Death of the Cordless Drill?
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- čas přidán 25. 08. 2024
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You Still need a regular drill for brittle work where an impact drill is sold and is becoming so hard to find good brands selling not in a 2 pack of drill and impact.
Most of the commentors are saying using the two together is better. Also, hex drill bits are expensive compared to stand drill bits, so not going to use the impact as a drill.
@@epicfail5707 first thing I thought about the hex shank bits, they are pricey.
I started watching this video and stopped it to check when it was made thinking it must be old. I've owned these for years and use them together all the time. The drill drills the holes, the driver drives in the screws. Job done.
^THIS
@@patriotpioneer yup. ole stumpy must be hurting for content.
I could have made this video with my 10-15 year old Makita.
@@jeffbuller6708I think he must be. Can you even buy an impact driver without speed control these days? I doubt it.
Yeah, some good ol content fishing going on here.
I like the versatility of having both
Agree. When you need to use the clutch to drive a screw properly or making pilot holes. I bought a Makita drill and impact kit 2 years ago and you really do need both, IMO.
One for drilling pilot holes and countersinks, the other for driving fasteners!
Haven’t felt the need for a corded drill in the last 15 years or more
Yeah there are definitely tasks where I prefer one over the other. I also like having both available so I don't have to swap bits as often if I need to repeat a series of operations (e.g. drilling pilot holes & counter sinks before driving fasteners).
When I have a job that requires drilling lots of holes and putting screws in those holes, I haven't found a better way than using both. Maybe I'm doing it wrong.
The real no-brainer is having both. Buy the two pack!
Or just get a combination drill. Only need two if you are constantly swapping between drilling and screwing.
@@martinrwolfe I'm constantly needing to both both drill and screw. 90% of the time If you're going to put a screw in, you should be drilling a pilot hole as well.
Countersink, pilot hole, screw driver. That's three!
@@jveebklyn1644 or use more expensive screws that have drill-function+countersink-heads.... but yeah, I mostly just use 3 machines in the workshop and cheaper screws too.
💯 I use my impact the most by far but love having both.
My shop foreman always said you bore with a drill and you fasten with an impact. Even just for efficiency sake, I'll keep my fastener bit in my impact and my countersink in my drill. That way, I don't have to constantly switch.
I don't have an impact yet, but this is the most reasonable solution for my case. I work with small softwood and screws. Without pre-drilling and countersinking you get splits and constantly switching between 3 bits is annoying. An impact for at least the torx bit is very logical.
Exactly. They are team, not competitors.
This is the way
Festool Fast Fix
Assuming you’re in a situation where the ridiculous noise of the impact is acceptable I agree.
I like that my impact driver doesn't try to break my wrist at least twice every project.
You are not using the clutch?
Reactive torque is the technical term. That's what makes impacts the favourite on job sites: not having to fight that all day long.
I hadn’t noticed your comment before I said the same thing in a reply. I used the example of try pushing a nail in steadily as opposed to using a hammer. That is a slightly different point but related.
You really need to work on your wrists.
@@waynemanning3262 Hmm, I wonder what kinds of activities one should do more often to work those wrists..
I love the short stubby nose because it has caused almost all drill sets to come with 1/4" shafts. That helps cordless drills as well because I don't have to spend so much time spinning the chuck open and closed to different sizes.
Yes, those 3 seconds are sooo much of a time suck.
"Almost all"? I don't think so! Try to find Letter and number drills with Hex shafts, or micro drills, or sets in 64ths... Hex shafts are usually for the most standard drill sizes used in construction. Impact drivers can't hold onto anything without a hex shaft, but the drill/driver can handle both, and you can also get a hex bit holder for any drill chuck for a few bucks, and I use one for Allen, Torx, and and those wacky odd trickster bits they use on shit they want you to be unable to open and fix so they can sell you a new one! Yeah, it never stopped me!
I use the drills power to spin the chuck open or closed and only tighten or loosen them by hand; mine has a key-less chuck, as most do these days.
When drilling certain materials, round shaft bits and a chuck are superior. They allow you to set the tension lower, so that if the bit binds it will slip in the chuck instead of breaking. In which case, having round bits for your drill just makes sense all around because you can increase tension for those materials where it won't be an issue. Your hex bits are going to break, no matter which tool you use them in.
Impact drivers are for driving with impact. Drills are for everything else.
lol, you do realize that with a drill, you can... get ready for it... press the trigger to rapidly open and close the chuck? Hex drill sets are crap, overpriced and in larger sizes, weak and brittle if quality hardened steel.
Not to mention that the drill chuck has no play / wobble at all. Perfect fit every time. Sometimes that near perfect of the hex shaft in an impact driver is just slightly wobbly.
I remember as a little kid watching a worker hand crank a d rill to make a hole. Then he used a spring loaded automatic screw driver to drive in the screw. That is how things were done in 1960!
