Impact driver use


Jerry_in_SD

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So I traded in my old drill/driver for the $150 drill/driver + impact driver deal from Rockler. The question I have is do you all use the impact driver to drive your #8 wood screws or just use your drill/driver? Drove a few hex head lag bolts into some SPF and it was awesome. But seems could be overkill for a lowly wood screw.

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I use the impact for driving screws, from #4 up. I have the Bosch 18 v and the 12v compact impact. If I need finess I use the smaller one, driving a lot of screws I reach for the big one. I've used Hitachi, DeWalt and Makita, Bosch is my personal preference. Once you learn how to use the tool, you won't go back to a drill driver for driving screws.

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I recently picked up the Craftsman 19v pair of drill/driver and 1/2" impact driver.  (impact has been on my list for a few years now, ever since the Skil cordless died.)

 

So I played (yes, played) with it to drive a pair of brass screws in to rehang a door that came off the frame.  (Long story, don't ask.)  And yes, I stripped out the head.  When I tried just the drill/driver to replace the screw with one of the spare brass screws I purchased (I was thinking ahead...ish) I stripped that screw out, too.

 

SO... do yourself the favor, and get the impact driver.  And drive your brass screws by hand.  I've had no other issues with the impact, and I'm glad I finally broke down.  (Now I just need to clean off the shelf so I can store the charger...)

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I've found that my favorite tool for driving #8 wood screws is my festool cxs. Very precise control. My impact driver is awesome for big stuff, but for fine furniture, I prefer the control of something less aggressive. I don't get much tactile feedback from my impact driver.

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I have the Dewalt impact driver and I like it a lot.  I use it mostly when I need to drive long screws - I just put up some shelving standards in the garage and drove the screws right through into the studs, no problems.  And, with a light tough on the trigger, I was able to drive some smaller screws without engaging the impact mechanism.  I still wouldn't use it for 'normal' project use, though.

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I use my impact driver to drive every screw I ever drive...EXCEPT for in furniture pieces.  I drive those screws by hand 99% of the time.  With an impact driver, if for some reason your screw starts taking a bite that the wood doesn't like, it's often too late to stop before cracking the wood...almost always a disaster at the point you're driving screws.  I drill the appropriate sized pilot hole, use some wax, and take my time slowly driving by hand.  If you start feeling resistance, you can easily stop, pull out, and clear out a little more material to make room for the screw.

 

I tend to work with a lot of HARD exotics, so it's critical for me.  You have a little more of a cushion if you're using soft maple or poplar or some other less dense hardwood like walnut or cherry...but exotics are very unforgiving and will happily crack in a flash on you.  Impact drivers and bubinga don't play nice. :)

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I use an impact driver for almost all screws, except very small ones, or ones you want no chance of messing anything up-including the head of the screw,  that are better done by hand.  Since they came out with cordless impact drivers, drills only get used for drilling holes. 

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==>I have the Bosch 18 v and the 12v compact impact. If I need finess I use the smaller one, driving a lot of screws I reach for the big one. I've used Hitachi, DeWalt and Makita, Bosch is my personal preference.

+1... I've got both Bosch sets and several years experience with DeWalt, Makita, Milwaukee, Hilti and Festool.

 

The Bosch is the best price/performance - full stop.

The Makita is [probably] second-place -- their 14v is a nice power/weight kit for light/med duty driving.

The small Makita (10.4?) is very useful for tight spaces.

The Hilti is the most robust, but costs considerably more - great for decking/etc

The FT-Ti is a disappointment and didn't even make the 30-day trial period - don't even bother.

The FT CSX is a nice little drill/driver.

The DeWalt, Milwaukee, Hitachi all got donated to a good cause (habitat for humanity)

 

So I'm down to Hilti for heavy-duty work and Bosch for the light-stuff --- although you can go to town with the Bosch 18v. For installs or tight-space driving, I use the FT CSX -- the close-quarters and angle heads are quite useful.

 

Furniture:

If screws are exposed, I use brass or stainless slotted-head -- no impact driver

If screws are hidden, I typically use square drive and the little Bosch -- it's nice, light and doesn't go hog-wild torquing.

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I use my little Bosch impact on large and concealed screws. For visible screws and fine work I pilot and use a drill with a clutch. That is the only drawback to the impact , lack of a clutch, but I understand that it could interfere with the impact/ power of driving.

It is easy to impact drive a screw too deep.

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I bought the Ridgid impact driver/drill combo about a year and a half ago and love them both.  The impact driver really is one of my favorite tools.  I drive pretty much everything with it, except for really small stuff. 

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Thanks for the feedback. I guess i will reserve the impact for large screws or non critical situations where there is no risk in overdriving or wood cracking. Driving drywall screws into plywood box side would be a good use for the impact. I really wanted the new Li-ion battery for a lighter tool than the old battery technology. The impact driver was almost free.

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I use the impact driver for all construction and DIY screw driving projects. It's a great tool and does exactly what it is design to do - drive screws quickly. If you are building a deck or laying out plywood, there is no better tool.

In the shop, I typically use the drill/driver for my kreg pocket hole jig. I need the clutch on the drill to stop the screw from blowing out the joint (which the impact gun could easily do).

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Impact drivers won me when I realized I could drive a screw at arms length with my off hand. Torque "free" with regard to my wrist/arm. I will use it with self cutting trim screws in all but the hardest woods and with every screw in soft wood. I am also likely to use impact with screws that will get hidden by a plug. You also learn trigger control to not blow things out so much.

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I don't like the impact because it removes the feedback you get through the drill about how hard it's working.  I know some people love them but I wish I just had two cordless drills instead.  I'm sure you get used to it but I'm sticking with what I'm comfortable with.  I don't use that many screws in the shop except for shop projects and pocket holes anyway.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I have the Makita from a couple of years ago and its a beast! Get one and you won't regret it. One lesson though, sometimes you will slip off when using an impact driver and you can gouge your work or the supporting hand on the workpiece, these do bounce more than a regular drill so you might not want to reach for this for fine work!

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I use slotted screws for several specific purposes that all center around historic recreation. I rehung many doors in my 1860 Colonial with new slotted screws that matched old worn and broken screws. These are also the screws I use to keep the styling appropriate for the mounting of the legs of my grand piano.

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