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Thread: Impact driver question?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
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    Monroe, LA
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    Impact driver question?

    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?

  2. #2
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    Jun 2004
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    Franklin, TN
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    Impact driver and square drive screws. When using phillips screws you can limit most stripping because you are getting torque not speed.

  3. #3
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    Nov 2005
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    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.

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by 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?
    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. Anyway, try one and I think you'll like it.

  5. #5
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    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.
    "Be true to your work, your word, and your friend." -Henry David Thoreau

  6. #6
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    go for it...I have the makita 12.2 and it is by far my most used driver.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by 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?
    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.

  8. #8
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    Grand Marais, MN. A transplant from Minneapolis
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    2 years on the Makita 14.4 with LED head lights .
    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.
    TJH
    Live Like You Mean It.



    http://www.northhouse.org/

  9. Quote Originally Posted by Frank Pellow
    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 Robertson, eh?

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

    Cheers!

  10. #10
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    The best thing since sliced bread. Twice the power and half the weight.

    CPeter

  11. #11
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    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.
    Chuck

    When all else fails increase hammer size!
    "You can know what other people know. You can do what other people can do."-Dave Gingery

  12. #12
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    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.

  13. #13
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    Monroe, LA
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    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.

  14. #14
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    [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/
    "Be true to your work, your word, and your friend." -Henry David Thoreau

  15. Quote Originally Posted by Glenn Turnage
    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 but the party with which he was dealing intentionally put the company 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 tried out the Robertson screws he found they saved considerable time in the production of the cars 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.
    Today Robertson screws are almost unknown in the United Kingdom, scarce in the United States (accounting for 10% of screws sold), while being very common in 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

    Cheers!

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