I was a delivery driver that packed and unpacked items that were shipped in wood crates. I will say that the drivers I worked with all preferred regular drill drivers over impact drivers for installing or removing screws. The main reason was the impact driver was way too loud for use inside a box truck or other indoor environments. For used outdoors, impact driver all day long. I find it handy having both the drill and the impact. The drill can be set for pilot hole duty while the impact will drive the screw.
They did get waaaaay more quiet. Especially the oil ones. But I still use my 12yo dill driver because nothing I can afford has beaten it yet.
Fortunately, now we have hydraulic impacts. They're FAR quieter than regular ones, at the cost of a bit of torque. They're perfect for noise sensitive environments.
@@tummytub1161 They are in fact loud, like most of my power tools. I now have Stumpy's sponsored headphones to deal with that.
I build an ungodly number of cabinets, decks and other projects using a corded drill to drive screws. I turned up my nose at impact drivers when they hit the market and for about five years after. When I finally tried one, I fell in love and haven't turned back. Still can't live without a drill though. I have three of each.
Would that be a regular, compact and right angle of each or just one for every spot you need it?
Exactly right, they both have their strengths and weaknesses. It's absurd for Stumpy to claim that impact drivers could make drills obsolete.
I hadn't had a battery-powered drill for years, after my initial experiences with the Black & Decker failures that I started with in the late nineties. Then last summer I went to buy one and found that they almost always were paired with the impact drivers. I, too, turned up my nose at the drivers, largely due to ignorance--I ended up ordering off Amazon just to get the drill by itself. If only I had this video explaining to me just what an impact driver was good for! Now I will go out and buy one.....
The clutch observation is super important, and the deciding factor for me. I need my drill clutched.
I bought a Hercules 20v I love for the power and price. The problem with it is the clutch is not sensitive enough and will not release even at the lowest setting for lighter duty work. I read the reviews and there were many complaints about this. It also has a lot of gear chatter at low speeds. I guess you get what you pay for sometimes. I only paid 88.00 for it with a 10% off coupon.
furniture installer for 45 years here.
You are spot on with these assertions
I had to watch this one twice. When he said, 'blew out my pocket and striped out my hole' beer came out my nose and i laughed until the video was over.
The drill is still more versatile and more efficient in some cases than an impact. Use it to drill steel and you’ll buy lots of bits.
My Makita 18V cordless driver is at least 15 years old and has variable speed. As I'm driving in a screw, a light press will turn single "clicks" at a time, about a 1/4 rotation of the screw head at a time. I use my drill to make pilot holes and the driver to drive in the screws. The impact driver is also amazing for lag screws with a socket attachment. If I try this with my regular drill, my arm turns instead of the bolt!
I dropped my 12 volt Milwaukee right off and roof and it lands on its edge on concrete. Damage was NOTHING. Amazing.
I will remain bitter toward Makita for abandoning all its early design battery customers.
I add the corded makita impact driver for 17 years now. I should have closed the video at the very begining. It didn't gave anything I didn't knew this then.
Some good points. Two more - Having both makes assembly a lot faster with a drill bit in one and a driver bit in the other. And if you're installing deck boards, the impact drives about twice as many screws as a drill on the same battery. Oh, one more thing - an impact can drive in some awfully big lags without bogging.
I've got a fleet of cordless drills so that's no justification at all for me.
@@frankshannon3235If you are driving a lot of screws, especially big lags, an impact is far easier on your wrist. However they are different tools with different strengths, ideally you'd have both but if I could only have one it would be the drill every time.
You know, I was thinking this the whole time. As a Foreman and carpenter by trade, we deal with a lot of different fasteners. From framing to finish, the sizes of screws vary by wide margins. @stumpy, there is something to be said about drivers, heck even a whole video about torque settings. Majority of the time when I'm driving lags from 3 inch all the way up to 12 inch I will start with my impact driver, see how slowly it crawls to seat the screw and then switch to a driver on high torque to send that sucker home. As of late I always tell my crew that if they are fastening timbers together to use a drill rather than an impact just for efficiency. Corded or cordless, it's the same animal.
@@Brandon-sn9yhwow, impacts will do all of that and MUCH easier.
Self drilling screws and an impact beats all other options. But anyone too closed minded to give it a try are welcome to rest on their laurels.
My dad never had an impact driver, he couldn't even find the tools he did have most of the time. When I got one I was in love. I mostly did rough work anyways so I didn't mind the ocassional deep drive. The impact is also a must have for hanging TV wall mounts.
Summary: impact drivers are now more useful and can do some of the things drills do.
More useful than they used to be.
And some of the things drills have been doing for years.
The whole video is just bizarre. When could you last buy an impact driver without variable speed? Even the cheapest store brand drivers have had variable speed for a long time.
