However, in a pinch, if you have the proper bit, you can drill a hole in light-gauge steel or softwood with a standard hex-shank drill bit. Otherwise, the added torque of the driver will snap the bit.
But for basic home repairs, a moderately priced drill should be adequate. Drills are versatile. Some have more settings for both speed and torque, and some even have an impact setting. They also can tackle many kinds of small projects because they can use a wide variety of bit types. Experts agree that when building your tool collection, begin with a drill. But for the passionate DIYer, adding an impact driver will afford you the tools needed for almost any project.
Driving the bolts used in securing the beams of a pergola is one example where an impact driver comes in handy. Also, when working with pressure-treated lumber, hardwood, or heavy steel, the driver has the torque needed to get through the material with ease. The answer is in the power needed for the job. But it can also be used for turning bolts and nuts. A cordless impact driver is especially good for long screws, and they tend to be used when a screw needs to be driven into a very tough or hard material.
The reason why a cordless drill driver can carry out each of these tasks is that it produces a very high amount of torque. Cordless impact drivers tend to be lightweight power tools. Many people get confused between cordless impact drivers and cordless drills. They look the same. And there are some tasks that you can use both for. For applications that require pilot holes prior to driving fasteners pretty common scenario , having a drill bit chucked up in the drill and a screw tip in the driver is a great approach.
So, a combo kit it is. Based on features, value, and brand strength, I chose a combo kit from DeWALT for my shop and an impact driver from Porter Cable for use around the house as it will see a bit lighter use.
I decided on 12V models rather than their 18V big brothers, because 12V delivers plenty of torque for woodworking and most DIY projects, and they are lighter and less expensive. If you are commonly driving massive lag bolts, or want to use it to remove the lug nuts from your truck, you might consider going with one of the beefier 18V models. Not surprising, given that they are both from the same parent company, I found both the DeWALT and Porter Cable units to have a similar form factor and feature set.
All of these tools are so light compared to their NiCad cousins that a few ounces difference is negligible.
I am a fan of both brands, and I think either of these tools would adequately meet my needs as a serious hobbyist woodworker, and occasional DIYer. Both brands also include an integrated light that comes on when the trigger is pressed, a feature that I will love the next time I am installing cabinets, or other projects where I am working in an enclosed space. As I was trying to determine some basic real-world tests to put an impact driver through its paces, I came up with a project that was perfect.
In order to make it a decent test, I rounded the screw count up to an even The impact drivers never broke a sweat while driving these screws. It worked great to pre-drill with the drill, and drive screws with the impact driver.
Perfect results on out of , and no fatigue in my wrists whatsoever. No kickback, stripping or slipping. It was fun. I let my year-old son try it. I would like to have a clutch built into the impact driver but that feature was not readily available in this class of product.
The combination of high torque and no clutch makes it less than ideal for driving lightweight fasteners. Having said that, if I had the choice of getting a nice drill along with the impact driver or getting an impact driver with an integrated clutch, I would take the combo kit with the drill, and that is essentially what is being offered.
By disengaging the drivetrain at that point, it prevents stripping the fastener head, snapping the fastener off or driving the fastener right through a piece of wood. Where to use it: Use these anywhere you need to make a hole or drive a screw, set a nut or tighten a small bolt. Mechanical insight: Four things determine the work that these tools do.
Battery voltage : It ranges from 8 volts all the way up to 60 volts with volt and volt the most common voltages. Increase the voltage and you can drill larger diameter or deeper holes, drive larger screws or tighten a bigger nut. Battery size : This is measured in amp hours. Functions : Cordless drills are always equipped with a clutch that allows the tool to drill or drive, but it may also be equipped with a hammer function that allows the tool to drill a hole in concrete or stone using a carbide-tip masonry bit.
Choose a product with a larger chuck diameter if you expect to routinely drill larger diameter holes. Also some of DeWalt's volt tools accept a volt adapter that lets you run off a generator or wall outlet. Why own it? Drill with one, drive with the other. This is the one we keep in the PM shop. Another tool that we keep in the shop is this slim, little Bosch volt kit.
This combo kit is an incredible value and really is contractor duty. But if you need more capacity, this one from Milwaukee Tools is also a great pick.
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