Impact Driver - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

Nick H · 12-02-2005, 01:41 PM

Just got home with my new Panasonic 12v Impact Driver, its a revelation.
We are only just getting them in the UK and wow can this thing drive, cant wait to get to work tomorrow, S**t gotta go I think the wife might be coming and she's gonna kill me if she sees another new tool !

Woodcrafter74 · 12-02-2005, 02:43 PM

Nick,
Which model did you get? The 201 or the new 202 digital? I'm planning on buying one of these. I wish it came in a 14.4V. I see they have a 15.6V, but it's not as compact.

Does it drive screws as fast as a normal drill/driver?

Panasonic has a rebate offer for a free drill with the purchase of any 12V impact driver. Let me know if you need the rebate form.

Nick H · 12-02-2005, 04:54 PM

Its the 202 with lots of "buttons". Haven't used it a lot yet but it seems to drive pretty fast, The thing you notice is its so effortless, you really dont have to apply any pressure and it just powers the screw home, for a 12v it seems unbelievable. I'll get to grips with it in the next few days and tell you how I get on.
That rebate sound good, is that a worldwide offer as i'm in the UK, if it is I'd much appreciate a form, thanks.
Have a great weekend

Nick

Mike Finley · 12-02-2005, 07:02 PM

Impact drivers are the best kept secret for driving screws. Anybody building decks will discover them sooner or later and they will become one of those rare tools that fall into that category of how did you function without them. As you are discovering they are also a lot easier on your body then using drivers.

DecksEtc · 12-02-2005, 07:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Finley

Impact drivers are the best kept secret for driving screws. Anybody building decks will discover them sooner or later and they will become one of those rare tools that fall into that category of how did you function without them. As you are discovering they are also a lot easier on your body then using drivers.

Amen! My 1/2" drill/driver has become obsolete when it comes driving any screws into wood. Tear out is virtually eliminated as is the need to pre-drill - even for the hardest knots.

Woodcrafter74 · 12-02-2005, 08:23 PM

Mike & Decks,
What brand and voltage are you using?

Nick,
Sorry to get you excited about the free Panasonic driver, I checked the fine print on the rebate form and you had to have bought it in the US and be a citizen. Sorry. What did you pay for the 12V digital over there? The best price I can find here is $275, US dollars of course.

I found rebate form on the Panasonic webpage after reading a review on the impact driver on Amazon, but I can't seem to find URL that pointed to the PDF rebate form now. I did save a copy though, so if anyone else want's the form, just PM me with your e-mail. (The form is too big to post here).

DecksEtc · 12-02-2005, 08:29 PM

18V Hitachi for me.

http://www.hitachi-koki.com/powertoo...r/wh18dmr.html

Mike Finley · 12-03-2005, 12:32 AM

18v cordless Dewalts.

Woodcrafter74 · 12-03-2005, 06:47 AM

I was hoping to get away from the weight of the 18V, but I guess for building decks I'll need the extra juice.

Thanks.

Nick H · 12-03-2005, 09:14 AM

Well I took it out today for the first time and its already my favourite tool !
I'm working on an extension to the rear of an old house and had to fix some 2x1 to the underside of the first floor joists to bring the new ceiling level with the old. Easy job especially with my new Hitachi gas nailer (previous fave tool), but three of the joist go over an existing flat roof bay window which isn't coming out for a couple of weeks yet. The bay sticks out about 30" and there's only around 9" between roof and joist so i cant get the nailer in let alone my shoulders. So I got the little old impact driver out, I could just get in far enough to reach out with the driver and screw upwards into the joist , it was a stretch and I was at arms length but that thing just drove home no probs and no stripped heads. Easy.

chardog · 12-03-2005, 10:18 AM

impacts are great; i have a cheap one from ryobi, and it drives GREAT. I've tested it on 3" hard maple without a problem. when bosch makes one, I'll grab it for my kit

Mike Finley · 12-03-2005, 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Woodcrafter74

I was hoping to get away from the weight of the 18V, but I guess for building decks I'll need the extra juice.

Thanks.

I don't really understand anybodies problem with an 18 volt system being heavy. I don't find them heavy at all but maybe that is just me. Maybe the tool weighs what? 6 onces more? I don't think the difference you are going to feel is the tools weight at the end of the day, but how you would feel after driving screws all day with a drill driver vs driving screws all day with a impact driver - that is what is going to be dramatic.

Woodcrafter74 · 12-03-2005, 09:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Finley

Maybe the tool weighs what? 6 onces more?

You're about right, .5lb heavier than the 14V, 1.1lbs heavier than the 12V, but who's keeping score.
I'm sure you're right that the switch from drill to driver is dramatic, even if the weight stays the same.

Thanks for the input.

DecksEtc · 12-03-2005, 09:47 PM

Wood, Mike's right about when it comes to the effort required for the impact. It actually takes a little time to adjust/get used to NOT using pressure when using an impact driver. Once the screw starts into the wood you just let the impact driver do all the work. My impact driver is actually lighter and smaller than my 18V drill.

Kevin · 12-05-2005, 04:30 PM

I like my 14.4 Makita. Same torque & speed as the DeWalt 18v units.
It also weights half of what my 1/2" 18V Makita weighs, with 3X the torque...what an incredible tool.

smitty58 · 12-05-2005, 06:25 PM

I have a Dewalt 18v impact ,but the only thing I have used it for is to tighten nuts or drive lags. How do you use them for driving screws ,and why would'nt you just use a cordless drill?