@@ferrumignis
I am not sure. I was at a friend's house about 20 days back. I did not have many of my tools with me and I decided to help him out with a few drywall patches. He passed me his Ryobi impact. I thought nothing of it accept I actual prefer using my drill rather than driver. More because of noise. Anyway I go to pull the trigger softly for a slow drive of the sheetrock screw. But I guess this driver does not have speed control. And I get the thing trying to drive Philips heads screws full blast. I did kind of get used to it. It made me realize how unconsciously I vary my drill speed without thinking.
I am not sure the age of the drill, but I venture to guess probably only a couple years old.
As a remodeling contractor I use an impact every day but make no mistake with out a drill I could not do my job. There are plenty of situations that call for the delicate precision that a drill can deliver. With anti rotation tech now coming to drills I can use it's superior power with out the fear of breaking my wrist. When it comes to driving medium sized screws in construction, and in tight spaces an impact shines, but they are both very important.
@TheMixmastamike1000
> With anti rotation tech now coming to drills I can use it's superior
> power with out the fear of breaking my wrist.
I recommend everyone use their favourite search engine to look for
Unix - The Hole Hawg
or
The Hole Hawg of operating systems
Years ago I got a Bosch 12v set of drill and driver and they’ve been perfect for home repair tasks. The impact driver hits well above its literal weight and has variable speed. I didn’t realize it was “special.”
I’ve done the opposite, myself. I’m reaching more and more for my drill, while my impact driver cries in the corner.
The drill is just more forgiving. I have a 2400 in-lb impact driver and I don’t even try to drive a Phillips with it. I still haul out the impact if I have a bigger project (and I am sure to use torx screws).
At first I thought this was me being a casual DIY noob, but when the “professionals” installed my son’s playset they split three boards at fasteners by over torquing with impact drivers so I think it happens.
@@miketimmerman6336 That's a beefy impact driver you have there. Most of the 20V impact drivers I've seen are between 1000in-lb and 1400in-lb, with some inching up to around 1600in-lb nowadays. what brand/model is it?
@@5467nick sounds like probably Flex
@@miketimmerman6336I've been building decks (among other things) for 25 years and have never used an impact driver on those jobs. A good drill will sink deck screws all day long, without issue. Heck, I've built decks with brushless Ryobi drills without any real problems.
As for lag bolts, I use an impact wrench because it's the right tool for the job. Those little socket adapters they make for impact drivers are just failure points waiting to happen. Why bother when I can have a direct 3/8" or 1/2" connector on an impact wrench? Nope. My impact drivers are probably my least used tools on any jobsite.
Yep, same here. Using my drills way more and actually very happy with the results. i was all impact driver before.
"Crap, I blew out my pocket, and stripped the inside of my hole." Ah yes, I too have had Burritos today.
Have both but tend to use the drill much more still.
Me too, though I'm a DIYer rather than a tradie. The impact comes into it's own when you have a lot of screws to drive in (e.g. decking) or you want to drive in some big lags. For most everything else the drill is the go to tool.
mainly because of the noise, especially if I'm working in someone's house or there is a neighboring condo. That noise penetrates the walls.
I’m retired now from forty plus years as a carpenter. I started when we all carried egg beaters and bit and brace( the original cordless). The first cordless drills were a joke. Then good cordlesses and then impacts !! I still use both for my DIY’s
In the early 80s we were using Yankee screwdrivers. About 85 we got the Skil Boss 12 v nicad drill. Or ht Panasonic 9.5 volt drill. A big improvement up on a ladder. Or installing doors.
Brace and bit, plus an adapter for the brace and 1/4 hex bits. Perfect for final set and finish in high end projects. Total control with the brace. High end: Wooden boat building.
5:11 "...Anything from a sixteenth to a half-inch drill bit--some even go up to 3/8...." Ooops!
Lol, I came here to say this. 😂 James gets a pass every now and then
Yes, I said it backwards.
Imperial system problems 😂
Oh. I bet there are some good videos explaining fractions. One might even be on this channel. LOL. I agree. He gets a pass as the Silver Lurker said.
@@EntropicTroponin How is a misspeak an imperial system problem? I can flub a line in metric just as easily...
I find impacts useful for rough carpentry but for any fine work the drill with torque settings more useful for fine work and small fasteners. Keep the good stuff coming.
I prefer the control and force feedback of a drill, but the impact definitely has advantages when working in non-ideal situations, such as extended reach from a ladder where you can't afford your arm getting yanked.
