Drill recommendation
Discussion
Accelebrate said:
kambites said:
What on earth do people do that impact drivers get so much use?
My last few projects have all made good use of my impact driver:Driving lots of screws into our chipboard floors to try and dissuade them from squeaking.
Boarding the loft using 'loft legs' to avoid squashed insulation. Reviews on Wickes suggest pre drilling the four screws holes in each leg as it's a fiddle to get the screws in - I had no issues using an impact.
Replacing our bathroom floor with 25mm ply before tiling - lots of extra noggins in the floor to reduce any flex with big screws, lots of screws driven through the ply into the joists. Extra studwork in the walls to take cement board in the wet areas, lots of screws then driven through the tough 12mm cement board.
I'm sure I could get by without an impact, but I'd be drilling a lot more pilot holes and applying a lot more pressure for each screw. I think my bare Makita unit was all of £60 - well worth it!
I'm sure an impact driver is useful, I'm still not convinced it's necessary if you have a decent drill though.
Juicetin1 said:
After a bit of in-shop testing I bought this
https://www.metabo.com/uk/en/tools/cordless-tools/...
I'm really pleased with it, the one I got had 2 x 4ah batteries.
Its worth checking out.
https://www.metabo.com/uk/en/tools/cordless-tools/...
I'm really pleased with it, the one I got had 2 x 4ah batteries.
Its worth checking out.
Edited by Juicetin1 on Tuesday 25th July 17:01
Mark Benson said:
All those job could be easily done by my £100 DeWalt though, no need for pilot holes in any of it.
I'm sure an impact driver is useful, I'm still not convinced it's necessary if you have a decent drill though.
The chipboard floor screwing project was spread over a number of months as carpets were lifted in different rooms. The first room was done before I had an impact. My Makita combi drill was struggling without pilot holes so I ended up drilling first.I'm sure an impact driver is useful, I'm still not convinced it's necessary if you have a decent drill though.
Loft legs are meant to be tricky without impact or a pilot hole. Plenty of posts on tiling forums about people struggling to get screws through Hardibacker.
bristolbaron said:
I bouht a 18v Makita drill about a year ago, have just spent the last couple of weeks using my dad's impact driver.. wish I'd bought the twin pack now as the impact alone is a bugger to find at a decent price! Essential kit imo.
Baz - often under £60 on Amazon and £58 here... not bad considering they seem to go for £50 second hand!http://www.powertoolworld.co.uk/makita-dtd152z-lxt...
The thing with Makita is it opens you up to so many other options once you have a couple of batteries and 3Ah is fine for DIY use, it's only the saws that really use them up quickly.
Lots of cheap and very useful tools like Torches (great for Automotive use), Recip saw (good in the garden and very versatile) and the Vac they do for £30 is great and much better built than a dustbuster etc.
http://www.screwfix.com/p/makita-dhp453rfw-18v-3-0...
22 minute charge time... which is tempting if you're as useless as me as charging these things.
22 minute charge time... which is tempting if you're as useless as me as charging these things.
thebraketester said:
Just used my impact to drive some 150mm screws into some sleepers. Try that with a combi drill.....
Try drilling a 10mm hole in a metal sheet with an impact driver. Or drill a 7mm hole in a brick wall for a brown plug with an impact driver, or just about every other job a drill is needed for. A combi can do all that AND push 150mm screws into wood (if you know what you're doing)Has anyone tried one of the 'oil pulse' impact drivers that are supposed to be much quieter and have less vibration?
kambites said:
What on earth do people do that impact drivers get so much use? I'd say <25% of my cordless drill usage is for screws and generally speaking the problem I have when using it is that it's too powerful so it tends to countersink the heads straight through whatever I'm screwing into unless I get the clutch setting right; I can't imagine what would need more power!
It's more than just power, impacts are usually smaller so can fit into tight spaces, and you don't damage the heads of the screws either tightening or loosening them. I used to ask whats the point in them as they seem compromised nut once you start using one the combi sits there redundant 90% of the time.But yes for delicate work rather than brute force a combi is probably the best tool.
No ides why there's so little love for impact drivers. I use mine all the time just for diy.
The mother day I needed to take the gate off to have a fridge delivered. 15cm screws rusted through a 3x3 and into the wall. Took less than a minute with an impact, would still be looking at it glumly with anything else.
It's lighter, faster and easier to control than my combi. Without doubt, I use it more than the drill. The most important thing is that it allows you to not round off crossheads / torx bolts that you know yoiu'd really struggle with otherwise.
The mother day I needed to take the gate off to have a fridge delivered. 15cm screws rusted through a 3x3 and into the wall. Took less than a minute with an impact, would still be looking at it glumly with anything else.
It's lighter, faster and easier to control than my combi. Without doubt, I use it more than the drill. The most important thing is that it allows you to not round off crossheads / torx bolts that you know yoiu'd really struggle with otherwise.
Miocene said:
http://www.screwfix.com/p/makita-dhp453rfw-18v-3-0...
22 minute charge time... which is tempting if you're as useless as me as charging these things.
It's a shame Makita don't bother putting a little LED work light on some of their combi drills. My drill and impact are part of the same range, the impact has a light but the drill doesn't. 22 minute charge time... which is tempting if you're as useless as me as charging these things.
megaphone said:
thebraketester said:
Just used my impact to drive some 150mm screws into some sleepers. Try that with a combi drill.....
Try drilling a 10mm hole in a metal sheet with an impact driver. Or drill a 7mm hole in a brick wall for a brown plug with an impact driver, or just about every other job a drill is needed for. A combi can do all that AND push 150mm screws into wood (if you know what you're doing)More tools... more better.... :-)
dazwalsh said:
It's more than just power, impacts are usually smaller so can fit into tight spaces, and you don't damage the heads of the screws either tightening or loosening them. I used to ask whats the point in them as they seem compromised nut once you start using one the combi sits there redundant 90% of the time.
Butyes for delicate work rather than brute force a combi is probably the best tool.
Not true at all with the latest 'high end' impacts. My Makita has four speed settings including Tek Screw setting that's starts out fast for the drilling then slows down for the threading - there's not much I can't use it for!Butyes for delicate work rather than brute force a combi is probably the best tool.
dickymint said:
Not true at all with the latest 'high end' impacts. My Makita has four speed settings including Tek Screw setting that's starts out fast for the drilling then slows down for the threading - there's not much I can't use it for!
You had me at 4 speed settings, I MUST now have one regardless of the b
king the Mrs will give me for buying "another bloody drill"Accelebrate said:
Boarding the loft using 'loft legs' to avoid squashed insulation. Reviews on Wickes suggest pre drilling the four screws holes in each leg as it's a fiddle to get the screws in - I had no issues using an impact.
To be fair I have no issues doing that with my Makita combi either.SVS said:
Has anyone tried one of the 'oil pulse' impact drivers that are supposed to be much quieter and have less vibration?
Hadn't come across those yet.If Milwaukee and Makita have joined in then chances are it does what it says. Can see how less noise and vibration will be good for trade who use it day in and day out, but for won't be be worth upgrading for me until current one breaks.
hyphen said:
SVS said:
Has anyone tried one of the 'oil pulse' impact drivers that are supposed to be much quieter and have less vibration?
Hadn't come across those yet.If Milwaukee and Makita have joined in then chances are it does what it says. Can see how less noise and vibration will be good for trade who use it day in and day out, but for won't be be worth upgrading for me until current one breaks.
.Edited by dickymint on Wednesday 26th July 16:43
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