How long do screwdriver bits last in an impact driver?

Mark A

Mark A

Mark A

Soldato
Joined
19 May 2005
Posts
18,141
Location
Lancashire
Hi,

I'm seriously considering buying an impact driver but have read that you need to buy special bits that will handle the impact torque. I don't want to buy it if the bits are going to be constantly breaking as the Wera Impaktor Diamond Bits are like £2.50 each :eek:.

One reason i think it would be handy is that I often find the concrete bolts we use will tighten up in the brick before it is fully home and the drill will lock up nearly twisting it out of my hands. Not great when up a ladder! Its also nice and small with 3 led lights on the front, which would be very handy for use in kitchen cabinets etc.

The Impact driver I'm looking at getting is the DeWalt DCF895L2 brushless, with a max torque of 170nm, so pretty powerful!

Thanks
 
I'd consider myself a heavy user. Hmm, I guess even if they do break them milwaukee impact bits aren't priced too high at £6 for 25.

I might just go for it as i'm itching to buy a new tool :D:o. I also want to move onto the new battery system as the bare tools go for a lot less than the old type and the batteries are like half the price.

£213 for the impact driver, 2 x 3ah batteries and a charger seems like a good price. Plus 4% quidco if that will work with the voucher.
 
I have a Wera Impaktor bit holder and milwaukee bits, both from eBay (a lot cheaper than normal routes). I went through one bit building decking and a picnic bench which I'd estimate was just under 1000 deck screws but I'm not overly cautious.
 
Let me know what that DeWalt impact driver is like, I'm considering it as my next purchase as I've bought into DeWalt's battery system.
 
i bought a Makita LXT Brushless Impact Driver & Combi drill.

I' only a hobbyist, but haven't broken a bit yet doing a decking job. Couple of cheap screws though as they are fierce. Would highly reccommend the Makita.
 
bitslice said:
What is 'impact torque' supposed to be? :confused:

If your drive bit is camming out before the correct torque is reached, then you might consider switching to a different bolt head. Torx bolts are much better at this.
Used a lot in Europe but we are a few years behind.
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The high torque that an impact driver exerts (170nm, compared to around 60nm from a heavy duty drill/driver)?

I do use concrete bolts which have a torx head, but the problem with them is that they tighten up in hard brick as the teeth aren't hard enough to bite into the material. The drill/driver then twists, which can be dangerous. It rarely cams out.

We have been using these bolts for around 10 years :confused:.


Thanks for the replies guys, It seems like it won't snap bits any more than my current drill/driver does. So have placed an order and should hopefully be able to try it out on a job next week :).

Let me know what that DeWalt impact driver is like, I'm considering it as my next purchase as I've bought into DeWalt's battery system.
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Yeah no problem. From the user reviews I have read it sounds like its a decent tool. I have never used brushless before so will be interesting to see how long the batteries last.
 
I get about one working week's use from a bosch posi-2 bit in a 18v impact driver, sometimes a little more. I truly abuse them! :D

I'll take a picture of the pot when i get to my work tomorrow
 
Just got an email to say that £7.50 has tracked via Quidco, bringing the total to £205. Really happy with that as I almost bought it last week for £237.
 
No bother with them breaking here and I'm probably using the same bits as MatteH the wrecker up there. :p Use the goldy coloured Bosch pozi 2's although I'm only working with timbers/mdf/mfc and so on so I'm not exactly stressing anything out. Impact drivers are definitely a good job although some of lads have got cheaper bits and went through them fairly quickly. Enjoy your new tool.

Edit: Just noticed it's the same ones also that Nightglow posted in his first link although I don't think I paid as much as that for them. In saying that it was quite some time ago I got a box of them.
 
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Was just looking the driver you posted as well, I haven't seen one like that and I was wondering how you inserted the bit holder. Looks real neat and compact though which you'd probably sacrifice a bit with the Impacktor holder which I think is fairly long. It would probably still be shorter than most anyway as I think any I've used have an extra sort of sleeve piece on the front which holds the bit holder. I just use one of the ordinary 50mm holders to try to keep the length down.
 
Yeah, I think it's one of the shortest impact drivers about. The 75mm holder should be ok for most of the work I do, but I'll grab a shorter one at some point in the future just in case. You can apparently just insert a normal bit straight into it for very tight spaces as well. I think you press the little yellow button at the front to insert and release the bits, so no messing about with a chuck.

Also like the 3x leds at the front. I have found the led on my main drill/driver very useful, but the light tends to be blocked by the gearbox and chuck in tight spaces, so this should overcome that problem.
 
You need the specialist bits, normal ones can shatter in an impact driver.

How long they last? How long is a piece of string.

Good ones tend to last longer.
 
Received it today, but i'm a bit annoyed that the one I have received doesn't have the battery fuel gauge that it was stated to have in the description. I have emailed them to ask if they have maybe sent me an older model or something, but i suspect the description was just wrong :mad:.

I will probably still keep it if they offer a refund as I can't find it cheaper anywhere else and the fuel gauge isn't a massive problem really.

Can't test it without knowing if its going back, but from a quick look it seems well built and tiny compared to my other driver. Sounds a lot quieter and smoother compared to my brushed tools.

DSC_6025_zpse45a404e.jpg
 
Lopéz said:
Is that a DCD985 behind it? Much smaller isn't it!
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Its the DCD925. I think it's basically the exact same gearbox, motor and chuck as the 985, but on the old battery system. It's had 4 years of abuse and been dropped out of a bedroom window onto concrete, so looking a bit tatty :D.

One thing i do like about these new tools is the handle is a lot slimmer and more ergonomic now that it doesn't have to have room for the stick type batteries.

8MEC3EP.jpg


This is the next brushless tool I want. Have seen it in action and it seems like a really handy tool. Pretty amazing that it can sink 90mm nails using just an 18v battery!
 
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