{ PRODUCT REVIEW } MAKING AN IMPACT Impact drivers may look like small , but the similarity ends there. For decades, auto mechanics have enjoyed their high torque and unchallenged superiority in installing – and removing – fasteners with ease. As the same technology spreads to woodworkers, we’ll show you why you’ll want one in your shop. BY TIM RINEHART

Panasonic

Makita

DeWalt Ridgid Hitachi Bosch

Black & Decker

EVERY NOW AND THEN A NEW COMES ALONG THAT CHANGES THE WAY WE PERFORM SOME TASK. A tool that, after you first try it, any true tool junkie absolutely has to own one. The cordless is one of those . When I opened the case of the first sample to arrive I thought it looked like a wimpy little /driver wannabe. The compact little motor couldn’t have enough power and torque to do real work, so what could I do with this thing that any of my collection of drill/drivers won’t do? The answer turned out to be drive and lag bolts – lots of them – into everything I could find just for the fun of it. Impact drivers use completely different mechanics than a standard drill/driver to deliver driving force. (See sidebar “How it works” on page 83) Under load, a spring is compressed which drives a into an anvil to multiply torque. The extra torque is great, but there’s great side effect too: The millisecond space between impacts also lets bits reseat themselves to full engagement with the head, virtually eliminating cam-out and stripped screws. I drove coated deck screws into until my arm gave out without a single cam-out or twist off. The same screws with my drill driver resulted in about one out of 10 either twisting off or stripping out the slots. When you consider how many screw heads you’ve stripped out with your drill/driver, this one advantage alone may be reason enough to justify owning one.

78 WOODCRAFT MAGAZINE | 01.06 product review: 12-volt impact drivers

Rule #1: These aren’t drill/drivers the input of both the professionals and hobbyists who Still, don’t throw away your drill/driver just yet. Impact used these tools, and my experience as a user. The first drivers are in a completely different league for driving “cordless” drill/driver I carried to a job site was called a fasteners, but they’re lousy drills. Loud and slow, they do . I have been lucky enough to use or test just about seem to handle smaller-diameter drill bits better than large every kind of corded and cordless introduced since then, ones. You can drill a hole in a pinch, but they weren’t really and I’ve driven enough deck screws and drywall screws to designed for . This is why they have quick-change consider myself an expert user. 1 /4" hex chucks instead of standard three-jaw chucks. The I started this review with the idea of picking a winner drill/driver is still the best tool to carry up a ladder to drill – the one impact driver you need to run out and buy today a couple of holes and drive a few screws. But for driving fasteners into hard material, or driving a lot of screws or lag screws and bolts, the impact driver is so superior to a drill that you get spoiled quickly. Originally, this was to be a short review of three new impact drivers’ features and specifications. But over the time I had the tools for testing, they have been the most- borrowed, hardest-to-get-back tools I have. All three were loaned for projects varying from assembling large wooden backyard swing sets, decks, docks, hanging drywall and building lawn furniture. We loaned one to some folks dismantling old bleachers at a local high school. We used them to remove rusted screws and bolts from a swimming Makita pool frame, dropped them from ladders, generally used and abused them like we owned them (note to the manufacturers: Your returned samples may have some BECAUSE THEY ROTATE SCREWS with a series of hammer- minor cosmetic blemishes and show signs of wear. Sorry). like impacts, the operator’s wrist isn’t under constant torque. Even And in the time we were busy doing our best to wear out driving dozens of screws is less tiring on the wrist than with a the first three impact drivers, four more came in from other standard drill/driver. manufacturers. While those four latecomers didn’t have the honor of being passed around half the metropolitan area – but that didn’t happen. I found that different users, for like the first three did, they definitely received respectable completely different reasons, had their own favorites. We workouts. shouldn’t be surprised. With the cost of developing, tooling, So, what was intended as a quick overview of three new advertising and manufacturing a new product, no major machines has turned into a roundup of the best 12-volt manufacturer is going to intentionally put a substandard impact drivers out there. tool on the market. They vary in features, price point and intended market, so this wasn’t intended to be an “even Universal appeal match” of models, or anything else. However, I found the A word of caution: Impact drivers are addictive. While I quality of all of them met or exceeded my expectations. The had them for testing it seemed I could always find a use, bottom line is that they all drive fasteners better than any no matter what I was working on. From driving lag bolts, drill/driver. building cabinets, to maintenance on my dirt bike. Every Impact drivers are generally available in models ranging one who visited my shop ended up driving a collection of from 9-18 volts (plus a couple of odd-ball power levels like screws and lag bolts into a piece of red 4x4 I had on 19.2, and the newer lithium-ion models that go even higher), my bench to test the impact drivers. Drive in, drive out, but I chose the 12-volt versions of these tools simply drive in, drive out. They drive difficult fasteners so easily because 12-volt tools strike a good balance in the power you have to drive and remove several before you really range. Enough power to do just about any chore you could believe your eyes. want, without the weight and bulk of larger battery packs. I have to admit right up front that I’m not an expert in Of course, if you’ll rarely challenge an impact driver with power transmission, battery design, or scientific torque or heavy-duty use, a 9-volt model may work for you just fine. electronics evaluation. What I based this review on was Likewise, if you’re a deck installer who’ll give one a workout

