Drill driver vs Impact driver question...

[Terry Hatfield]

Is there a reason that I see all the DIY show guys using impact drivers to drive screws? I have the PC 18v combo kit and I keep feeling like I should buy the impact driver but can't really figure out why other than I'm addicted to watching Mike Holmes using his Dewalt to frame with. Is there a real reason to use the impact driver to drive screws? I see that it obviously has more torque but do I really need more torque than the 18v drill has to drive any size screw?

All of this thought process came up because I accidentally left my brand new drill out in the rain...for a few days. :rolleyes: I dried out the drill and it works fine but that battery shows an error code when it's on the charger and won't hold a charge so I'm down to one battery for 4 tools. PC sells a 2 pack of batteries for like $60 but you can buy the whole stinkin' drill driver kit with the drill, 2 batteries and the charger for $99 at Lowes. I'm trying to decide if I want to buy the impact for $69 and add the 2 pack batteries which would be like $130 or just buy the drill kit instead.

TIA,

t

[tyler mckee]

I have a ryobi impact and i like it for the brute strength, and it never strips out long screws, you don't have to push with all your weight, it just goes. general construction projects, i like the impact. Woodworking projects, i like the my drill driver with a clutch.

[Tony Shea]

Once you use an impact driver to drive screws you will never go back to using a drill unless extreme delicate work is a must. I can't remember the last time I use my drill to drive a screw since buying an impact driver. They're one of the best damn inventions of late and can't imagine life without it. You will have to really struggle to ever strip out another screw once owning this tool.

[Doug W Swanson]

I just got an impact driver after using my drill for years. The impact driver makes a huge difference when driving long screws.

When I would use my drill on 2" or longer screws, sometimes it would strip the head out before completely driving the screw in. Then I would have to take the stripped screw out and use another one.

Using an impact driver has prevented this. The screws go in all the way the first time.

Like Tyler said, use the impact for heavier construction type projects and us your drill for smaller stuff.

JMO,
Doug

[Van Huskey]

Impact drivers are a tool that doen't make a lot of sense until you use one, then you will NEVER be without one again. Get an mpact driver, you will not regret it.

[Karl Card]

an impact with a square drive screw is about the perfect combination. impact will also help to get out screws that are semi stripped in the head.

[travis howe]

I have to agree w/ the consensus here, it's a heck of a tool. One of the things not mentioned here was the extended use of the tool vs drill driver. If I'm screwing in big screws or lags w/ the same battery just in the impact driver it'll last 3 or 4 times what I was getting out of a drill driver.

I have the Ryobi one+ (green) setup and I have to say for the buck it's REALLY tough to beat. I've been through dewalt and hitachi and I liked them both but so far no complaints on the new Ryobi.

[Matt Meiser]

I use the impact quite a bit but not for fine woodworking. For building stuff in the shop, for smaller nuts/bolts (with a 1/4 or 3/8 drive adapter), and for projects around the house. I tried living without for a while when my Dewalt burned up and that only lasted about 6 months.

Now I've got one of the little Bosch 12V impacts which I do use for woodworking because its got a lot more finesse.

[Terry Hatfield]

OK, I'm convinced. Only issue is PC says they have the 18v impact in a kit with 2 lithium batteries and the charger (PCL180IDK-2) but I can't find it anywhere. Grizzly shows it for $160 but when I talked to them they said that it had Nicad not lithium batteries. I suppose that is still a decent deal but would like the lithium batteries if I can get them. The only way Lowe's has it is the naked impact. No batteries or charger. As I said before, I already have the bigger 18v PC combo so I'd like to just add on and I obviously need more than one battery considering the number of tools that I have. Man, I wish I hadn't killed that battery!!!

[Paul Hendrickson]

I had the Nicad driver/drill as well as the Jig saw. After using a friends impact, I had to have one. I got the 199 lithium kit from Lowes with the drill/driver, impact and two batteries. Then I gave the Nicad drill to my father-in-law. I know that many are lamenting that the new porter cable stuff is not what it used to be, but for me it has done very well. No one else has all the cordless tools available that PC does. As a hobbyist, that versatility is worth a lot.

Anyway, if you spent 40 bucks more and got another drill, that might not be a bad thing.

[Vijay Kumar]

an impact with a square drive screw is about the perfect combination. impact will also help to get out screws that are semi stripped in the head.

