Impact Drivers

harveyp6 · 2026-01-01T16:40:52+0000

Always nice to have a tool where the idea is to larrup the hell out of it with a BFH.
I seem to have acquired a few of these, and I don't use them often, but it's nice to know that there's one in a toolbox somewhere when I need it.

MattF · 2026-01-01T16:43:11+0000

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

As was I. The flat bit tip bent like buggery when I tried removing a stubborn flat head screw, & that was just using a handheld bit handle.

Can't fault their drill bits & suchlike, but definitely wouldn't recommend their driver bits.

TEO · 2026-01-01T16:48:18+0000

MattF said:
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.

Or just whack the screw in then back it out till the jacked up board lies flat & set it in again, way faster than piloting & suitable for 99% of stuff unless you're doing something that needs to be super precise

MattF · 2026-01-01T16:50:20+0000

TEO said:
Or just whack the screw in then back it out till the jacked up board lies flat & set it in again, way faster than piloting & suitable for 99% of stuff unless you're doing something that needs to be super precise

That method works too. One of my quirks is that I can't do that though, unless it's some rough & ready task which doesn't need to last.

daleyd · 2026-01-01T16:52:18+0000

MattF said:
As was I. The flat bit tip bent like buggery when I tried removing a stubborn flat head screw, & that was just using a handheld bit handle.

Can't fault their drill bits & suchlike, but definitely wouldn't recommend their driver bits.

I got a mixed bit set a few years back (none impact) that came with a little case, which is OK. But I'll steer clear of their impact bits!

TEO · 2026-01-01T16:55:47+0000

MattF said:
That method works too. One of my quirks is that I can't do that though, unless it's some rough & ready task which doesn't need to last.

Think we probably have a different threshold for rough & ready :laughing:

. For me it's more about the timber & the quality of the screws.

brightspark · 2026-01-01T16:56:27+0000

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

i got 15 boxes of them 4 quid a box they hold up real well screwing drywall hardened screws day in day out

TEO · 2026-01-01T17:01:16+0000

I found 3x tiktak boxes of Milwaukee pz2 at the right price from ITS about black Friday time, might still be there

Milwaukee SHOCKWAVE PZ2 25mm Impact Screwdriver Bits - Pack of 75

Get it tomorrow: Great Deal on Milwaukee SHOCKWAVE PZ2 25mm Impact Screwdriver Bits - Pack of 75 and on many more Power Tool Accessories . Rated EXCELLENT on Tr

its.co.uk

dobbslc · 2026-01-01T17:22:14+0000

TEO said:
Or just whack the screw in then back it out till the jacked up board lies flat & set it in again, way faster than piloting & suitable for 99% of stuff unless you're doing something that needs to be super precise

What I do

Robotstar5 · 2026-01-01T17:28:27+0000

MattF said:
They're sh*te.

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

I use DeWalt impact bits, but bought the Erbauer long series bits and they're fine.

waddycall · 2026-01-01T17:38:54+0000

If I hadn’t seen such riches I could live with being poor

dobbslc · 2026-01-01T17:41:07+0000

Oh sit down!

angellonewolf · 2026-01-01T18:08:38+0000

dobbslc said:
@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...

light weight i have 7

4x 18v
3 x 10.8v

knighty · 2026-01-01T18:14:17+0000

my brothers makita drill works as a normal drill for screws... then when it gets tight it works as an impact...

it's really good, especially starting off screws because it's so smooth

I've tried other "drill drivers" and they don't do that

keep meaning to check which model it is so I can try to find a millwalkee one

arther dailey · 2026-01-01T20:59:30+0000

MattF said:
They're sh*te.

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

I buy their 1mm slitting disc s , excellent

Turbo · 2026-01-02T05:04:27+0000

Regarding the screwdriver bits only buy ones that are impact rated.

The standard Erbauer ones are not suitable and break with ease in an impact driver. Bosch are also rubbish.

The Milwaukee and Dewalt impact bits are good and will wear out before they break.

The daddy of bits are the Wera diamond ones but they are not cheap. But they are brilliant at gripping a damaged screw head.

Agrismith · 2026-01-02T06:20:54+0000

Turbo said:
Regarding the screwdriver bits only buy ones that are impact rated.

The standard Erbauer ones are not suitable and break with ease in an impact driver. Bosch are also rubbish.

The Milwaukee and Dewalt impact bits are good and will wear out before they break.

The daddy of bits are the Wera diamond ones but they are not cheap. But they are brilliant at gripping a damaged screw head.

The old erbauer impact bits where brilliant, they lasted forever in an impact. I would get a couple of weeks out of a bit. Then they changed their design about 5 years ago and the new ones would last half a day.
Dewalt I find very poor for impact bits aswell.

frank horton · 2026-01-02T07:37:58+0000

my prob is getting a bit to fit the screws.....
Drywall screws here, nothing fit's well in the head....
I also use a lot of self drilling metal screws....4x40mm.....a number 2 is to big and a no 1 is to small....drives me nuts..
Plus, imposs to find any proper make of bit's....everything is Chinese...to hard-to soft.....grrrrrrr...

MattF · 2026-01-02T07:54:21+0000

You are using/trying Phillips & not pozi bits for those?

Craig-SM · 2026-01-02T07:54:29+0000

Turbo said:
Regarding the screwdriver bits only buy ones that are impact rated.

The standard Erbauer ones are not suitable and break with ease in an impact driver. Bosch are also rubbish.

The Milwaukee and Dewalt impact bits are good and will wear out before they break.

The daddy of bits are the Wera diamond ones but they are not cheap. But they are brilliant at gripping a damaged screw head.

I have the Wera Impacktor diamond bits and bit holder set from well over a decade ago. Thought it was very over priced then but there wasn’t much choice in impact rated bits then. I still have over half of them so I guess they were actually good value for money.

I have broken numerous impact bits by other manufacturers though that I thought would have been good quality.
The Spax torx head screws and bits are really good though but expensive again

Impact Drivers

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V twins are great but 4"s rule.........

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