01.06 | WOODCRAFT MAGAZINE 79 product review: 12-volt impact drivers

every time you pick it up, a more-powerful 18-volter might under the chuck was just a cute add on, but the more be what you need. I prefer to carry the lighter 12-volt tool I used the driver the more I appreciated the extra light. and an extra battery if needed, even though impact drivers Maybe it’s a function of my age, but cabinets seem way have a battery life that seems much longer than using drill/ drivers for the same chore. The drivers tested came as kits that included the impact driver, one or two batteries, a charger and case. Just about all the manufacturers of these drivers also offer other impact drivers with more and fewer features, and higher and lower voltages (as well as some corded ones).

DeWalt DW052K-2 The DeWalt received high marks from our crew of testers for toughness and value. The poor DeWalt was also the one that seemed to receive WHILE IT MAY HAVE “LAGGED” BEHIND the others a bit when the largest number of “drop it came to removing lag screws, the Ridgid right-angle driver was tests” from ladders and two the only one that could fit inside the drawer compartment of this chest to remove and replace screws. trips from the roof of my motor home to the ground. It is a no frills, tough tool, but it has one darker than they used to be, and the LED made finding of the least-powerful battery and engaging screw heads easy. packs in the roundup. This The battery pack lasted long enough to hang all the driver was the favorite of a drywall in a shop ceiling without changing batteries. A professional mechanic who preferred the lack of features comfortable grip combined with the angled head made – such as a light to break when he threw it under a car. this my favorite driver. It just seemed to always be at the I found the trigger to be less sensitive than the Makita right angle with the least strain on my wrist. This driver and Panasonic triggers, and the motor/transmission also suffered a quite a few “drop tests,” including a couple to be among the noisier that we tested. The grip was onto the concrete floor of my shop, and escaped with only comfortable, and it definitely will stand up to abuse. cosmetic damage. With a street price of about $188-$199 for the kit that Priced at $199-$219 on the street, the kit includes two includes two batteries, this little DeWalt is a good deal. batteries.

Makita 6980 FDWDE Panasonic EY7201GQKW Makita gave their unit the Panasonic has long been highest motor-to-grip angle of an industry leader in battery all those covered in this article, technology, and this driver’s giving a far different feel and battery pack reflects this. At balance than the horizontal 3.5 Ah, it was the longest- DeWalt. (Of all the drivers lasting of the three we covered here, only the DeWalt passed around town. I gave and the Bosch 23612 have it a bit of stamina testing on near-horizontal motor angles.) my own, and found it still Users either loved it or hated going strong when I quit 3 it. I found the high-angled driving /8" lag bolts one head made the balance after the other because it perfect for me, and made working in awkward positions just wasn’t fun anymore after 20 minutes. like inside a cabinet much easier. This unit, which is a successor to their earlier model At first, I thought the little LED built into the casing right EY6506, has a very bright LED built into the motor casing