I was a bit taken aback, James, when I saw your title. Lots of good points about the versatility and sorta-interchangeability of the drill and driver. You finally get to the clutch, which clinches the topic for me. I’m just a DIY guy (with lots of tools!) and I’ve installed or modified three decks and two dock portions. Screwing all those screws uniformly and to the same, correct depth is just not possible with a driver. My old Ridgid drill is so big and clumsy (but powerful) so I bought a mid-range DeWalt drill. I found a carrying bag that holds both drill and driver, so I don’t have to plan ahead as to which to bring to the work location - BOTH always. I bring drill bits and sockets too, in a Go Bag. I just had to replace several seat boards in a bench that went 1/2-way around a sun deck. I used my driver for the first couple of screws and saw the variability, so immediately switched to my drill with a clutch setting of 9. Much better. Another feature: for pilot holes the drill holds a drill bit while the driver holds a screw bit (or perhaps vice versa). No changing up bits! No, my cordless drill will never lack work.
I've gone through that change. With the development of impact rated drill bits I've really come around, especially hand held drilling into metal. Bits always balk a bit, but instead of binding up, a few hammer strokes and the drill is cutting again.
What I never expected was impact taps, it sounded like a crazy idea, but I am amazed how easy they are to use. Even surprisingly heavy stuff like threading into an automobile frame went remarkably easy.
They’re both super valuable tools, one can’t replace the other entirely. Bit of a click bait title but all valid points.
Brushless subcompact is where it’s at. I don’t know how old your impact is to not have variable speed. My ridgid brushed gen 3 is at least 12 years old and is variable speed.
Yeah I thought this was on OLD video when he said he had to remake one after 4 years because you need that feature. When could you last even buy one that wasn't variable speed?
My first drill driver was a 9V Makita in the 1990s. I now have half a dozen various drill drivers and impact drivers in my shop. It wasn't until I watched this video that I took the time to understand the difference in capability and when to choose one or the other regularly. Thanks.
Watching this video, I had another one of those moments of realization that at some point I became Hank Hill, getting seemingly unreasonably excited over things like a mere discussion of such mundane things as the wheelbarrow, hammer, axe, and right now, the humble drill.
I've had a Ridgid Cordless drill for 15+ years and used it at work for the entire time. It has MORE TORQUE than ANYTHING else in the shop (MORE than 40 ft-lbs!). I've even used it to drill through CONCRETE - thankfully, the variable torque made it EXTREMELY useful, and the LIFETIME warranty on the batteries was a godsend and paid for itself, even though the batteries lasted for 5-10 years! LOVE my Ridgid Tools!
I just wrote the same comment. I’ve had mine for over 10-15 years also and it’s never failed. It’s true for almost every ridgid tool I have. By far the most underrated tools
Your comment about the batteries is complete BS! Read my comment about what CRAP RIDGE IS. Anyone that tried to replace a RIDGE BATTER KNOWS THE TRUTH!
@@VoteRepublicanSaveAmerica Didn't see your comment, and don't know first hand. Still I cried bullshit on batteries having lifetime warranties. That's actually the weakest part of the whole tool assembly.
I use both, the best combination for all jobs (I have 3 actually...)
I actually had an Impact driver and a drill driver. The drill is so heavy because I bought one with hammer mode but it's not comfortable for woodworking... so lately I bought another lighter drill driver.
I'm suffering from "Tennis Elbow" so now I have less pain. 🙂
You can find older 20 volt drills for very cheap. I use the porter cable/black and decker drills. They use the same batteries.Interchangable/google.I recently bought 4 drills and 8 batteries for $ 50/ all lithium 2 amp h. 4 amp hr.
I imported a ryobi quietstrike impact from america over 5 years ago and it has been my go to for driving fasteners ever since it arrived, as it’s much quieter than regular impacts everyone else grabs it too for indoor work, so much so, I got a second that’s still in its box for when the inevitable happens
I find that I use my torque drive for anything but drilling holes. I remember when I first got the torque drive and thinking - what the heck would I use that for? Answer: Almost everything!
I reach for my Milwaukee installation driver the most. Compact, 1/4" collet for quick bit changing, multiple chuck options (standard key less, 90deg, offset).
It's able to do most of what I need. The impact driver only comes out when brute force is needed, and the drill only for big bits.
You and I are on the same page
I know I'm probably the oddity here, but I never put a fastener in a piece of wood until I have a pilot hole. So in my case both is optimal. Carry both and then not switch bits at all.
I use number drilsl sized to the thread base, and clearance drill for the shaft.
Use self drilling screws. They save many hassles and problems that takes time using them to see the long list of advantages.
You might try a pocket hole screw which has a self-drilling tip. It pretty much eliminates the need for pilot holes for common screw sizes & it speeds you up tremendously. The only time I drill pilot holes anymore is in an extremely hard wood or for a lag bolt.
@@joelhansen7373 Wait, self drilling screws exist? Why didn't anyone tell me sooner? In case you didn't understand I'm being sarcastic. Now please, show me where in my comment I said anything indicating I need or wanted your advice.
@@Arbbal You posted wingnut. Get over yourself and expect people to respond.
I use both always have. Makes it very easy to drill holes and screw in without the hassle of changing bits.
