Cordless Operated Power Tools - Your Favorite

[dragoneggs]

So, what is the advantage of using the impact driver vs drill (with adjustable torque) for driving screws?

Night and day... installing and especially removing old screws in thick wood is a dream. The impact provides a dynamic load that help 'free' and drive the screw.

After buying a 20v Dewalt drill after years of using 9.6v and 12v Makita, I was in heaven. No knock on Makita as the few that I had served me well, it is just the run time and power of new higher Voltage LI batteries that are a dream. Now I do not hesitate to reach for cordless, whether it is a drill or grinder or even a circular saw (small jobs). Here is my arsenal... not shown is the circular saw as it is the only one that doesn't fit my in the top of my tool chest. :dance1:



Drill, Impact Driver, Jigsaw, Reciprocating Saw, Right Angle Drill, Grinder, Drywall screw gun, Multi-tool (oscillating), along with 4 batteries and two chargers. I guess you can say I'm pretty much all in.

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

I already have a few 18v Dewalt tools; drill, "hammer-drill" (mostly worthless), sawzall, light, circular saw, and just recently bought the shopvac. My original Ni-cad batteries (2) finally died this year (they were 7-8 years old). I do have 2 of the 18v XRP (?) batteries (2-3 years old now). Point being I'm wanting a couple more batteries, and thinking of whether or not I want to buy 2 more XRP batteries, or start "the upgrade process". How well does the 20v converter stuff work? Is it worth while? And what does it do to the tool weight? The 18v batteries already make the tool pretty heavy, is the converter + 20v battery about the same, lighter, or heavier than just the 18v battery? Can you charge the 20v battery through the 18v converter and 18v charger, or do you have to buy the 20v charger and charge that pack while removed from the converter?

Several shops around here sell Dewalt tools, but I haven't seen the 18v to 20v conversion kit available anywhere (they want you to buy the new tools, I'm sure).

And if I'm in for 2-3 new 20v batteries (I'm sure I'd buy the bigger extended range batteries), + 1 or 2 new 20v chargers, + the 18v to 20v conversion kit, am I already at the same $ for just a full on new set of 20v tools (I'd buy most of the same tools over again, as I use all of them except the 18v "hammer-drill", which was not worth bringing home)?

 

[gsganzer]

Night and day... installing and especially removing old screws in thick wood is a dream. The impact provides a dynamic load that help 'free' and drive the screw.

I agree. However, the company that makes Tek screws (self drilling with the sealing washer) used for fastening metal panels recommends not using them for their product. The impact action damages the paint finish on the screw.

 

[oosik]

My cordless tools are all 18V Li-on, Mikita. Flashlight, impact drill & regular drill. The really heavy duty stuff - Milwaukee Hole Hog & Milwaukee sawzall - are corded.

I use the flashlight every day but the impact drill is my favorite hand tool. The Hole Hog is a necessary but totally fearsome tool.

When I go afield on the property - I load the Honda generator and whatever corded tools into the ATV. Cordless is nice but does not have the staying power I need.

 

[Bird]

I do have a few of the kind of tools all of you are talking about; a Makita drill, screw drivers, etc., but my FAVORITE is probably my EGO lawnmower, string trimmer, and leaf blower. That blower gets used probably more than any "tool" I have except the air compressor.

 

[Old Red]

Well, kind of a long story but I bought the 18v grease gun. The 20v was marked at 199 and it rang up at 249 and Rural King would not honor it. I ended up buying the 18v tool only grease gun. In hindsight I should have just came back home and ordered the 20v grease gun from amazon. My 18 volt batteries are doing okay, but I would like to add 1/2 impact for taking blades off my mowers and such without dragging out the air hose...the flashlight offerings in 20v are much better....in addition I think a blower and a wet dry vac might be handy.

 

[EddieWalker]

So, what is the advantage of using the impact driver vs drill (with adjustable torque) for driving screws?

It's night and day. The drill twists the screws in, which required you to counter that twisting with your wrist. If you have ever tried to screw in a deck, or sheetrock a room with a drill, you're wrist will be worn out by the time you are done. The impact hammers it in and there is no twisting to fight in your wrist. It's also a lot lighter and smaller. There is no chuck, you just use quarter inch six sided bits for everything. When drilling between studs, I use my impact with a spade bit. It fits between the studs perfectly. If I need to go through a lot of studs and there is no room to fit the impact, I add extension just like you would with sockets. I think I have about two feet of extension in my tool box. I have sockets that go onto it and I can drive in a 6 inch lag bolt in seconds without effort. I also have an adapter that I can use 3/8 sockets for larger bolts when working on equipment. It's usually faster and easier to use my cordless impact then it is to unroll the hose and get out the air impact wrench. Off the top of my head, I believe my drill is rated for around 240 pounds of torque, while my impact driver is rated for 1,400 pounds of torque. The only drawback to the impact is the noise. It's loud.

 

[downsizingnow48]

I always use ear protection with the impact driver, but of course that doesn't help the homeowners, neighbors, co-workers, family.

 

[oosik]

Three years ago I had a project which was going to require about 200 to 250, 3" trumpet head, wood screws. When I bought the screws the fellow at the hardware store asked - what & how. I was prepared to use my Mikita drill to sink the screws. He said - "try this Mikita impact hammer/drill".

Lordy - my carpel tunnel wrist almost cried that day, it was so easy. I learned - you drill with your drill - you sink screws with an impact hammer.

For anybody that has hand/wrist problems - an impact hammer will be a true pleasure to use.

 

[Ortimber]

I have the Milwaukie M18 fuel tools and they are just awesome.
My son is investing in the DeWalt 20V tools, and my dad is a Makita fan. All of these 3 brands rival each other and we haven’t really determined that one is better than the other.

Like others have said, go away from NiCad.