impact driver

[messmaker]

I have been using a B&D 12v impact driver that I got at lowe's for next to nothing. I love the feel and size but not the performance. I guess I need to upgrade. I have been looking at the 1+ from Ryobi but since I don't have any of the other tools, I would have to start from scratch. I also saw a deal on the Craftsman 19.2 combo unit but it seems large and heavy. I need another drill like another hole in my head. I want the Makita but can't find a deal on the impact driver kit without a drill.What is the best bang for your buck.

[frumper64]

I've got the Ryobi and really like it. A friend has the Makita (with LI batteries) which I have used also. The Makita is way lighter with the LI batteries, but I just couldn't justify the price for it. The battery life with it is way better than the Ryobi, but the Ryobi batteries are cheap enough for that to be a wash for my purposes. I haven't looked at the Craftsman 19.2 set but would be willing to be that it is nearly identical to the Ryobi line.

Good luck,

[Russianwolf]

besides, look at all the other cool stuff that can run off the Ryobi battery.

Radio
Fan
Random orbit sander
trim router
right angle drill


and if you can find them
homelite weedwacker and shrub trimmer

[BrazosJake]

I love my little Dewalt 12v, and one of the things I love about it is it's size.

If I were going for a new ID, I'd look for 14.4 max for the lighter weight. Makita would be my first choice.

[BrianWillan]

I have been using a B&D 12v impact driver that I got at lowe's for next to nothing. I love the feel and size but not the performance. I guess I need to upgrade. I have been looking at the 1+ from Ryobi but since I don't have any of the other tools, I would have to start from scratch. I also saw a deal on the Craftsman 19.2 combo unit but it seems large and heavy. I need another drill like another hole in my head. I want the Makita but can't find a deal on the impact driver kit without a drill.What is the best bang for your buck.

I have the same B&D impact driver that you do and I really like mine. Used it to redo some fencing with my Dad and build a deck with it last summer. Any impact driver is hard to beat for driving 3" screws into wood. Since I bought it though, I noticed that B&D have an updated version of it with 1000 inch pounds of torque (up from 800 or so) and have updated the charger to a 1 hour unit (original is 3 hours).

What don't you like about the performance of it? If it is a matter of battery life being an issue, you can pick up an extra batteries for a reasonable cost.

Cheers

Brian

[John Hunter]

I have the Ryobi and love it! I also like the fact that I can buy 2 Ryobi 18V batteries for what it costs for one of most of the other brands.

[sacherjj]

I picked up the Ridgid when you could buy the 18V drill and get the Impact Driver for free. Make sure you get a 3/8" socket adapter. I love this thing.

[movnup]

I bought the Makita 800 lb of torgue version as I wanted to swap batteries w/ my Makita drill. As for driving screws in decks they work great and are really fast for anything you can get a socket near. I have actually started to use my drill again for most screw driving as it has a adjustable clutch which the impact driver does not. I have also sheared off quite a few screws and the time savings to pre-drill and the wear / tear on your arm benefits are lost messing with getting the screw back out. I also bought two sets of black oxcide drill bits with the driver shank which I returned after breaking four bits. They have their place and I'm glad I have one but I thought it would be a replacement for my drill and that hasn't been the case for me anyways. I'm sure part of this is the learning curve on the high torque.

[BigguyZ]

I got the Ryobi Drill and impact driver combo that was on sale during the holidays- even though I already had a One+ drill, the extra cost over the driver alone was worth the batteries and additional charger. I think it's a great system. I really like the drill, and haven't had any issues with it. Same with the inpact driver. Many think their driver is the best of the Ryobi line. Also, I know that before the LI batteries came out the Ryobi was rated best in one of the reviews I read (I forget where). And the Ryobi tools are often on sale at HD, so if you decide to start with the impact driver, you can add to the One+ family pretty fast.