I used to be the National Sales Manager at Kreg Tool & demonstrated the Kreg Jig at hundreds of Trade Shows & dealer events. After I tried a decent impact driver that’s what I used from that point on to drive my pocket hole screws. I still used a powerful drill to drill the pocket hole.
All I can say is the right tool for the right job! It all depends on what you're doing and!!!! Great video thanks!!!
Anyone else love tools with brushes, because they can be fixed rather than disposed?
The game changer for me is an impact driver applies almost infinitely less torque to my wrist. Even when I’ve snapped a driver bit, there hasn’t been any noticeable torque on my wrist. I don’t think my conventional drill has that much power, but it has more than enough to be exhausting to use on large jobs and without the clutch I need two hands firmly holding the tool to guard against breaking my wrist. My impact driver can be comfortably held in one hand over a long day and it’s safer, particularly working in the ceiling.
I love your choice in sponsors since they are actually relevant to why I watch your channel. I will be in the market for a pocket hole thingy in the not to distant future and found your product demo to be quite informative. Will be checking out your sponsor.
Castle isn't cheap, but it is soooooo much better than Kreg. I use pockets for a lot more cabinetry, etc. now that it's so much easier and cleaner. I found them at a little woodworking show several years ago and I never looked back!
Mr Nubs, I think you should have a look at adaptors for Yankee screwdrivers (remember them). You can now use all 1/4 hex bits in a hand powered driver that’s very quiet,controllable and the battery won’t go flat. You can thank me later…
The yankee shines where yu need to get 12 to 16 inches into an area.
Larger drill bits over ¼ inch to fit the impact are just not there
I still keep those around. I have a big one someone wrote Bertha on that’s my favorite. A little paste wax to dip screws as well. My shop is unheated so I don’t keep batteries out there and won’t remember to bring one if I’m just doing a handful of screws so reach for it.
His name is not Stumpy Nubs. That's the company he works for.
@@XxBloggs He has gone by Stumpy for years. I remember when he did videos with Mustache Mike (actually his Father) who called him Stumpy all the time.
My first Cordless drill was a Makita 9.6V with the long thin battery. Then I found keyless chuck for $25 back in the late 1980s and was the first mechanic where I worked to have one on the Makita drill. I still own it today.
Oscillating tool changed the game! Gonna always need a drill, precision work demands it. Great content ,thanks for the information.
I really like the hydraulic impact for day to day tasks doesn't hit as hard but does most everything
And it's a lot quieter
Once they started charging extra for a battery and charger, all cordless power tools became obsolete to me. Rarely am I more than a few feet from an outlet. And on those rare occasions where I am, I have no issue breaking out an extension chord.
Which key is that in?
You think they should give chargers and batteries away for free? Your post makes no sense at all, you have the choice of buying a kit which includes battery and charger, or buying the bare tool if you already have batteries and charger from a previous tool purchase.
@@CMDR_Elizium51RA😂
@ferrumignis In no way did I suggest they give anything away for free. Not all that long ago, one could get a tool, charger, and a battery for a decent price. Very quickly, most all manufacturers realized they could sell them separately for darn near twice the money. So, for me, I'll pay less for a chorded tool. Especially in the long run. $100+ for a battery? Not happening. But you do you.
I've used an impact for years, we used an impact in our company almost exclusively, now that I'm doing more woodworking I find the drill way better for most things and though i hate the chuck in my cordless, I still use it more often.
Stumpy, you are STILL behind the times! My Makita XPH06 (now is XPH12Z) is a 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Brushless Cordless 1/2" Hammer Driver-Drill with a Ryobi hex shank bit holder inserted almost all the time. The Ryobi one holds the adapter open when removing a bit, so just have to push in the next bit without pulling out the locking mechanism. So this has it all, a 2 speed cordless drill with clutch, straight drill without clutch, can use both quick change shanked bits and loose drill bits and wire wheels, and finally hammer driving for those occasional steel and concrete jobs and works almost as well as an impact driver in driving screws and bolts without the noise.
Mind you, there is a difference between a hammer driver and impact driver. The hammer driver "hammers" the drill bit into the material to be drilled, so it penetrates stuff like concrete. The impact driver ROTATES the screw bit to add a LOT of torque to help drive screws and lag bolts into tough materials (and will continue to until you let go of the trigger, heh). The impact driver hardly ever stalls, but it can still keep hammering away at a bolt that is either stuck fast or finished. A drill can stall out and/or torque t'hel out of your wrist for a really stubborn bolt, but with the hammer drill on, it drives about as well as an impact driver as it punches the bolt or screw down into the wood or concrete as it is torquing it down.
Both my Milwaukee corded Hole Shooter and my impact driver just sit in a drawer.
I havent touched my impact more than 3 times since like december. Unless youre building a deck with 8 million 3" screws drills are faster at everything and dont give you tinnitus, its also way harder to break bits in half.
