What's the difference - impact drill/driver?
 

I need a drill. I've had little rechargeable Black and Decker Walmart specials in the past but I need one that will last but NOT break the bank. Not looking to build a house, I just need a drill.

There seem to be impact drills and drivers but what's the difference? I just need it to be easy to put the bit in and would prefer to rechargeable batteries last for more than 6 months without having to be replaced because they no longer hold a charge.

A impact driver is driver uses both bit rotation and concussive blows to power-drive screws through the thickest, or densest of woods.
That is for the serious contractor or for a home owner that has several large jobs to do. IMO unless you have a tone of things the impact driver would be way over kill for you.

Okay good. Thanks. I'm far from a serious contractor. ;)

I highly recommend the Black and Decker Matrix. It's cheap and you can buy different attachments. And if the motor system cooks, you can buy a new one for under $50. I remodeled a house with B&D Tools and was impressed. I was going to go with Milwaukee and bite the bullet, but I tried them out and they operated fine but were much heavier which fatigues your arm when you're working on anything above your body.

I would buy Black & Decker BDCDMT120IA 20-Volt MAX Lithium-Ion Matrix Drill and Impact Combo Kit first. It will do about anything you want. You can add other attachments as you need them.

Wow. It's gets decent reviews.

Thanks!

I wouldn't recommend Black & Decker. We have had 2 & they were both junk.

Impact drills also accept impact bits, which have a hex shaped shank instead of the round shank of standard bits. The hex shank keeps the bit from slipping. Here's what an impact bit looks like.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/22059150/impact.jpg

I have this http://www.portercable.com/Products/...6122.6123.6126 Because it came as a set and my DS gave it to me. As Nevada said it has a collet that you pull back to insert the driver or bit. Never falls out and the bit never slips because you don't get it tight enough. I have a very bad left hand and never seem to be able to get a keyless chuck tight enough. They do take a special bit, 1/4" hex but are very affordable as a set. It also holds the driver good, never falls out. They have a lot of torque and with a socket adapter you can drive BIG lag bolts too. Like when you are fastening a deck board to the side of a house. If I had to choose 1 I would get this....James

Also, they are very compact and light, Shorter from the front to back than the drill. I love it. You can use it for everything. Worked great for putting roofing tin on, too. DS bought it because we are off grid, to build his cabin. We have 4 batteries, a 5 1/2" skill saw, a light, both drills and a demo saw. We charged them with a 12v charger with solar power. Didn't have to run the noisy generator all the time. We built the cabin and all are still working great....James

I have a hammer drill. I think it is the same thing you are calling an impact drill. You can switch from regular drilling to hammer drilling. The drill just turns the bit for regular drilling. When set to hammer it shoves the bit into the material in pulses like someone was hammering on the end of the bit while it was turning. The hammer setting works much better for drilling through concrete with a masonry bit.

Black and Decker seems to be a bit schizoid. They make the cheapest junk on the planet but also some decent stuff too. Do your homework.

Get a variable speed reversing drill that accepts 3/8 inch bits. The variable speed is nice if you are drilling through metal because you should use a slow speed to avoid overheating the bit. I use mine to drive screws. If you can reverse the drill you can take them out too. A drill that will accept up to 3/8 inch bits will let you make bigger holes but also will have more power than a 1/4 inch one. You will need that power for making bigger holes.

I agree. A good impact drill is much more versatile in the long run. It comes in very handy when fencing, repairing the chicken coop and general house hold repairs.

A hammer drill hammers into the work. An impact driver impacts in the direction of rotation...


A hammer drill for drilling rock or stone or similar, and an impact driver for installing fasteners.

I think Amazon Reviews speak for themselves when trying to find any tool product, just look for good reviews and you will be fine. They all offer certain warranties now to stay competitive. I still think the Matrix system is the way to go since you can basically have 5 to 7 different tools for the price of 2 or 3. You also keep the same battery system all the way through (20 volt) which is a good happy medium. The 12v system is great for light work. But the B&D 20 Volt Tools are just as light as the Bosch 12V tools (which I also have). I spent $300 on 3 Bosch 12v tools and ended up using my $70 B&D combo more because I like it better.

EDIT : I definitely recommend getting an impact driver. It makes setting in torx screws MUCH easier. It also helps with any kind of fasteners that have a hex or 1/4 head. (Metal roofing, siding, concrete screws, etc) I never suggest using phillips head screws with an impact. I just don't use phillips at all because it seems inevitable you strip the head when you want to remove the screw years later.

The Amazon reviews are decent.

But the two crappy little cordless screwdrivers I've had in the past that no longer hold a charge were Black and Decker. :(

$300 isn't that awful I don't guess. Not for several tools in one. $70 is better but not if it falls apart, you know ? I'll have to check to see what the warrant is like - just to be safe.

Rechargeable batteries need to be replaced after 3 or 4 years. It is just a fact.

