Cordless Drill/Drivers vs. Impact drivers for deck work??

[Dave Falkenstein]

In another forum, I recently had advice to switch to using cordless impact drivers instead of cordless drill/drivers for deck work. The advice was that the job is easier with impact drivers. I have used three Dewalt drill/drivers for several years for building decks, and wondered what the consensus is here at SMC. I had a little experience using a small Makita impact driver on one deck and found it to be painfully slow. Driving hundreds of 3 inch screws is not an easy task. Speed is important but so is ease of use. I'd be interested to hear what you folks prefer. Thanks.

PS - Just looked at the Dewalt site for their current offerings. In addition to the "normal" drill/driver and impact driver offerings, they have a drill/driver specifically oriented to drywall and deck work. Interesting!!

[John Miliunas]

Upon the recommendations of a couple other SMC-ers, I picked up the Makita 12V impact driver a few months ago. I'm glad I did it! For me, it seems that the speed is extremely close to that of a "full size" cordless drill. BUT, I feel there is significantly less fatigue, as you don't really need as much "down" pressure. Also, the unit is much, MUCH lighter than their full drill brethren, as well as more compact, allowing you to get into tighter places. The fatigue and weight advantages are a real bonus for me, as it makes for a little less pain with my arthritis. Another thing I found with the impact driver is that it seems to keep going very strong, with "normal" power right up to the point that the battery gives up. In other words, it's not slowing down over time as the battery depletes. I give it a "thumbs up"! :D As usual, YMMV, but I like it!:) :cool:

[Tim Morton]

I am building a deck right now using a makita 12v impact driver (which I bought thanks to people like John clueing me into the advantages). It has made it MUCH easier when screwing in 1/2" x 5" lag bolts, as well as driving 3" deck screws. It is a BEAST. If I wee doing all lag bolts I think i would go for the 14v version, but that might be TOO much for driving phillips+ deck screws.

[Tim Sproul]

I had a little experience using a small Makita impact driver on one deck and found it to be painfully slow.

Seems odd. My 14.4V Makita doesn't turn the 3000 rpm that the drill/driver can but IIRC, it is 300 - 600 rpm. The variable speed is really nice too since I can start out slow to get it going, speed up once the threading is established and then slow down again to keep from driving the screw too far.

Perhaps the battery was a bit worn down?

For decking, you might want to consider 14.4 or 18V. The higher torque won't really be much use (1000 ft/lb's is a lot already) but the higher voltage batteries usually have longer run times.

[Bobby Hicks]

Driving hundreds of 3 inch screws

Are you talking about through 5/4 deck boards :confused: ?

If so, why use 3" screws. From my engineering background any penetration over twice the screw diameter is overkill. In another words the thickness of a typical nut is around a diameter to two diameters of the screw body (I realize that's machine screw talk).

In a 5/4 deck board (really 1") and a #8 (around 11/64 dia) screw technically you would only need about a 2-3/16 long screw. If you want to acount for the taper maybe 2-1/4 to 2-3/8. [Changed all 1" to 2"]

If you ar talking 2X stuff, OK, I'd conceed.

[Dennis Lightbourn]

Hi Dave!

Like you, I've used Dewalt cordless driver/drills for years. About a year ago I picked up a Dewalt 14.4V Impact Driver and I can count on one hand the number of times I've used the cordless drills since.

As General Contractors we drive and remove a lot of screws and 'Little'y' (as my crew calls it) was the most argued over tool on the site, prompting the purchase of two more.

[martyphee]

I beg to differ. If your screw is only 3/16 into a joist made of softwood you could put it right out with your bare hands. Your going to need at least 2" screw for any holding power.

[Dave Falkenstein]

Are you talking about through 5/4 deck boards :confused: ?

Bobby - most of the decks I build are 2X redwood, hence the 3 inch screws. On 5/4 composite decks I use 2-1/2 inch screws, which is the recommended length.

[James Carmichael]

Nuther vote for the ID here. I got a DW052 (12v) that was a Lowes demo unit that works with my B&D 12v Firestore batteries. At 12v, it has 2x the torque of my 18v DW hammer drill and doesn't twist out of my hand when it the torque gets heavy.

My only complaint is the batteries. I'm redoing my overhead lumber storage using 3/4" black pipe by tying poplar cleats into the ceiling joists using 3/8 x 6" lag screws. A single screw will just about drain one of those Firestorm batteries if I don't drill a 1/4" pilot, drive the screw as deep as I can with a drill and finish it off with the ID.

Anybody know an inexpensive source for good 12v DW batteries? I tried a non-OEM, supposedly 2.2 ah NIMH battery off of Ebay and it is worse than junk. An electric impact wrench may be an option as well.

Almost forgot, an ID is much kinder to Phillips-head screws, I'm not sure exactly why, but it doesn't strip the heads like a drill. I can drive and back out #6 or 8 deck screws up to 3" and recover every screw. Using a drill and the same #2 or #3 phillips bit (depending on the screw brand), probably 1/2 the screw heads would be ruined.

[Bobby Hicks]

Don't know what I was typing :o . I wouldn't use 3/16 in wood either. I intended to add an inch so you would end up at 2-3/16" to 2-1/4". and the nearest availble length would be 2-1/2"

Sorry :o

[CPeter James]

After using a borrowed Makita 12V putting the back half of a steel roof on my barn last fall, I HAD to have one. I had a 14.4 Dewalt, so that seemed to be the direction to go. When I went to HD, the has a special, the 14.4 ID plus a 14.4 hammer drill for $10 less than the driver alone. You don't have to be too smart to figure that one out. I only came with 1 charger and two batteries, but I already had a charger and two more batteries, so no big deal. I use it constantly. Works great for large spade bits too!

Half the weight and three times the power 1150 in/lbs vs 390 in/lbs).

CPeter