cordless impact drivers

[a52-830]

can anyone tell me the job that these are meant for? here is one:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LBT3AZU/?tag=atomicindus08-20

the reason i ask is that one is that the neighbors showed up with one, and a case of drivers he got as part of the "deal" (dont know where). he was going to use it to help with the demo on a 1/2 height wall. the teenagers knocked down the top with sledge hammers, and all that was left was the plate on the floor. it had been attached with hex head screws into the concrete floor (dont know how, didnt do it, wasn't even there at the time.)

after about 8 or 10 screws he stopped, for two reasons: the battery had run out, and the 1/4 driver hex bit he was using was pretty ruined.

now, after this, i took a crow bar and broke up the plate, so we were not screwing through 2" of wood as well as the concrete, and ended up using a 19.2 craftsman drill/drive to get the rest of them out (with a lot of the battery left for other jobs, i might add).

my friend was pretty hyped about this tool he had bought, but i didnt see the allure. sure, he was using regular bits, not impact rated ones (but they provided these bits with the tool, i would assume they were intended to be used together), but even so it didnt impress me at all. i dont know why the battery gave up so quickly, but maybe he had inadequately charged it. i also understand about the bits. if they were just meant for a driver, i can imagine that an "impact" might twist them up.

when i got home and looked, i couldn't find any impact rated 1/4" inserts other than a set made to attach sockets to the driver (not saying they aren't there, but i couldn't find any on amazon that were clearly rated for impact style work).

so, what is the job for these 1/4" "driver" impact tools?

 

[2002maniac]

They are awesome for sinking a large quantity of screws. I mostly use mine for loosening and tightening fasteners on cars and motorcycles.

He probably didn't have a full charge on that battery.

 

[JRC3]

Every screw I run I do so with my Dewalt impact. Only thing it does better than running regular screws are lags. My guess something was wrong with his bits or the screws. I don't use it on Tapcons, especially in brick, seems like the impact makes the masonry strip out.

An impact with a quality #2 bit and good screws...Nothing better to run screws in lumber, hang cabinets, doors, backer board, sub-floors, etc...Especially when in an awkward position or tired and you can't get a good hold and push on a cordless drill to keep the bit from slipping in the screw.

Heck, I even have a cheap Ryobi impact that does a great job too. I'd pick it over any high priced cordless drill.

 

[theoldwizard1]

They are awesome for sinking a large quantity of screws (like building a deck)

They work well for removing screws from wood if you don't strip the heads out.

Got to use "impact" bits !

 

[scooby074]

Your buddy doesnt know what hes doing.

I use my 1/4 impact all the time. There are proper impact rated bits available from all the big manufacturers. Dewalt, makita, Wera and Milwaukee all make them but you dont really need them assuming you know how to keep the driver properly centred in the screw. Even impact bits will round out. The only time Ive seen impact bits needed is with the new super high torque impact drivers. Ive seen standard bits shatter being driven by the high power models.

I drill, drive screws and remove bolts (automotive) all with my impact. Its a very usable tool

 

[JRC3]

I drill...

That too, I snap in a spade bit and drill through 2x and double top plates all the time to run wire and plumbing. Easier and faster than a regular drill for some reason.

 

[oldldh]

Screw Driving and "Undriving" Units!!!

Milwaukee Fuel 1/4" Impact Driver does it for me...

After I got mine, I wondered how I'd lived without one...

 

[CJM8515]

If it was one of the cheaper end ones with the small low amp hour batteries it isnt worth the plastic the casing is made of. Thats the issue you had with his impact driver. There is a difference between the more homeowner level ones and the pro units.

I use mine all the time for automotive use, driving screws and lags and it works very well. But they are power hungry little things, tiny low hour amp batteries cant really be used..die to quick.

 

[Catadj78]

I have the brushless version of the you linked to. When I was putting the metal up on my shop I could go for at least 2 days on a charge. Thing is awesome!

 

[MJD1]

Those were most likely tapcon fasteners. Usually they strip out or break off if your lucky. They generally go in good, but if they have been in a while won't come out. Probably had nothing to do with the impact driver.

 

[jar944]

My milwaukee impact is far and away my most used tool.

What's it good for.. driving or removing large quanities of screws and bolts. I've run through a 10lb box of 2" screws on a single battery. 6 inch lag bolts driven home no problem.

Something was off with your neighbors.

I haven't driven a screw with a drill since I got my first impact 10 years ago

 

[JRC3]

After I got mine, I wondered how I'd lived without one...

Same thing I said to myself.

I have the brushless version of the you linked to. When I was putting the metal up on my shop I could go for at least 2 days on a charge. Thing is awesome!

Exact same here, and it came with the small batteries. Best thing about brushless in less heat...Though I do kinda miss the nostalgic ozone smell.

 

[jd_1138]

Your friend probably brought a nearly dead battery besides the junky bits. Probably a case of operator error, too. Ha.

A 1/4 impact driver can do everything your regular Craftsman drill can and has about 10x the torque. Can even use it like you would a regular drill for low torque tasks, as long as you're careful. You can buy hex drill bits that fit in it or torx, Phillips, nut drivers, etc..

 

[Dingleburry]

High torque, low strain on the wrist. Wont break you wrist like a drill would. Also the battery lasts alot longer then on a drill cause youre not loading up the motor like on a drill under heavy use.

 

[A-R-K]

I have pretty much the same thing you linked to. 12V batteries last a long time. I bought it because it is very compact. It's seen a lot of use in places where my 19.2V Craftsman can't fit. It also does pretty well driving screws into concrete. Just did a bunch of basement wall shelving yesterday with it. I really like it, so much so I'm thinking of getting the 12V drill to go along with it. For lots of jobs I don't need the grunt of the big Craftsman.

Sent from my D5803 using Tapatalk

 

[4 Ever-Fish N]

I have been thinking about getting an impact driver too. Helped a guy with a flat once that kept one with him. Seemed to work fine for removing the lug nuts. It would be nice to have some extra power when removing lug nuts. Any of you guys have experience with this? Of course I'd used it for other things. I have two cordless Makita drills that I love but don't have an impact driver.

 

[firworks]

I've seen it over and over with these. I bought my dad a Bosch Drill & Impact driver set quite a few years back, and he said he appreciated it but he didn't want the impact. Said the drill by itself was fine. Fast forward 5 years and I doubt he's used the drill more than a handful of times but he uses the impact for almost everything.

Now come a year back and I bought an M18 FUEL Drill & Impact set for my GF's dad. He said literally the exact same thing. After he put a new roof on the barn he bought two more FUEL impact drivers at a tool auction. He loves them.

It's a tool that replaces the secondary function on your drill which the drill does "well enough". The one addition that I think makes them even better is I put a Wera Rapidaptor on each of mine. It allows for one handed bit changes because you push it forward instead of back like most other bit holders (kind of hard to put into words). So the motion of removing the bit also opens the bit holder. Even though they aren't impact rated I've been using two of them on my two impacts without any issue thusfar. I always use impact rated bits IN the adapter though.