Opinions? Using an impact driver for pocket screws

[Nick Schepis]

I've found it difficult to adjust the clutch on a drill driver to consistently drive the screw to the right tension. Is an impact driver a good choice for this? Maybe a lower torque model?

[John TenEyck]

Exactly. I use a 12V impact driver with pocket hole screws. If I use my 18V driver it's easy to break screws or strip them out in the hole. The 12V seems to be perfect for seating the screws w/o breaking them and it has low enough torque that you can stop before stripping them out.

John

[Mark Bolton]

We use impacts on pocket screws all day long. Its just about technique and operator control. We have a couple small drivers that are slower RPM which are good for someone to tends to over-torque but once you get the timing, and paying attention to the sound down the bigger faster drills are fine. I dont ever worry about which impact I use even in 1/2" ply with 1" screws. Its all about the feel/timing/sound.

[kent borcherding]

I use 18v Bosch impact drivers for screws - either GKR screws or prefer Spax screws. No problem wth breaking screws . Impact drivers have 1500 lbs. torque.

Spax screws are heat treated to no. 5 hardness .

If you go to Spax website - Spax will send you a very helpful sample package.

[Kyle Iwamoto]

I put a piece of tape on the driver and make a line with a sharpie long ways on the driver shaft. That allows me to watch the shaft and see when it slows down. Yes, if you keep driving the point comes out the other side. DAMHIKT. Without that line, I couldn't really tell when the driver was slowing down. With enough practice, I guess you could learn how to tell.

[Mark Bolton]

I use 18v Bosch impact drivers for screws - either GKR screws or prefer Spax screws. No problem wth breaking screws . Impact drivers have 1500 lbs. torque.

Spax screws are heat treated to no. 5 hardness .

If you go to Spax website - Spax will send you a very helpful sample package.

Are you buying spax screws for pocket holes? We buy pocket hole screws in bulk. I cant phathom spax could compete on price. Will give it a look.

[Mark Bolton]

I put a piece of tape on the driver and make a line with a sharpie long ways on the driver shaft. That allows me to watch the shaft and see when it slows down. Yes, if you keep driving the point comes out the other side. DAMHIKT. Without that line, I couldn't really tell when the driver was slowing down. With enough practice, I guess you could learn how to tell.

If your drilling your pockets correctly and using the right screw for the material (other than extremely soft woods) you should never blow a screw out the other side of the material, and with the correct screw (perhaps less so with fine threads) you should never be able to over-drive the screw. Marking your bit with tape and a marker for depth shouldnt really ever be an issue. The threshold of loose, tight, and way to tight, would never be measurable with a sharpie mark.

[Kris Cook]

Marking your bit with tape and a marker for depth shouldnt really ever be an issue. The threshold of loose, tight, and way to tight, would never be measurable with a sharpie mark.

The way I read his post he is using the tape and marker to give him an indication of whether or not the driver bit is turning, not for depth.

[Martin Wasner]

We use impacts on pocket screws all day long. Its just about technique and operator control. We have a couple small drivers that are slower RPM which are good for someone to tends to over-torque but once you get the timing, and paying attention to the sound down the bigger faster drills are fine. I dont ever worry about which impact I use even in 1/2" ply with 1" screws. Its all about the feel/timing/sound.

What Mark said.

[Bas Pluim]

I prefer using a drill/ driver. With an impact driver, it's easy to drive the screw in so fast that it twists the work piece. A drill allows the screw to slowly drill into the material. A 12V impact driver would probably be OK, 18V easily too much.

But it also depends on how well you can clamp your work pieces. Two narrow face frame pieces are more difficult to keep aligned than two large boards.

[Jeff Heath]

I use my 18V Milwaukee with no problems ever. I use quality screws, Kreg, with fine thread, and self drilling. Square drive. I've never had a blowout or a cracked face frame. They snug up nice and stop.

[Rick Potter]

I cannot comment on how pro's do it, but as a hobbyist I have driven thousands of pocket screws, and I have had some strip out pine or plywood. I now use a 12V compact screw gun or impact, and just snug them. Then I go back and tighten them by hand with a T handle screwdriver.

This gives even a dummy like me a good feel for how tight to go, and is still plenty quick enough for hobby work.

[Zac wingert]

12v driver

[Brian W Evans]

We use impacts on pocket screws all day long. Its just about technique and operator control. We have a couple small drivers that are slower RPM which are good for someone to tends to over-torque but once you get the timing, and paying attention to the sound down the bigger faster drills are fine. I dont ever worry about which impact I use even in 1/2" ply with 1" screws. Its all about the feel/timing/sound.

I agree with Mark. I use an 18v impact driver for everything from pocket screws to lag screws. It doesn't take long to learn the sounds and feel of the driver to get the results you want. If anything, I think there is more control with an impact driver than with a drill.

