What is an impact driver?

The clerk at HD didn't know what it was. He got the expert who said it was a drill without the chuck and with extra torque.

That doesn't sound right; what does the "impact" refer to?

Reply to
Toller
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Jackhammer-like action.

Reply to
Lost-In-Translation

Toller wrote:>The clerk at HD didn't know what it was. He got the expert who said it was

It could be something you smack with a mallet or hammer, that tranfers the energy into a "righty-tighty/lefty-loosey" direction. There are pneumatic impact drivers, too, that you might see at the tire changing places. Tom Someday, it'll all be over....

Reply to
Tom

An Impact Drill is a drill that is used for drilling in to concrete or other masonary stuff. You can get a good explanation of how it works at

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From their site: "Like the name implies, impact drills are equipped with an impact mechanism that you can switch on when drilling in very hard materials like concrete or stone. A special mechanism in the gearing pulses the drill chuck (and thereby the drill bit) forward at a rate of up to

48,000 times per minute. These forward movements help you get more work done. But be careful! As universally useful as an impact drill is, the impact mechanism itself may only be used when drilling into masonry. When drilling in metal, wood, plastics or other more sensitive materials, always turn the impact mechanism off. This rule applies also to screwdriving, sanding, or polishing"

Steve B.

Reply to
Steve B.

An impact driver is a tool for loosening stuck nuts or screws. It is sort of a heavy duty Yankee screwdriver, usually with a socket attachment on one end and a steel plate on the other. You put it over the nut or against the screw head, then bash the impact driver with a 2 lb. hammer. It provides a sudden torque that will break the nut or screw loose, or maybe just break it.

An impact driver is a "driver" in the same sense that a screw driver is a screw "driver". Screw drivers are for pulling screws, a hammer is for driving screws.

Reply to
Larry Caldwell

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Okay, thanks; but how does it differ from a hammer-drill?

Reply to
Toller

the guy at home depot is correct. here is a link from makita.

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I just bought the Craftsman version. It is awesome at driving long drywall screws in without stripping thier head.

Reply to
PAUL100

Sounds pretty impressive. The one at HD didn't do anything but spin (Dewalt

12v), but maybe you have to put some pressure on it?

Thanks for the link.

Reply to
Toller

No he wasn't. The drill has a chuck...look at the diagram again.

Reply to
Curmudgeon

It looks like a eight inch metal tube with a screwdriver sticking out of it. What it does is set or remove stout machine screws. The stubby ones that usually are about 3/8" in diameter, and short. The type of machine screws you take your biggest screwdriver to and can't get it to budge.

What it does is turn, but it uses the energy provided from a blow to its end, and transfers that to the screwdriver bit. They are reversible, so you can use them to tighten or loosen. You position the bit in the screw, and then smack it on the end with a hammer.

HTH

STeve

Reply to
SteveB

Reply to
George E. Cawthon

It is

it over

with a 2

nut or

Actually, the hammer impact also applies force down on the screw at the same time it turns it. This downward force helps avoid stripping out the slot in the head, and additionally, "unloads" the threads a bit, making the screw turn easier. I used to use it on motorcycles to get loose "frozen" screws.

Bob

Reply to
Bob

The Makita and DeWalt use a similar 1/4" hex drive "chuck." The HD expert must think "chuck" only means the Jacobs version. The extra "torque" comes from the impacting portion. Sort of like beating on the end of a wrench.

But, since he said it was a 12v DeWalt, look at this:

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Sounds like a 12v electrical version of a pneumatic impact wrench, with the square drive replaced with cordless screwdriver fitting. It will spin until a certain resistance is met and then the "impacting" will kick in to "pulse" the torque to overcome whatever friction would choke a regular cordless screwdriver.

Looks like they are all limited to 1/4" hex drive bits.

HTH

Reply to
Grandpa Koca

An impact screw driver is a heavy metal device in which different screwdriver bits can be inserted (they come with the impact driver).

They are used to break loose very tight screws without buggering them up.

Hold the impact screwdriver bit tight in the screw head and hit the end with a hammer (not low impact hammer). This causes the screw to turn a little and and when it is loose, a regular screwdriver can be used to finish the job.

They are most frequently used by mortorcycle owners and mechanics.

You want one? Gpt one I never use anymore.

Bob Bob

Reply to
Bob

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You are talking about impact drills, more frequently referred to as "Hammer drills". An impact screwdriver is completely different.

Bob

Reply to
Bob

"Bob" wrote

I got one that is at least fifteen years old. I use it about every three years. Looks brand new, and is still in its box. But when I need it, I need it, and nothing else will get out that stubborn screw.

If you get rid of yours, I predict you will need one within one week. It happens to me every time.

STeve

Reply to
SteveB
040610 1245 - SteveB posted:

I bought an Ingersol-Rand for use with my air compressor. Boy, could I tell you stories about rusted in bolts and screws. That impact driver gets them out, pronto. I don't use it normally, but when one of those stubborn bolts turns up, the ol' impact driver comes out and really does a number on it. It sure beats busting a knuckle, or breaking the head off a bolt, or rounding one out.

Reply to
indago

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