How long do screwdriver bits last in an impact driver?

[Mark A]

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 .

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

 

[Mark A]

That's good to hear. From what I was reading it seemed like they just snap the bits all the time.

Those Milwaukee bits seem much better priced than the Wera ones. I'm considering maybe getting the Wera Impakt bit holder and some cheaper bits, like those Milwaukee ones.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Milwaukee...t=UK_Home_Power_Air_Tools&hash=item3375a82ce1

Something like this.

 

[Mark A]

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 . 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.

 

[Mark A]

What is 'impact torque' supposed to be?

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.

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 .


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.

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.

 

[Mark A]

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.

 

[Mark A]

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.

 

[Mark A]

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 .

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.

 

[Mark A]

Is that a DCD985 behind it? Much smaller isn't it!

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 .

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.

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!

 

[Mark A]

Its a good, heavy duty and powerful drill. It has served me well for the past 4 years of daily use. Plus if you already have the batteries and a charger then you can pick up the body only for around £75.

The 3 speeds are useful and it will comfortably drive screws on the middle speed (1350 rpm), up to 100mm in softwood.

Also the metal self tightening chuck is brilliant. You don't have to tighten it up with all your might in order to stop the drill bits slipping. You just click it once to tighten and unclick it to remove the drill bit. I have never had a drill bit slip yet!


Or you could get one of these impact drivers and use your current drill for drilling. The brushed model goes for around £65 on ebay for the bare tool and is supposed to be good. Just had a play with this and I'm impressed with it. It's not quite as fast at driving screws as my DCD925 drill, but it's almost effortless. Plus the smaller size and weight make it perfect for the job.

 

[Mark A]

It's just got a bit holder on the front rather than a chuck. You just push the bit holder or bit into it and then to release it you press that yellow button.

You can also just put a 25mm bit straight into it, to get into very small spaces, but they are hard to get back out again .

 

[Mark A]

Didn't last long

Not brushless (don't even know what that diff is), but they've been brilliant for me.

I'm no expert, but I think a brushless motor is more efficient and creates less heat and no friction from the brushes. According to DeWalt they offer 57% more runtime. I haven't had a proper chance to try it out yet so cant vouch for it yet.

it only seems to be this impact driver and their new 90mm nailer that uses it. Milwaukee and Makita have a brushless combi drill as well, so hopefully deWalt will add some more brushless tools at some point. Will be great coupled with the 4ah batteries!

 

[Mark A]

Wow, this impact driver is amazing. Can't believe I have not bought one before now. I always thought they were a bit slow after seeing one in action a long time ago, but they have certainly moved on since then.

The concrete bolts we use to secure window frames would often tighten up too much in really hard brick, but this just put them in with ease.

Did a kitchen on monday and fit 7 windows and a door today and still on the first 3ah battery, so very impressed so far. Plus the Milwaukee PZ2 impact bit seems to be holding up well.


The Wera Impactor bit isn't great for my needs though. I've stuck my old bit holder in there as there is no magnetism to hold the screw on the Were one, so screws just fall off the end. It does have a magnetic screw holder that slides up, but its a pita to keep doing that.

 

[Mark A]

Mark: Are those the bags of Milwaukee PZ2 impact bit I linked to.

And Wera bit holder, there are two versions of Wera bit holder, the Impactor holder & Impaktor Ringmagnet.

http://www.wera.de/catalog_de.html?..._adaptors_connectors_impaktor_bit_holder.html

Yeah they are, the Wera ones were too expensive, but these are holding up well and if they don't last as long they are not expensive anyway.

Gah, looks like I should have gone for the bottom one in that link .