Impact Drivers

[almostenthusiast]

Looking for any good impact drivers for driving 4 inch screws. I have managed so far with pre drilling holes but still the screws sometimes get stripped or just stuck. Using hardwood to work and the driver need not be cordless in fact i prefer a corded driver to cordless.

 

[gogogozillla]

Screws also have several grades of quality. Cheaper ones are often made of softer metals like aluminum or lower grade steel that are prone to corrosion and rusting. For higher quality screw look for Hardened Steel, Stainless Steel or Titanium screws in ascending order of quality and price.

As for impact drivers, I would recommend Bosch Professional (Blue), since its a reliable product and easily available in India. Avoid Bosch consumer brand (Green), it is not the same as Bosch Professional and held to a weaker standard: [Link]

For a detailed shootout, I would suggest watching youtuber Project Farm's video about impact drivers. He always has elaborate test methods and tests almost every possible use case.:

 

[almostenthusiast]

Screws also have several grades of quality. Cheaper ones are often made of softer metals like aluminum or lower grade steel that are prone to corrosion and rusting. For higher quality screw look for Hardened Steel, Stainless Steel or Titanium screws in ascending order of quality and price.

As for impact drivers, I would recommend Bosch Professional (Blue), since its a reliable product and easily available in India. Avoid Bosch consumer brand (Green), it is not the same as Bosch Professional and held to a weaker standard: [Link]

For a detailed shootout, I would suggest watching youtuber Project Farm's video about impact drivers. He always has elaborate test methods and tests almost every possible use case.:

Much appreciated was able to find information on bosch sellers in my area looks like i will have a decent driver in the next few days the screws are a good call as well but i cannot find any 4" lag screws in my area any online dealers you know of?

 

[gogogozillla]

Much appreciated was able to find information on bosch sellers in my area looks like i will have a decent driver in the next few days the screws are a good call as well but i cannot find any 4" lag screws in my area any online dealers you know of?

Try Moglix: [Link] or IBO: [Link].
Also try asking your local electrician if you only need a couple. Chances are he has a jar full of assorted screws or he could point you to the hardware shop he frequents.

 

[Heisen]

Avoid 1/4 and buy 1/2 inch corded impact gun from dewalt.

 

[superczar]

Looking for any good impact drivers for driving 4 inch screws. I have managed so far with pre drilling holes but still the screws sometimes get stripped or just stuck. Using hardwood to work and the driver need not be cordless in fact i prefer a corded driver to cordless.

Self tapping screws in wood are fairly easy to drive for any screwdriver.
Even a 3.6V IXO will do it with pre-drilled holes.

Where are you getting your screws from?

 

[almostenthusiast]

Self tapping screws in wood are fairly easy to drive for any screwdriver.
Even a 3.6V IXO will do it with pre-drilled holes.

Where are you getting your screws from?

Getting my screws from a wholesale screws and bolts shop recommended by almost all the woodworkers i've asked, although i'm using lag screws like pic attached and i'm currently working with mango wood which is tough to drive screws in even when i pre drill all my holes

 

[superczar]

Getting my screws from a wholesale screws and bolts shop recommended by almost all the woodworkers i've asked, although i'm using lag screws like pic attached and i'm currently working with mango wood which is tough to drive screws in even when i pre drill all my holes

Mango is soft wood and should have been easy.
Whats the exact issue you facing ?
Are you not getting enough torque from the driver
or is the bit slipping from the screwhead (and in process stripping the head)
or is the screw itself getting stripped without any slippage from the bit

PS: For screws this size and softwood like mango, do not use impact mode and instead use normal screwdriver mode

 

[almostenthusiast]

Mango is soft wood and should have been easy.
Whats the exact issue you facing ?
Are you not getting enough torque from the driver
or is the bit slipping from the screwhead (and in process stripping the head)
or is the screw itself getting stripped without any slippage from the bit

PS: For screws this size and softwood like mango, do not use impact mode and instead use normal screwdriver mode

mango from my limited experience feels like a hardwood ngl driving screws into it requires a lot of force . Whether i pre drill or not when i join two pieces together the screws seem to go in about 2.5-3 inches and then the bit begins to slip from the screw leading to the head being stripped and after i did some test runs joining 2 cut pieces together with different methods i settled on using the drill mode. Also sometimes when i successfully drive a screw all the way in it breaks right where the threads start even though i drill a countersink hole for the screw the drill i use is this one btw

Amazon.in

 

[chyawanprash]

How much money do you want to spend on this tool? Impact drivers from Makita, Milwaukee and DeWalt are at the top. Makita is known to have almost zero bit wobble. Milwaukee is the favorite of tradesmen outside of India, especially their Fuel range. And DeWalt has some bit wobble but it's in the same price range as the other two.

I'd lean towards cordless versions only - because companies are now focussing on battery operated tools. You get more options in cordless versions. If you too want to go the cordless route then you need to plan ahead, as the batteries are interchangeable among other tools from the same brand.

For woodworking, you need an impact driver with 1/4 inch hex shank and not an impact wrench with 1/2 inch square shank. The latter is too powerful for woodworking and also cumbersome to work with as it needs adaptors to be able to use with woodworking bits. And don't even look at the 12V toys. Start from the 20V range.

If you are a DIYer then you probably want to spend less than 10,000 on an impact wrench. Look into low-end Chinese brands like Ingco, iBell, JPT etc. They all make at least one impact driver. If you regularly deal with 4-inch screws then go with the market leaders - Makita, Milwaukee and DeWalt.

