Impact driver question?

[Glenn Turnage]

It's about time to replace my cordless drills and I've been reading comments here about impact drivers and how great they are for driving screws.
Driving screws is my primary use for my cordless drills, and I'm probably not alone with having the occasional aggravation from the phillips bit slipping and stripping the screw head. My question regarding the impact drivers is related to that slipping of the bit and stripping out the screw head. It just seems to me that the impact driver would be more likely to cause problems? What's the verdict, or is one about like the other?

[brent lenthall]

Impact driver and square drive screws. When using phillips screws you can limit most stripping because you are getting torque not speed.

[Bob Michaels]

I now drive all screws with a DeWalt Model DW057K 18 volt impact driver. No slipping, no chewed up phillips head screws. No problems. I even drive lag bolts with this sucker on occassion and it works great. I also just sprang for the Festool C12 drill which has torque control and cool attachments like small angle head, and an eccentric (off-set) chuck that allows you to drill holes or drive screws right into a corner of a cabinet without driving on an angle. Expensive, but pretty cool.

[Kent Fitzgerald]

It's about time to replace my cordless drills and I've been reading comments here about impact drivers and how great they are for driving screws.
Driving screws is my primary use for my cordless drills, and I'm probably not alone with having the occasional aggravation from the phillips bit slipping and stripping the screw head. My question regarding the impact drivers is related to that slipping of the bit and stripping out the screw head. It just seems to me that the impact driver would be more likely to cause problems? What's the verdict, or is one about like the other?

I've only been using my Makita impact driver for about a month, but it definitely seems to have much less tendency to cam out of Phillips screws.

It might seem counterinintuitive, but my explanation is that a regular drill-driver applies torque constantly, which means that once the bit begins to slip, it's pretty much inevitable that it will cam out, spin, and chew up the screw head.

An impact driver applies intermittent bursts of torque, which allows the bit to re-seat itself rather than slipping. Dunno if that holds water, but it's my story and I'm sticking to it. :D Anyway, try one and I think you'll like it.

[Tom Pritchard]

Glenn, I have been using the Makita 14.4V impact driver for a little over a month now, and I can't believe how much easier it is to use compared to my old cordless drill! I used to strip a lot of #2 square drive bits with my old drill due to the fact that it's difficult to not "overdrive" them at the end of their insertion. The impact driver solves that problem, and I've been using the same #2 square drive bit since I brought it home, which is a record! As others have stated, it also works well with lag bolts or any other type of bolts with ease. The Makita rep at our local tool show also said that it will work great removing rusted bolts, working like a small impact wrench. In any case, I would highly recommend them.

[Tim Morton]

go for it...I have the makita 12.2 and it is by far my most used driver.

[Frank Pellow]

It's about time to replace my cordless drills and I've been reading comments here about impact drivers and how great they are for driving screws.
Driving screws is my primary use for my cordless drills, and I'm probably not alone with having the occasional aggravation from the phillips bit slipping and stripping the screw head. My question regarding the impact drivers is related to that slipping of the bit and stripping out the screw head. It just seems to me that the impact driver would be more likely to cause problems? What's the verdict, or is one about like the other?
Why are you using Philips screws? I am able to drive Robertson screws quite easily with both my non-impact corded and uncorded drills with no such problems.

[Tyler Howell]

2 years on the Makita 14.4 with LED head lights:D .
Like it so much I bought a few for work.
First tool I grab for screws, lags, nuts, and bolts.
Does a fair job of drilling holes. If I have a lot of holes to punch I still chuck up the cordless.:cool:

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

Why are you using Philips screws? I am able to drive Robertson screws quite easily with both my non-impact corded and uncorded drills with no such problems.

Because he is in the US :D Robertson, eh? ;) :D

One of them impact things is on my short list of tools to get!

Cheers!

[CPeter James]

The best thing since sliced bread. Twice the power and half the weight.

CPeter

[Charles McKinley]

HI Glenn,

Ken's explaination is right on. Makita has a kit out with their 14v drill and impact out. I think I saw it at HD. If you can find it ridgid was offering the 12v drill and their right angle impact.

I bought an 18v just to keep the batteries the same as my other tools. Unless you are driving lags all day this is way over kill.

[Kurt Forbes]

First thing I did when I got my new 14.4 makita impat driver was head out ot a few stripped philips head screws and see how well they worked. It backed them right out. My old drill could not even move them.
It is wonderful to drive screws with.

[Glenn Turnage]

As Stu said, Frank, I'm in the USA. For some reason square drive screws aren't readily available. I can occasionally find some at HD or Lowe's but nothing you can depend on when you need them.

