Ideally, a rubber overmold around the handle should extend up and under the base of the motor housing. Of course, the tool must still feel good in the hand. Impact Drivers have an ergonomic leg up on drills due to their smaller sizes and lighter weights. It’s not quite as convenient as having it on the battery. If it’s on the tool, that means the battery must be inserted to register its discharge status. Many of today’s lithium-ion batteries have fuel gauges on the pack but some, like Hitachi, have the gauge on the tool. That’s unlikely – and you can always remove the battery if your impact doesn’t have a neutral switch. This ensures that the battery doesn’t drain if the trigger is pressed inadvertently, for instance, in a toolbag or toolbox. Some tools will have a neutral that locks the trigger, too. You should be able to easily toggle direction with the thumb and index finger. The impact driver will have a forward/reverse switch and trigger reminiscent of its drill cousin. Taking a quick look back at Milwaukee One-Key and DeWalt Tool Connect will find that there are a few models that give you the ability to use an app to dial in custom speed and torque settings. Expect a no-load IPM of 2,200 to 3,500 IPM with 12V and 1,750 to 3,750 with the 18V impact drivers. Rapid pulsing can really help complete a stubborn job, so consider IPM in addition to torque. And that brings us to Impacts Per Minute (IPM) – or how many blows the hammer and anvil will make against a tough fastener. Even then, we’d probably give the edge to the 12V impact with it’s hammering mechanism. Their 18V big brothers will boast 1,350 to 2,250 inch-pounds, with the average Pro model settling in around 1,800 inch-pounds.īy way of comparison, our recent 18V drill shootout featured a torque range of about 750 – 1,200 inch-pounds, or the equivalent of the 12V impact torque range. Expect 12V impact drivers to be in the 800- to 1,200 inch-pound range. It packs a wallop that other tools can’t match. As we mentioned, for long, thick, or stubborn fasteners going into or coming out of hard material, you just can’t beat the impact’s utility. Torque is the showcase feature of the impact driver category. The impact driver can also avoid stripped screw heads on the way out if it’s not going full bore at the start. You’ll appreciate the extra control a variable speed trigger grants you as you slow down when the fastener is almost home. This spreads out the RPM over a much larger range than just three or four static speeds. When you really need to bear down, you’ll put the impact on its highest RPM and fully squeeze the trigger for maximum force.īe sure that any tool you consider has a variable speed trigger. Makita includes special modes for extra control in wood or metal. The Hitachi Triple Hammer even has four speeds for more nuanced work. For instance, the Milwaukee 18V Impact Driver features 0-850, 0-2100, and 0-3000. Trigger and RPMĮven though the impact driver is meant to deliver brute force, you don’t always need all of it at once! So today’s tools generally have three RPM ranges. It’s very likely that you’ll be able to do 80% of your job with the smaller and lighter 12V tool, but for the Pros or anyone else needing some extra muscle, 18V is the way to go. You’ll get several hundred more inch-pounds from 18V Impact Drivers. We’ll talk more about torque below. By way of torque comparison, 12V impact drivers generally match the inch-pounds of torque found in 18V drills. Impact drivers are available in both 12V and 18V versions. You’ll save money and still get Pro-level performance, but give up some benefits. It’s not the end of the world is you go with a brushed motor, though. Smart electronics also allow even higher tech features like Milwaukee’s One-Key or DeWalt’s Tool Connect. Smart electronics, or smart tools, are general terms we use to describe tools whose battery and motor communicate to optimize performance and prevent thermal overload. Moreover, brushless motors run more efficiently, produce less heat, and support smart electronics. Brushless motors are more expensive then their brushed motors counterparts, but they have longer lives and require less maintenance. First, consider impact drivers with brushless motors.
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