Project Farm Impact Driver Test

[Nick1911]

So what's the difference between a hammer drill and a rotary hammer? 

[Ben]

So what's the difference between a hammer drill and a rotary hammer?  

I'm no expert, but in these parts the terms are used interchangeably for the same tool (we say roto-hammer instead of rotary hammer).

[Silver Bullet]

I'm inspired to buy my first impact driver.

I hate these threads where I end up buying something I didn't know I "needed."  Who started this, anyway?   

[Jim147]

I just had a friend stop buy that works at a tire shop. He stopped in to pull the driveshaft out of his truck. We might have been drinking when we twisted it in half.

He had his Dewalt impact driver with him that he uses all day six days a week.

I have another friend with a tire shop here in town. I know he went to using two impact drivers instead of having air hoses everywhere. I'll stop in and ask him what he has and how he likes them. I think he bought two brands to compare.

[dogmush]

OK, what's the difference between an impact driver and a hammer drill?

Is the impact driver a rotary hammer motion, while the hammer drill is linear along the length of the bit?

Yes.

So what's the difference between a hammer drill and a rotary hammer

A hammer drill normally has a way to disable the hammer function and just be a drill.  A rotary hammer just does that one thing. They also tend to be bigger and more powerful,  as well as come in spline shaft varieties.  (SDS+ and the like)

[K Frame]

"A hammer drill normally has a way to disable the hammer function and just be a drill. "

My hammer drill has exactly that... Turn off, and it's a drill. Turn to 1, and you hammer drill. Turn to 2 and you REALLY hammer drill. It's distinctly uncomfortable to use on setting 2 for much more than a couple of minutes because of the vibration.

Still, can't complain about an all metal body 1/2" hammer drill for free.

I was working on an old contract and we had an upright cabinet in the one conference room that hadn't been opened for years. The facility guy said let's open it (it was locked). We picked the lock and it was full of tools with absolutely no indication of ownership.

So, we split them up. I got the hammer drill and a nice fish tape. Someone else took a nice half inch socket set with the ratchet, someone else took some electrical testing equipment, etc.

That drill has more than paid for itself over the years. 

[Silver Bullet]

Here's a short video explaining drill vs impact driver vs impact wrench vs hammer drill:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAMHGe_LWzc

First video I've seen by that guy, he is to the point.  I've seen too many videos where someone takes 20 minutes to say something that could have been said in 4.

[charby]

I'm with dogmush on this one.  My 1/4 impact driver is night and day compared to my cordless drills for driving screws.  Can I run 3-1/2 deck screws with my cordless drill all day?  Sure, and it works for that.  But the impact... is clearly the correct tool for the job.

I've also got the 1/2 inch cordless impact.  With that, I rarely fire up the compressor anymore doing automotive work.  And bonus, I can take it to the junkyard with me. 

Thread necro

After recently replacing the front axle in my truck due to combination of a spun wheel bearing, busted hub and ABS sensor cable. I retract anything I inferred about not needed a cordless impact driver.

I am going to be buying a 1/4" or 3/8" and 1/2" cordless impact driver. I'm in the Dewalt camp, so I'll probably stick with them. Yeah, I get mud on my tires. 

I guess I need to buy more impact sockets too.

[Boomhauer]

Thread necro

After recently replacing the front axle in my truck due to combination of a spun wheel bearing, busted hub and ABS sensor cable. I retract anything I inferred about not needed a cordless impact driver.

I am going to be buying a 1/4" or 3/8" and 1/2" cordless impact driver. I'm in the Dewalt camp, so I'll probably stick with them. Yeah, I get mud on my tires. 

I guess I need to buy more impact sockets too.

Start with a 3/8” mid torque. Milwaukee, DeWalt and Makita all offer good ones. Get complete no skip impact socket sets up to 24mm and 1” (if you need SAE). Get a set of complete universal impact sockets also.

[charby]

Start with a 3/8” mid torque. Milwaukee, DeWalt and Makita all offer good ones. Get complete no skip impact socket sets up to 24mm and 1” (if you need SAE). Get a set of complete universal impact sockets also.

I have air tools, so I got the 1/2" impact sockets covered.

[Kingcreek]

I cheaped out and bought harbor fright impact sockets and have actually been very happy with them.

[Ben]

I cheaped out and bought harbor fright impact sockets and have actually been very happy with them.

