[Clarke Carpentry]

Fine Homebuilding Article about Brush versus brushless. Good reading if you're not sure of the difference.

http://www.finehomebuilding.com/PDF/Free/021226018.pdf

I have the Makita brushless impact. It's pretty good except for some screws you can't use the highest setting as it's so aggressive that it spins right out of the head. Nice to have the 3 settings though. One charge lasts a very long time too.

 

[Clarke Carpentry]

I see one impact has 3 settings and one has a variable speed trigger, I think the LXT239 kit has the variable speed trigger.

Yeah the kit has the impact with the black nose and no settings button. I bought the silver nosed one which was almost as much $ as the kit on its own. Not sure it was worth it for the little bump in specs, but I managed to score an open box a few weeks later of a hammer drill and sawzall with another charger and 2 more batts for $108. Added to the "free" extra batt I got with the impact, it worked out to the impact, hammerdrill, sawzall, 5 batts and 2 chargers for $407.

The sawzall is kind of pathetic though. My old Dewalt one kicks its buttocks. Although that one does have a tendency to vibrate its own battery terminals loose.

Sorry for minor hijack.

 

[Clarke Carpentry]

I really like mine. I used the speeds a couple times. once when I was driving 1/2" brass screws. If you screw a lot of decking you'll like the fact that it doesn't get burning hot like most impacts. It has plenty of power (I also have the Makita LXT 1/2" impact wrench for the bigger stuff so I couldn't tell you if it will drive a 5" lag). All in all I'd say buy it, you wouldn't regret it.

I agree with that. I've actually used the speed settings a lot more than I thought I would. Although part of that is that I think the top setting is extremely aggressive. I have a little Bosch 12v impact that I could almost eliminate now with the lower settings. Although it's far better for tight spaces.

 

[Clarke Carpentry]

I understand, I'm right there with you, and for some unknown reason I need doubles and triples of everything?

:laughing:

I just bought my 4th router.