80 WOODCRAFT MAGAZINE | 01.06 product review: 12-volt impact drivers

below the chuck like the Makita, and a retractable belt/ tested that came with a generous 15-piece assortment of pocket hook. As with my initial reaction to LEDs, my first hex-shank drill bits, driver bits, and drivers. thought on the retractable belt hook was that it was one With a torque rating of only 800 in. lbs. it doesn’t have of those little gimmicks that look good in advertising, but nearly the head-to-head power of the others, but it’s a I’d never bother using. Wrong. It is really great when you good cost-conscious choice for less heavy-duty use. are not wearing a tool belt, standing on ladder, to be able to hang the driver from your belt or pocket while fishing Bosch 23612 around for another screw or holding a workpiece in place. This driver was a real Great ergonomics, smooth trigger, belt hook, light, workhorse; its smooth (but good batteries and a strong, quiet, smooth motor might somewhat loud) motor make this a contender for best overall for you. (Which may was the most powerful account for why it was also the hardest to get returned in the roundup at 2,800 when loaned out; those that liked it had a hard time rpm, 3,200 ipm, and with parting with.) This impact driver was the only one in our a torque rating of 1,150 in. group with two impact torque settings, with the lower lbs., it drove every screw “gear” really seeming to have more torque than some of it met with ease, and then the others. But, with a street price of $220-$245 for a kit some, for a long time that includes two batteries, you’re definitely paying for between charges. Like the what you get. DeWalt, the motor-to-grip As I mentioned earlier, we received four additional angle of the Bosch 23612 models, but didn’t have the opportunity to loan them out Impactor is nearly horizontal, but the grip is solid and to half the neighborhood for in-depth abuse in the same comfortable. The belt hook retracts when not needed, and way we did with the three above. However, we gave them can be swapped from the left side to the right by removing several weekends of intensive shop thrashing to see what a screw at the base of the grip, or removed if you have no they had to offer. need for it. This was one of only three drivers tested – the Ridgid and Hitachi were the other two – that offered any Black & Decker FS1202ID kind of on-board bit storage, which seems like something Easily the least expensive in all drivers should have as. The very bright LED is mounted the bunch at about $70 at at the base of the grip, and can be rotated up and down your local home center, the to give the best lighting angle. It’s really too bad that this Black & Decker Firestorm one didn’t come in earlier, as it likely would have been one driver is a good contender of the favorites of those we passed around our extended for household use. Although testing group. it has one of the lowest With street prices of $190-$220 for a kit with two torque ratings of those batteries, this driver gives a lot of bang for the buck. tested and isn’t likely to stand up to rigorous use on Hitachi WH12DMR a job site, it still managed At 3½ lbs., standing just drive both conventional 8¾" tall and with a motor screws and lag screws casing just under 6" from respectably. nose-to-tail without a This model had the second-highest motor-to-grip bit installed, the Hitachi angle ratio (only a hair less than the Makita, in fact) giving is easily the most petite it a very comfortable grip. Intentional durability wasn’t driver in the group. Don’t tested with this one, but it wasn’t really necessary – it was let the size fool you, dropped once in the parking lot here at the office, once off however. Packing 2,600 the editor’s desk, and once onto a concrete garage floor rpm, and matching the with no damage. Bosch’s torque rating The kit includes two batteries, and is the only driver we of 1,150 in. lbs., and

01.06 | WOODCRAFT MAGAZINE 81 product review: 12-volt impact drivers

with a lot of experience with similar pneumatic tools may find the switch shape and location quite familiar. There’s no LED, but considering how this driver would normally be used, a light wouldn’t help much anyway. That said, this wasn’t an even match of models, so even though it’s not quite the same species as the other impact drivers it has some abilities they don’t. The right angle head and long length let it get into places that no TESTED IN A PIECE OF HARD WHITE OAK, the left screw was conventional driver can. With a standard Phillips bit in driven with a standard drill/driver, while the one on the right place, it needs only 4" of clearance to reach its target, was set with an impact driver. Because the rapid impact action which makes it a natural for work in places like small of these drivers reseats the bit with each impact, stripping screws drawer openings and between workpiece components. is rare. It’s also the only model tested that has a protective rubber impact range of 3,200 ipm, this little guy easily held its own cover around the business end to keep from scratching against its larger blue test companion when it came to workpieces, and a rubber-bottomed battery that keeps it driving power and run time. In spite of its power, this was from sliding when you set it down. The Ridgid kit is the only also one of the quieter units in the test group. With a high one with a single battery, but the 20-minute charger – and motor-to-grip angle and diminutive size, it was extremely second-lowest kit price in the group at $129 – makes that comfortable to hold and use in spite of the fact that it’s the less of an issue. only one tested that lacked the soft rubbery over-mold on If you don’t really have a need for driving hundreds the grip. This tool was a pleasure to use for long periods of of lag screws, but you do need a driver that can reach time. otherwise impossible fasteners, the Ridgid may be just The Hitachi had the most unusual belt hook and LED what you’re looking for. arrangement of the lot, combining the two into a single These tools won’t spell the end of the cordless drill/ accessory that mounts to either side of the grip. The light driver, but they will change which tool you reach for when is also the only one in the group that wasn’t powered by you need driving or loosening power, or when you have the tool when triggered – the light has its own on/off switch a lot of fasteners to drive. Before testing these impact and its own battery compartment, meaning that it can be drivers, you could never have convinced me that they removed and used as a . would be so superior to a drill/driver that I’d be willing to With prices ranging from $189-$200 for a kit with two plunk down my money for something this specialized. Now batteries, the Hitachi is a good deal. I’m completely sold. It doesn’t matter if you are bolting together a swing set, Ridgid R82233 screwing down decking, or hanging a cabinet (or, for that The Ridgid was the only matter, undoing any of those tasks), impact drivers perform dedicated right-angle impact at a completely different level than your drill/driver. driver in the roundup. If this had been an even match of models, – Tim Rinehart is contributing editor to Woodcraft Magazine. the Ridgid would have been outclassed by all of the other As it sometimes happens, this article was wrapped up just conventional impact drivers when another new 12-volt impact drill was introduced. While we tested. The impact mode it looks and feels pretty much the same as the Panasonic is very loud, and with a torque EY7201GQKW tested in this article, the company’s just- rating of only 700 in. lbs. – the introduced EY7202GQW breaks new ground with three lowest in the group – the driver impact torque ranges of 1,060 in. lbs., 970 in. lbs. and 530 had difficultly removing lag bolts in, lbs. in high, medium and soft modes, respectively. The tool the other models both drove also has a 16-stage digital clutch with automatic shutoff and and removed easily. I personally digital readout. Look for an in-depth review in a future issue of didn’t care for the location of the Woodcraft Magazine. paddle-style switch, but anyone