I'm about convinced to buy the impact driver, but after reading all the posts I'm rethinking my voltage requirements. Seems like I'm adding a shed, patio, or something every year that rolls by; I've got the metal under a shed now to replace the roof on our house. My first drills were 12V I think and weren't worth charging the batteries but that was years ago. I went to 18V and had better results. A couple of years ago I found some Black&Decker 18V w/one batttery & charger at HD for $25 and bought two. Should have bought six. They have been great, but there is a screwup in the design of the battery release that you push in to remove it from the drill or something. The case of both batteries is broken and they won't clip into the drill properly. They still charge and work OK, but are prone to drop off the drill if I don't watch. A blind hog found an acorn when I bought those, and I realize those type deals aren't likely again. I've just got to decide if I want to chance the 14V or stick with the 18V.

[Tom Pritchard]

[quote=Glenn Turnage]As Stu said, Frank, I'm in the USA. For some reason square drive screws aren't readily available. I can occasionally find some at HD or Lowe's but nothing you can depend on when you need them./quote]

Glenn, if you want square drive screws, try this place. They are a great place to do business with. I find it hard to go back to phillips head screws after using the square drives!

http://www.mcfeelys.com/

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

As Stu said, Frank, I'm in the USA. For some reason square drive screws aren't readily available.

....and do you know who you can blame for that......???

One Mr. Henry Ford...


Robertson had licensed the screw in England (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/England) but the party with which he was dealing intentionally put the company (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Company_%28law%29) under and purchased the rights from the trustee thus circumventing Robertson. He spent a small fortune buying back the rights. After that he refused to ever allow anyone to make the screws under license. When Henry Ford (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Ford) tried out the Robertson screws he found they saved considerable time in the production of the cars (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Car) but when Robertson refused to license the screws to Ford, he realised that the use of the screws would not be guaranteed and stopped using them. This largely explains why they never became established in the United States (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States).
Today Robertson screws are almost unknown in the United Kingdom (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom), scarce in the United States (accounting for 10% of screws sold), while being very common in Canada (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada) where 85% of the screws sold use the Robertson head.


As I understand it, not only did Mr. Ford not use them, but because of his power in the industry he made sure that anyone in the US in business did not use them, "Or Else" ....... Mr. Ford often got his way.

You do realize that there are clones of the Robertson drive screws, these are square drive, but they have no taper, so they cam out easier, and they will not hold on the bit like the Robertson do.

Also, on the Phillips drive, here in Japan with have a better version of it, the JIS, it cams out less than the normal Phillips. A normal Phillips screw driver does not work well on the JIS screws, it strips them out.

There, more than you needed or wanted to know :D

Cheers!

[Eldon Berg]

I bought a Dewalt 14.4 V Impact since I had a Dewalt 14.4v cordless drill that I used constatntly. Now I use the the impact driver more that the drill. Use it for all screws and lnd lag bolts. This weekend put in 6" lagbolts with ease.

[Shaun Wilson]

Cordless Impacts are the way to go, hands down, over cordless drills. They have roughly 2x the torque, higher driving speed, almost never slip, and batteries last a lot longer than with a drill too. 14.4V is plenty strong for all screws and up to about 3/8" lag bolts (in non-pre drilled wood!) I've used dewalt and makita a lot, both 12, 14.4, and 18. There is a pretty big difference between the torque of the 12 and 14.4, not so much between the 14.4 and 18V. The extra torque you get with the 18 just does not seem to be worth the extra weight over the 14.4, which usually is comparable to the 12. FWIW, I just bought a new 14.4 makita on ebay for $46 for the bare tool with no batteries or charger, which is fine since I already have a drill and extra batteries and charger that will fit. Also, the 12V dewalt seems to have more torque than the makita 12, IMO. If you buy a kit, shop around as the prices seem to vary quite a bit. Mail order is definately better price-wise on cordless tools. Good luck.

[Gary Swart]

I know I'm in the minority, but IMHO, cordless drivers suck when it comes to lots of large screws. My favorite is a DeWalt DW-106 3/8" VSR drill driver. The VS allows control over the speed, I can remove screws easily, there is enough power to drive 3" deck screws all day, and the best part is, I never run out of power when I am up on a ladder in the middle of a job. Yes, I do have a cord to deal with, but for me that's not a problem.

[Frank Pellow]

As Stu said, Frank, I'm in the USA. For some reason square drive screws aren't readily available. I can occasionally find some at HD or Lowe's but nothing you can depend on when you need them.

...

.
When I lived in the USA (in the Seattle area), Robertson screws were readily avialable at my local lumber dealer (Dunn Lumber). Also, you can always order them from McFeely's.

[Bill Lewis]

When I bought my 18V Dewalt six-pack+1 it came with the DW056 impact driver. I was really buying the six pack for the drill, circ saw, sawzall, grinder and the +1 jig saw (or free tool) promotion. I really didn't think much of the impact driver or flashlight. I actually thought it was the impact wrench (DW057), but I didn't look at it that closely. Well since I have started using it, it has been one of the most used tools in the pack. I've used it for all sorts of screw driving, even hanging the hardibacker board for the shower (uses special square drive screws). It's easy to overdrive screws in to soft woods though. It's a very good addition to the cordless corral, It can't replace the drill entirely, but is really good at what it does.

