2011)

tjrobb said:


> Both in maintenance and tech I love impact drivers, I have yet to find an easier way to drive Tapcons into our eighty year old concrete.


 
I have a 12v Bosch, and it Blows regular 18v Drill Drivers outa the water now matter what brand. Bosch tools seem to have higher Amperage batteries too which seems to make them perform a little better then Dewalt alternatives. I love my Bosch Kit.


----------



## mstaylor (Sep 15, 2011)

I had seen the impacts for a while but hadn't bought one because my drill/driver wasn't eating anything and I just hated to spend the money for something I really didn't need. Boy, was that a mistake. I finally got a couple and my drill rarely leaves the box anymore.


----------



## gafftapegreenia (Sep 15, 2011)

Small reason I like Makita: The light stays on for a short time after you release the trigger.


----------



## gbirdsall (Sep 23, 2011)

i have the makita and the new craftsman at home and like everyone says they are amazing, i use mine everywhere from work, to the shop, it even proved to be a very valuable companion when replacing a clutch on my ford ranger. 230xxx miles on the factory clutch and the flywheel bolts just came right out. i wouldnt trade these tools for anything.


----------



## Lotos (Sep 24, 2011)

*pokes his head out*
This is going to be a "Con" post... Not a "Pro" post... Sorry :S

Now, for the majority of my time within a theatre, I play an electrician.
What this means, is that Impact Drivers live at the Carpentry Shop (seperate building) and anything likely to be found backstage are cheaper Black & Decker "Do what you need, at a decent price point" drills...

Thus, my major complaint isn't with Impact Drivers, it's with people that use them to put something together that must later be disassembled by someone else (say, an electrician opening up a light box)... Only the screws were put in in a location that is unreachable with a standard (large body) drill...

Yes the instances are rare... But if you're ever in the shop building something, and you find yourself unable to fit a drill in there, and start to reach for your impact driver... Think twice... Please?


----------



## gafftapegreenia (Sep 24, 2011)

Lotos said:


> *pokes his head out*
> This is going to be a "Con" post... Not a "Pro" post... Sorry :S
> 
> Now, for the majority of my time within a theatre, I play an electrician.
> ...



Sounds like you need a right angle drill/driver.


----------



## BillESC (Sep 25, 2011)

Used a Milwaukee 18v impact drill the other day on an installation. Had to drill a 3/8" hole through 38" of masonary in a church built back in the 1700's. Made short work of a tough job.


----------



## Esoteric (Sep 25, 2011)

Bought one of my electricians the Ryobi lithium impact (back with it was the only set on the market) as a gift. Best on the market even today. Got my wife the Milwaukee set. It is good no doubt, but not in the same zip code as the Ryobi.


----------



## Sony (Sep 25, 2011)

BillESC said:


> Used a Milwaukee 18v impact drill the other day on an installation. Had to drill a 3/8" hole through 38" of masonary in a church built back in the 1700's. Made short work of a tough job.



You did that with an Impact Driver? Are you sure you didn't mean a cordless Hammer Drill? I didn't think that impact drivers could be used with masonry bits, nor did I think they were effective. It's two different types of hammer actions.


----------



## BillESC (Sep 25, 2011)

It was a hammer drill.


----------



## shiben (Sep 29, 2011)

Lotos said:


> *pokes his head out*
> This is going to be a "Con" post... Not a "Pro" post... Sorry :S
> 
> Now, for the majority of my time within a theatre, I play an electrician.
> ...


 
Agreed. Dont care if you feel the need to sink something gigantic if it makes you feel good about yourself, but for the love of all that is holy, make sure you can reach it without a thumb-operated driver. Also I hate the noise in theaters without much drape... And it makes it hard to hear just about anything else. And I dont think they work as well for assembling lighting gear as regular drivers.


----------



## mstaylor (Oct 1, 2011)

shiben said:


> Agreed. Dont care if you feel the need to sink something gigantic if it makes you feel good about yourself, but for the love of all that is holy, make sure you can reach it without a thumb-operated driver. Also I hate the noise in theaters without much drape... And it makes it hard to hear just about anything else. And I dont think they work as well for assembling lighting gear as regular drivers.


When I think impact drivers I think scene shop. If I was assembling lighting I would use a regular drill or even a smaller straight driver like electricians use for trimming houses.


----------



## shiben (Oct 3, 2011)

mstaylor said:


> When I think impact drivers I think scene shop. If I was assembling lighting I would use a regular drill or even a smaller straight driver like electricians use for trimming houses.


 
Exactly. It just becomes a problem when thats all a place owns because one is so much "better" than the other. Ill take a small little martha stewart drill any day for assembling lighting gear, but some places I have been insist that you dont need those and instead the impact driver is all you need.


----------



## Blacksheep0317 (Oct 5, 2011)

I have been using the DeWalt tools forever, and swear by them. I use an 18V impact almost esclusivly for any driving, bolting type work. I just prefer the size and balance of it. Plenty of power, plenty of battery life, and everyone every where has a dewalt battery and charger somewhere which makes it nice to do battery swaps. The 24 volt is nice to when im in the race shop working on cars, but the 18 is awesome for daily use and theater work.


