Which impact driver? I don't use it much

cherry2017

I got a titan drill driver 18v years ago, I use it for screws and drill, I don't do much DIY, but I  want to buy a impact driver, as I like tools, my concern is that if the stronger 210 torque impact driver can break some materials when screw, or it can stop automatically? Thanks

Bosch Professional 18V System GDX 18V-210 C 

grumbler

I'm a keen DIYer - I never use an impact driver, don't have it and don't need it. IMHO, you may need it only for big screws with hex heads. For normal Philips screws simple driver is fine. Just make a pilot hole if needed and add a tiny amount of grease. An impact driver doesn't make anything easier, but is more likely to damage a screw. And impact driver bits are made from softer steel and don't last long.

Impact drivers are for 'professionals' that do screws in dozens, rush, don't make pilot holes, don't care if screws split timber or sink and later are virtually impossible to remove.

cherry2017

grumbler said:

I'm a keen DIYer - I never use an impact driver, don't have it and don't need it. IMHO, you may need it only for big screws with hex heads. For normal Philips screws simple driver is fine. Just make a pilot hole if needed and add a tiny amount of grease. An impact driver doesn't make anything easier, but is more likely to damage a screw. And impact driver bits are made from softer steel and don't last long.

Impact drivers are for 'professionals' that do screws in dozens, rush, don't make pilot holes, don't care if screws split timber or sink and later are virtually impossible to remove.

Yes, I should say I'm considering to buy a toy actually, the impact driver. 
the batch jobs benefits hugely from the powered portable impact driver, for my usage, my titan drill driver even sleeping inside of boxes for most of time 99.99% every year.

chrisw

cherry2017q said:

grumbler said:

I'm a keen DIYer - I never use an impact driver, don't have it and don't need it. IMHO, you may need it only for big screws with hex heads. For normal Philips screws simple driver is fine. Just make a pilot hole if needed and add a tiny amount of grease. An impact driver doesn't make anything easier, but is more likely to damage a screw. And impact driver bits are made from softer steel and don't last long.

Impact drivers are for 'professionals' that do screws in dozens, rush, don't make pilot holes, don't care if screws split timber or sink and later are virtually impossible to remove.

Yes, I should say I'm considering to buy a toy actually, the impact driver. 
the batch jobs benefits hugely from the powered portable impact driver, for my usage, my titan drill driver even sleeping inside of boxes for most of time 99.99% every year.

Read it 5 times and can't even begin to guess.

norsefox

grumbler said:

I'm a keen DIYer - I never use an impact driver, don't have it and don't need it. IMHO, you may need it only for big screws with hex heads. For normal Philips screws simple driver is fine. Just make a pilot hole if needed and add a tiny amount of grease. An impact driver doesn't make anything easier, but is more likely to damage a screw. And impact driver bits are made from softer steel and don't last long.

Impact drivers are for 'professionals' that do screws in dozens, rush, don't make pilot holes, don't care if screws split timber or sink and later are virtually impossible to remove.

I'll add my tuppence here.

I've been renovating a garage for the last 15 months, as a keen DIYer.  Half of the 'construction' I used a standard Ryobi powered cordless drill.  For the second half, I'd sourced an impact driver.

In short, I can't believe I'd never bought one before.  It's like driving a car without power steering.  Of course you can do so, but why on earth would you put yourself through that pain?

My experience is the complete opposite of what you've described.  A normal drill is far more likely to 'slip' when under pressure - the impact driver doesn't just simply put power down which is essentially all a normal drill can do (the ability to switch between modes has a very limited difference).  Sure, some of my drilling was to put long screws into studs and walls, but normal drills can still be useless with pilot holes and even attaching skirting boards to studs was brutal without it.  I'd never use anything other than an impact driver in the future.

Either way, it's a low cost addition to any collection, and they often have a smaller profile and easier to fit into gaps.

cherry2017

Does impact driver stop before it is screwing to break the plastic box like phone socket?

Murmansk

I work as a handyman and although I have an impact driver, a Makita 18V one, I only use it occasionally when putting long, fat screws into fence posts for example.

In my view an impact driver is only any use for such jobs and they're rather noisy and if you don't watch it you screw the screw into the wood and out the other side it's so powerful

I use Bosh 12V "professional" drill drivers for more than 99% of my screwdriving - much more controllable and powerful enough.

cherry2017

Murmansk said:

I work as a handyman and although I have an impact driver, a Makita 18V one, I only use it occasionally when putting long, fat screws into fence posts for example.

In my view an impact driver is only any use for such jobs and they're rather noisy and if you don't watch it you screw the screw into the wood and out the other side it's so powerful

I use Bosh 12V "professional" drill drivers for more than 99% of my screwdriving - much more controllable and powerful enough.

Thanks a lot, sure, 12v one is one of the best:

Bosch Professional 12V System GSR 12V-35 FC Cordless

Murmansk

The one you mention 

Bosch Professional 12V System GSR 12V-35 FC Cordless

looks to me like a bit over the top for the use you have in mind and very expensive - mine are about £60 for the bare unit plus battery at about £30 something like this https://www.powertoolworld.co.uk/bosch-gsb-12v-15-professional-cordless-combi-drill-body-only?gad_source=1

ic

cherry2017 said:

Does impact driver stop before it is screwing to break the plastic box like phone socket?

An impact driver doesn't normally have an adjustable clutch like a drill driver does.  Instead, it rotates the screw until it is tight, then the impact kicks in and essentially turns the shaft by hitting it - many times a second.  As has been described, impact drivers are ideal for driving screws into wood (building frames, screwing down floorboards).  For installing a plastic box on the wall, personally I'd be using a drill driver to create the holes, a hammer to knock in wall plugs, and then a manual screwdriver to attach the box.

Lidl this Sunday are running some power tools, including a combined drill and impact drill.  https://www.lidl.co.uk/p/parkside-20v-3-in-1-cordless-impact-driver-bare-unit/p10010662. You'd need to buy a battery and charger to go with it.  https://www.lidl.co.uk/p/parkside-20v-2ah-rechargeable-battery-2-4a-charger/p10010659.  I haven't used this particular combo tool, but I do have other items from this 20V range including an impact driver, and they've proven spot on for my need.  Something like this is best to buy cheaper, then upgrade when it dies or you find you use it so much its worth spending the money on.

cherry2017

ic said:

cherry2017 said:

Does impact driver stop before it is screwing to break the plastic box like phone socket?

An impact driver doesn't normally have an adjustable clutch like a drill driver does.  Instead, it rotates the screw until it is tight, then the impact kicks in and essentially turns the shaft by hitting it - many times a second.  As has been described, impact drivers are ideal for driving screws into wood (building frames, screwing down floorboards).  For installing a plastic box on the wall, personally I'd be using a drill driver to create the holes, a hammer to knock in wall plugs, and then a manual screwdriver to attach the box.

Lidl this Sunday are running some power tools, including a combined drill and impact drill.  https://www.lidl.co.uk/p/parkside-20v-3-in-1-cordless-impact-driver-bare-unit/p10010662. You'd need to buy a battery and charger to go with it.  https://www.lidl.co.uk/p/parkside-20v-2ah-rechargeable-battery-2-4a-charger/p10010659.  I haven't used this particular combo tool, but I do have other items from this 20V range including an impact driver, and they've proven spot on for my need.  Something like this is best to buy cheaper, then upgrade when it dies or you find you use it so much its worth spending the money on.

thanks a lot.
sure, I was using my drill driver for last 10 years. Now I trust I chose a right one, as I really have no real need for the impact driver for 99% of my usage.