Cordless 1/4" impact guns

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They sure do look handy for around the shop, and a lot of people seem to be using them.

What's to know?

I have several of the Ridgid 18 volt version

and most of the time they get used and abused in my remodeling business

Driving tough screws... whatever... It totally rocks.. Completely indispensable. No more laying over the top of the drill grunting trying to tighten or loosen that stripped screw... Just light pressure and done.. Working overhead... tight places... I love it....

An adapter to fit sockets... and it is handier than you might think...

You should have picked one up a long time ago

I got a rigid also - very usefull.. love hte small size of them.

I have used that Makita version and it was equally good..

I have a li-ion porter cable one I got with a kit- not bad.

They also make a great substitute for those hammer-style impact drivers for small stuff.

Unless Makita has ironed out the problems with their Lithium Ion batteries, steer clear. In 3 years I've killed 4 of their batteries at $70/ea, and not from overuse. If you drain them too far the chargers freak out and won't recharge them.

If it weren't for the bad batteries, their 18v impact driver would be my favorite tool. Small enough to fit just about everywhere and it kicks out enough torque to break stuff.

It is one of those tools that once you have in the shop you can't imagine life without it.

Tearing down an engine is a breeze with one, Hell. Anywhere it will fit you will use it.

ditchdigger wrote: It is one of those tools that once you have in the shop you can't imagine life without it. Tearing down an engine is a breeze with one, Hell. Anywhere it will fit you will use it.

This.

I have a 10V Makita I use constantly and a Ryobi 18V. The main thing I like about them is they take all the torque load off the wrist compared to a regular drill. Love them.

Paanta, to help the Makita batteries last longer, charge them as soon as they start to slow down. Don't run the next screw, charge it. It helps, I haven't lost a battery since I started doing that.

I'm not looking at any one in particular, but the Makita advice is appreciated.

I do a lot of wrenching in my shop, and think I'd get good use out of one.

I've gotten good service out of the Ryobi. They are priced right and additional batteries are cheap. The last time I did the radiator in one of my vans I used it. It took 18 minutes. (yes I have had practice, five times)

i have the dewalt one, because i have been using their 18 volt stuff for 16 years and it matched my batteries.

it kicks so much ass you would not believe it. we use it daily doing remodeling work and it makes driving framing or deck or lag or any other screw a breeze. i bought spade bits with 1/4" shanks and the impact actually makes them shoot right through thick lumber.

at the junkyard we went to town with two of them and had the complete front clip off of an s10 blazer in 45 minutes, it even busted loose the lug nuts and took the big bolts out of the tow hooks with ease.

get socket adapters in all 3 drive sizes. it's the second best junkyarding tool behind a cordless sawzall

They sound even better than I thought.

So here's the question, should I buy the $100 Ryobi with NiCad, or $200 +/- for a better one, maybe with the Li battery?

Anyone tried the Milwaukee M12 3/8 one? I have one of the M12 Hackzalls, and it's great if a bit quick to drain the battery. I figure the impact ought to be worth a shot for $90 (bare tool, no battery).

cordless canoe

I recently bought the Milwaukee M18 drill and impact set. I didn't really see the use for the impact for a month or so, and then I finally used it. Where the hell has it been all my life? Awesome tool!

I love using them but don't know which one to buy, I am thinking a refurbished Makita or a new Ryobi possibly?

Any input?

Avoid the C3 one by Sears. Quite disapointing.

Toyman01 wrote: Paanta, to help the Makita batteries last longer, charge them as soon as they start to slow down. Don't run the next screw, charge it. It helps, I haven't lost a battery since I started doing that.

That's what their customer service told me. Problem is when you put it away not realizing it's dying, then come back to it a month later and it's totally dead. Or you let your kid play with it and he runs the battery down all the way. Worst part is the battery is fine, but the electronics think it's broken. :(

I love my little 12v Bosch PS20 driver, which seems unkillable. I'd definitely look at impact driver brother (PS40). The PS20 is a tank. 4 years of hard use and still going strong. Dropped it 20' off the roof onto asphalt once and it didn't hiccup. Really, really nicely made little thing.

paanta wrote:

Toyman01 wrote: Paanta, to help the Makita batteries last longer, charge them as soon as they start to slow down. Don't run the next screw, charge it. It helps, I haven't lost a battery since I started doing that.

That's what their customer service told me. Problem is when you put it away not realizing it's dying, then come back to it a month later and it's totally dead. Or you let your kid play with it and he runs the battery down all the way. Worst part is the battery is fine, but the electronics think it's broken. :( I love my little 12v Bosch PS20 driver, which seems unkillable. I'd definitely look at impact driver brother (PS40). The PS20 is a tank. 4 years of hard use and still going strong. Dropped it 20' off the roof onto asphalt once and it didn't hiccup. Really, really nicely made little thing.

I bought a cheapo WORX weedwacker and even it kills the power as soon as the battery starts to go, automatically. Makita can't figure that out? I have been disappointed with them recently. My last Makita tools said:

MAKITA: Japan. Made in China.

If I had to guess, Makita's charger is looking for a threshold voltage to determine battery condition. With a little fiddling you can probably get that voltage up enough to fool the charger. Be careful though, LiOn batteries do funny things when you piss them off, like explode. I use mine daily so I probably won't have the problems some of you will have. Batteries don't like being stored without use.

At Tuna, The Hitachi stuff my employees use has the auto shut off. The only problem I have with them is they are heavy. Strong enough to break your wrist and bullet proof, but probably twice the weight of the Makita.

Well, I found an 18V DeWalt for the same price as everybody else wants for their cheapest name brand 12V, so I'll probably grab that.

OTOH, I just found a small Craftsman 12V for a little more than half that.

What I'm wondering, is if the bigger, 18V driver will be too heavy, and bulky after a few minutes of work? The smaller one looks pretty compact, and handy.

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Zomby woof wrote: OTOH, I just found a small Craftsman 12V for a little more than half that. What I'm wondering, is if the bigger, 18V driver will be too heavy, and bulky after a few minutes of work? The smaller one looks pretty compact, and handy.

If it's lithium get the biggest one you can find. We got a gonzo lithium drill - something like 44 volts - for work. I have drilled five 1/2" holes through 1/2" plate steel without going through the battery or my wrists. They are lighter than you think.

The DeWalt is going to have more torque. I have one of the Makita small ones. I probably use it more, but it doesn't have the power of the big ones.