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Cordless, compact (3/8) impact wrench shoot out !

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M635_Guy

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jeepinerdeep

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IR has been taking a beating in his tests. I had an IR NiCad at work years ago, and it was pretty good.

Luckily, Milwaukee normally scores well, I'm so deep in their batteries/tools it ain't even funny.
 

M635_Guy

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That IR is ancient, relatively speaking.

As in "they are still selling an old design" or "he tested an old one that isn't sold any more"?

I mean, it's an inexpensive brushed product going up against a top-of-the-line brushless product, so it's not exactly a fair fight for the IR, but my brand-impression of IR is (or was) pretty industrial/pro. Was surprised it was so weak.

The M12 Stubby is a great tool though. Have really enjoyed mine.
 

Tbird22

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Just watched it last night. I have the stubby so I was happy but yea the IR wasn’t really fair. That model came out at least 5 years ago. I have the brushed ir hi torque and I’m thinking to upgrade. It’s hard to justify ir bc they don’t seem invested in the cordless line. They also never go on sale which is why that old thing was almost 200 bucks.






Sent from my iPhone using The Garage Journal mobile app
 

RedneckWelder

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As in "they are still selling an old design" or "he tested an old one that isn't sold any more"?

I mean, it's an inexpensive brushed product going up against a top-of-the-line brushless product, so it's not exactly a fair fight for the IR, but my brand-impression of IR is (or was) pretty industrial/pro. Was surprised it was so weak.

The M12 Stubby is a great tool though. Have really enjoyed mine.

I think they still make them but it’s an old design, from years before the current crop of Milwaukee

They have newer design, the W5133 and a newer high torque 1/2 impact the W7152.

And yes IR is targeted to pros, but you can’t take a fairly old design and compare it to the latest and greatest and say you are disappointed in the old design. The old Milwaukee 1/2, before the Fuel ones was a lot weaker too.
 

dsaabm

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Kinda silly with the IR and AC Delco in the mix. The IR W1130 was released at SEMA 2013! I have a few of the IR 12v, they are high quality, good tools but can't really be compared like that to new stuff.

Both the IR and AC Delco are more like 1/4" tools with 3/8" anvils, they are convenient to have if you already have a couple batteries and other tools in the system, good for many low torque disassembly tasks. They are dated at this point and similar in size to new compact 3/8" stuff, but they are not meant or even marketed to go blasting rusted or tight stuff apart.
 

GeoBruin

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The Dewalt 20v 3/8 is scarcely larger than the 12v model (if at all?) except for the battery and it outperforms the m12 stubby in my use (I own both). It's longer than the m12 but slightly thinner and the handle is of course more ergonomic. It's worth mentioning since I don't know many people willing to get in to dewalt's 12v system but if you have 20v batteries and want a nice compact 3/8 impact it's a sweet little gun.
 

techieman33

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Never any love for Bosch.

:headscrat

I think if Bosch released the full line here in the US they would be a lot more competitive. I think the very limited line up keeps a lot of people away. If you use many power tools odds are you'll end up with at least one other brand, or importing them from overseas at high prices.

Seems given the massive price difference the Ridgid was the real winner.

The Rigid was the only 18v tool tested, so I"m not sure that it really even belonged in the test. At that point you might as well let the new M18 compete and crush all of them.
 

GeoBruin

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I think if Bosch released the full line here in the US they would be a lot more competitive. I think the very limited line up keeps a lot of people away. If you use many power tools odds are you'll end up with at least one other brand, or importing them from overseas at high prices.







The Rigid was the only 18v tool tested, so I"m not sure that it really even belonged in the test. At that point you might as well let the new M18 compete and crush all of them.
I think the idea was compact. If you're referring to the new mid torque, compact goes out the window. If you're referring to the m18 compact, it's rated at the same specs as the stubby. In any case, you're really in a different price range at that point.
 
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WhataTool

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On such a usually methodical channel i was surprised to see a 3/8" to 1/2" adapter on these though
 

M635_Guy

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Seems given the massive price difference the Ridgid was the real winner.

The Milwaukee was 16% more powerful in both directions, a half-pound lighter, is less bulky and charged in almost half the time. I think the Rigid is a good choice if you're looking for pure value-for-money, but it's really a 'tweener product vs. Milwaukee - or maybe closer to the new M18 compact (don't know the specs of that one as well).

I don't have any issues with Rigid at all, and it made the podium. Milwaukee was (easily) the best overall product, and Rigid won second for value/performance. :dunno:
 

finn

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On such a usually methodical channel i was surprised to see a 3/8" to 1/2" adapter on these though

If it’s the channel I was watching, he needed something like a 22mm socket, and either he didn’t have one in 3/8 drive, or there isn’t even one readily available on the market.

One of the channels, perhaps even that one, resorted to welding the adapter to the socket.
 

bwringer

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Seems given the massive price difference the Ridgid was the real winner.

Agreed.

But a LOT of people are ****-deep into Milwaukee and DeWalt already, so those might make the most sense for them.

