another cordless tool thread - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

dlcj · 12-10-2008, 12:01 PM

Aplies to any brand so im not arguing for roybi here

Help settle and argument between friends.
Do you think running a cordless drill in low gear or high gear will make the battery last longer?
Low gear more power and easier on motor but runs longer for any given screw.
High gear- less power but runs half the time (assuming high gear has plenty power for given screw)

woodworkbykirk · 12-10-2008, 09:09 PM

hard to say, since buying my impact driver i use it for driving all fasteners, my cordless drill is for drilling

however on a related note, my 18v compact lith ion milwaukee is just over a year old and hasnt seen alot of use, for as long as i can remember it only runs in first gear, when i switch it to high speed it doesnt change, bad drill or bad switch

WarnerConstInc. · 12-10-2008, 09:25 PM

Low seems to run a little bit longer before it beeps and shuts itself off.

odleo · 12-11-2008, 01:28 PM

I have several cordless drills that I have used for driving screws. It seems to me that the lower speed I use the longer the battery last. Now that I have bought am impactor, my drills do not drive many screws.

samthedog · 12-11-2008, 05:49 PM

Not sure. But the drill flies just as far when I throw it regardless of what gear it's in after I finish stripping the head off the screw. Who uses a cordless drill for driving screws nowadays??

davitk · 12-11-2008, 05:57 PM

You need out get out more, stop arguing with your wife.

Greg Di · 12-11-2008, 06:49 PM

You can use a drill to drive a screw?

I thought that's what impact DRIVERS were for.

Then again, I suppose there are some people that are late to the game...like five years late!

WarnerConstInc. · 12-11-2008, 08:17 PM

I own a couple impact drivers, dont use them anymore. They are loud, annoying, and too often they strip or snap off a screw. Plus it seems they are either off or full speed, and I hate that.

Greg Di · 12-12-2008, 12:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WarnerConstInc.

I own a couple impact drivers, dont use them anymore. They are loud, annoying, and too often they strip or snap off a screw. Plus it seems they are either off or full speed, and I hate that.

Really? I'll give you loud, but I can't think of the last time I stripped or snapped a screw with an impact driver. I seem to strip screws a lot more with a driver.

I have noticed that some brands of impacts have better triggers than others. I use Makita and Bosch and have no issues feathering the speed up and down depending on what I'm doing. Maybe your impacts had more tempermental triggers???

samthedog · 12-12-2008, 02:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greg Di

Really? I'll give you loud, but I can't think of the last time I stripped or snapped a screw with an impact driver. I seem to strip screws a lot more with a driver.

I have noticed that some brands of impacts have better triggers than others. I use Makita and Bosch and have no issues feathering the speed up and down depending on what I'm doing. Maybe your impacts had more tempermental triggers???

X2

Hence my previous post. I never use a drill for screwing anymore. When my driver was in for repairs I felt like a one armed man using the chrodless drill. Yes, impact drivers are loud but I have not stripped a screw with them yet.

stp57 · 12-12-2008, 08:41 AM

It is very difficult to strip a screw with an impact driver, but I guess if you are having trouble with speed control, that could be the reason.
ID's are great with auger & paddle bits too.
Steve

woodworkbykirk · 12-12-2008, 06:04 PM

only issue i have with my impact driver is driver tips, they tend to shear off in high torque situations, or torque right off a little quicker than a drill will end up rounding them out

impact ready driver tips are rare in my area, i can get em but i have to hunt and their really pricey

WarnerConstInc. · 12-12-2008, 08:47 PM

Ironic Greg, I own 2 12v nimh Makita's, and one Bosch 18v Impactor, plus 1 makita and bosch compact impacts.

I really love the 12v mak's for barn roofs, got stuck doing a few huge old bank barns and they were perfect for that, 60' up in the air no cords, light with a good belt hook. The 18v Bosch only gets used screwing down a butt ton of deck screws (around these parts I dont get the chance to do many in composite) or my lug nuts. If you use an impact driver to run screws in on kitchen and bath installs you are carrying around 2 different tools with you, one for predrill and counter sink and one to drive the screw, maybe even one more compact impactor to reach all the way in the back behind some thing, I do like the lights on these tools though.

I am getting to my point.

After I nuked 2 drills and an impact driver in the course of 2 days, took them to get fixed and couldn't resist stopping at Woodcraft.
I left with a Festool C12 complete kit, since then my other drills and impact drivers dont see much use.

This is no joke, that little C12 (12 volt Nicad) will rip itself from your hands running in the big GRK structural screws, sure my impactor worked just fine, but they are heavy, and that C12 wieghs in at just under 4 pounds.
It is an unbelievable drill, way more to it than one could even explain.

Long story short, I am now spoiled.

dlcj · 12-12-2008, 11:15 PM

Looks like the lows have it. It just seems like you can never get done in low all the time. I just run in high and keep more batts ready.
On another note i guess im the one late on mini impact drivers. Just recently discoverd them. Thought they were only for lug nuts and bolts etc. So you guys say they really work well for screws? Can you drill withem? I only have one cordless drill that i bought almost 5 years ago and have probably drilled one hole for every 99 or more screws driven in. Mostly 1-1/2" metal roof screws. I will have to look into a mini impact driver. They seem a little pricey though.

davitk · 12-13-2008, 07:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dlcj

Looks like the lows have it. It just seems like you can never get done in low all the time. I just run in high and keep more batts ready.
On another note i guess im the one late on mini impact drivers. Just recently discoverd them. Thought they were only for lug nuts and bolts etc. So you guys say they really work well for screws? Can you drill withem? I only have one cordless drill that i bought almost 5 years ago and have probably drilled one hole for every 99 or more screws driven in. Mostly 1-1/2" metal roof screws. I will have to look into a mini impact driver. They seem a little pricey though.

The impact driver will change the way you work, and if you have any wrist/elbow/shoulder issues your body will thank you. Ear plugs are cheap.

**joasis** · 12-13-2008, 07:54 AM

This is why the 18 DeWalts are my choice...3 speed drills. DC987......runs and runs and runs.....but, if the trigger switch quits, about cheaper to toss it.

**joasis** · 12-13-2008, 07:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greg Di

Really? I'll give you loud, but I can't think of the last time I stripped or snapped a screw with an impact driver. I seem to strip screws a lot more with a driver.

Are you still using Phillips head screws?

This is what we use for nearly everything..

http://www.grkfasteners.com/en/testimonials.htm

We even set concrete forms with them, and re-use them, over and over....just dab a little vaseline in the heads and they are a cinch to back out.