Impact drivers

[skysharks]

Hey all
It has come the time that I need to retire one of my Dewalt 18v drills:5sigh:. (own 2 of them)
I was thinking instead of replacing it with another, that I would go the route of an impact Driver.:eusa_thin:eusa_thin
So what I am trying to achieve here is to see what you all think about them pros and cons, experience with brand/model, lith-ion or nicad, etc.

Looking forward to the input from all.:icon_thum

MAC

 

[SGalley]

Impact drivers rock!! Buy one, you won't regret it.

 

[CrealBilly]

John Welcome back ain't seen you post in a while - what you been doing with yourself?

 

[Canuck]

Hi there John!

I bought myself one of the Makita 18V LitjiuIon kits about a year or so ago and it has been flawless.:icon_thum It holds power extremely well, nice and light and comfortable and the impact driver definitely rocks!

I got mine from Amazon in this 3-piece kit.

http://www.amazon.com/Makita-LCT300...ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1263750536&sr=8-3

The included flashlight however, didn't really impress me much.

Here is a little demo video out on Youtube as well for you to take a look at...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTmDhLKfDno

Wayne

 

[Trog777]

I'd fight you for my lil Makita L/I compact. I use Robertson head screws and the impact driver would drive one to New Zealand.

 

[froglips]

Had a Makita 12v for maybe 4 years, love it.

Really, I can't imagine life without it.

Makes driving screws and removing them night and day easier. Not to mention faster.

For most things, I'd look at one over a drill/driver. Unless you have some desire to drill a lot of holes (thinking things like door knobs, running wire, etc).

Jim

 

[skysharks]

John Welcome back ain't seen you post in a while - what you been doing with yourself?

Hey Jeff, I'm still here. Infat I have been lurking everyday and some times mulitple times per day. Just not allot to say I guess.
I have sent you messages but I haven't gotten a reply back from you.

I have and still am woodworking, of course not much else to do when one is retired, lol:rotflm:
Just finishing up a big desk for my brother, will have pics up soon.

 

[Phil S]

I have the Makita 18v LiIon impact and it works great. I have replaced all my nicad and nimh cordless tools with the LiIon, LiPo and LiFe battery tools and will never go back. If you get the Makita besure to buy the one with the 3.0 ah battery

 

[skysharks]

Hi there John!

I bought myself one of the Makita 18V LitjiuIon kits about a year or so ago and it has been flawless.:icon_thum It holds power extremely well, nice and light and comfortable and the impact driver definitely rocks!

I got mine from Amazon in this 3-piece kit.

http://www.amazon.com/Makita-LCT300...ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1263750536&sr=8-3

The included flashlight however, didn't really impress me much.

Here is a little demo video out on Youtube as well for you to take a look at...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTmDhLKfDno

Wayne

Wayne thanks for the reply. I have been thinking about the Makita. But I only need the Impact driver as I have 2 corded drills and 2 cordless Dewalt 18V drills. One of which I am going to retire and the newer one I will keep.
That's why I was going to go with a Impact driver as I can use the other cordless as a drill.


MAC

 

[skysharks]

I have the Makita 18v LiIon impact and it works great. I have replaced all my nicad and nimh cordless tools with the LiIon, LiPo and LiFe battery tools and will never go back. If you get the Makita besure to buy the one with the 3.0 ah battery

Thanks Phil I believe I am thinking along the same lines of thought.

Just not sure of which brand, Dewalt, Makita, Bosch, Panasonic (ouch on price tag)

 

[CrealBilly]

Hey Jeff, I'm still here. Infat I have been lurking everyday and some times mulitple times per day. Just not allot to say I guess.
I have sent you messages but I haven't gotten a reply back from you.

I have and still am woodworking, of course not much else to do when one is retired, lol:rotflm:
Just finishing up a big desk for my brother, will have pics up soon.

Dude I have not gotten any messages from you else I would have replied :eusa_thin Send emails tp jeff(at sign)millscustomsawing.com - would love to hear from you :icon_thum

BTW Josh proposed to his GF over Christmas - He's getting hitched

 

[Matt Schnurbusch]

I have the Ridgid versions of the 10V lithium ion impact and drill. Battery life is pretty good depending on the task at hand. The weight difference between these and my 18V drill is amazing. Can run the new ones all day. The old 18V just wears me out now, cuz I'm spoiled.

