New Dewalt drill bits fit for an impact driver

comments (8) May 14th, 2009 in Blogs

Justin Fink, Senior Editor

8 users recommend

Dewalts new one-piece IMPACT READY (hex shank) design

Cheap steel vs. impact driver

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If you’ve never used an impact driver, you’re missing out. Anyone who has tried one can tell you that they drive screws much faster than is possible with a conventional drill/driver. They also can be used to drill holes (also faster, by the way), but only if you have hex-shank drill bits in your toolbox. But heck, even then you may find yourself breaking bits faster than your curses can keep up with.

Don’t believe me? Take a look at the broken nut-driver shown in the photo at left.

Trouble is that the rotating hammer action of an impact driver puts more stress on drill bits and driver bits than a traditional drill-driver does.

In our last review of cordless impact drivers, we recommended that our readers shop for Dewalt socket adapters and drill bits because they make products specifically designed for these high-torque, hard-hammering tools. Well, Dewalt has further reinforced my confidence in that recommendation by coming out with a new line of one-piece, impact-ready, hex-shank, twist-drill bits.

Claimed to be 5x more durable than conventional hex-shank drill bits, these bits are ground from a single piece of metal. The product release doesn’t say what type of metal is used to make the bits, and rumors that the steel refinery is located in the heart of an active volcano have not yet been confirmed by FHB. That's ok, in the meantime we will assume that these uber-bits are black oxide (looks that way in the picture, no?).

Look for the new IMPACT READY bits at all the same spots where Dewalt gear is typically sold. They are being sold singly (1/8” through 1/2” sizes) and in 5-, 7-, and 10-piece sets.

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Comments (8)

eakers writes: Once you start using dewalt drill bits, its hard to go back to any other. Especially the dewalt extreme range and cobalt. Have a look at some on http://www.eakersdiy.co.uk/drill-bits.htm
Posted: 2:54 am on August 13th

RYagid writes: The original comment on this blog, made by xxPaulCPxx, got me thinking. Why would you want to use an impact driver for drilling? I edited the tool review on impact drivers a few issues ago, and I realize that they CAN be used for this task, but I’m just not sure that it makes sense. A drill bit is a cutting tool. A sharp drill bit should cut cleanly with little resistance. An impact driver is intended to drive bits/fasteners under intense resistance. If you need an impact driver to drill a hole, I think you’ve got an issue with the sharpness of your bits not your drill/driver. Does this make sense, or rather, not make sense to anyone else?
Posted: 2:56 pm on May 27th

RichMast writes: I have already destroyed a few DeWalt impact phillips bits. I am currently trying out some from McFeely's which are supposed to be impact specific. We'll see...

Posted: 10:08 pm on May 18th

JulianTracy writes: I've been using impacts for years now and have forever been looking for good quality 1/4" quick-release shank drill bits.

Seemingly - no one makes good ones.

All of the ones that have come in various Milwaukee and Dewalt bit kits have been JUNK, with capital letters.

Snappy, the brand that has made a quick-release system since before impacts even got popular, has a set of QR hex bit holders that you can insert your own bits into, but even just the holders are about $5-8 a piece.

Makita and Dewalt make a metal chuck on a QR hex shank that is specifically for impacts - the impacting action tightens and loosens it - they run about $25 and work great, but add a bit more wobble to the drilling action as it's one more link in the chain. Plus - it's still not as handy as a set of bits with their own shanks.

The other day though, I finally found the first set of high-quality drill bits with 1/4 QR shanks that I've ever seen, and I've been looking around.

They are made by Norseman, a USA company, and the package goes as far to say also they are made in a union shop.

They had a 7 pc set, upto 1/4", and a 11 or 15pc set.

I paid $26 for a 7 pc set. Pricey, but they look to be off a very high quality. Finally a good set of bits for my impact.

I also have the Makita LXT hybrid impactor/hammer drill/drill/driver gun, so this bit set will stay with that.

A lot less wobble than when using my Makita impact-ready metal keyless chuck attachment.

I looked on Norseman's site, but they didn't have any reference to the QR sets at first glance.

Even my 5 y.o. daughter means 5 times 0 = 0, so if the Dewalt bits are 5 times better than the crappo drills in all of their other bit sets, that doesn't mean a lot. Dewalt's not really known for making high-quality accessories. No question they are made in China I'll bet.

I hope they are decent, as I'll add to this Norseman set I have. I was happy with the older Black&Decker "Bullet" drill sets years back,and those are now brander Dewalt, but in general they don't try to make things better as years go by - only cheaper.
Posted: 9:42 am on May 18th

brucet9 writes: On a slightly different subject, I've found that premium Bosch phillips bits shatter easily on my 18V Makita LXT impactor, but cheap Irwin drywall screw bits last a long time.

Go figure.

Posted: 10:16 pm on May 15th

brucet9 writes: If they had a pilot drill bit with a quick conversion to screw driver bit holder, what a boon that would be to guys doing ipe or other hard or split-prone materials.

Posted: 10:12 pm on May 15th

JFink writes: Well, that's sort of the gamble, Paul. The only times I've used an impact driver to drill holes has been using a spade bit for rough work like boring through studs and plates. Just about every spade bit available today has a hex shank, making them an easy choice (provided they hold up to the torque). But for more precise holes? I guess there's only one way to find out, right?
Posted: 1:01 pm on May 15th

xxPaulCPxx writes: I tend to think of a drill being a precision instrument.

Hex shank bits, by their very nature tend to sit loose in the chuck of an impact driver (if they didn't, they would be impossible to remove).

Do you run into any problems with fine detail work using the looser drill bits in you impact drivers?
Posted: 12:41 pm on May 15th

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