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cordless impact driver

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holdover

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 15, 2011
Messages
750
Location
VA
I have had a Dewalt for a few years and don't know how I worked without one, so much faster than a drill/driver. Mine is a 18V 1/4" drive I bought the dewalt because I had the batteries from othe Dewalt tools, no regrets
 

Deadhead

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 8, 2011
Messages
435
Location
Northeast Arkansas
I've used the M18 stuff a lot this year at work on the farm equipment I work on. I really like them and when the time comes that my current stuff dies I will replace it with type we have at work. We have both the 3/8" and the 1/2" drive. As for power, I have seen the 1/2" model snap lug nuts off with a fresh battery so use caution when tightening.
 

JSmiley

Member
Joined
Sep 16, 2010
Messages
12
I can second the Dewalt 18V impact. Picked it up about a year or so ago and cant believe how I did anything of use before it. It has become my main tool for everything. There are a lot of impact drivers out there and it just comes down to what you can afford and what you will use it for. The Milwaukee tools are good, just above the grade that I need. I am a DIY guy and not a profesional contractor that will be using it every day on the job. My dewalt has held up well to weekend work. This includes major house renovation and construction - new rooms, walls, patio cover, etc. Great tool.
 

cburnscrx

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 15, 2013
Messages
1,751
Location
Indianapolis
I have had a Dewalt for a few years and don't know how I worked without one, so much faster than a drill/driver. Mine is a 18V 1/4" drive I bought the dewalt because I had the batteries from othe Dewalt tools, no regrets

+1. I have been more than pleased with my DeWalt impact driver. I'd recommend it and buy the exact same one if this one ever broke.
 

HTGTS350

Banned
Joined
Mar 2, 2010
Messages
603
Ive had a Chicago Pnuematic 1/2 for years and have recently gotten a small and large 1/2 18V milwaukee and 1/4 Milwaukee, don't know how I did without them. Ive used the dewalt and Hitachi 1/2's and I would have to say the small 1/2 Milwaukee is the best of the lot.
 

GTOGreg

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 25, 2008
Messages
117
Location
Fremont, CA
I have the DW 20V and like it. It has good power, believe it is rated at 133 lbs/ft. No problem busting off lugs on anything I drive. Use it often even though I have air nearby, quicker to just grab 'n go.
 

rslaback

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 24, 2010
Messages
4,062
Location
Westcentral Wisconsin
To really answer this question we need to know if you already have cordless tools (and thereby batteries) of a certain brand or brands as well as your intended amount of use. Without that information all you are going to get are posts from guys who have every shape and color of tool and most of them are going to say that they like what they have.
 

46Nash

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 20, 2010
Messages
171
Location
NY
I bought the impact driver to go with my Milwaukee cordless drill and sawzall. Absolutely love it, made my garage door install go like 2x faster.
 

royalton10

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 19, 2007
Messages
247
Location
Lancaster, Ohio
I have the Milwaukee M12 impact driver. Does great work. Never had a screw I could not get in. Have driven 5 and 6" screws through a 4 x 4" post holding workbench to wall. No hestitation, works great!

I recently bought a Milwaukee cordless drill with same battery. Posts above talk about sticking with a family of cordless tools to interchange batteries.
 

green.bubbly

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 14, 2008
Messages
2,156
Location
Lafayette, LA
I had a Bosch PS41 for a couple of years. Used it a ton over the last year while building my house. I started having trouble with the trigger switch not working. Took it apart a few times and it would mysteriously start working for a while. It finally gave out and I went purchase a new one. Two days later, the new one was doing the same.

Returned it to Lowes and started looking at the Bosch 18 volts. The Dewalt rep was there and after talking with him for a few minutes he pointed me this 20 volt combo which was on sale. I thought I loved the Bosch driver but this thing has so much power and speed. On a side note, it did smell funny for a while.



278f9616-25c3-491c-bce8-5185cb62f1b2_300.jpg
 

woodersen

Banned
Joined
Oct 25, 2012
Messages
143
Location
rosharon tx
For christmas i got the dewalt 20v lithium ion, 1.5 amp 1/4 inch impact....this thing has balls. Its only 1/4 drive but easy takes off truck lug nuts and will drive lag bolts into studs like nothing. Used it the first time when i installed a garage door opener....wow love it
 

Mavawreck

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 30, 2011
Messages
1,835
Location
Durham NC
I like both the bosch lithium and the dewalt 20v lithium. Both are nice tools. The dewalt does in fact smell funny.
 

NUTTSGT

Super Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Sep 14, 2009
Messages
50,864
Location
Northern Central Ohio
I have had a Dewalt for a few years and don't know how I worked without one, so much faster than a drill/driver. Mine is a 18V 1/4" drive I bought the dewalt because I had the batteries from othe Dewalt tools, no regrets

+1. I have been more than pleased with my DeWalt impact driver. I'd recommend it and buy the exact same one if this one ever broke.

Put me in this column as well. I'm not sure how I would without mine either. I like it so much it lives on the workbench and doesn't get put away.



