- Messages
- 36,123
- Location
- ABQ NM
I've been wanting an impact driver that used the same batteries as my 14.4v drill, and finally found what I considered to be an acceptable price at www.reconditionedsales.com. Here's what I ordered:
It arrived yesterday, and although it's a reconditioned tool, it looks brand new. Since it's a stablemate to my Hitachi 14.4v drill, the batteries (it came with two) and charger are identical to those I have for the drill. (I also have the matching flashlight, which also gets a lot of use.)
After playing with it a bit last night, now I fully understand why people are raving about impact drivers. As a test, I tried driving a #8 x 1 1/2" wood screw into a 2 x 4, without a pilot hole. [Edited later to say it was actually a #12 screw, not a #8.] This would be pretty much impossible with a driver bit on the drill. It would almost be guaranteed to strip out the screw head long before the head was flush with the wood. Not so with the impact driver. Not only did it drive the screw flush without slipping off the head once, I was able to countersink the screw about a half inch below the surface before things slipped, ultimately stripping the screw head. Aside from being noisier, the impact driver is SO much better at driving screws than a standard drill motor. I'll never drive screws the same way again.
It arrived yesterday, and although it's a reconditioned tool, it looks brand new. Since it's a stablemate to my Hitachi 14.4v drill, the batteries (it came with two) and charger are identical to those I have for the drill. (I also have the matching flashlight, which also gets a lot of use.)
After playing with it a bit last night, now I fully understand why people are raving about impact drivers. As a test, I tried driving a #8 x 1 1/2" wood screw into a 2 x 4, without a pilot hole. [Edited later to say it was actually a #12 screw, not a #8.] This would be pretty much impossible with a driver bit on the drill. It would almost be guaranteed to strip out the screw head long before the head was flush with the wood. Not so with the impact driver. Not only did it drive the screw flush without slipping off the head once, I was able to countersink the screw about a half inch below the surface before things slipped, ultimately stripping the screw head. Aside from being noisier, the impact driver is SO much better at driving screws than a standard drill motor. I'll never drive screws the same way again.