Do you own a HAND impact driver

[jjjrmx5]

Great, another tool that I don't have that I didn't know that I needed.

Yep.
It's an awesome tool when you need it.

I bought mine way back in the 90's to remove VW front rotor screws like the Honda's still use.

Replacement bits can be had all day at Sears and from the trucks.

The bit holder head on the two C'man units I have come off to reveal a 1/2" sq male drive so that you can put a 1/2" drive socket (or reducer and smaller socket) on it and use it to remove stubborn bolts and nuts as well.

It provides far more torque with the whack of a hammer than almost any impact save the very high end IR's and Snap-Ons.

And far cheaper. It's a finesse tool, not a grunt force tool.

 

[chris6278]

I have a craftsman one and a snapon one. Theyre lifesavers when u need them

 

[Mr Ratchet]

I have a cheap one from Kmart of all places. I think someone gave it to me as a gift around 30 years ago when I was in my teens. It's not a tool I use often, but when I do it's always the right tool for the job and none better. Like the some others have stated, the are a life saver.

 

[CORTEZSS69]

This summer a fellow was having a garage sale that had retired after being a tech for 45 years. He had a MAC impact driver for $15.00,I couldn't get my money out fast enough to pay him.
That fellow took about $400.00 bucks of my money that day, I got some pretty cool stuff that day. As far as using the driver,I used it last weekend for front brakes on my neighbors Honda. I have used 3 or 4 times already and it has saved the bacon every time. Good tool to have around. Don't know why I didn't buy one sooner.

 

[JASTECH]

Here is pic of C'man, $24.99, It is the same as Snap-On $60.00.
>Oh, It made a spot in my box when it took them flush fitting screws that held some rear drums on. You know how rusty, over heated and plain out dirty the rear drums were? I had to rescue another tech. after he tried to get drum off w/o seeing the screw. They are a great tool.
>
I am going to try this red one I think.

 

[emeraldcoupe]

i have a lisle, it's paid for itself over and over. it's a must have for the toolbox.

 

[timbitca]

Great, another tool that I don't have that I didn't know that I needed.

Ditto here.

Although I am a bit surprised that my grandfather didn't have one in the garage here, even though I'm pretty sure I've seen one around here sometime, but most have been one of his brothers'

 

[justanengineer]

Definitely one of my favorite tools in the box, and one of the most used....but I quite a bit of "restoration" work involving screws that have been installed for 50+ years. Just used it the other day to remove the jaw insert screws from yet another vise.

 

[D.J.]

I had one in a toolbox that got stolen when my dad had a wreck and was in the hospital in Eldorado IL about 20 years ago. Reminds me I need to get that replaced in my current box.
O.K. so you guys just cost me some more money today, but now I can answer yes I own a Hand Impact driver, the cheap harbor freight one.

 

[coolreed]

I do not use mine much but when you need it, it will do the job. I recently used mine extracting a stubborn rusted screw out of an old vise jaw. Otherwise I would have had to drill it out.

 

[03protege]

Ok fellas, I think I dun good.

It is missing the adapter to go from 3/8" to the 1/4" hex bits but I promptly ordered one on ebay after seeing the Matco price.

All said and done $55

http://www.matcotools.com/catalog/product/SID23PB/23-PIECE-IMPACT-DRIVER-AND-BIT-KIT/

 

[03protege]

this thread took off, eh!

what pawn shops do you like? I usually have luck at one on Florida by Little John. I'm going wrench shopping tomorrow looking for fillers, may hit a few thrift stores too.

I am in Hammond a few days a week for school so I hit up Bayou Pawn and Jewelry. Someone just cleared out a whole **** load of truck brand stuff I was going to pick up today, but I was trying to get it a little lower than I should have been I guess. Although currently most of the truck brand stuff is cleared out. They also have a good selection of loose sockets that they let go for .15-.25 each.

They have a better selection of small quality items than what I see at most pawns. I never find any nice ratchets there. There is also another pawn in Hammond that is also a scrap dealer and I usually find some Craftsman stuff there pretty cheap but overall there selection is pretty weak.

 

[03protege]

Great, another tool that I don't have that I didn't know that I needed.

lol exactly my thought.

 

[mooman]

Here is pic of C'man, $24.99, It is the same as Snap-On $60.00.
>Oh, It made a spot in my box when it took them flush fitting screws that held some rear drums on. You know how rusty, over heated and plain out dirty the rear drums were? I had to rescue another tech. after he tried to get drum off w/o seeing the screw. They are a great tool.
>
I am going to try this red one I think.

It is not the same as the Snap On PIT120. The handle on the SO is a hex pattern.

 

[mrjaw14]

what are good bits for these besides the Vim ones? Craftsman are **** according to another poster, what are alternatives that are readily available? Does autozone, napa, or advanced carry any bits that aren't junk?

I've got two impact drivers, need some bits for them though

 

[TwoInch]

i learned of the hand impact years ago while doing rotors on hondas, after drilling the JAS screws on a few. never have i had to drill a single one since. and the impact driver gets used on many other things, quite often actually. once you get into the habit of thinking about how it could be useful, it will get used much more often.

everyone should own a few. i have the standard size, and a small 1/4 drive model, which is useful as hell also.