.............jwal10 has the best (small)drill driver available ! They will fit a Lady's hand and the impact driver Removes Unwanted screws as well as it drives new screws . I have the same set of Porter Cable battery powered drill\driver and they are the best tools I've ever had for their size ! They are not cheap , but you get what you pay for when buying these kinds of power tools . Cheap IS as Cheap Does so keep that in mind !
.............The best strategy for building with wood screws is to PRE-drill a smaller hole than the screw and then install your screw , to preempt cracking the wood . , fordy

How often are you out of reach of an outlet when your using a drill?

I don't know that I would want a cordless hammer drill. You usually get one of those for tough jobs. But they don't have to be expensive.

http://www.harborfreight.com/12-in-h...ill-68169.html

plus tax . yPaisley;7288241]The Amazon reviews are decent.

But the two crappy little cordless screwdrivers I've had in the past that no longer hold a charge were Black and Decker. :(

$300 isn't that awful I don't guess. Not for several tools in one. $70 is better but not if it falls apart, you know ? I'll have to check to see what the warrant is like - just to be safe.[/QUOTE]

...............Porter Cable usually has a sale on their battery powered
tools prior to Christmas @ Lowes . I purchased their 20 Volt Drill\Driver set for <than $200 . , fordy

my son had his dewalt stolen and bought a Ryobi with the Lithium-ion batteries, (he first tried there nickel cad batteries and was very disappointed and is sold on the lithium ion ones,

Dewalt is basically black and decker's commercial/industrial line,

when Black and decker did there home owner line they basically ruined there reputation on the commercial market, they bought back the Dwalt name (once famous for there radial arm saws, and were made by Black and decker at one time)

and rebranded there commercial and industrial line of tools Dewalt, at one time the only difference was the color, when they were running both lines .

if your dealing with occasional use consider a corded tool, (cheaper and will last for decades and no battery to go bad on you,

I have 5 gallon buckets full of dead dewalt batteries, they will die on one in about three years, I use them enough and have enough 18 volt tools that I buy two about once a year, (I try to keep 5 or 6 batteries working) , yes at one time I was a contractor, but now farm/ranch full time, I do love my cordless tools, but many times I have considered just going back to the corded tools as there no fricken batteries to die and crap out on one,

I would LOVE to get a corded drill but I'm using this as a sort of Christmas present for SO - who is requesting a cordless drill. We have a corded drill and I swear it's from 1950. I won't get rid of it, but I borrowed a cordless drill from the painter who was working in the house and it was very nice to have a more modern drill that I could take from window to window and remove screws from curtain rods with ease. Lazy? Perhaps, but I'm not asking for things to be easy all the time. Sometimes it's nice to just be able to drink milk without having to get it from the goat, you know? Sometimes, I just want things to not be so dang difficult.

Few years back Lowes had the 1\2 Skill drill ,saw,flashlight ,two batteries and charger for less that $150.00 .It was 18 volt and has worked well have put two roofs on with it . The saw is handier than I thought but works well for a out of the way spots . I also have a truck load of Dewalt cordless tools including the reciprocating saw .:sing: I don't use any of them enough anymore to keep the batteries up though .

I may be a tool nut though as in cordless and corded drills last count I think I had eight . I gave one complete set to a guy because he was short on tools and cash too . Some call every circle saw a skill saw but that is untrue Skill is a patented name brand . I have three circle saws that are corded too. Can't never have to many tools . :thumb:

Here is one of the drills I have http://www.amazon.com/2898LI-02-18-V.../dp/B0040724EO

You can get the ryobi drill and impac driver with two LI batteries with charger got $100 when on sale at Home Depot. Just watch for the sale, it's coming.

Okay. I'm going to look for some sort of alert ap to remind when the sale starts. Wonder if they make on?

I think you can subscribe to their sales letter sent to your e mail. Not sure I know I get one from Lowes all the time. :sing:

..............Just checked Lowes website and the combo is down to $159 for Porter Cable ! Porter Cable uses metal gears in these units , others use plastic gears ! , fordy

I have 1/2" Porter Cable hammer drill.. Been a great masonry drill.. I've got an old Craftsman electric 1/2" impact wrench that does OK when you need some hammering on a fastener, but it's not got the best of torque. Sure not as nice as an air impact...

I have a Milwaukee 18V cordless drill/hammer/screw gun that has a hammer drill on it, and it's got a slip clutch for screws... It works OK for lighter masonry drilling.. It isn't very good using a socket for impact ...It is great for setting a general depth for screws when screwing together wood, or putting up drywall... It drills holes nicely..

Each of my drills has a specific job. They can kind of overlap, but they don't do it very well..

I just replaced my old Makita with the dewalt kit that comes with light, drill, and saws all. Wish I had bought it long ago. Long life on the batteries and the saws all is amazing.

fordy-this one?


http://www.lowes.com/pd_408580-34252...7C1&facetInfo=

.............Nope........it's the 20 volt combo for $159 ! , fordy

http://www.lowes.com/pd_76712-79992-...lls&facetInfo=


I have this one and it is on sale now cheep it looks. It has been great for me.

Found it!

http://www.lowes.com/pd_234292-34252...mbo&facetInfo=

............Yep , and you'll really be surprised at how well the impact driver works ! No dragging cords all over the estate , just grab the bag and start working . , fordy

Don't buy anything without lithium ion batteries. They still sell the old ni-cads because they're slightly cheaper, but they're not worth it now that we have better technology.