 

[Gotcha6]

Impact drivers are super: :thumbs_up:thumbs_up

1. They have little camout - virtually none with minimal down force.
2. They reduce carpal tunnel syndrome and forearm fatigue from torqueing screws all day long.
3. If you have to reverse a screw the bit isn't always trying to loosen the chuck.

Be sure to buy impact rated bits for it. They are heat treated and don't shatter as quickly.

I have a Hitachi 14.4. Only reason I got that brand was so the batteries would interchange with my cordless drill. I've had problems with the batteries holding a charge, but I like the light weight & power these things deliver. The case leaves a little to be desired, as it doesn't have ample room for all the bits I use (Torx, #2 & 3 phillips, #1 & 2 squares, 1/4 & 3/8" hex adapters, you get the picture).

 

[Ray Martin]

I've had the Makita 18v LI for a couple of years. After building a number of decks and sets of stairs with it, I am still in love. Terrific tool.

 

[Dan Bowman]

I love my Bosch 12v PS40 - good torque and small for tight places. Great for hanging cabinets! Here's a deal on a twofer: http://www.internationaltool.com/Bosch-12V-Sale.aspx
(I have not bought from them)

 

[Bas]

I have the Makita combo set. The drill is good, the driver is great, and the batteries are superb. They hold their charge well, and recharge quickly. I use the smaller 1.5Ah batteries - cheaper, but more importantly lighter. I have a total of 3 batteries (2 came with the set, plus there was a promo for a free battery) so if it runs down I pop one in the charger, and cycle the one from the flashlight to the drill or driver. 15 minutes later the battery is charged. The impact driver has lots of power. You can drive screws with it for hours effortlessly. For woodworking projects, it's almost overkill. For construction, it's plentiful, unless you're driving in 12" lagscrews all day.

I also have the Bosch PS-40 impact driver. It's 12V, so it has a little less power than the Makita, but it's also smaller and lighter. Battery charge retention is excellent, although charge time is slightly longer (30 minutes). The Bosch is great for woodworking and around-the-house projects. It does OK on driving screws for hanging drywall, but that's about the limit of the DIY capabilities.

I don't think you can go wrong with any of the Li-Ion drivers. For me, weight was a big factor, which is where the Makita excels. I suggest you go to Home Depot and Lowe's and hold each one and see how it feels. For carpentry/ construction work, the DeWalt, Milwaukee or Ridgid may be a better match, for woodworking the Hitachi, Makita and Panasonic appear more suited. But that's just my opinion.

As for NiCad/ NiMH/ Li-Ion, it's no contest: Li-Ion.

 

[Mt. Gomer]

I agree with just about everyting said. I've got the Makita as well, it's a wonderful tool. For driving screws it now get's used about 90% of the time. The only caveat is that it they are VERY powerful. If you're used to setting your clutch and letting it seat the screws correctly you're going to have remember the impact driver will keep going until you release the trigger, the head of the screw gets ripped off, or it chews it's way to the other side of your workpiece. For this reason I still switch to a more traditional drill/driver when doing anything delicate or precise.

No contect between the battery types Li Ion all the way. No memory, the chargers are "smart" and they're light AND powerful.

Travis

 

[Trent Mason]

Hi Mac! ccasion1 Long time no hear from. :dontknow:

I don't own one, but I used my buddy's Dewalt impact driver the other day and was pretty happy with it. We were covering the bottom of an outdoor carport ceiling with two layers of 3/8" plywood and that thing really helped. Especially for overhead work. It was much lighter than my Dewalt 18v cordless drill and made driving those far away screws a lot easier. Definitely make sure you get the right bits for it though, we shattered a few. :BangHead:

 

[DonDeJ]

I have the 18 volt Makita Lion drill and impact driver set with the 3.0 Ah batteries and it has paid for itself in time saved. But if you just want the impact driver, here's a great deal: www.woodcraft.com/Product/2021057/24084/Makita-144V-Cordless-Impact.aspx
It's older technology (NiMH), but it's about what you'd pay for just a pair of batteries.

 

[Ken Massingale]

I don't know how I got by without one, I have the Bosch PS40. 4" screws are no problem. As Dan said, get impact ready bits.