[softop41]

Messmaker,
I don't have an ID but I do have some thoughts on the issue. The concept of the ID sounds like a good one when you need it but the lack of a clutch makes the usefulness less than it would first appear. Now on to the part I have experience with...#1 - I have several the Ryobi One+ tools. I resisted buying into the concept for over a year but finally did and haven't been sorry. I was pleasantly surprised at the usability of the tools and strength of the batteries, not to mention the very reasonable cost. I have a couple of the tools that I may only use once a month at most but I didn't pay an arm and a leg for them so it doesn't bother me. A DeWalt or a Makita will last longer that the Ryobi, but for the cost, they have to! I have one very good cordless drill which is the thing I use most and for the other, less frequent needs, I use the Ryobi. They easily get the job done and I feel I have money left in my pocket for other things over what I would have spent for the 'name brand' tools. I don't make my living with these tools so I didn't feel it necessary to have professional quality tools if I could get tools that did the job satisfactorily when I needed it.
Point #2. Check the Craftsman 19.2V stuff and see of it has a 'smart' charger yet. My son bought the set a couple years ago and toasted the batteries in a short time because the charger never shut off so he had to remember to take the batteries off the charger after some unknown time period and assume they were fully charged but not overcharged. That's all fine in theory but in practice it will cost us all batteries. BTW, Sears was very understanding; they said 'yep, that happens. Sorry.'
Sorry, this got so longer that I intended.
Jerry

[leehljp]

"The concept of the ID sounds like a good one when you need it but the lack of a clutch makes the usefulness less than it would first appear. "

If this were on a drill driver, I would agree. However a clutch's purpose is to provide "slippage" at certain torques so that you won't overtorq a screw.

The Impact drivers are a different concept altogether. They are not meant to "slip". A clutch on an impact driver would be counter productive to its very purpose. IDs do have Variable Speed and it is easy to control the driving level of a screw this way.

It is my understanding that the removal of the clutch and implementation of a torq driving hammer is what makes an impact driver be able to drive 3 and 4 inch screws through a 4X4 without stripping the head of the screw like a clutched drill driver would.

It did not take me long to adjust to the ID over the DD and even though the ID has far more torq, I am able to control small screws and nuts as easily as I did with the drill driver and clutch set at 2 or 3. I do use the clutched DD on some occasions but not nearly as much as I thought I would. My DD gets used for drill bits and the ID for 99% of the screws, bolt and nut driving.

[mikel]

I love my 9.6 makita impact driver. Love the small size and the T handle design. Really can't live without a impact driver.

I have broken the heads off of 5/8" lag bolts.

I would sleep with it if my wife would let me..


...mikel

[BigguyZ]

I haven't broken any heads with my ID, but I actually HAVE drilled with it! I got a small chuck that uses a quick connect for about $5. It actually came in really handy when my Ryoby DD wouldn't fit between the walls of a few cabinets that I needed to drill pilot holes in. Since the ID is "stubbier", I was able to use that to drill the holes no problem- even with the extra length from the chuck.

I definitely can't wait to a more heavy-duty job, but even for what I've done so far, I will neve go back to using a DD. Using Tapcon screws, it was nearly impossible with the DD, but a sinch for the ID. But as Hank said, even for the small and delicate stuff I use the ID and I haven't had any problems.

[TheRic]

The ID is not like any drill I have ever owned. Some people thinks it's the same as a Hammer Drill WRONG!!! I never would have believed how powerful yet how delicate a ID is, until I started using one. After using it for a very short period of time, I was able to control the driving of a screw with more precision than any clutch on any drill. I have driven screws (with no problem) with my ID that I would NEVER even attempt to do with a clutch drill, even set on #1. The ONLY problem I have with a ID is you have to be careful of torquing the heads off in hard wood, metal, concrete, etc. But you won't strip the heads.

Once you go Impact Driver you won't go back!!


Now back on topic.......

I have the Ridgid 18V ID, it came with a combo kit. I LOVE it. I like the Ridgid limited lifetime warranty that you get. It even covers the batteries!!!

My brother has the B&D ID that was dirt cheap a year ago ( he had a Makita 12V drill before that). He loves it, I have used it a few times, it's a nice ID, I think 12V. Did everything I wanted it to do, only soft wood. Did not try it in anything harder than pine.

Keep in mind at the nature of the ID allows more "power" (can't think of a better word at the moment) than the same voltage drill. The design of one allows less size / weight of a drill with the same voltage.

The ID (when the impact is kicking in) is nosier than a regular drill. Not that much more, but noticeable. It almost sounds like you are stripping a screw, but it's the impact kicking in. What I mean by this is the ID will drive a screw / bolt etc like a regular drill at first. Once the driving gets hard (or the battery is low) the impact part kicks in.

IF you can what on buying one, you might want to wait for a sale, or one included with something else.