Panasonic? DeWalt? or Makita? 12-volt.
Is any one “better” than the rest? They all cost about the same.
Thanks!
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OK, I'll give my $0.02 worth.
As I recall (+ or - 20% memory accuracy).....fairly recent FHB review by Gary Katz. Preference was Makita. The older style DeWalts were reviewed here.
More recent JLC review. Preference was Milwaukee and DeWalt. Both updated models I believe. Didn't really like the Makitas.
There are quite a few BTers that love the Panasonic. Great batteries.
I have an older version Makita with the 2 Ah batteries. I want to be buried with it because I love it so much.
Search the Tools section here for past impact driver discussions. There have been a number of them. Word of caution the search function is pretty much universally hated around here as it don't work so good. When I search I use the advanced search and narrow it down to one section and one or two words.
I think the Panasonic 12 volt impact driver is pretty new, and don't know if it made it into the reviews yet. From everything else Panasonic makes, I would have to guess it would be great. I know it comes with 3 amp hour Nickle Metal Hydride batteries.
The 15.6 volt Panasonic Multi-Driver has been around a while and has gotten great reviews here. It is switchable fro drilling or driving, and comes with snap on 1/2" drill chuck, and 1/4" hex. It also has 3 amp hour NiMH batteries.
I like Panasonic
Mak- small, lightweight, good power for a little bugger. Panasonic - great battery life, enough power for most of what your average carp is going to want to do with it. The combo kit is the cats meow - hex driver, 1/2" impact, keyless chuck. The Mil makes an 18v that's as big as they get with 240ft/lbs of torque. Way overkill if you're just putting in GRK structural screws, but nice if your work has you buying 1/2" x 10" lags on a regular basis.
"The child is grown / The dream is gone / And I have become / Comfortably numb " lyrics by Roger Waters
Graffito,
Last week my 14.4 Dewalt drill driver finally gave up the ghost after about two good years of real heavy use and dropping both it and the batteries more than once about 25 feet down to the dirt and the grand old lady and batteries just kept on working great.
Replaced it with a Panasonic 15.6 volt multi-tool. Great God Almighty-- I couldn't believe how great an experience that was when I first tried it out. I was mounting parallel arm closures and weather stripping to morter filled steel door frames. Normally I use self tapping framing screws, and then increase the size of the screws to 1/4-20, and then use them to mount the hardware. Usually what happens is the screws contact the morter and want to "bind up" and stop spinning, and your screw bit tip gets kicked out and starts spinning and strips away the groves in the face or head of the screw. So you have to carefully back them out using slow speed and max pushing power, then try hitting it again.
NOT THIS TIME BUBBA!
As soon as those screws started hitting morter and wanted to stick, the impulse @ 3300 impulses a minute kicked in and drove those little pigs home like there was no tomorrow. FANTASTIC!
Only had to be careful to let off the trigger quick cause this little puppy has so much torque it will snap screw bit tips like they were tooth picks.
The reason I got it was from reading about it at Break Time.
Once you try an impact driver you'll never go back to a regular drill/driver.
Don't walk--RUN to your nearest store that carries these and GET ONE!
Cork in Chicago.
I'll say it in one word, MILWAUKEE!!!!!
Can't speak of the others but I love my Mak, I pretty much hate all things yellow, so on personal bias, I'd suggest staying away from that, but that's just my personal opinion.
Unless you like buying batteries, get the Panasonic!!!!
Then ask for the driver drill with the 3,5 amphour batteries for X-mas.
Mr T
Do not try this at home!
I am an Experienced Professional!
Makita 12v
Excellent balance of power and weight.
Used it to drive 9-inch lags just the other day.
Recent JLC article gave it bad marks for ergonomics, but it fits my hand like a glove.
I can also attest to its durability.
Any impact driver will act about twice as powerful if you put some wax on the threads. Battery life will also be extended. I use wax from a wax toilet ring.
Also, I've switched to using ceramic coated Deckmaster screws most of the time. The special bits hold up better under the load of an impact driver, and they never cam out. These hold up even better than square heads, IMHO, and are compatible with phillips if you happen to be without a special bit at hand. Very rare for a Deckmaster to snap, unless you drive one really hard against metal.
Screws combined with fender washers make for excellent temporary clamps, props, forms, or other similar assemblies.