[Glenn Turnage]

I decided to stay with the 18V. May be a mistake, (but not my first). Bought a Ryobi at HD for $69; it looks and feels sturdy and well built. Bought two batteries ($40) and a charger ($20). Their battery prices are enticing if they will just hold up. After getting home I discovered that the batteries will work in a Craftsman set that my wife uses, so another plus, as all of her batteries need a rebuild. I like their idea of using the same batteries for all their tools of that voltage.
After charging one of the batteries I had to try some 3-1/4" screws with it... unbelieveable! This sucker is strong, relatively small, and quiet and will drive the 3-1/4" screw in a heartbeat.
If the batteries crap out I'll probably be on here whining about it; if they give good service, chances are I'll not even think of reporting back unless I read a thread questioning them.

[Rob Blaustein]

I bought the Makita 14V impact/regular drill combo kit for my contractor for Christmas as they were near the end of our renovation. He is a great guy and we really enjoyed working with him. He was really touched and very thankful. After he started using it he called me up and told me it's awesome and no one on his crew gets to use it but him! When I gave it to him, I told him that the only condition was that I get to try it out since I'd never used one, just read about them here. Haven't tried it yet though, but I'm looking forward to it.

[Brian Jarnell]

This is the one I would get if I lived over there...2.5 times more expensive here.

http://www.coastaltool.com/cgi-bin/welcome.pl?ref=froogle+page=/a/ab/pana/ey7202gqw.htm

As matter of interest I have read that an average cordless generates 40 nm of torque,an impact more like 135 nm.

[Jerry White]

I recently bought the Panasonic EY7202GQW 12.0<SMALL>V</SMALL> Impact Driver Kit with Digital Clutch. Haven't used it much yet, but I already like it a lot.

[Kristian Wild]

I got the Makita 12v combo pack with the drill and the impact wrench just before Christmas and I'm really happy with them. It's nice to have your drill/ countersink chucked into the the regular drill and your driver bit in the impact driver and just switch tools without switching bits.

I've also noticed that I get way more battery life when driving big screws than with my regular drill. Probably because it starts to hammer as the torque increases instead if just overloading the tool and sucking the battery dry.

And one final pitch!!! My impact wrench is about 3" shorter than it's partner so it can get into pretty tight spots.

As you can see I'm a believer!

[Brian Jarnell]

I recently bought the Panasonic EY7202GQW 12.0<SMALL>V</SMALL> Impact Driver Kit with Digital Clutch. Haven't used it much yet, but I already like it a lot.
I do wish you hadn't mentioned that,I have a Ryobi($nz340.);)

[Glenn Turnage]

This impact driver is a new experience!
I decided to rebuild my extension table on my cabinet saw today and shattered four phillips bits (from a Dewalt set) while tightening screws. After the first one I tried not to get carried away, but in spite of all lost three more.
Do they sell bits specifically for impact drivers that are less apt to shatter? I didn't see any when I was at HD.

[Tom Pritchard]

Glenn, I have used phillips, square drive (#2), spade, and sockets with my impact driver and have not broken or cammed out a single bit yet. It sounds to me as if there may have been a problem with the ones that you had. I would try another set made by a different manufacturer and see if that makes a difference. Most of mine are Bosch, but I have some Hitachi and DeWalt bits that I've used without a problem.

[Kelly C. Hanna]

You should save your money on the impact and switch over to square drives. For the life of me I will never understand why square drives never made it until recently. It is a far superior design and the bits won't cam out nearly as often.

[Glenn Turnage]

Tom, I was using phillips head machine screws with a nut on the backside. I suppose when they tightened up there was no more "give" to the impact causing the bits to break. Never had this happen using wood screws.
I have noticed that the phillips don't have as much tendancy to cam out for me with the impact driver as with a traditional driver.

Kelly, I use square drive when I can, but they're not always available around here yet. For my project with the shattered bits I was reusing the hardware to build a new extension table for my saw to replace a pos shopfox table. After a little use, for my use the impact is worth the money; not to try to find some better bits...

[Keith Barkhau]

The impact tool are definitely great--I've got a regular one and a right angle. The only negative I've encountered is the noise. When the impact part kicks in it can be quite loud. I know its a drill not a jack hammer, but if you're going to be using it a lot, especially in an enclosed area you really might want to consider using hearing protection.

Other than that I've found mine fantastic.

Oh, and I'm not sure if someone above mentioned it or not, but I've always found McFeeleys to be a *GREAT* source for square drive fasteners (I'm not connected any any way with them other than as a customer). They have an extensive selection of fasteners (and other stuff) and are a top notch company to work with. Not as convenient perhaps as a borg, but much better to deal with. Just my $0.02.

Link --> http://www.mcfeelys.com/