I well-remember the days before cordless ANYTHING.
My Dad had to create his own, using a strange 12-volt motor, which he managed to attach a chuck to, and run the thing from a 12V car battery.
Later he attached two handles to it, to make using it easier.
We had to drill thousands of holes in our kiln-dried douglas fir interior cladding, so it could be secured with copper nails. The nails were very expensive, and not very hard, so drilling was the best solution, to prevent wasting nails, and splitting boards. GOOD TIMES in 1971!
Today I will NEVER try to drive ANYTHING without the use of my DeWalt Impact Driver. It never ever damages the surface, and drives every screw perfectly. Not only is it variuable speed, but also variable torque setting.
I was an adult before I owned my first cordless tool. It was a Skil drill and it was crap. I used a corded drill before that, and for a long time after, as well.
I totally get your early comment, when they were a new thing. I got all excited about getting my first cordless drill in the very early 1990s. 7.2V, and managed to screw in 8 tech screws before needing a recharge. That turned me off cordless tools for almost 30 years. I now have an 18v cordless drill, which I use for everything. I even have square drive socket adapters for ordinary nut & bolt work. I have no interest in replacing it with an impact driver, as it does the whole job. I may consider a full on impact wrench down the track, but for now, my pneumatic version is doing the job just fine. Thanks for the video.
I still use both simply for the fact that I like having one machine dedicated to drilling and one dedicated to driving fasteners, that way I don't have to keep switching between a drilbit and a driving bit, I just leave the drill in the drill and the driving bit in the impact driver
Two other reasons for a good cordless drill
1. When pre-drilling a bunch of screw holes to avoid splitting wood, it's handy to have the drill bit chucked in the drill and the screw bit chucked in the impact driver. Speeds up the workflow.
2. A good cordless drill has a hammer setting for drilling into concrete, masonry or rock. It's not the same as the impact setting, and it makes a HUGE difference. Like a hot knife through butter.
Even if they have some overlap in their uses, having a drill to drill holes and an impact driver to drive fastners into them is a huge time saver rather than needing to constantly stop and reset bits.
I do projects with 4 or 5 . Thread drill clearance drill counter sink . screw drill or driver.
I have both and can’t live without either anymore 🤷🏻♂️
Another great video!
As the owner of a Castle 110? Great machine and I think it is well worth the cost. You end up with cleaner pocket holes and stronger joints. I'm very happy I got one. Just a few caveats - 1. Noisy (but we wear hearing protection anyway, right?). 2. Limited to 1" material so every once in a great while I get out the Massca. 3. You can't do cordless - but I seldom want to do that anyway.
Overall I think the Castle 110 is superior. Oh, and when I was ready to buy one I purely coincidentally ended up on vacation just a few miles from their shop. So I actually met the people in their shop and I thought they were great people and worth supporting!
I didn’t see this coming either. However I don’t agree. I had my first Makita rattle gun in 2002. It had a variable speed trigger.
Every day I’m fitting joinery into houses. I run two 18 volt drills and one soft impact. The two drills will be set up with pilot drills, counter sinks, tank cutters etc. the soft impact drives the fasteners.
The drill/driver is here to stay. It is perfect.
You didn't have time to watch it before you left this comment, LOL.
Nor I
I was actually thinking about my next drill would be an impact driver about 4 months ago.
I use both all the time, for the reasons stated in the video.
Thank you for the great content. I always enjoy your video but I come down on the side of needing both a drill and impact driver. I retired after 32 years as a remodel contractor and it wasn't until after I retired that I purchased my first impact driver after seeing a demo of the Milwaukee 2760-20 at the lumber yard. The feature that sold me was it used a hydraulic drive system which is significantly quieter that the normal mechanical drive. I would buy another one in a heart beat. Thanks again for the great content.
I have that exact set of Rigid Drill and Drivers. Best birthday present I ever had.
I use them equally. Drill for pre-drilling, obviously, and the driver for screwing in the screws. The key thing about the impact driver is that it works best with square or torx head screws. Phillips head tend to strip out the screw head.
The other thing about the impact driver is is that it's not limited to just screwing. I've used it on tire wheel nuts, bolting down nuts, tons of other ways.
I agree, drill for drilling and. driver for driving. I started cabinet making over 50 years ago and used corded drills for drilling and driving and experienced the issue of power driving Philips heads then. However, when I bought my first impact driver I found that problem decreased as the hammering helps keep the bit in the head. I've driven many thousands of bugle heads (use to buy them by the 50 lb box) and I've found it's all about predrilling, pressure and trigger control. Happy building!
You're about half a decade late to the party...