Heck, even that cheapie AC Delco might have its uses in some situations for some people.
 

d.mcfarland

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That was one of the worst videos he has put out in recent times. Such little competition and terrible apples to oranges comparisons.
 

visionguru

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That was one of the worst videos he has put out in recent times. Such little competition and terrible apples to oranges comparisons.
Totally agree. I like lots of his videos, but this one he looked like an idiot. A bunch of "impacts" from different price range, 7+ year age range, specs, ... and called it a "shoot out".
 

bubinga

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I think if Bosch released the full line here in the US they would be a lot more competitive. I think the very limited line up keeps a lot of people away. If you use many power tools odds are you'll end up with at least one other brand, or importing them from overseas at high prices.



The Rigid was the only 18v tool tested, so I"m not sure that it really even belonged in the test. At that point you might as well let the new M18 compete and crush all of them.
My understanding is the 20 volt rating is nominal,
And in reality actually closer to 18 volt also
 

bubinga

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dnschmidt

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Let's catalog my Milwaukee impact collection. 1 of the most recent Hi-Torque, Two of the first generation 3/8" M18, One of the second generation 3/8 M18 all of these do about 200 ft-lb. Zero difference between gen 1 and gen 2 except Gen 2 has the stop on hard makup feature which is good for assembly. Not going to buy the gen 3 as it doesn't seem that much of an improvement except for the LED lights. Three of the first generation Mid-Torque (one 3/8 and two 1/2" one hog ring and one pin) and one of the latest generation Mid-torque (3/8 hog ring). M12 Stubby in both 1/4" and 3/8" and the right angle M12 Fuel impact as well. I have a **** load of the M12 and M18 Fuel impact drivers including the Surge which is great for screws and my ears. I also have the super weak sauce original M18 right angle (non-Fuel 3/8) that will barely make 35 ft-lb. I use that to take off engine diapers from underneath cars. You could say that my Milwaukee impact situation has gotten slightly out of hand.
 

dnschmidt

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21 is standard 22 is used on trucks. Chevy Colorado is an example. Both are available in 3/8" drive. My Gen 1 M18 little impact (I dont' know they've got High Torque and Mid-Torque, what do they call the little guy. He doesn't seem to have a name.) was able to remove the 22 mm lug nuts from my neighbors Colorado which are spec'ed at 135 ft-lb. Took about 3 seconds of uga-duggas each to do it. The 75 ft-lb lug nuts on my Camry it buzzes right off.
 

M635_Guy

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Let's catalog my Milwaukee impact collection. 1 of the most recent Hi-Torque, Two of the first generation 3/8" M18, One of the second generation 3/8 M18 all of these do about 200 ft-lb. Zero difference between gen 1 and gen 2 except Gen 2 has the stop on hard makup feature which is good for assembly. Not going to buy the gen 3 as it doesn't seem that much of an improvement except for the LED lights. Three of the first generation Mid-Torque (one 3/8 and two 1/2" one hog ring and one pin) and one of the latest generation Mid-torque (3/8 hog ring). M12 Stubby in both 1/4" and 3/8" and the right angle M12 Fuel impact as well. I have a **** load of the M12 and M18 Fuel impact drivers including the Surge which is great for screws and my ears. I also have the super weak sauce original M18 right angle (non-Fuel 3/8) that will barely make 35 ft-lb. I use that to take off engine diapers from underneath cars. You could say that my Milwaukee impact situation has gotten slightly out of hand.
Is this for a shop?

Since I've found out how capable the Fuel Mid Gen 2 is with the 3.0Ah HO battery is, I've been running it most of the time vs. my Stubby. It's heavier, but not THAT much heavier, and it hasn't had trouble with anything I've pointed it at. I also really dig the tri-light setup and the "auto" mode.
 

dnschmidt

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Nope, just my personal tool collection. Never said that it had to make sense. When you've got a jones you've got a jones.
 

liliysdad

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The Dewalt 20v 3/8 is scarcely larger than the 12v model (if at all?) except for the battery and it outperforms the m12 stubby in my use (I own both). It's longer than the m12 but slightly thinner and the handle is of course more ergonomic. It's worth mentioning since I don't know many people willing to get in to dewalt's 12v system but if you have 20v batteries and want a nice compact 3/8 impact it's a sweet little gun.


I have both 12v and 20v DeWalt tools, and absolutely love the 12v stuff. The 12v 3/8 impact is a out as handy a tool as can be imagined, and the 12v impact driver is so good I haven't even found the need to purchase a 20v driver.
 

dnschmidt

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To be honest things have changed in the last 30 years. With 10mm screws, bolts, fasteners, or whatever you call them taking over from 1/2" and 9/16" fasteners on cars the smaller 12V tools are completely viable. The Milwaukee Stubby can handle just about anything other than suspension and engine head bolts on most Japanese cars. I remember when two 5/8" or 11/16" bolts held on a starter. Now 12mm or 14mm gets the same job done. Evolution I suppose.
 
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