Impact Drivers

[Endeleus]

I treated myself to a battery impact driver for Christmas, having been a bit sceptical of them for general screwdriving, etc as I've always got on fine with a drill / driver for screws (excluding the workshop where I still run air tools).

Well after a couple of days of gluing and screwing floorboards before putting laminate down, I'm a convert. I'd always thought impact drivers / wrenches was just for busting seized nuts off. Are there any other "new" tool technologies I've been missing out on because I've been stuck in my ways?

 

[Bullet2012]

you can now get a machine that keeps food cold. but for it to work you will have to move to a house with an electric supply

 

[dobbslc]

@Endeleus what brand do you use?
A 12 volt multi tool will be an eye opener if you've never had one.
You're right about the impact drivers though, it's so much easier than using a drill driver, I have three now...

 

[Mark 2]

You're right about the impact drivers though, it's so much easier than using a drill driver, I have three now...

One for the wife?, how thoughtful.

 

[Robotstar5]

One for the wife?, how thoughtful.

Actually Mrs Robo asked me to find one for her to keep at the stables along with an assortment box of screws as she likes to be independent instead of asking me whenever something needs putting up.
Although I still wince when I hear the driver bouncing out of the screw head because she's not putting enough pressure behind it

 

[Blobber]

Although I still wince when I hear the driver bouncing out of the screw head because she's not putting enough pressure behind it

 

[8ob]

Actually Mrs Robo asked me to find one for her to keep at the stables along with an assortment box of screws as she likes to be independent instead of asking me whenever something needs putting up.
Although I still wince when I hear the driver bouncing out of the screw head because she's not putting enough pressure behind it

Lacking ballast, that has to be a good thing

Bob

 

[Bornfree]

They are incredible for removing screw's. One's you know would never come out with a screwdriver, an impact with a quality bit gets them out with ease.

 

[Mark 2]

Although I still wince when I hear the driver bouncing out of the screw head because she's not putting enough pressure behind it

Had the dame thing with my enthusiastic daughter the other day, the matter got addressed pronto.

 

[brightspark]

They are incredible for removing screw's. One's you know would never come out with a screwdriver, an impact with a quality bit gets them out with ease.

i use the dewalt18volt impact driver for removing suborn screws on outdoor fittings otherwise they just round the heads off without .as for the multitool i have the dewalt one and its one of the most handiest things ive ever bought even though i have a chorded one

 

[Endeleus]

@Endeleus what brand do you use?
A 12 volt multi tool will be an eye opener if you've never had one.
You're right about the impact drivers though, it's so much easier than using a drill driver, I have three now...

I'm almost entirely Hilti now, so that's what I went for with the impact driver. I used to have a mix of Hilti and blue Bosch, but switched over to the Hilti Nuron system when it came out about 3 years ago and have treated myself to one or two upgrades a year since then.

As it happens, it was the multi-tool that finally got me to buy in to the Nuron battery platform as my old multi-tool was a bulletproof Bosch 110V, and was often the only reason I was still lugging a transformer about on site. (or more accurately my apprentice complained that he was always lugging the transformer around).

 

[Endeleus]

They are incredible for removing screw's. One's you know would never come out with a screwdriver, an impact with a quality bit gets them out with ease.

Yeah, I can see where this is going to be a blessing. Any particular recommendations on bits? I got a set of Bosch bits from Screwfix to start with and seem decent so far

 

[rtcosic]

They are incredible for removing screw's. One's you know would never come out with a screwdriver, an impact with a quality bit gets them out with ease.

They are equally good at shearing the head straight off!

 

[brightspark]

They are equally good at shearing the head straight off!

yep if the screws are either 2 hard or as soft as sh.it

 

[MattF]

@Endeleus
You're right about the impact drivers though, it's so much easier than using a drill driver, I have three now...

They are indeed a good bit of kit.

Drilling a clearance hole in the upper mating piece, however, is still good form. That's what a lot tend to overlook, when just blasting a screw into things.

I only tend to break out the impact for stubborn tasks, or when installing frame fixings & such. Drill & driver are still my preferred combo for most tasks.

 

[MattF]

got a set of Bosch bits from Screwfix to start with and seem decent so far

They're sh*te.

The Erbauer bit set which Screwfix sell are good. They occasionally have them on offer at half price.

 

[MattF]

They are incredible for removing screw's. One's you know would never come out with a screwdriver, an impact with a quality bit gets them out with ease.

Not always. In those cases, a driver bit in the drill will usually succeed where the impact fails. The drill has more torque.

 

[Craig-SM]

Even though I have a cordless impact driver sometimes you can’t beat the hammer hit type impact driver for getting that stubborn screw out especially if it’s a soft metal.

https://www.halfords.com/tools/hand-tools/screwdrivers-and-hex-keys/halfords-advanced--impact-driver-and-bits-178172.html?gclsrc=aw.ds&&_$ja=tsid:%7Ccid:17363835999%7Cagid:%7Ctid:%7Ccrid:%7Cnw:x%7Crnd:18099930528652580731%7Cdvc:c%7Cadp:%7Cmt:%7Cloc:9217899&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=17366425846&gbraid=0AAAAADrJx6zWY1miQDmMPe1sjkK5jj88z&gclid=CjwKCAiA09jKBhB9EiwAgB8l-L-GLTn2UxyF79_My1phwbilXhVQ32QaVK-tnEaUZXHpQcCUagY9HhoCCRQQAvD_BwE

 

[brightspark]

Even though I have a cordless impact driver sometimes you can’t beat the hammer hit type impact driver for getting that stubborn screw out especially if it’s a soft metal.

https://www.halfords.com/tools/hand-tools/screwdrivers-and-hex-keys/halfords-advanced--impact-driver-and-bits-178172.html?gclsrc=aw.ds&&_$ja=tsid:%7Ccid:17363835999%7Cagid:%7Ctid:%7Ccrid:%7Cnw:x%7Crnd:18099930528652580731%7Cdvc:c%7Cadp:%7Cmt:%7Cloc:9217899&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=17366425846&gbraid=0AAAAADrJx6zWY1miQDmMPe1sjkK5jj88z&gclid=CjwKCAiA09jKBhB9EiwAgB8l-L-GLTn2UxyF79_My1phwbilXhVQ32QaVK-tnEaUZXHpQcCUagY9HhoCCRQQAvD_BwE

i got one of them given its not chrome plated just plain black coating thought it would be a cheapo crap one till i looked and its as snapon

 

[daleyd]

I've had a tic tac box of dewalt impact bits, they've been decent to be fair. I'd get them again.

I'm surprised by the bosch ones not being any good, their consumables are usually good.