Dedicated impact driver, or impact wrench + adapter?

[rice rocket]

Any reason why I should pick a dedicated impact driver or getting a compact impact wrench with an adapter? Thinkin' about what Milwaukee is offering in their Fuel line.

The 1/4" hex impact driver puts out 130 ft lbs peak, two other modes are lower torque (can't find the exact specs). The 3/8" impact wrench adds .3 lbs and an extra 1/2" to the front-to-back length, but peaks at 200 ft lbs. My only concern is the first mode is already 30 ft-lbs, second is 75. Is that too much for around the house use? Am I gonna be driving screws way too deep?

I'm a car guy first, but also am starting to fix up a house.


This is the adapter, it has a 3/8" female on the bottom, and the 1/4" female on the top.

 

[Danglerb]

Any adapter or extension is going to make the tool less handy and lose some of the "impact". Its terrible IMHO from using a hex to sq with my Bosch hex impact.

Many of the jobs for a hex driver are repetious, putting in 300 deck screws etc., you are going to want the lightest, easiest tool a long time before the job is done. Same thing for smallest best access on other jobs.

Right tool for the job issue in my thinking, if you need one VERY rarely, get one, but even moderate use I would get one of each. OTOH I already have more than two of each counting some sizes and types.

 

[reptilezs]

i would get separate tools if you are going to use them in different environments. for small jobs using the square to hex adapter is ok. i do not like the 1/4 hex to square adapters. they end up breaking on bigger bolts and you loose power. as far as driving screws too deep that is about trigger control, which is easy

 

[GoodEnough]

Got a link for this tool?
This thing is to break screws free, right?

 

[theoldwizard1]

I have used my 1/4" hex DeWalt impact driver a fair amount as a homeowner. It is great for removing screws ! I can't think of a case where I would really have used a 3/8" impact in the past year.

 

[DeliveryGuy]

I have the Dewalt DCF895. I use the Dewalt 1/4 to 3/8 socket adapters daily at work, and I haven't broken one in over two years. However, I typically tighten 5/16 and 3/8 bolts, nothing larger.
When changing the tires on my car, I use the impact driver just to run the nuts on, as well as those plastic hub cap nut that screw to the lug nuts. I was actually able to tighten the lugs on the car past the 100ft-lbs torque spec with barely a moment of impacting, verified with a torque wrench. So, if you're changing tires on a car, not a truck with 140ft-lbs lugs, and the studs are clean, you can easily do it with a high end impact driver and socket adapter. (The twice a year you need to do it, not every day.)

 

[cheechi]

I have a non fuel M12 and a Bosch 18v impact driver both. There is a big difference in the torque between those, and neither of them 'drives screws way too deep'. Driving screws into wood with an impact isn't the same as over torquing a bolt and stretching/breaking metal threads. YOU control how deep the screw is driven, it is worth practicing with some scrap because it's not the same as an air wrench nor a cordless drill. There is no clutch on mine, the M12 settings make up for that but it's still not a true clutch.

For example I used the M12 driver the other day. Drove screws in and used the paddle bit to install a door lock. Comparing to a drill, it didn't bog down and the light gave me a 'strobe' effect which was especially useful for the paddle bit. But when driving the screws for the plate into the jamb, I drive it down in there (no clutch on the impact driver) past the point or right up to the point where its going to grab the plate and change where i put it. The last 1/2-full turn I do with a screwdriver anyway, even if I have to back out a little and do it.

For comparison, I could have done this with an impact wrench with an adapter, but for the most part you're more likely to see combo tools grouped with an impact driver anyway. Fuel or non, I would get a driver to do those tasks and the wrench if you need it in the automotive tasks.

 

[rice rocket]

These are the tools in question:

3/8" impact wrench
http://www.milwaukeetool.com/power-tools/cordless/2654-22ct

1/4" hex impact driver
http://www.milwaukeetool.com/power-tools/cordless/2653-22ct

It still feels like there's a decent amount of overlap in these products.

Maybe I'll swap the 1/4" hex driver for the 12v version to have a super light-weight tool, and hop on the 3/8" impact wrench.

And I haven't even picked up the 1/2" impact either!

 

[CWP1616L]

First of all, that impact driver is used for driving inexpensive deck screws. If you can spend the extra coin for R4 screws, you won't need an impact driver; they go into wood very easy with just a cordless drill.

 

[BBC71Nova]

I noticed a bit ago that Zoro Tools stocks the M18 Fuel 3/8" impact bare tool. During tomorrow's 30% off sale you could pick one up for a little over a bill. Great tool, btw.

 

[firebox40dash5]

If you're sticking with M18, I'd buy the 3/8". I have the 3/8" actually. I can't imagine wanting to heft around the same package with a hex chuck, it's way overkill for that. I have an M12 Fuel hex driver I use with bits, and with an adapter for 1/4" sockets, it does good enough for that for my uses. I don't do a whole lot of woodworking, so M12 is more than enough for most anything I use hex bits for.

FWIW I've got one of those adapters, and the sleeve came loose the first time I used it. I haven't bothered getting it replaced since no one stocks them and it's not really worth postage on a ~$15 piece.

 

[Voi]

These are the tools in question:

3/8" impact wrench
http://www.milwaukeetool.com/power-tools/cordless/2654-22ct

1/4" hex impact driver
http://www.milwaukeetool.com/power-tools/cordless/2653-22ct

It still feels like there's a decent amount of overlap in these products.

Maybe I'll swap the 1/4" hex driver for the 12v version to have a super light-weight tool, and hop on the 3/8" impact wrench.

And I haven't even picked up the 1/2" impact either!

Bosch has a hybrid 1/2" impact wrench and 1/4" hex driver. Only 137.5 foot pounds of torque, though. If you look at the pic below you'll see that this is basically a 1/2" impact wrench with a recessed area that accepts a 1/4" hex bit.

I've used adaptors on my 1/4" hex driver and it really reduces how useful the tools is due to the longer length.

I think the Bosch tool is a good idea and will be hoping they or somebody else comes out with something more powerful by the time my Hitachi impact/drill combo wears out.