[Kory Cassel]

My 18V Milwaukee has three torque/speed ranges although I tend to leave it on the highest setting. It will destroy a frame and drive screws right through softwood if I'm not careful, but my view is that the larger capacity tool that can also do more delicate work is usually preferable. If you are only ever going to use it to drive very small hardware, a 12V impact driver might be worth looking at. I built my shop from the ground up with the 18V impact and I haven't yet felt the need to buy a smaller tool to gain extra control. I recommend the brushless models. Far more expensive, but worth it IMO. In either case, to answer your question OP yes, an impact driver will serve you better than a drill when driving screws.

[Mike Kreinhop]

I use a Bosch GDR 18V-Li impact driver for all of my pocket screws and normal wood screws. I've never had a pocket screw punch through or strip out.

[George Bokros]

My 18V Milwaukee has three torque/speed ranges although I tend to leave it on the highest setting.

Which Milwaukee impact do you have. I have one and am not aware of any torque/speed settings.

[Ole Anderson]

No problem here using an 18 volt PC impact driver. You need to learn to feather the trigger. I am always wondering why the pros only know full or no trigger and as a result they are always using the driver like their trigger finger is in full spasm instead of just letting off smoothly at the screw nears the bottom.

[Kory Cassel]

Which Milwaukee impact do you have. I have one and am not aware of any torque/speed settings.
It is an old Milwaukee Fuel # 2653-20. I bought it years ago. It might be the original Fuel impact but I don't know. It has a soft button below the grip you press to change speeds. I really only ever use in on 3 (the highest setting). It has a variable speed trigger as well as the three switchable ranges. The original magazine reviews, if I remember correctly, complained that it might be too bulky and heavy duty for a 1/4" impact, but I've gotten used to it. On the lowest setting it can be quite precise. Some other models I've since tried are more svelte and ergonomic IMO. Wouldn't trade the brushless motor though.

[Tim Bueler]

We use impacts on pocket screws all day long. Its just about technique and operator control. We have a couple small drivers that are slower RPM which are good for someone to tends to over-torque but once you get the timing, and paying attention to the sound down the bigger faster drills are fine. I dont ever worry about which impact I use even in 1/2" ply with 1" screws. Its all about the feel/timing/sound.

Ditto. I tend to use a 12v driver for softer woods and plywood and an 18v for harder woods. Practice makes perfect.

[Osvaldo Cristo]

Are you buying spax screws for pocket holes? We buy pocket hole screws in bulk. I cant phathom spax could compete on price. Will give it a look.

I testify Spax works fine. And they have "better" sizes for some applications.

[Wade Lippman]

Why am I always disagreeing with everyone? Could I really always be wrong?

I would never use an impact driver for pocket screws; way too easy to blow them out.
I use a drill with a low torque setting, and then do the last few turns by hand.

[Jim Becker]

Why am I always disagreeing with everyone? Could I really always be wrong?

I would never use an impact driver for pocket screws; way too easy to blow them out.
I use a drill with a low torque setting, and then do the last few turns by hand.

I'm not going to disagree with you because I also would avoid an impact driver for this. Even with my 10.6v CXS drill/driver, I can overdrive a pocket screw really easily if I'm not careful. I personally don't see any advantage to using an impact driver for this particular kind of work..BUT...I'm very kewel with folks using what they prefer/have for the work. And yea, there have been times when I've felt the need to "sneak up on it" like you describe with a hand-driver to avoid an issue.

[Warren Lake]

what are pocket screws

[Jim Becker]

what are pocket screws

ROFLOL....rabble-rouser... :) :D

[Warren Lake]

yeah maybe

[Rick Potter]

I have some screws in my pocket, I could send to you if that will help.

[Martin Wasner]

what are pocket screws


They are screws used to hold parts together when you use quality off the shelf glue instead of complicated joinery and picking which animal you're going to render to make glue/have for dinner.

[Ronald Blue]

The impact driver that I learned with. No batteries needed......

399293

[Warren Lake]

thanks Rick, Screws in my pocket poked through the pocket. After to many years with the same tool belt they poked through that. Got crap from a carpenter once who saw I had sown the belt many times and even stapled it with an office staple. Got a nice favorite baseball mitt colour new belt and in not long it started coming apart. Other things since then.

Martin not sure id call it complicated, it was done that way for 1000 years till the gizmo inventors arrived.

[Martin Wasner]

Martin not sure id call it complicated, it was done that way for 1000 years till the gizmo inventors arrived.

I know, but modern glue makes a pretty solid connection with no real joinery required for things like face frames. Chairs and stools are a different animal though.

Dovetail drawers are popular because they're pretty, completely unnecessary from a longevity standpoint though.

[Jim Becker]

I know, but modern glue makes a pretty solid connection with no real joinery required for things like face frames. Chairs and stools are a different animal though.

Dovetail drawers are popular because they're pretty, completely unnecessary from a longevity standpoint though.
I agree with this. It's nice to have choices for how we assemble things. I've done a bunch of drawers in both solid stock and BB ply using pocket screws and glue...which completely disappear once the drawer fronts are installed...and they are darn strong, too. Pocket screws are just another method in the tool-box, as it were.

[Brian Holcombe]

There are historical examples of simple joinery as well. The drawers in Japanese tansu are typically just rabbetted corners held tight with angled wooden pegs.