82 WOODCRAFT MAGAZINE | 01.06 product review: 12-volt impact drivers

HOW IT WORKS HAMMER An impact driver works by combining a hammering action with rotational action, with the hammer blows – impacts – acting in the rotational direction. (Although similar to the idea behind hammer drills, the force of the hammer blows in an impact driver is in the direction the screw is spinning; hammer drills apply their ASSEMBLED HAMMER/ANVIL force in-line with the drill’s travel MECHANISM into the workpiece.) ANVIL To accomplish this, impact drivers have an internal hammer/anvil arrangement that engages when the driver senses a load. That’s why an impact driver starts out sounding like a regular drill/driver at first, then begins “clacking” once the screw resistance hits a set level. When this resistance is met, it compresses a spring inside the gear assembly and engages a cam mechanism that forces the hammer to strike the anvil. When the hammer impacts the anvil, it momentarily doubles or even triples the amount of torque in the direction of rotation. Depending on the driver’s design and the amount of load, this hammering action can occur up to 3,200 times per minute, delivering smooth, high-torque driving power as needed. To understand the process, consider the experience of changing a tire with an angled lug . If the lug nuts have been in place a long time, they’re likely “frozen” in place very tightly. Turning the as hard as you can – delivering as much torque your arms can normally muster – sometimes isn’t enough. But if you whack the angled arm of the lug wrench with the palm of your hand several times, you can sometimes free the nut to start it spinning. Each time you hit the lug wrench, you’ve momentarily applied more torque to the wrench than you normally have available through regular muscle power alone. You’ve just imitated the action of an impact driver. — A.J. Hamler

Impacts On-board Speed Belt Make/model Battery Torque per minute Weight LED bit Charger Price (rpm) Hook (ipm) storage

Black & Decker 2 NiCd 2,600 800 in. lbs. 2,800 3.6 lbs. NYN 1-hour $70 FS1202ID

Bosch 2 NiCd 2,800 1,150 in. lbs. 3,200 3.7 lbs. YYY 1-hour $195-$219 23612

DeWalt 2 NiCd 2,400 1,000 in. lbs. 3,000 3.75 lbs. NNN 1-hour $188-$199 DW052K-2

Hitachi 2 NiCd 2,600 1,150 in. lbs. 3,200 3.5 lbs. YYY 1-hour $190-$200 WH12DMR

Makita 2 NiMH 2,600 1,100 in. lbs. 3,200 3.5 lbs. YNN 1-hour $199-$219 6980FDWDE

Panasonic 711/1,060 2 NiMH 2,200/2,600 2,200/2,600 3.9 lbs. YYN 55-minute $220-$245 EY7201GQKW in. lbs.

Ridgid 1 NiCd 2,200 700 in. lbs. 3,100 4.7 lbs. NNY 20-minute $129 R82233

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