Impact Driver or Combi Drill?

[uksparks]

Hi,

I know this has been discussed many times on here, but am about to buy one and don't really know which to be honest.

At present I have a Makita combi which is ok, but I wanted something that was a little more meaty and had more go. Then I read on here that people say get a impact driver as you don't know what you are missing.


I guess the problem is I don't know what I want.


I cant put a drill in an impact driver so its no good for that, its only good for screwing and putting a socket on.

Have a look at the links below, its going to be one or the other but just cannot decide, do I get a new drill? Or do i get the impact wrench.


At present I have no need for the socket element of the impact driver and feel I don't need one to just do screws up, but people seem to suggest they are the best thing since sliced bread.

This is the combi drill:
3165140760959 bosch 06019d9370 18v new robust combi drill with auto cut out 2 x 4ah batt

This is impact driver:
3165140725927 bosch gdx18vlixl 18v cordless impact wrench driver 2 x 4.0ah batteries


So, what's it to be, someone point me in the right direction.


Thanks.

 

[derek]

Personally I think impact drivers are most useful for chippies and the like rather than sparks, they are good if you have a load of 100mm screws to fire in, otherwise IMHO, they aren't worth spending that kind off money on.

 

[amlu]

both will come handy, get one with 2 batteries and other one bare unit.
bit expensive in the links you sent, waiting for some promotion in the shops may help.

 

[Aindowsimon]

Get them from America shipped in youl get a 6pc kit for the price of 3 in this country . And you'l have a 110v charger handy . Go for any of the top brands , I have hitachi and in very pleased . yes impact driver very handy drilling holes in joist , screwing great 1st fix tool , they'll wack boxes on to wall all day . Whilst you have your combi set up for well anything 20mm hole cutter or for torque application whatever .

The more toys the better !

 

[uksparks]

Hmm, I think I'll go for the combi then, as at least that does both other than drive nuts in, but I don't do that!

 

[D Skelton]

Do you do a lot of house bashing? If so, when you've a million floor boards to screw back down you'll be thanking the lord for buying an impact driver! Do you do a lot of steel work? If so, when you've a million ceiling brackets to screw up you'll be thanking the lord for buying an impact driver! Do you do a lot of screwing in general (pardon the pun )? Patresses, back boxes, conduit, tray, p clips, cleats etc... If so, you'll be thanking the lord for buying an impact driver!

I use mine for everything you can think of and I couldn't live without it. I suffer with mild arthritis in my thumbs so it is invaluable to me! Even so, if my thumbs were perfectly healthy I'd still own one!

 

[uksparks]

Mr Skelton, you make a good point.

I do 2 rewires a day, lol, no not really, not often, steel work hardly ever etc..

I like the idea of it but not sure if I need one, I'll sleep on it and see where it it takes me. I suspect a quality combi would be more beneficial to me at the moment.

 

[D Skelton]

It shouldn't be a question of one or the other, rather one and the other. My combi is a Makita BHP451, the most powerful 18V combi on the market, I also use an 18V Makita impact driver. They are completely different tools so cannot be compared.

 

[D Skelton]

This is the kit I currently use:

Makita LXT202 18V 3Ah Li-Ion Twin Pack Combi Drill & Impact Driver LXT | Screwfix.com

It was closer to £600 when I bought it about three years ago and it's still going strong. Since then I've bought two more sets for the lads

I couldn't recommend it highly enough and you can get it extra cheap now as there are newer versions of both tools on the market (the current replacement for the three speed combi is not as good though).

 

[uksparks]

I appreciate they do different things, just didnt want to be spending on two it the moment, I do like makitta but am a fan of Bosch, I may now reconsider though!

 

[D Skelton]

You state in your OP that you already have a combi?

Go for an impact driver!

 

[uksparks]

I just fancied one with more bite to it, I find my one, although it works, I find I hve to get the SDS out at times when up a ladder when a combi old be easier to use in that situation.

I know a good shop in jersey that stocks them all, called UK Tool Centre, they are fantastic prices on mail order, when I go next I might have a go with a few.

 

[D Skelton]

Ah, you need a cordless SDS for masonry/concrete!

36V Bosch one is great!

