Impact drivers

[NHAero]

Piling on for the 20V brushless Dewalt cordless tools. I went with Dewalt after the gut renovation of our house in 2013. I tried all the various impact drivers the carpenters had, and the Dewalt had the best ergos for my smaller hands. My latest acquisitions this year is an oscillating multi-tool which was indispensable for cutting out plaster when I installed baseboard, and a cordless string trimmer, which allowed me to say goodbye to the gas-powered one. It's awesome to have several tools with the same battery interface.

[M.medeiros]

I've been really happy with the Milwaukee M18 Fuel impact driver / hammer drill kit I got recently. The power was better at driving in tapcons versus the Makita and DeWalt brushless tools we have at work.

And I would add another like to the M12 stuff as it is small and light and does most jobs really well. The M12 right angle drill is one of my most used tools.

[commonguy001]

Absolutely love my Milwaukee M18 brushless impact, best addition to the workbench I’ve made in a long time. I had a Contractor who did a ton of work for me last winter and he swore by the Milwaukee M12/18 lines and he uses his equipment hard.

[cmbicycles]

I use the Milwaukee M12 cordless stuff around home. They are plenty powerful for anything I've done with them. Being smaller and lighter weight than the 18v drills makes them pretty convenient for getting into tighter places. I have corded and air tools for anything that needs more torque, but the m12 impact is plenty for driving in 3" deck screws or small lag bolts, and breaking the heads off a variety of smaller fasteners if you arent careful. Most times I reach for the drill/driver as the impact is often overkill.

[Dave]

I've used Makita, since 2011, when I was building my house. A lot of the local carpenters used them. I'm still using one pair of original batteries and the impact driver and drill I bought as a set.

I'm sure that any of the big name brands will work just fine, particularly if you're not using them every day, like someone in the home building trades.

I bought the lowest level Makita string trimmer and found it a bit wimpy, but my Makita circular saw works great. I may add a reciprocating saw soon.

Look at all the tools that the brand offers because each of the batteries is unique and once you start using one brand, you'll want to stick with it.

Replacement batteries can be a ripoff. Several years ago I wanted two new 18V batteries and most places wanted about $200 for a pair. I found a fathers day deal with an impact driver, a drill, 2 batteries, the charger and a free tool of your choice for only $240, so I now have a new impact driver, drill and charger that have never been used. That's when I got my circular saw, as the free tool.

I now see other battery makers offering Makita compatible batteries at far lower prices.

[charliedid]

Somehow I found this M12 set on Amazon refurbed for $110 a couple years ago.

Perfect for my use.



They looked new when I got them. No clue what was refurbished.


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[fmradio516]

Thanks for the input everyone. I think I am stuck on the M18. Id probably be fine with the M12 98% of the time, but if im going to even attempt to use it for automotive stuff, I should just cough up the extra dough for the extra power.

Originally Posted by GScot

You can absolutely use a cordless for automotive purposes. A 1/2 drive can deliver as much torque you'll ever need for chassis fasteners and wheel studs. In fact they can overdo it and few offer anything resembling an accurate torque setting so torque limiting extensions fill in where you can use them. And then torque your fastener with a proper torque wrench. I have 3/8 drive that is small enough I have used it removing stubborn suspension fasteners.

I might be wrong, but i believe you are talking about impact wrenches, correct? Just going off the fact that you said 1/2" drive. I was asking more about using the 1/4" impact driver for auto stuff

[Dave]

I use my impact driver to tighten lug nuts enough to let the car down from my lift, then it's on to a torque wrench. It's very handy.

I use a 1/2 inch drive air impact wrench to remove lug nuts quickly.

[GScot]

Originally Posted by fmradio516

Thanks for the input everyone. I think I am stuck on the M18. Id probably be fine with the M12 98% of the time, but if im going to even attempt to use it for automotive stuff, I should just cough up the extra dough for the extra power.



I might be wrong, but i believe you are talking about impact wrenches, correct? Just going off the fact that you said 1/2" drive. I was asking more about using the 1/4" impact driver for auto stuff

Yes I was referring to 3/8 drive and 1/2 drive impact drivers. There are so many options everything is a possibility. I have one of the 1/4" hex Makita subcompacts and sometimes use it with an adaptor to 1/4" square drive impact sockets. It has enough power to wreck small fasteners if you aren't careful. And being short in front to rear depth it gets into some areas my 1/2" drive can't reach. It won't be torquing wheels but I don't hesitate to use it when I see a reason.

[SteveV0983]

My experience is that something as strong as the M18 line definitely requires a model with multiple speeds. I have a Milwaukee 2553 m12 Fuel with 4 speeds and it is my go-to tool. You would be shocked how powerful this thing is on its highest mode. I also have a Makita 18v with no separate speeds and, although it is a little stronger than the m12, it is best used for nothing but heavy duty work. IMO if you don’t get multiple speeds, you will have a tool that is extremely powerful that is tougher to control.

[FriarQuade]

I've been a Milwaukee user for more than a decade at this point. They seem to hold up better in a metal shop than most other options. I also prefer their ergonomics a little better. We recently picked up a second set of the M12 drill/driver for the shop. We use these a lot for fixture clamps in the CNC and for some assembly tasks as well. The "Fuel" series uses a brush less motor and are supposed to be a little more durable.

Everyone is making pretty good stuff these days, hard to truly make a bad decision.

[CAAD]

Used Milwaukee daily when I worked construction for 17 years. M18 and M12, excellent tools. Couple M12 batteries died but they had some miles on them. Seeing coworkers use DeWalt and Ryobi, Mickey Mouse garbage.

[fmradio516]

Originally Posted by SteveV0983

My experience is that something as strong as the M18 line definitely requires a model with multiple speeds. I have a Milwaukee 2553 m12 Fuel with 4 speeds and it is my go-to tool. You would be shocked how powerful this thing is on its highest mode. I also have a Makita 18v with no separate speeds and, although it is a little stronger than the m12, it is best used for nothing but heavy duty work. IMO if you don’t get multiple speeds, you will have a tool that is extremely powerful that is tougher to control.

I believe the M18 has 4 speeds as well.

[Black Dog]

Since no one has mentioned Bosch I will. Great tools and really in the same legue as Milwaukee. However, their upper end 18v impact drivers have a combined 1/4 and 1/2 head. Tons of torque etc. Going from driver bits to 1/2 sockets in seconds. Very versatile.

[andrew+]

I actually just built a bed with a new Ryobi brushless impact, model 238. They're cheap and received excellent reviews. 2200 inch pounds of torque, 3 speeds. I didn't touch the fastest speed to sink 2 and 3" screws into pine. More than enough torque for lug nuts and other car stuff.

With the current deal they're just over $100 with two 3 amp hour batteries, a compact charger, and carrying case.