Thread: Do I need an Impact Driver?

Originally Posted by Chris Parks

The recoil does not happen if the clutch is set properly. I will never be convinced that an impact driver is anything but a niche tool and in larger part just a marketing exercise to sell something that is not needed for general indoor work. Air tools in a workshop have their place but I don't use them very often and if I do it is only a drill. Too damned noisy and as you say the airline is a pain. I just can't imagine any scenario in general indoor woodworking where an 18V impact driver is needed. i can snap an 8 gauge screw with a 12V drill if I try hard enough. An air compressor has so many uses it would be an investment I would make before many others. I bought a second hand one initially for a $100 and it lasted many years before being replaced.

I guess it is horses for courses. I've got a compressor and a handful of air tools. The one that gets the most use - the simple compressed air blower. I'm not a professional and the idea of firing up my compressor to drill a hole when I can grab one of my cordless drills simply doesn't work for me. If I was working all day perhaps it would be worthwhile, but for me the hassle is not worth it.

As for impact drivers, I recently laid a deck of recycled 26mm spotted gum boards. The impact driver drove screws through these old, hard boards without pilot holes with no problems. A cordless drill simply doesn't have enough RPM to spin these screws fast enough to bore through the timber. An impact gun would be fine, except that it wouldn't take the right drill bit, and I'd have to wander around 3m above the ground juggling an air hose. An impact driver was far and away the right tool for this job.

Trav

Originally Posted by Chris Parks

The recoil does not happen if the clutch is set properly. I will never be convinced that an impact driver is anything but a niche tool and in larger part just a marketing exercise to sell something that is not needed for general indoor work. Air tools in a workshop have their place but I don't use them very often and if I do it is only a drill. Too damned noisy and as you say the airline is a pain. I just can't imagine any scenario in general indoor woodworking where an 18V impact driver is needed. i can snap an 8 gauge screw with a 12V drill if I try hard enough. An air compressor has so many uses it would be an investment I would make before many others. I bought a second hand one initially for a $100 and it lasted many years before being replaced.

Yeah air tool noise is painful. I hear you on the 18v, 14.4v is plenty. Only thing with the clutch is that you have to reset it for different situations, impact drivers kinda do it for you and you just stop when you're done. I also find it easier to modulate the power with a driver.

But, as mentioned by others, everyone will find the tool that suits their needs.

I can't imagine life without my impact driver. It's the brushless Makita....

It's by far the most used tool I own.

One brand for battery tools is my choice. I would be looking at 18v

It so happens I have Makita thanks to the generosity of my daughter who re-kitted me. Makita was choice in my case simply because of the variety. I even have a battery sliding compound saw.

As for impact drivers - I have 3 Makita's plus one Ryobi that I already had. Don't care for the Ryobi but ok for light stuff. I also use the quick action drill bits in my drivers.


Dave

The Turning Cowboy

Originally Posted by DaveTTC

One brand for battery tools is my choice. I would be looking at 18v

It so happens I have Makita thanks to the generosity of my daughter who re-kitted me. Makita was choice in my case simply because of the variety. I even have a battery sliding compound saw.

As for impact drivers - I have 3 Makita's plus one Ryobi that I already had. Don't care for the Ryobi but ok for light stuff. I also use the quick action drill bits in my drivers.


Dave

The Turning Cowboy

the bosch needlepoint QR bits from bunnings are great. i get a set every month as they work very well with melamine.

Originally Posted by GCP310

the bosch needlepoint QR bits from bunnings are great. i get a set every month as they work very well with melamine.

You buy new bits every month??

yeah, i tend to go thru the 3mm 4mm and 5mm bits pretty quick in white melamine, and i tend to drop them too. I need them sharp to avoid chipping the melamine.

Originally Posted by GCP310

yeah, i tend to go thru the 3mm 4mm and 5mm bits pretty quick in white melamine, and i tend to drop them too. I need them sharp to avoid chipping the melamine.

Might be worth learning to re-sharpen them, could save you a lot of money. Also it's a good skill to have in general.
You can also get carbide tipped drill bits which last much longer between sharpens.

Ha! The day I start sharpening my 3mm drill bits is the day I know I've really got too much time on my hands

Originally Posted by dalejw

Ha! The day I start sharpening my 3mm drill bits is the day I know I've really got too much time on my hands

Takes about 20 seconds on a bench grinder. 3mm gets a bit fiddly, but I do 4 & 5 regularly

I regularly sharpen my big stuff but I don't think I've ever managed to get anything <5mm as sharp as new. I think I'd be better off trying to hammer in a 3mm that I'd sharpened to make a hole rather than putting it in the drill

Originally Posted by GCP310

yeah, i tend to go thru the 3mm 4mm and 5mm bits pretty quick in white melamine, and i tend to drop them too. I need them sharp to avoid chipping the melamine.

sharpen them on an oilstone, I get 3 to 4 years out of mine that way

Needle-nose or brad point bits of any size are nigh on impossible to sharpen on anything less that the diamond CNC machinery used by the manufacturer!

Even a superfine round file won't work: the bits are all HSS, and therefore harder than the file! I suppose you could theoretically get the right sized diamond file for each and every sized drill, but life's too short to much around with disposable drillbits. You could file the gullets easily enough, but trying to reproduce the 3 needle points correctly on a 3mm brad point is I'd suggest impossible even for the young and well-sighted!

I sharpen conventional bits and split points down to around 1/4", but lack the fine vision and finesse for anything less.

Some drill bits were meant to be disposable....

Yes u need one. Theres no better way to screw! )


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