Cool. Something about using a clutch that is important to understand: The torque the drill transfers to the fastener is limited by the clutch but affected by rpm. If you come in with high rpm, the tool will rotate farther because it takes a certain amount of time for the clutch to kick in. (so by the time it does, your screw is over-driven). Always set your clutch and use a consistent speed together for best results. Also, you can buy a 1/4" hex drive keyless drill chuck and use round shank drill bits with the impact.
I am a Stagehand who among other things does Set and Stage Construction and used to be an Electrical Apprentice. I've largely learned on-the-job carpentry since the 90s when I was a kid (doing things like volunteering to help construct a boardwalk).
Yeah I can see how for some just an impact would be fine these days, but personally would always suggest BOTH. Also I always find that starting people out with the drill first is a MUST. They always reach for the impact and it always turns out poorly.
Don't know how many untrained and/or unexperienced with power tools I've run into over the years.
This video really made me think of several of the points you raised in this video that are real things many don't know that they don't know. really important things!
How many who use drills on the semi regular basis don't know what the torque setting on the drill IS, or the speed setting, or that the trigger is variable. Not to mention that you need to drive true and for heavens sakes don't overdrive screws! OH I could go on... I swear many need a training video for using a cordless drill.
I use both. It is easier to have them both loaded up and switch back and forth as needed, saves time in my opinion. One of the features on my M12 is an impact setting. It gives you 3 impact settings and a drill setting that I haven't used. Combine the settings with a variable speed trigger and you can accomplish most projects easily.
I like my impact driver for removing stubborn/stuck screws (like ones painted over on a door hinge). It doesn’t cam out and strip the screw head like my drill does. But I always use my drill for drilling holes. Both my drill and impact drive are Makita, so they are quality tools with the features James mentioned.
I'm digging the beard Nubs! I'm truly jealous. When I can grow a beard my face looks like a beach ball with mange, and the grey just starting to come in (I'm 44) is so inconsistent my mange now looks like ash was blown in to it. Oh, and thanks for the educational info, I always enjoy your videos.
I work in a pipe organ shop, and we use impact drivers for most jobs. But we also use a lot of large hole saws, and a drill is indispensable for that. Impact drivers are useful, but drills will always be around the shop too.
@AndrewJFodor That was something not addressed in the video. Large holes with spade bits or big drills and especially hole saws are best done with a drill. Most of these duties can't be done with a driver drill. By the way... which pipe organ shop or company? I play theater pipe organs but mostly retired now.
Another advantage of impacts is the chuck. I’ve had 3 keyless chucks lock up and render the tool useless. One a Milwaukee after one year. Two were Rigid, one after one use and sitting for 2 months, and the other brand new out of the package. The second I got in a 7 piece set and didn’t use it until after the 90 day return window.
I worked in a large wood shop and when you have 20 guys firing off an impact driver, the noise can become unbearable. I relearned to put a little effort in while driving a screw and now just run two drills instead of one of each. Everybody around you will thank you.
We ve been using impact drivers for pocket holes in wood face frames for the last 40 years, allbeit air powered, i grew up in and still run a cabinet shop
Hi Stumpy Nubs, I have been using and impact driver for the screws and a drill for the drilling if only because the chuck speed for the drill to clear the swarf when drilling is quite a lot faster than is comfortable for driving screws!. The other factor is that even just a small pilot hole before putting the screw in is a lot quicker and easier apart from the fact that a clearance hole in the first piece allows the screw to draw the two parts together much more firmly. By having both tools in operation at the same time allows for continuous use of both without the tedious waste of time changing bits. On some jobs in the not too distant past I was finding myself reaching for the third box of two hundred screws during the same working day!.
This I think is a very good example of the 'law of both' where is is not a case of one way or tool or the other but the appropriate use of both!.
Cheers, Richard.
When I do decks, I use a drywall gun that you can set the depth on. Faster, quieter and very consistent. But when the screw hits something hard like a knot, I finish setting the depth with an impact gun.
I bought the Milwaukee brushed set. I wore out the impact driver because it was used 95% of the time then when the repair centre wanted to charge me about the same to repair as I could get a brush less for, I swapped. Now here's the bit you didn't expect: I sent the brush less back because it was hopeless in comparison to the brushed version. No torque at low speeds then a further squeeze of the trigger made it go almost out of control. I got my brushed tool repaired, kept the brushless drill, and all is well. The higher torque of the brushed means best low speed control.
I like using both. Load the drill with a bit to pre-drill holes, and the impact driver with a screwdriver bit. Then there's no need to switch bits. Plus, it uses each tool for its strengths.
I've had an 18v variable speed Ridgid impact driver for about 15 years. I never knew it wasn't the norm on impact drivers. I actually had to double check that it was indeed variable speed while I was watching this video. I do use it a lot more than my 1/2" Ridgid drill, which by the way has an impact setting.
Bro just named all the features of the Makita impact driver I got as a gift like 10 years ago. It was the set with the drill, 2 batteries and charger. I still use it today, even for pocket joints. Old news my friend.
