12v mini impact driver?

Hello, Will I be able to drive dozens of 1/4" Tapcon screws into predrilled holes in concrete with this size? Or should I get 14v. Thinking Hitachi. TonyG

Reply to
TonyG
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I would go with an 18v. They don't cost much more, and the batteries last much longer. If your concrete has a hard type of aggregate in it, Tapcons can require considerable torque to drive in.

Bill

Reply to
bill allemann

You won't be able to drive _dozens_ of Tapcon screws with any type of battery drill. Depending on the screw length and size and the material hardness, you might be able to drive only one or two, though I would expect at least 10 to be typical.

Reply to
SteveB

Steve, I have already used a Hitachi mini impact to drive a couple dozen tapcons and it had plenty of battery.It was effortless. I just did not notice what size it was. I had 3/16 predrilled holes. Tony

Reply to
TonyG

That's impressive. I have the same drill driver, but I've never used it for Tapcons. My batteries, less than a year old, are good for about 50

3.5" deck screws into treated pine. I would have guessed that Tapcons were much tougher to drive into concrete. My big corded Bosch hammer drill really lugs down running Tapcons into limestone, so I'm surprised the Hitachi does so well. I'll have to try the little guy next time.
Reply to
SteveB

To install tapcons, first you predrill a hole..then you drive 'em in. I ve done several with my 18V Ryobi P220 Hammerdrill. I'd expect to be able to do at least a couple of dozen (3/16 - 1/4") on a charge..these batts last a LONG time on HD drilling compared to my DeWalt 12V.

Reply to
Rudy

Sounds like Heavy duty work, what size are those Tapcons (DIA.) ?

Reply to
Rudy

1/4" x 2 1/2"

The blue paint on the screws is a glue that melts from the friction of driving the screw, then sets to hold the screw in place. On the big Tapcons, technique is important. If I don't drive the screw all the way home without slowing down, the glue will grab hold when I'm only partly done, and then I twist the head off the screw. That happens easily when I put big screws into deep holes. Oh, and I _do_ use the correct Tapcon bits to go with the screws. They're an odd size.

Reply to
SteveB

Hey Steve, I bought an 18v at HomeDespot. I didn't know about the bit thing and bought a standard sds 3/16. If it doesn't work I will post about it. I am screwing down 2x4 to hold the bottom of a 7' wall in place. I put them on 2' cntrs. The bit that comes with tapcons is not an sds bit so I don't know how "I" would use it anyway. Thanks for the comments. TonyG pt.townsend,wa.

Reply to
TonyG

So, you are securing the 2x4 sill plates to a concrete floor. I installed 2x4 sill plates all around the perimeter of my basement using a Remington hand held powder actuated fastener tool.

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faster and simpler than all that drilling, cleaning out of the holes, and the screw driving. Load the special nail and a special .22 caliber load, place the fastener on the plate, and hit it with a hammer. I used the cheaper hammer operated fastener rather than the trigger operated one since I thought I would never have to use one again, so I saved myself about $50 for the hammer one, which is only about $25 or so. It takes as much time to drive a nail as you need to load it, hammer it, and move to the next bay. Besides, you don't have to vacuum up a whole lot of concrete dust afterwards, and it's kinda fun shooting things in the house. I secured

200' of sill plates in about 15 minutes. But, you're probably set on the tapcons and bought the hammer drill and all, so carry on. Someone else may use this info for a similar job,
Reply to
willshak

No, I am securing temp. plates to secure the bottom of concrete forms. I need to get the screws out to strip the forms. I hope to be able to reuse the screw 2 or 3 times. T

Reply to
Tony Goldenberg

I doubt that you will be reusing the tapcons 2 or 3 times. Breaking a tapcon screw while installing is pretty common. You'll be lucky if you can get them out without snapping off a few, much less trying to reuse them.

Reply to
willshak

No, actually they come out nice from a 3/16 hole. I have taken out over

30 of them on my last job and never broke a one. I don't know if they will go in again but they came out fine. They weren't mine so I left them where they fell. T
Reply to
TonyG

Just make sure you put a 4" strip of plastic vapor barrier or a strip of poly "sill gasket" under the 2 "BY" before you "shoot" or screw" it down

Reply to
Rudy

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