I ended up with the HF Icon impact sockets. Not exactly cheaping out in normal HF style, but I have been very impressed with the handful of Icon tools I bought there.

[Boomhauer]

I have air tools, so I got the 1/2" impact sockets covered.

I’m talking about 3/8 impact sockets. For car/light truck use 3/8 is usually what you need and what fits in places better and with the modern 3/8 cordless impacts will often even take off tires. Although if you didn’t want to buy new sockets the mid torques all come in 1/2” drive as well.

[Boomhauer]

I ended up with the HF Icon impact sockets. Not exactly cheaping out in normal HF style, but I have been very impressed with the handful of Icon tools I bought there.

Icon is an awesome brand. The tools are very good quality and the Icon line of toolboxes out of Snap On. One of our senior mechanics instead of spending $20,000 with Snap On got an Icon box for $6600 with hutch, side locker and side box

[charby]

I’m talking about 3/8 impact sockets. For car/light truck use 3/8 is usually what you need and what fits in places better and with the modern 3/8 cordless impacts will often even take off tires. Although if you didn’t want to buy new sockets the mid torques all come in 1/2” drive as well.

I figured I'd be buying 3/8" impact sockets to match what I have in 3/8" standard sockets. Deeps and shallows.

I've had good luck with Kolbalt (B)Lowes brand for cheap sockets, so I'll probably get a set next time I'm in the big city.

[Bogie]

HF's "regular" impact sockets are pretty darn good.
 
I use the hell out of one of these, along with the 3/8" electric ratchet... Fast battery installs mean more money.
 
https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/c/power-torque-tools/power-torque-3-8-inch-drive-impact-wrench/ptt1/ptt0003?q=3%2F8%22+impact&pos=7

https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/c/power-torque-tools/power-torque-3-8-inch-drive-ratchet/ptt1/ptt0002?q=3%2F8%22+power+torque+ratchet&pos=3

Works great on most "normal" torqued things. It ain't gonna do lug nuts. 2nd link is the ratchet, and it uses the same batteries. They last a good long time. They tend to have 10mm sockets on 'em when they go back in the box.

https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/c/power-torque-tools/power-torque-8-piece-3-8-inch-drive-standard-6-point-metric-socket-set/ptt0/gm8465?q=10mm+socket+set&pos=8

This extra deep tends to stay on the impact gun - I run into battery tie-downs that are too long for a regular deep. And nasty and rusted that take forever with a regular ratchet... A little buzz with the impact, and I can deal with the rest of the stuff. And... I keep a 10mm ratchet wrench in my shirt pocket, because a lot of customers who think they are going to need a battery or alternator have been taking the lead off the negative terminal at night, and don't bother to retighten it... 30 seconds and a little lecture about cutoff switches, they have a fixed car, and are happy. I also have a few foot-long extensions with 10, 12 and 13mm sockets semi-permanently on 'em, also to deal with the low battery hold downs.
 
Yeah, I'm weird. But I'm fast.
 
That said, I'd probably go with Milwaukee.
 
And most of the time, if I have to deal with a stubborn rim that some "tech" put on with their Milwaukee, I'll just use a four-way, support the outside leg on a jack, and gently, yet forcibly, use my 6' cheater pipe to break it free.

[tokugawa]

"gently, yet forcibly, use my 6' cheater pipe to break it free."

 Don't force it, use a bigger hammer.

[French G.]

I'm with dogmush on this one.  My 1/4 impact driver is night and day compared to my cordless drills for driving screws.  Can I run 3-1/2 deck screws with my cordless drill all day?  Sure, and it works for that.  But the impact... is clearly the correct tool for the job.

I've also got the 1/2 inch cordless impact.  With that, I rarely fire up the compressor anymore doing automotive work.  And bonus, I can take it to the junkyard with me. 

My dad is old and crippled but still drives all his big trucks. M18 impact wrench is in each one of them as his lug wrench. I had occasion to test this operation since you only run over 6" steel objects in borrowed trucks. Gf was mightily impressed with said lug wrench. Well yeah sure, if you have $700 to dump into a tool and several big batteries it makes a great lug wrench. Runs the lugs on the Budd wheels on his Mack truck which is impressive for a battery tool., 1/2" air doesn't touch them.

[bedlamite]

 Don't force it, use a bigger hammer.

If you look close enough, every tool is a hammer.

[French G.]

If you look close enough, every tool is a hammer.

Shhh, don't give up all my secrets.