Edit: I actually use it for removing smaller fasteners on my cars as well, with a socket adapter.
My Porter Cable back in 2012 (and others) didn't have variable speed. Some did, some didn't. Now, I can't find one without it. Thus the comment in the video: "variable speed is now very common." I never said the feature was just invented. I merely said it is now very common and explained why it is important. That was just a small part of the overall video.
I agree. I rarely use my cordless drill anymore, but only for drilling a pilot hole for the impact to prevent splitting or in metal when I don't want the impact effect. So, probably 95% of the time I use the impact.
Both are needed. For construction take the impact, for more finish related work, the clutch is important.
I do have quick change attachments for my drill. They are even magnetic.
Panasonic made an excellent driver about twenty years ago with variable speed, torque and rotation settings. It was way ahead of its time.
I have 2 drills and an impact driver. Being just a home user, the drills have hammer action for masonry, a two speed gear box for drilling vs driving, and I always use the variable torque setting when driving into soft wood. Although the impact driver has variable speed, it doesn't have all those options that I use most of the time. It is used a lot more in the workshop when working on cars, or anything metal where the "softer touch" of the drill/driver is not required.
Big benefit of Drill v. Impact on drilling more significant holes (ex: 3/4" holes for wiring a house): impact drivers are actually slower to drill the hole as well as being louder.
I hated the noise of impact drivers until I bought the Milwaukee Surge. It uses hydraulics for the hammer rather than metal-to-metal and is VERY quiet. I love it.
My cheap Ryobi impact driver I got over 6 yrs ago is variable speed. I use it with the drill all the time. Drill a pilot hole and then drive the screw without the need to change bits.
One thing not mentioned is that drilling with an impact driver can sometimes shear the bit. I learned this the hard way the other day when drilling into some mild steel square tubing with a Milwaukee metal bit. That last moment when the bit usually grabs before it punches through is when the impact started and it sheared the bit. Now I have to buy a single replacement to complete my set again. The right tool for the job…
Good thoughts! A little related story: Today I was having to install anchors through drywall and into steel studs. I started out using my triple hammer impact (because it's what I had on hand) and it about destroyed the drywall and made too large of a hole and about broke my wrist. I immediately ran back to my truck for a drill, which is what I knew I should've done from the beginning. I find a need for both on the jobsite on a regular basis. Even with a self tapping mode, which mine has, the impact action of the impact driver is sometimes too violent for more delicate work.
As a (now) retired, kitchen & bath remodeler, I can't see how you can really function (professionally) without both power tools. One is for drilling, the other is for driving👍
I use my DeWalt 12V Extreme screw driver more than any tool I own. It combines the smoothness and control of a drill with the convenience of an impact driver. I pretty much only use my drills for drilling holes, and my impact drivers for large projects like building decks, or driving lag screws.
Im not a Milwaukee fan boy but we had one of their impulse impact drivers at work. I was thoroughly impressed with the three programmed settings and the hydraulic impulse is so smooth when compared to a mechanical. One setting 1 it was easy and possible to drive small half in long screws with complete control. Would highly recommend.
I second the recommendation for Malwaukee's Surge M12 or M18 driver with variable speed triggers and hydraulic drive which makes the tool so much quieter than most tools. No more "bang, bang, bang". Easier on the screws, drill bits and my ears!
I hate clickbait titles, but I love stumpy content.
So of course I click on that video to learn what I already know, but having fun doing that 😅
James the beard is looking GOOD!!! Hope Mrs. Stumpy is ok with it!
My first driver was a Skill with built in battery. Something like 7 volts and worked like a charm. I think it was around 1985. Prior the go to was a cordless screw driver of similar design. Loved them all though today it’s Milwaukee or nothing and I even have a Milwaukee pole saw that has the power of gas on 18 volt
By far my best tool purchase has been Milwaukee's Surge Impact. The hydraulics are far quiter and hit softer. The power settings and the hydraulics allow for very delicate work. I barely bust out the drill now.
The market is full with fun stuff. You can take the chuck off many modern drills and then just put in a 1/4" bit. That obviously also makes them a lot shorter to the point where they rival impact drivers. It's almost as convenient as having both a drill and a driver.
I figured everyone used the impact in most cases. The only time I ever pull a drill out is if I need to drill a pilot hole, use holesaws, or a paddle bit. Driving screws with anything but an impact driver is a chore at this point and the lighter and more compact designs with more power and speed are very nice. Drills still have their place, I’ve never gotten an impact driver to go as slowly and smoothly or seen one with an adjustable chuck to use bits that aren’t a standard shank.
Having both is really a game changer. I use my impact driver a lot with a 3/8" socket drive - it really makes fast work of small lag screws and quickly loosening and tightening other bolts.
Drill clutch comes in handy. Stripping fasteners taught me to love my drill