Karl can you explain this? Are these slotted head screws, phillips head or square drive stripped heads that can be removed with an impact. I have always had a heck of a time removing stripped heads having had to resort to drilling the screw out. What is the right way to remove these stubborn screws.

VIjay

[scott vroom]

No question, get an impact driver for construction work....they drive screws faster, easier, and without stripping the slots. An amazing tool. I still use my old clutch drill for woodwork where I need the control.

[Craig Cee]

I've had my Makita LI 18V w/extended Battery for the last 5 years. Always reliable even up to 130 degree heat. +1 on impact vs drill. I also use Dewalt impact bits (Phillips/straight; no sq drv yet) which last longer and have never snapped on me before wearing out. If the budget allows this would be my recommendation. +1 on the falling quality of PC. Good luck on your new toy!

[Kelly Craig]

I bought the wife a Makita set (drill and impact) and watched her use it for a year. I kept using my Dewalt drill. We used these things almost daily. I couldn't understand why she thought the driver was so good, until, six months or more into the game, I borrowed it. I now have a Makita set for the road, a Panasonic (I like the variable impact settings) set for the shop, she's still got hers, and the Dewalt's been on vacation for a few years now. The other posters are right, you'll never go back. For me, it was a "what the hell was I thinking?" thing.

[Van Huskey]

I bought the wife a Makita set (drill and impact) and watched her use it for a year. I kept using my Dewalt drill. We used these things almost daily. I couldn't understand why she thought the driver was so good, until, six months or more into the game, I borrowed it. I now have a Makita set for the road, a Panasonic (I like the variable impact settings) set for the shop, she's still got hers, and the Dewalt's been on vacation for a few years now. The other posters are right, you'll never go back. For me, it was a "what the hell was I thinking?" thing.


Funny I had a similar lightbulb moment, I had bought a large multi tool set and the impact has set unused for several months while I slaved away driving with the drill, then one day I used someone elses impact driver when they handed it to me to drive a screw while they held something, I went home and plugged a battery in mine and haven't quit since.

[Jim German]

My little 12V bosch impact is fantastic. It can drive the longest screw without stripping it (albiet a bit slowly), and its incredibly lightweight. It's a great tool for driving screws over your head.

I would like to punch whoever decided not to put a little spare bit holder on it though.

[Steve Rowe]

My experience with the drill/drivers doing construction work is that for some operations, they are not up to the task. Driving screws through Hardibacker board (both 1/2" and 1/4"), my 18v Dewalt drill/driver would not drive the screw head flush.

Based on recommendation from a friend who does remodeling for a living, I purchased a Makita impact driver and this baby will drive a screw all the way through the board if you are not paying attention. You should use an impact bit instead of the nonsense they hawk in the borgs and most hardware stores. I use the Apex impact driver bits.

The impact driver is my first choice for driving screws whether it be construction or woodworking. It is light and compact compared to the drill/driver.

I experimented with it just to see what it would do. I drove everything from #6 to #12, 1-1/2" long screws without pilot holes into the hardest stuff I had in my shop (hickory and makore) and it never skipped a beat, driving everything flush without splitting (I was not near an edge). The only downsides to an impact driver are the noise and if you don't watch what you are doing, the head of the screw will go right through your workpiece.
Steve

[brian c miller]

+1

I have never used on until I borrowed a friends to do some work under the house (crawl space) and I'll never go back. The biggest advantage is that you don't PUSH into the screw to drive long screws and they typically devolp much more torque.

The down side is that you'll tear up your cheap bit drivers, I'd say go a head and get some "impact grade" bits to go with it.

[Buck Williams]

Also excellent for backing out a screw that was over-torqued at the factory. I have a Delta air cleaner, and there was no way I could loosen the screws so that I could clean the filter, until I tried the impact driver. Sweet.

[Alan Tolchinsky]

Yep, I love my little Bosch impact driver but it is NOISY! Do your ears a favor and protect them while using an impact driver.

[Rich Tesoroni]

Think the impact driver makes it possible to stay with a smaller drill/driver combo. I got the Makika set with light (and I love the light) on black friday two years ago. Don't really see a need for anything more than it's 14.4v

Also have the corded Milwaukee 6740-20 driver (the bigger one for deck screws) for bigger projects.

Rich

[Bobby Thistle]

There is no comparison between a drill driver and an impactor. I don't know how I ever got by before I got my Bosch 18V. It is a thing of beauty. I also use it quite a bit to tighten up nuts and bolts... and I mean TIGHTEN.

