Makita screwdriver vs Bosch / Metabo

[sparrow]

Hi everyone. I have just joined and this is my first post on here. A great forum.

I want to buy a cordless driver for lots of jobs on a new (actually it is quite old) house I am buying. So jobs will vary from small (flatpack kitchens etc) to putting up shelves and partitions.

I am looking at the Makita TD020DSE 7.2V LXT Lithium-Ion Impact Driver at £69.99

See http://www.ps-tools.com/catalog/product ... 8c3398ca04

Anyone any experience of this. What is the + points and - points vs something more traditional such as the Bosch GSR10.8 V-Li 10.8V Li-Ion Drill/Driver or the new Metabo 7.2VOLT CORDLESS POWERMAXX LITHIUM-ION? The Makita is the cheapest of these but is an impact driver - the others look more versatile to me.

Any thoughts/experience anyone?

Sparrow

 

[j]

Welcome to the forum,

Your links are mangled because you're a new member. A moderator will be along shortly to fix them up.
Try this for now

Once you've got a few posts under your belt, they won't get mangled any more.


As to the driver question. I'd be interested to hear opinions on this aswell. I've often read that impact drivers are amazing, and have to be tried to be believed. I need to find somewhere I can try and compare it against a traditional driver to see what the difference is.


J

 

[RogerS]

j

I tried one in Pen Tools and they are all that they are cracked up to be. My only difficulty is deciding which one to go for as there are so many of them out there now.

I was thinking about going on whichever had the maximum 'punch' if that is the right word.

Roger

 

[Green]

I have the Makita. I got it free when I bought a bandsaw and have found that I use it all the time. Very handy size, much better than a combi-drill and the light has even come in useful too. It has a decent amount of power for its size though I think it may struggle with heavier fixings (I use my combi for these). More suited to assembly/bench work Id say

Sorry no experience of the Metabo or Bosch

Forgot to add that (my local) B&Q are doing them for £59.

 

[RogerS]

I have the Makita.
Forgot to add that (my local) B&Q are doing them for £59.

Which model, Green?

 

[Green]

Roger

B&Q have the Makita 7.2 Li-Ion on sale.

 

[johnjin]

Hi
I've just bought the 18 volt Makita lithium impact driver and this will put a 100m/m by 6 m/m screw into oak including the head without any pilot holes at all. These tools are unbelievable. The power they impart has to be seen to be believed

Best wishes

John

 

[mailee]

If that Makita is anything like my old 7.2 volt cordless that I have had for years on the same set of batteries it has got to be good. IMHO Makita make the best batteries for their tools that last ages. I have tried the De Walt impact drill driver and it will screw/punch almost anything in. Just remember that it will only be as good as the driver bit though. :wink:

 

[andpartington]

i have the 18 volt impact makita nicad it will drive a 3in screw in in to a 4inch timber with no pilot hole until 2.5 "of the screw are sticking out of the timber
it only stops when they are no more threads on the screw

it will sink a 1/2 screw head under the surface of the timber until the bit runs out of length
because of the impacting when a screw stops they is no kick back like with a drill driver

the bit is always being forced in to the screw head so no camout


i have used the dewalt and roiba ones and they are as good
if in doubt buy one you will not regret it

if you wont i will post some picks for you to admire of a screw sticking out of a chuck of timber

andy

 

[RogerS]

What's the main difference between the various voltages and battery capacities?

 

[andpartington]

the voltage
bigger is best up till 18 volt for day to day drilling
for bigger jobs get 24 or 36

the battery capacities are measured in amps hours and is measure how long it will last for

andy

 

[Jake]

For an impact driver, there's not all that much difference, unless you are going to be driving coachbolts into hardwood without pre-drilling or something. 12v to 18v the torque figures aren't that different. I have an old Elu 12v and a new Hitachi Li-Ion 14.4v (because the Elus batteries are fading) and there's nothing between them apart from a bit of weight and the Elu feels more rock solid and less plasticky -in terms of driving capacity, not much different, and no cause for complaint with either, leagues ahead of a drill driver.

 

[Richard S]

Hi Sparrow

I guess it all depends on what you require them to do, I have among my collection both the 7.2v makita and a 12v T type makita impact drivers, the 12v is excellent and very powerful, the main drawback is that it has no clutch so is not really suitable for delicate work such as cabinetmaking but is superb for heavier construction type projects and was invaluable during the lining out of my narrowboat, putting 10 guage self tappers into 6mm steel with ease, for this reason I find the 7.2 a bit of a contradiction being small and handy for delicate work but lacking in the control of say the Bosch GSR 10.8Li which is light powerful and easily controllable and a similar price. All three are superb tools in their own right it just depends on what you require them to do.

I hope this makes sense and helps.

Regards
Richard

 

[Green]

Popped into my local (Edinburgh) B&Q for some post mix on the way home and saw that they now have the Bosch 10.8 Li-Ion driver on sale at £49. Dont know if this offer is available at every store so check before travelling!

Happy shopping

 

[j]

Is that the blue or green bosch on sale?

 

[Pecker]

I've got the bosch blue gsr10.8. Absolutly fabulous! Use it almost every day as a pro, and it takes a hammering.
The light is in a silly place, and it's a shame it doesn't stand up by it's self , but I really am nit picking here. I often put in 100 - 200 screw per charge, and the torque is suerb. Would heartily reccomend - also dont forget, it comes with 3 year warrenty even for trade use.

woody

 

[Trumpet]

Agree with Pecker. Use a GSR10.8 all day too. Every other small format screwdriver (OK they were mainly cheap ones, B&D long handled jobs and like) were a pile of useless junk in comparison. This one really one the real deal. I'm a sucker for Festool gear but quite honestly with one of these and a bigger cordless drill/driver (that yellow brand) I can't see I have much to gain from their multi-chuck jobs - in fact I'd go further than that I think I'd prefer the Bosch screwdriver because the torque control, weight, feel and size are spot on.

BTW Pecker there's now a 10.8V Li-ion impact driver with LEDS round the head - I think its the GDR or GSR40 in the US, there's a comparative review on the web somehere where its tested against a Bosch 14.4V impact driver and comes out amazingly well, the reviewer tried sinking some absurd coachbolt with it. (Did a quick search, the review is on the Toolmonger site).

 

[forrestdale]

Popped into my local (Edinburgh) B&Q for some post mix on the way home and saw that they now have the Bosch 10.8 Li-Ion driver on sale at £49. Dont know if this offer is available at every store so check before travelling!

Is that the blue or green bosch on sale?

Today I went to B&Q Warehouse, Newcraighall, Edinburgh, in the (optimistic!) hope of finding the Bosch Blue GSR10.8 Li-Ion for £49, but it turned out to be the green PSR300LI that they were offering, reduced from £59.98 to £49.98. Also included was a set of 10 screwdriver bits, two hex-shank drill bits and a hex extension:

Forrest

 

[Richard S]

Bosch blue GSR10.8 £65 in B&Q Northampton. No contest

Richard

 

[Green]

"check before travelling"