----------



## echnaret (Oct 6, 2011)

I have a Makita 10/8v drill/impact driver kit, and I love it (I still need to buy a couple spare batteries, though; they don't last quite as long as I'd like). I definitely prefer the impact driver over the drill for long screws, though I always wear earplugs when using it. I will say I met a ME who only used drills because he disliked the noise so much.

On a slightly unrelated note, I recently found a Bosch Li-ion 10.8v drill that appeared to have been thrown out of a 2nd story window (there was a bunch of other stuff in the courtyard that didn't survive the fall as well). After I bought a charger online and charged the battery up, the drill seemed to work pretty well. The case is cracked, and the drill bit doesn't seem to turn quite as fast as it should, but besides that, it works great.


----------



## firewater88 (Oct 6, 2011)

I now run 2 14v DeWalts with quick change tips and also an 18v with a 1/2" socket head on it. All work like a dream. I always grab these before the regular drill.

You should try chucking in a spade bit and see how fast you can blow holes in a 2x4 with an impact.


----------



## Esoteric (Oct 7, 2011)

mstaylor said:


> When I think impact drivers I think scene shop. If I was assembling lighting I would use a regular drill or even a smaller straight driver like electricians use for trimming houses.


 
I only use my Bosch (not Ryobi, duh) impact. I don't even use a regular screwdriver for anything anymore.


----------



## shiben (Oct 7, 2011)

firewater88 said:


> I now run 2 14v DeWalts with quick change tips and also an 18v with a 1/2" socket head on it. All work like a dream. I always grab these before the regular drill.
> 
> You should try chucking in a spade bit and see how fast you can blow holes in a 2x4 with an impact.


 
Holy Crap true that.


----------



## krice (Jan 9, 2012)

I adore my bosch impact driver. Agreed that driving in a 3" screw has never been easier. I wear earplugs constantly with mine since it is so loud (actually enforces a good habit so I guess I can't complain). You also can't beat the weight and size, I used to have a lot of wrist pain after long days and I don't have any problems when using my Bosch. It also makes quick work of repetitive build jobs.

I have two negatives though- we almost exclusively used the Bosch Impactor when I worked at a community theatre and volunteers who are not familiar with the torque of an impact driver can and will drive right through some materials (or bury screws so far you're not sure how they drove them that far in the first place)- it's a wonderful tool, but not for everyone.

And I really wish it could hold a twist bit and/or spade bit that doesn't have a hex shank... my bosch obviously doesn't have a ratcheting chuck, I would never put it down if it did.


----------



## gafftapegreenia (May 17, 2013)

Resurrecting this thread since the topic has come back up. 

I have personally owned the following drills/kits. DeWalt 12v Nicad, DeWalt 18vNicad, Makita 18vLi-Ion impact driver/drill kit, Milwaukee M12 Impact Driver/drill kit, Milwaukee M12 FUEL Impact driver. And of course, I've used other offerings from Ryobi, Black and Decker, Porter Cable, Milwaukee, Makita, DeWalt and on and on and on.

There is no use denying the affectiveness of impact drivers. Less shoulder pain is enough reason alone to justify the purchase of one. 

As of May 2013, my go to cordless tools are the Milwaukee M12 series. I first bought into this series about a year and a half ago. I now have the hammer drill, original impact driver, oscillating multi tool (those things deserve their own thread, for serious), right angle driver, and as of two weeks ago, the FUEL brushless impact driver.

While I've always been a DeWalt fan, and continue to buy their saws, when I was looking into compact 12 volt li-ion tools, DeWalt was lagging behind. They are catching up, and while I like their ring of three LED's, I'm not a fan of the bulk of the slide battery pack. The Milwaukee M12's are the most portable drills I've ever owned. I can put a drill, and impact, their batteries and a charger in backpack and it still weighs less than one old 18v Nicad DeWalt. 

Brushless motors are the 'it' thing right now in the tool game, and its a noticeable improvement. The Milwaukee M12 FUEL Impact Driver I purchased two weeks ago is JUST AS POWERFUL as the 18v Makita that started this thread back in 2011. The current crop of impact drivers has also been designed with torque limited features, either user adjustable or automatic, so you could drive more delicate screws with them.

If I ever again have to sink a 3" screw with a regular drill/driver, it will be too soon.


----------



## josh88 (May 17, 2013)

I've got the 20v lithium dewalt driver and drill they are fantastic and have incredible power and battery life. I actually love the battery base because I can sit it down and it will still be upright, I never thought that as a feature would be something I care about but it does save time in the long run. 

My shop has the rigid 18v impact and drill set that Home Depot sells it was only around $150 I think and definitely the best deal I've seen on a set like that. That being said the batteries (despite being lithium) are almost double the thickness of my dewalt battery and they are almost as heavy as our 18v nicad dewalts. Seriously they are heavy as sin. But otherwise have served us well for a year now.