 

[mrjaw14]

1/4" Drive Impact TwoInch? where'd you get that?

 

[JustBob]

I have not found another tool, electric or otherwise, that will do the job a hand impact driver will. Indespensible when needed, mostly forgotten when not... I have two Lisle sets purchased, both from the early 80's, the tools themselves are great but the bits cant take much abuse.

I will give these Vim bits a try, I have shattered or twisted every other brand I have tried. (removing stainless phillips head screws from a 40 year old boat)

 

[Motor-Mechanic]

Yes. Worth its weight in gold.

 

[TwoInch]

1/4" Drive Impact TwoInch? where'd you get that?

i think its called a 1/4 drive. it uses the standard size bits that drill/drivers use, where the standard impact driver uses larger, 3/8ths hex bits.

dont remember where i found it, but i found it in a store somewhere really cheap. its really small too, which is useful

 

[TwoInch]

 

[nine4gmc]

I didn't know they made such a thing as a 1/4"^, thanks for posting!

 

[RCL]

I am pretty sure the 1/4" in the picture is a HF as I had one given to me.

 

[TwoInch]

i was thinking i found it at a local hardware store, but may very well have been from harbor freight. im drawing a blank on where i was when i bought it. i didnt need it, but had to have it.

 

[cashishift]

i have a lisle, usa made.

if you work on honda's it's a must for the brake rotors.

 

[Patrick Boyle]

I've had one forever. Like others have said, they don't get used often, but they're a life saver. Most recently I've used them on Hyundai brake rotors and fuel injector cap screws on the VG30DE. I originally got a 1/2" model from HF which has worked pretty well. I recently inherited a very nice 3/8" driver from my grandfather. It's from a company called Vessel. This thing is a beast.

 

[davesnothere]

Everyone should have one.

 

[2oolhound]

The Vessels are the ones we used to get in the 70's. After losing all my tools from those days and replacing everything in the last 4 years I've now picked up 4 sets (I couldn't find any for the 1st 2 years so when I finally started running across them I kinda went nuts)

Now I want one of those 1/4" ones, never seen one before. Does it have a 1/4 square drive behind the coupler for the bits?

 

[crewchief888]

yep i have one,
used almost daily for 8 years i worked in a JD const eq dealership rebuild room

impact driver and small drag link socket to remove the slotted screws holding the front engine plate on.

 

[TimeWarpF100]

I have at least 3 Hand impact drivers.

Bought first one over 40yrs ago which is a S-K and still have it. Back when i was into motorcycles's it was pretty much mandatory to get those side cover screws out.

Have a Vessel and a Snap-on also. Just used one this week. I think the older versions work better than the newer versions, snap-on is the worst of the three no doubt. Tips were junk on snapon compared to the other two also.

With the new cordless impacts they take place of a lot of jobs the hand impacts do but still use mine.

 

[ecally]

I have one I got from my father-in-law when he passed a way. It is stamped 'Buffalo' but looks exactly like your driver, bits, container, and driver, except for name itself.

I've had one forever. Like others have said, they don't get used often, but they're a life saver. Most recently I've used them on Hyundai brake rotors and fuel injector cap screws on the VG30DE. I originally got a 1/2" model from HF which has worked pretty well. I recently inherited a very nice 3/8" driver from my grandfather. It's from a company called Vessel. This thing is a beast.

 

[Drew_flux]

still using mine atleased once a week,i bought a snapon version at a swapmeet 10 years ago,still going strong.

 

[heyutokyo]

I just recently purchased one of these off of Ebay. I haven't used it but looks like its a must have.

 

[lwlobo]

Hand Impact + knowing when to use it = Awesome!

Great for stubborn screws, indespensible for motorcycle repair. After using my Matco set several times to rescue my Dad during various motorcycle repairs, I finally got him one off craiglist, a vessel driver like the picture above.

I gave another vessel driver as part of last years GJ Secret Santa event. Good solid design.

They are also great for broken bolts. If you can grind a slot in the bolt with a cutoff wheel in your dremel, put in a tight fitting straight bit and pound away. Make sure it's turned the right way to back the screw out, not tighten it!

 

[e-tek]

Kind of a kooky thread.....We could do this with any tool known to man.

I have one too!!! Weeeeeeeeee!!!!

 

[Patrick Boyle]

I have one too!!! Weeeeeeeeee!!!!

This is 90% of the threads on GJ

Out of curiosity I Googled Vessel. Apparently they're a Japanese company that got their start making screwdrivers: http://www.vessel.co.jp/english/company/info/history/

 

[2oolhound]

I remember seeing quite a few of them destroyed from hitting them too hard. They kinda looked pregnant and were seized up.

 

[Conductor562]

I have never had any desire to own one of these.....until I read through this thread.

 

[Jim C.]

I have never had any desire to own one of these.....until I read through this thread.

Me too. Thinking back to various certain projects, one of these tools may have come in handy.

 

[Robbie UK]

I see the bond between motorcycles and the hand impact drivers is as strong in the States as the UK. Cross head fasteners, dissimilar but lightweight metals make these things essential.

Never seem to remember which way to twist the L&R collar though.