I took a couple days and built this shop stand. It's going to hold a Cman DP. Really easy materials list, 2x4s. You need four if you don't have any laying around.
I used a few new tools. A Dewalt 20v Drill Driver, Dewalt 20v Impact and the Kreg pocket hole jig. This stand could be built without the pocket hole method but I wanted to try it.
I cut all my pieces to length & angle. Then drilled the pocket holes in the top & bottom stretchers. I used the drill driver to assemble the top stretchers and the impact to assemble the bottoms.
Into detail:
Since I had time on the drill driver putting together the workbench, I was more interested in it's performance on the new pocket screw task. The important part of installing pocket screws is there is no pilot hole through both pieces being joined. The screw is self tapping and bores it's way through until the head bottoms out the pocket. It is also important not to blow out the pocket.
On the top stretchers I had some trouble dialing in the drill driver. I either had the clutch engaging too light or I was bouncing the bit out of the hole but not driving the screw any further. Perhaps my leverage wasn't enough. I do think I need more time getting use to the settings. I figured I'd be the one to cam out the "won't cam" #2 Robertson. But I got the top stretchers installed and somewhat satisfied.
I had a day or two for the impact driver to arrive with big thanks to Stuart for sending it over. I knew it was arriving on Wednesday so I prepped the project as much as I could so that I could start driving screws the day it arrived. My husband sprung a last minute work function on me last night, and of course the impact driver was on the front porch. On our way out I opened it up and squeezed the trigger a few times to hear it go.
Today was the day. First order of business was to attach the bottom stretchers. I was ready to use the impact driver. First concern, using the Kreg 6" bit in the impact. Would it shatter? I hoped not. But decided to go easy. Put on ears and eyes and got to it. First screw in drove nicely. I stopped trigger and pressure at the first impact and had a look at the head depth. Not quite there so I impacted a few more times, looked again and it was set. I installed the rest of the pocket screws with ease. I even went over the screws in the top stretcher just to see if they were snug.
It was night and day driving those pocket screws between the impact driver and drill driver. I am impressed with the impact driver in this application. I don't know if the impact is the right tool on thinner boards being attached with pocket screws. But for the standard 2x4 it strongly drove the 2-1/2" long coarse thread Kreg deck screw. I'll look into picking up an impact rated 6" #2 Robertson just to be safe
Next two steps of assembly were the five cross braces then the six top slats. These two tasks were the standard drill the pilot hole (drill driver) and drive the 2-1/2 standard #2 Phillips deck screw (impact driver). Having two tools allowed me to move efficiently. I wasted more tie aligning and clamping boards than I did drilling and driving screws. I liked the impact for driving the head just below the wood surface. I learned the hard way not to drive too far or else the edge with split.
All in all I would recommend buying both the drill driver & impact. The power of the impact set the pocket screws with confidence and drove home deck screws just right. On the task of drill pilot-screw screw, having two tools made the job quicker. I paused at the thought if I was using a rapid load on one tool. It would be slower, fumbling with one hand to make the bit switch. Instead it is more efficient to put down one tool and grab the other. Smooth movements, no fumbling.
Looking forward to using the impact driver where I can. I'll update his thread as I go.
ETA: Noise - I ran the impact driver both with and without ears. I wanted to know what both sounded like. Without ears, the impact wasn't loud when drilling, but it was just the right pitch when impacting that it almost hurt. I didn't wait too long to put on ears. I think I ran it twice with impacts and decided my ears would be ringing into the night if I didn't. With ears the impact noise was non-intrusive. I vote yes to wearing ears with the impact.