Via tapatalk


----------



## firewater88 (May 29, 2013)

Last year my Dewalt batteries started to really show their age. I priced out new batteries and rebuilt (some already were). The cost was too big to get new batteries so back to the market I go... Narrowed it down to Milwaukee and Ridgid. I liked the lifetime warranty (even on batteries) for the Ridgid. When I approached administration about this, they wanted me to lean toward the Ridgid for the warranty. I purchased several sets of the Ridgid combos, including the large combo kit. Now totally switched over, I do love the tools. I like the balance of the impacts, plenty of power and god battery life. I have 2 of the larger battery packs and the rest are the smaller ones, never really complain about the weight. A lot of hoops to get the lifetime warranty, but I think worth it in the end. I wish they were the brushless motors, but the price was right.

I passed down the Dewalt tools to our maintenance department... they were happy for the spares/additions...


----------



## B_Cut (Nov 7, 2013)

I just bought a new Rigid combo kit from Home Depot. $200 bucks got me a new 18V cordless drill and a 18V cordless impact gun, charger, carrying case for both guns, and a radio(bonus). I love them so far. Great torque, good battery life and a lifetime battery replacement when registered. They are nice and light and I can get into a lot of places I couldn't before with the old Bosch drill we had. I liked our old Bosch drill too, but these are way better. I'm sure a new Bosch would be comparable, but for the price, I like these.


----------



## firewater88 (Nov 8, 2013)

B_Cut said:


> I just bought a new Rigid combo kit from Home Depot. $200 bucks got me a new 18V cordless drill and a 18V cordless impact gun, charger, carrying case for both guns, and a radio(bonus). I love them so far. Great torque, good battery life and a lifetime battery replacement when registered. They are nice and light and I can get into a lot of places I couldn't before with the old Bosch drill we had. I liked our old Bosch drill too, but these are way better. I'm sure a new Bosch would be comparable, but for the price, I like these.


Make sure you follow through with all the hoops they require for the lifetime warranty. I had to send one in for repair recently and it was all covered under warranty.


----------



## Dreadpoet (Nov 8, 2013)

Say what you want...in 10 years time I have yet to have my craftsmen screwguns fail to operate. I recently moved to lithium ion and added some impact drivers to the mix. What I found was that sears often have sales, plus they often will include both drill, driver and such packaged together. It was cheaper to by the package than a diver with extra battery. First time I heard the rattle of the impact driver I thought it was broke...though I love it for 3 inch screws


----------



## JRRichardson (Nov 10, 2013)

I would be happy with any of the higher spec modern battery drill/drivers - I still recall my fathers first battery drill that he would charge for hours to use for minutes!
I have a 18v DeWalt and I love it for all the reasons people have already listed - 3 speeds, 3 drive options, a spare battery and enough grunt to get every job done. As a venue tech in a tilt slab building I love having an impact driver for setting anchors into concrete and making all that flat wall space useful... The one shortfall the DeWalt does have is the LED 'work light' is set below the chuck in such a way that unless your bit is more than 20cm long, your working in your own shadow... But thats what head torches are for!


----------



## techieman33 (Nov 10, 2013)

JRRichardson said:


> The one shortfall the DeWalt does have is the LED 'work light' is set below the chuck in such a way that unless your bit is more than 20cm long, your working in your own shadow... But thats what head torches are for!



That and you have to depress the trigger for the light to come on. Dewalt aren't the only ones that do that, but I wish it could be on a separate switch so that it could be on before you start, and after your done to let you see what your doing better.


----------



## TheaterEd (Nov 11, 2013)

We just got funding approved from a booster club to replace our drills!!!! When I got the job last year, we had no tools, and no budget (someone's dad always brought his tools). So we have been using two $10 corded drills for set building. We are purchasing two Dewalt 18v Impact Drivers and two Dewalt 18 v Drills. I can't wait!


----------



## gafftapegreenia (Nov 11, 2013)

TheaterEd said:


> We just got funding approved from a booster club to replace our drills!!!! When I got the job last year, we had no tools, and no budget (someone's dad always brought his tools). So we have been using two $10 corded drills for set building. We are purchasing two Dewalt 18v Impact Drivers and two Dewalt 18 v Drills. I can't wait!



Now is the best time to buy! The big boxes have a plethora of drill/drive combo kits on sale right now.


----------



## TheaterEd (Nov 12, 2013)

Local Hardware store has the impact drivers for $89 and the drills for $99 !!!


----------



## TheaterEd (Nov 18, 2013)

techieman33 said:


> That and you have to depress the trigger for the light to come on. Dewalt aren't the only ones that do that, but I wish it could be on a separate switch so that it could be on before you start, and after your done to let you see what your doing better.



Just got a pair of Dewalt impact drivers in time for strike last Saturday. I'm not sure if they changed it since you purchased yours, but I didn't have any issues with the LED being blocked. Also, it is still activated by the trigger, but if you pull the trigger just slightly, the LED kicks on before the bit starts turning.

It never ceases to amaze me that something we spent two months building and ten hours assembling, can be disassembled and cleared off stage in under an hour. Saved a lot of time by not having to wrangle cords and by being able to change quickly between square and phillip's head bits.


----------