Honestly, I think the battery last longer on it than in any other tools.
 
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Boomer343

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 19, 2012
Messages
519
I have used the M18 Milwaukee Impact for 3 years and the only problem has been a few over driven fasteners and the battery run time has dropped off somewhat. Neither is unexpected. I would buy again.

I have also acquired the M12 Impact and find I use it more than the M18 for a lot of work. I have the M12 hammmer drill, hex driver and mutltitool all of which have impresed me and been trouble free.

Best use yet has been using the impact with the proper philips head bit to take out old engine case screws on Vintage Japanese Bikes.
 

Trey T

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 3, 2011
Messages
3,749
Location
Houston, TX
When you buy m18 battery packs, only get ones where cells are made in Korea (Samsung cells). The Canadians don't last as long.
 

JoeHelms

Member
Joined
Aug 6, 2012
Messages
7
Location
upstate NY
On a side note, it did smell funny for a while.

I think this is the same one I got for Xmas myself (DCF885 impact driver, and a drill, can't remember the number off the top of my head).

The impact does have a bit of a smell to it as well - nothing too offensive. I was thinking it probably would burn off eventually, so that's good to know.
 

charged355

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 27, 2011
Messages
171
Location
Cottage Grove, MN
I LOVE my Dewalt. I use it every day at work but mine is the the 12v version. For my line of work its the perfect size. My co-workers are always impressed by the torque it puts out to.
 
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saabman

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 8, 2009
Messages
594
Location
Sebago Lake, Maine
I have an 18v Dewalt 1/2 impact and as other have said, I dont know what I did without it. I have an IR 235 air wrench for the real heavy lifting but I seldom need it.
 

sparky36000

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 25, 2012
Messages
116
Location
North Dakota
Our shop has been changing out all there Dewalt cordless tools to Milwaukee for the last year and a half or so. I'm not impressed with the Milwaukee. Lots of battery failures and tool failures. We still have a couple Dewalt tools with ni-cad batteries on my job that are at least 3 years old the never fail.
 

rburke65

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 10, 2007
Messages
12,349
Location
Canfield, Ohio
I have nothing to compare one to the other, but I feel as if I have had good luck with my DeWalts....the 12v. and the 18v.
 

cburnscrx

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 15, 2013
Messages
1,751
Location
Indianapolis
i am looking at buying a new setup i have nothing

If that's the case, I'd evaluate the rest of the line and base my decision on that. You might be starting with the impact driver, but in all likelyhood you'll expand. I love my DeWalt 18v impact driver and 18v hammer drill, but the 18v recip saw leaves something to be desired. The 18v jigsaw is great. Between the two, I use the jigsaw way more. Since the recip saw wasn't a tool I'd use all the time, I didn't really care. Besides, I use my corded Milwaukee Sawzall for anthing requiring any real power.

Just my .02
 

Trey T

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Joined
Aug 3, 2011
Messages
3,749
Location
Houston, TX
Take a look at the failing ones, I bet the cells are Canadians.
Our shop has been changing out all there Dewalt cordless tools to Milwaukee for the last year and a half or so. I'm not impressed with the Milwaukee. Lots of battery failures and tool failures. We still have a couple Dewalt tools with ni-cad batteries on my job that are at least 3 years old the never fail.
 

norcaljr

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 6, 2010
Messages
61
Found this video today,
Milwaukee 2662-22 18-Volt M18 1/2-Inch High-Torque Impact Wrench - Real User Review & How To

 

boomer12831

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 6, 2013
Messages
526
Location
northern New York
I just purchased the Ridgid combo set from home depot. ( I am at the finish stages of a major kitchen remodel and I wish I had this throughout the project ) I have a ridgid 18 volt drill that I have had for a few years now and it has worked perfect for me. The one reason that I like the Ridgid line is the warrenty on the batteries. I had to replace the ones on my drill and it was no questions asked. The new drill and impact driver work fine so far and I am very happy with them. I tend to do more carpentry work than auto repair. My son has the milwaukee impact driver and drill set and he is very happy with them.
 

rick carpenter

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 20, 2011
Messages
3,767
Location
Huntsville, East Texas
I have a reconditioned Bosch 18v with two slimpack batteries. I love it. I use it for everything from general handyman, to screwing in lags (predrill first), to putting up drywall. When we did the drywall, we ran all day from 8 to about 2-3 in the afternoon before switching batteries. It's not too heavy but more importantly it's not too light.
 

dngo

Member
Joined
Jun 23, 2009
Messages
15
Location
Central NJ
I have a 1/2" Milwaukee 28V lithium-ion impact that I use for car stuff. It's amazingly powerful and convenient and can take a beating. It comes with me to every autocross and track day and gets heavily used. I previously had the 18V NiCd version of the same gun and that was indestructible.

For around the house, I recently picked up a Bosch combo kit with the PS41 driver and the PS31 drill for $129 from Amazon. It was a terrific deal which seems to have gone away. I just checked and the combo is at $199 now, which is still a decent deal but not great. They've been awesome so far.

Dave
 
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