By all means... go the way of the impact driver.

--Bobby

[Andrew W. Thomas]

I used my buddy's impact driver to drive quite a few 2" - 2 1/2" screws hanging kitchen cabinets and was amazed. It was more than up to the challenge. Don't remember what brand or v's but he said it was one of HD's specials so he picked it up on a whim.

[Karl Card]

Karl can you explain this? Are these slotted head screws, phillips head or square drive stripped heads that can be removed with an impact. I have always had a heck of a time removing stripped heads having had to resort to drilling the screw out. What is the right way to remove these stubborn screws.

VIjay

Sorry alot of times i tend to type faster than I can think. When I used phillips head screws on projects or on someone elses project where the phillips head is stripped but not completely an impact driver can most of the time be a big help in getting those screws removed. I myself since I have been using square head screws with a square drive bit I have not had a problem with stripped screws... Hope this helps..

[Terry Hatfield]

Still chasing the impact driver with the lithium batteries in kit form. Shows on PC's website but can find any retailer that has it. Interesting. I've emailed PC. Waiting on the response. Grizzly has it but it is Nicd not lithium.

Thanks for all the responses!

t

[Don Jarvie]

Highly recommend the Makita Drill - Impact Kit (white model) which goes for around $250. I can't say enough about how great an impact driver is.

[Peter Stahl]

Highly recommend the Makita Drill - Impact Kit (white model) which goes for around $250. I can't say enough about how great an impact driver is.

Ditto, great set!

[Von Bickley]

Terry,
I was at my local Lowe's this morning and they have the Hitachi combo kit with the cordless drill and the impact driver - 12 volt lithium, for $169.00.

[eric buggeln]

The Festool drill/drivers for small, intimate use and the Makita 18v Li-Ion Impact for the big stuff is an unbeatable combo if you do some woodworking and some construction. The clutch on the Festools is really awesome.

[Terry Hatfield]

Terry,
I was at my local Lowe's this morning and they have the Hitachi combo kit with the cordless drill and the impact driver - 12 volt lithium, for $169.00.

Thanks Von. Trying to stick to PC because of the afore mentioned battery issue but.....

Got email back from PC today stating that Lowe's had an exclusive on the impact kit with the lithium batteries. Loews.com shows no such and my local store says they don't have it and can't get it either. Emailed PC back with the news. Gonna just give up and buy the 3 tool lithium kit with the impact, drill and flashlight and have way to many drills and flashlights I guess.

t

[Pete Shermet]

The only screw I use is Robertson, I threw slot heads all away years ago, that being said , if your driver bits are worn and you use a drill, to drive them they tend to ramp up and will slip and strip, as the screw gets harder to drive.
An impactor allows the bit to reset every impact , use high quality bits like Metabo and you will rarely strip out a screw, driving or removing.

[Joe Vincent]

Ditto, great set!

I agree and I also recommend saving a few bucks by getting a reconditioned set at CPO Makita.

[keith micinski]

My little 12V bosch impact is fantastic. It can drive the longest screw without stripping it (albiet a bit slowly), and its incredibly lightweight. It's a great tool for driving screws over your head.

I would like to punch whoever decided not to put a little spare bit holder on it though.

My Hitachi set is the same way. What would it have cost to put a hole in the side to hold a bit? I spent ten minutes looking for it thinking surely it is here somewhere and I just cant see it.

[rick carpenter]

Terry,

You'll never go wrong with an impact driver for big stuff. But of course, now you'll build bigger stuff.

(Matt, I see you like your baby Bosch. Is it the littlest Bosch has? I have an 18v and love it, so I was wondering about getting one of the littler ones too.)

[Jeff Sudmeier]

I have two impact drivers and I won't give up either of them! I love them and I use them for woodworking as well.

The only time I don't use them is driving brass screws or the like.

The other thing that's nice about the impact driver is that they will drive lags, tighten up bolts, etc. In my toolbox with the impact driver is a socket set as well :)

[glenn bradley]

Gonna just give up and buy the 3 tool lithium kit with the impact, drill and flashlight and have way to many drills and flashlights I guess.

t

I have way too many drills and wish I didn't. I don't seem to cycle through them often enough to keep the batteries from going down. Just food for thought.

[Terry Hatfield]

To late Glen...

Bought the 3 tool combo on Saturday. Got a quick charge on the batteries and drove some 3" screws almost completely through some 2x4's just for kicks. LOVE the impact driver!