N.E.Bldg&Rest.LLC · 12-05-2005, 07:47 PM

Has anyone heard of dewalts 36V line of tools coming out next year, supposed to weigh as much as their 18V line.

Mike Finley · 12-05-2005, 07:50 PM

Rather than go into it all, here is an artical from Dewalt's website that explains it all pretty well.

Cordless Impact Drivers vs. Cordless Drills – How Do They Compare?

Although they look like a smaller replica, don’t confuse a cordless impact driver with a standard cordless drill or hammerdrill. The biggest difference is inside. Unlike a cordless drill - which creates continuous in-line torque – a cordless impact driver uses an internal spring-loaded pulsating cam and gear mechanism to create rotational torque. In simple terms, the effect is similar to that of a hammer wrapping on a wrench to loosen a stubborn lug nut, only faster.

Cordless impact drivers work like a typical cordless drill until greater torque is needed, at which point the spring and cam mechanism kicks in, with up to 3,000 blows-per-minute (bpm) to increase the torque by almost triple the amount of a cordless drill (e.g. DeWALT’s12-volt cordless impact driver develops 1,000 in/lbs. of maximum torque compared to 350 for a 12-volt drill). And, unlike a hammerdrill, the bit doesn’t “hammer” in and out while rotating – it maintains contact with the fastener even as the hammering effect occurs inside the tool.

Another significant difference is torque delivery. With a cordless drill, the user must literally hold on to counter the tool’s tendency to spin out of his hands. However, with a cordless impact driver the torque is converted directly to the fastener. You can easily hold the tool using one hand without noticing any reactionary torque. This means you can drive fasteners all day long without the arm fatigue or wrist kickback normally associated with a conventional drill/driver.

Because of their added speed (2,400 rpm vs. 2,000 for cordless drills) cordless impact drivers are excellent at driving Tapcon screws into concrete for electrical service panels, hex-head sheet metal screws for installing duct work and metal roofing, drywall screws, and deck screws. In addition, a cordless impact driver fitted with an impact socket adaptor can drive eight-inch lag bolts into pressure treated lumber with ease. All of these capabilities make impact drivers a logical choice for electricians, deck builders, light gauge steel framers, cabinet installers, HVAC installers, sprinkler fitters, and other tradespeople.

Another benefit is size. Cordless impact tools are compact – the models from DeWALT are about 35% the size of a comparable drill/driver. This makes them ideal for getting into tight places for various tasks, such as the installation of cabinets, duct work or overhead fastening on fire sprinkler systems. The weight of a cordless impact driver is about 3.5 pounds vs. 8.7 pounds for a high-voltage drill/driver - another advantage. The lighter tool is easier to handle if you have hundreds of fasteners to drive in a day, or if you’re doing overhead work.

Cordless impact tools are not as quiet as conventional drill/drivers. The internal mechanism in these tools results in a rapid chatter sound when torque is applied to the fastener. Tough fasteners, however, will be driven significantly quicker. And, as a rule, the battery in a cordless impact driver will last longer between charges, partly because an equal amount of energy is pulled from the battery regardless of the torque required to drive the fastener. With a cordless drill, the higher the torque required, the greater the drain on the battery.

Using a cordless impact driver requires a slightly different technique compared to using a standard drill/driver. Once the fastener starts into the material a light grip is all that’s required to drive it home. Unlike a drill/driver, on which the user must bear down to force the fastener into the material, an impact driver will do most of the work without stripping out the fastener head.

Cordless impact drivers have a quick release chuck that enables split second bit changing. They use a 1/4 inch hex-drive bit system that will accept many accessories, including screwdriver bits, impact socket adaptors for driving lag bolts, and nut drivers for self tapping metal screws. They can also be used for drilling with 1/4 inch hex-shank twist bits in wood or metal drilling, and even spade bits for holes up to about 7/8 inches in diameter for plumbing and electrical wiring. I have found that an impact driver will actually drill holes much faster than a standard drill/driver in most types of material when fitted with the right drill bit.

Cordless Impact Wrenches

The basic difference between cordless impact drivers and cordless impact wrenches is the chuck configuration. Impact drivers have a chuck which accepts 1/4 inch hex-shank bits for screwdriving, drilling, and nut driving. A cordless impact wrench uses a 3/8 inch or a 1/2 inch square anvil primarily for driving impact sockets. In addition, the wrenches develop more torque. Today’s cordless impact wrenches, like the ones from DeWALT, now have enough power to rival many corded electric wrenches, a big plus when you’re up on a lift away from an outlet.

The type of work you’re doing will dictate which category to choose – driver or wrench. For example, if most of your work involves driving self tapping sheet metal screws or deck screws, an impact driver would be right for you. If most of your work involves driving large lag bolts or bolting pipe couplings, a dedicated cordless impact wrench would be a better choice. Although a cordless impact driver can be fitted with a socket adaptor, the larger square shaft of the impact wrench will prove more durable for heavy duty applications.

RobertCDF · 12-05-2005, 07:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smitty58

I have a Dewalt 18v impact ,but the only thing I have used it for is to tighten nuts or drive lags. How do you use them for driving screws ,and why would'nt you just use a cordless drill?

Drive some screws with it and you will find out why an impact is so much better than just a drill. No need to put all your weight behind the drill to keep it from slipping.

nadonailer · 12-06-2005, 08:54 PM

http://www.tools-plus.com/makbtd140.html