 

[UNG]

From experience an impact driver is one of those pieces of kit that you will wonder why you struggled for years without one once you have used one. Since I got an impact driver about a year ago I wouldn't be without one now and it also stops me blowing up the variable speed trigger on my combi drill

 

[Johnuk]

this site mite be cheaper for power tools Cordless Combi Drills & Drivers | Buyaparcel

 

[Guest111]

Anglia tool centre have some cracking deals at the moment,12v milwaukee impact with 2 batteries lithium ion,£119,12v isds £99 bare unit,12v combi hammer,bare unit £80,all listed in the special offers section.I've got the sds and it's got a decent punch for a 12v unit,also got an impact and that's good too.
Power Tool Deals, Milwaukee Deals (page 2)

 

[longboat]

As others have said, GET an impact driver. You will wonder how you managed before without one.
I have the Makita 451 kit that Skelton has mentioned and i cant fault it after 4 years of abuse.

 

[uksparks]

Ah, you need a cordless SDS for masonry/concrete!

36V Bosch one is great!

I have the Bosch 36v VF-LI drill, it's very good, every time I use it I'm amazed. It gets a lot of abuse too. Sometimes though it's a bit weighty when stretching off the top of a ladder trying to drill a hole at near arms length.

 

[D Skelton]

Sometimes though it's a bit weighty when stretching off the top of a ladder trying to drill a hole at near arms length.

Man up and enlarge your biceps then!

 

[shanky887614]

It shouldn't be a question of one or the other, rather one and the other. My combi is a Makita BHP451, the most powerful 18V combi on the market, I also use an 18V Makita impact driver. They are completely different tools so cannot be compared.

Not anymore I got same drill its been replaced by the 458

Its on offer on amazon for £170 atm

Drills slip when using them for screwing which impact drivers dont normally.

 

[nickblake]

Always hated the things to noisy for my ears !!1 then i used one and wow following day got myself a small milwalkee with the same batteries as the inspection camera gets those tough screw out to not looked back

 

[D Skelton]

Not anymore I got same drill its been replaced by the 458

The new 458 is not as powerful as the old 451, the new 458 also only has two gears as opposed to the three on the 451.

The 451 is the superior drill by.a long way. When mine eventually gives up the ghost I will be replacing parts as opposed to buying the new 458.

 

[Silly Sausage]

The 451 is the superior drill by.a long way. When mine eventually gives up the ghost I will be replacing parts as opposed to buying the new 458.

Makita BHP451 Spare Parts | Miles Tool & Machinery Centre

At those prices I'd be repairing it as well.

 

[D Skelton]

Makita stuff is really easy to work with too! The windings went in one of my impact drivers a little while back, it cost me about a tenner for a new rotor and took me about 10 mins to replace! Beats spending out £100 for a whole new driver!

 

[vxwestie]

Can you actually fix pattresses with an impact driver? I've always wondered?

 

[D Skelton]

Yeah, you just have to go nice and easy on the trigger!

 

[Silly Sausage]

Makita stuff is really easy to work with too! The windings went in one of my impact drivers a little while back, it cost me about a tenner for a new rotor and took me about 10 mins to replace! Beats spending out £100 for a whole new driver!

If you can fix something, with regular hand tools in 2 or 3 hours, for less than half the price of a new job, fix it.

I'm still on my 2nd washing machine in 30 years, such an exciting life I lead!

 

[billyblade]

There are drill bits on the market that are designed to be used in an impact driver. The advantages of using these instead of conventional drill bits in a combi are that they give you one handed drilling (they don't try to whip you round when they come up against torque like a combi would) and they are quite a short power tool so they'll get you in places where your combi won't.

Just don't make the assumption that anything with a 1/4" quick change hex shank will work in impact drivers. Not all of them are impact driver rated. They're not all able to withstand the higher torques that these power tools can kick out. The 1/4" quick change shank is very popular in the USA and they have combi drills that will use this bit holding mechanism rather than a 3 jaw chuck. This means that there are loads of accessories produced with these shanks but they're not all impact driver rated.

The downside of impact drivers are the noise but once you've used one, you can put up with that.

I have a 3 speed impact driver and on it's slowest speed will give you very precise control. Useful for delicate operations like fastening pattress boxes.

The best way to buy would be to wait for a tool show at your local wholesaler or an exhibition like Toolfair where you can pick up a twin pack (combi, impact driver, two batteries and charger) for decent money.

 

[uksparks]

I appreciate all your comments, I keep changing my mind, I'm now contemplating the impact driver now, now that i see you can get drill bits to fit!