For corded version, look into Makita - though it's very difficult to find their latest offering in the Indian market.

 

[almostenthusiast]

How much money do you want to spend on this tool? Impact drivers from Makita, Milwaukee and DeWalt are at the top. Makita is known to have almost zero bit wobble. Milwaukee is the favorite of tradesmen outside of India, especially their Fuel range. And DeWalt has some bit wobble but it's in the same price range as the other two.

I'd lean towards cordless versions only - because companies are now focussing on battery operated tools. You get more options in cordless versions. If you too want to go the cordless route then you need to plan ahead, as the batteries are interchangeable among other tools from the same brand.

For woodworking, you need an impact driver with 1/4 inch hex shank and not an impact wrench with 1/2 inch square shank. The latter is too powerful for woodworking and also cumbersome to work with as it needs adaptors to be able to use with woodworking bits. And don't even look at the 12V toys. Start from the 20V range.

If you are a DIYer then you probably want to spend less than 10,000 on an impact wrench. Look into low-end Chinese brands like Ingco, iBell, JPT etc. They all make at least one impact driver. If you regularly deal with 4-inch screws then go with the market leaders - Makita, Milwaukee and DeWalt.

For corded version, look into Makita - though it's very difficult to find their latest offering in the Indian market.

I wouldnt be amiss to the idea of having someone bring me a driver from overseas since they are significantly more expensive here but i was able to find a corded makita online for 7k https://www.amazon.in/Makita-TD0101...d=1743517231&sprefix=makita+im,aps,260&sr=8-5 although this model is over 10 years old but good reviews on it. I checked in with some dealers in the offline markets near me and they are offering more cheaper alternatives although im not sure if the chinese brands will last me even the stated warranty period

 

[chyawanprash]

Looks like you don't have much options in the corded segment. That Makita is quite good but it seems underpowered for driving 4-inch screws.

You may have to settle with the cheaper Chinese versions but make sure to try them out on your sample of wood. They may not last long but the local shops can repair them easily.

I had placed an order for DeWalt impact driver with a local dealer in January. But I cancelled it after finding out the bit wobble issue. It was costing little more than Rs 20,000 but it was too pricey for my occassional DIY use.

 

[Heisen]

But I cancelled it after finding out the bit wobble issue.

The bit wobble issue you mentioned isn’t as concerning as it might seem. The longer the shaft you put in the drill, the more noticeable the wobble becomes because even a minor wobble at the base gets amplified at the far end.

Most wobble tests are performed with the drill or impact gun placed on a flat surface. This setup prevents the tool from moving, making all the wobble clearly visible at the bit. However, this isn't how we typically use the tool in real-world situations. When holding the gun by hand, and the tip is in contact with the surface your are working on, some of the wobble gets absorbed by your grip, effectively reducing the visible wobble at the tip.

 

[chyawanprash]

The bit wobble issue you mentioned isn’t as concerning as it might seem.

But it is a big deal for me as I cannot drive small screws without marring the wood surface. I can work with a wobbly drill but an impact driver wouldn't let me hold the screw in place. I don't know what is OP's intended use. It's okay if he wants to slap together two beams but it's not good for fine woodworking.

I bought an impact driver for pocket hole joinery but couldn't use it for this purpose, as I am sure my costly pocket hole bit would be blown to pieces on the very first use. It's also difficult to hold two boards in place while driving in screws. I have already damaged few items in my house while undoing the screws.

Every tyre shop uses an impact wrench. One such guy's wobbly wrench caused so much damage that not only it stripped the threads but also bent the studs. So much power + unstable tool cannot give you good results.

Wobble on a drill is predictable and can widen a hole. But the same thing on an impact driver gets amplified because of rotational hammering (high torque) which causes pure damage.

 

[almostenthusiast]

But it is a big deal for me as I cannot drive small screws without marring the wood surface. I can work with a wobbly drill but an impact driver wouldn't let me hold the screw in place. I don't know what is OP's intended use. It's okay if he wants to slap together two beams but it's not good for fine woodworking.

I bought an impact driver for pocket hole joinery but couldn't use it for this purpose, as I am sure my costly pocket hole bit would be blown to pieces on the very first use. It's also difficult to hold two boards in place while driving in screws. I have already damaged few items in my house while undoing the screws.

Every tyre shop uses an impact wrench. One such guy's wobbly wrench caused so much damage that not only it stripped the threads but also bent the studs. So much power + unstable tool cannot give you good results.

Wobble on a drill is predictable and can widen a hole. But the same thing on an impact driver gets amplified because of rotational hammering (high torque) which causes pure damage

Yeah i am building using 2x4s so the impact cant really do that much damage. I might get one from the us since they are considerably cheaper there. Perhaps a normal driver or a pocket hole jig might be what you need

 

[chyawanprash]

Perhaps a normal driver or a pocket hole jig might be what you need

Yes, that's what I've been using for a very long time. A corded drill, cordless drill-driver and Kreg pocket hole jig.

My drill-driver cams out easily, which is where an impact driver shines. It seems shank wobble is pretty hard to tame on an impact driver, as opposed to on a hammer drill. That's why it can be experienced on high end models as well, like DeWalt's XR series. I've got a big hammer drill from Makita and it has no such issue because the hammering action is linear.

 

[Kloud]

Use a thicker predrill bit.

Mango isn't that hard. It should be easy to drive screw even with a screw driver.

Or you could go with the screws that are black (I dunno what they are called) as the are much stronger than SS ones.

Why not use a nail?