Wait a little while and check Home Depot. They most likely will have a ryobi cordless drill AND drive set with TWO lithium batteries on sale. You can get it now for about $100.

I've found ryobi tools for years and they have held up under some quite hard work. The only reason I stopped using my old ryobi cordless drill was the fact I could buy the drill and driver set with two batteries for less than I could buy two new lithium batteries and charger. All of my old ryobi tools work with the new batteries which was a MAJOR plus for me. FYI, I have cordless circular saw, recip saw, jig saw, chainsaw, 3 drills (one given to me w/o batteries) and the impact driver.

As for which to buy, my opinion. . .Two different tools for doing two different jobs. Each can sort of do the job of the other but not as well. If I HAD to be limited to only one I'd go with the cordless drill. One advantage a cordless drill has going for it is has a 'clutch' which you can set to prevent you from driving a screw too deep (most of the time).

Those combination drills/drivers are not much good at the bottom end of the spectrum. I'd recommend staying with one of the professional brands (DeWalt or Makita come to mind) and buying the most powerful one that you can comfortably hold in your hand. I have a 9.6 volt Makita, and although it's nice for turning screws in pre-drilled holes, there's no way that it could push a screw through anything but the softest woods without pre-drilling. Iin fact, most of the time even soft woods (cedar, pine) require pre-drilling.

As as a drill, the tool is even more limited. It simply doesn't have the power to run a drill bit through anything but the softest woods. So I end up using my drill/driver for turning screws only, and using a separate, plug-in drill for pre-drilling. That can be quite a hassle, and it's obviously inadequate for projects out in the field, where electricity is not available.

A contractor friend of mine recently helped me out with a shelving project using a battery-charged impact driver. Without pre-drilling anything, he drove one screw after another into 2x4 studs in about one second each, like he was going through butter. It was pretty impressive. I can definitely see how an impact driver would make a large job much faster and easier.

What was really amazing about the impact driver was that it was so small and lightweight. Compare that to the more powerful 12- or 14-volt drill/drivers, which are quite large and heavy.

I used my ryobi 18V impact to drive eight 7" lag screws into a treated 4X4s with no pilot holes, then after that I drove a lot of 3 1/2" construction screws into those 4 bys and it never flinched. Heck I did it on one battery but it was one of the long life li-ions the wife bought me for my b-day.

this would likly be overkill for you but it has been a great set I think I ordered it spring of 2013 or maybe it was 2012 memory for time is slipping any way I should have replaced the dewalt a few years before that but I wasn't doing many major projects at the time.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/RIDGID-X4...2?N=5yc1vZc2ec

this comes with a drill and an impact driver , that way you leave the drill bit in the drill and pre drill holes only really needed for hard woods and leave the driver in the impact driver and drive them , very useful

the other thing the impact will do that the drill never did was , really suck 2 2x4s together , you know how they will be just a bit apart and you are hoping the screw will do it , well with the impact driver it does it a lot more than the drill alone ever did

if your going to be driving screws , impact driver is the way to go much more control and tourqe

I bought the adapter to use the impact driver with 1/4 3/8 and 1/2 inch sockets , I use the wrench to break the nut loose then zip it off with the impact , putting tires on I used to run an air hose and use my air impact now I break them loose with the breaker bar zip them off , start the nuts zip them on and torque them with the breaker bar again

Rigid has a good warranty but you have to register every component online within 2 weeks or 30 days something like that but they are one of the few who warranties batteries

also keep your batteries charged and in the house , this makes them last so much longer than sitting in the freezing garage or on the charger all the time

lithium batteries are great for light weight , high power , and quick charge , but they go from nearly full power to dead in seconds they are all in , till they are all out.

this set replaced the Dewalt I bought new in Nov 1999 I remember because I bought it at the hardware store near deer camp because we needed a drill at camp and every one had cleaned their tools out of their trucks to make room for gear

my dad went through 2 sets of dewalt batteries in the time I did one and I don't think he did any more work with them just that he left them sit in the garage on the charger all the time

I have a ton of experience in building homes/remodel jobs/etc. and find very little difference between Ryobi 18v lithium (this is currently what I use), dewalt, Makita. I have used my current set (2 impacts, 1 drill, sawzall, trim saw for 3 years now with the only issue being 1 battery went dead.
My previous set was dewalt and they lasted 2-3 trouble free years but failed after 1 drop form 12 foot in the air.
I do many remodel jobs each year, built my own shop building, multiple garage builds, etc. and even dropped them from the 16' roof several times each (hard to find good help these days;-)
Home Depot currently has the drill and impact kit with batteries and charger for $99. This is a good deal that will last a home owner many years.

I have had a Dewalt for many years and I am very happy with it . I just bought a Rigid hammer drill and a regular drill, with extra battery, charger and radio for around $100.00 and they have been my go to drills for the last six months. The Rigid are lighter, hold a charge longer and just feel more comfortable in my female hands.
Just my opinion.