Extra tough Phillips bits for Impact drivers?

[Joe Jensen]

For years I've used some great hard phillips bits with ridges for my cordless drivers. Now with the impact driver, the bits break too easily. Clearly they are very hard, and now with the impact driver, I now need bits that are tougher. I did some Google searching and in the UK there is a commercial brand Wera, that claims to have a version for impact drivers. Does anyone here have a recommendation, or experiene with the Wera bits?

[Craig D Peltier]

I dont know wera but interested. I know I break dewalts an black an deckers pretty often. My buddy said something like american somethings or american vermonts that he has always liked.

[Joe Jensen]

I've been using vermont american ACR bits and they are the ones breaking. I just ordered new bits from McFeely's. They have APEX which was recommended to me on another forum. They have specific versions for impact drivers...joe

[jerry nazard]

APEX. I broke one... once - a long time ago.

[Peter Quinn]

I have heard good things about the McFeely's bits but never tried them. DeWalt bits come in a 10 pack because that's about how many it takes for the average project. I have moved mostly to square head or torx head for assembly and construction length screws.

I got a Hafele catalogue recently that had hardened 'Diamond coated tip' philips bits, they were around $17 each for #2 philips but claimed to last hundreds of times longer. The idea is that the diamonds provide friction which maintains contact and reduces cam out. Apparently most bits break when the driver has lost contact with the screw momentarily causing the projections to slap against the screw. Not sure if I believe this story or not? You need a commercial account to order direct from Hafele, but maybe one of the vendors that sell their screws also sell the bits?

[Ben West]

McFeeley's has bits especially for impact drivers. I have several, and have never broken one.

[Joe Jensen]

I have heard good things about the McFeely's bits but never tried them. DeWalt bits come in a 10 pack because that's about how many it takes for the average project. I have moved mostly to square head or torx head for assembly and construction length screws.

I got a Hafele catalogue recently that had hardened 'Diamond coated tip' philips bits, they were around $17 each for #2 philips but claimed to last hundreds of times longer. The idea is that the diamonds provide friction which maintains contact and reduces cam out. Apparently most bits break when the driver has lost contact with the screw momentarily causing the projections to slap against the screw. Not sure if I believe this story or not? You need a commercial account to order direct from Hafele, but maybe one of the vendors that sell their screws also sell the bits?

I think these might prove to be a problem with impact drivers. The Vermont American bits I've been using with a cordless drill last forever because they are so hard, but they are also brittle. Before I spent that much, I'd want to make sure it was suitable for impact drivers (If you use one)...joe

[Joe Scharle]

I've never broken an Irwin blue. Now that I've said that!

[Prashun Patel]

Another vote for McFeely's.

If you need to shop @ BORG, I've had very good luck with the Deckmate screws. They're square/philips hybrids. You can drive them with a philips in a pinch. But each large pack comes with a bit that has stood up well to my impact driver.

[Dan Lautner]

GRK fasteners with the star head will not break. If you must use philips I have had good luck with Hilti bits from Borg.

Dan

[Brian Penning]

Ummmm....I gotta ask. Still using Phillips?
Just about all screws up here are square drive.

[Homer Faucett]

Ummmm....I gotta ask. Still using Phillips?
Just about all screws up here are square drive.

Yes, it's still much easier to find Phillips head screws down here. Square drives are either special order or exterior rated stainless around here.

Joe, I'm going to order some of the ACR bits. I bought a DeWalt impact driver accessory kit for the hardened steel Phillips heads, and have almost broken all of them . . . although they lasted MUCH longer than any of the other standard tips that I was using.

I will say, though, that the Deckmate hybrid screw tips have held up just fine in my Bosch 10.8 Litheon Impactor. I thought that the Impactor was way overpriced when I bought it, but had a gift card, so I splurged. I use it on almost everything now. I even picked up one of the 10.8 Bosch Drill/Drivers at a pawn shop (brand new) as a sidekick. Highly recommend them for anything related to driving screws and lags (I've even driven quite a few tapcons into cement block). I've probably abused mine, but it has held up well so far.

[John Lohmann]

One word WIHA