Using an impact Driver for Screwing?

[Roboboyo]

Sorry if this has been asked before guys

Can I use an Impact driver for screwing into wood ?

 

[Bingy man]

Yes absolutely- just make sure you impact rated bits and match to screw ( meaning don’t get mixed up with ph/and pz ) as useing the wrong bit will wreck the bit or the screw or both . Don’t forget your eye protection.

 

[Wilson joinery]

Yes you can. It’s a lot quicker than using a standard combi drill and you can also screw 3 or 4” 5/6mm screws into really hard wood without any issues . They put a hell of a lot of torque through the screws. My Makita impact driver has an adjustable torque on it which is useful if you don’t need to use full torque.

 

[MARK.B.]

No reason not to,it could be said you need to take a little extra care, as has been said it is quite easy(and bloody annoying) to ruin the screw head or worse still have the screw snap off,Quality bits and quality screws will go a long way in preventing this from happening.

 

[eribaMotters]

It is the preferred option of builders who do not seem to worry about chewing screw heads up, just as long as they can get the job done quickly so they can get back to the phone. They usually use them for fixing chipboard flooring down without drilling a hole through the flooring first, so its never pulled down correctly.
On a more serious note, they are a good weapon for driving big screws.

Colin

 

[Mel769]

Sometimes can be difficult to get back out again thou with a screwdriver if you ever need to that is !

 

[Spectric]

Shows how things have moved on, we assumed an impact driver is a power tool for driving in screws but the original impact driver was for removing stuborn screws in engineering, any of us who have worked on motorcycles will recall those pozidrive casing screws that would not budge with a driver.

 

[TheUnicorn]

yes, but it's rarely a good tool for (fine) woodworking. it is a great tool for driving 200mm decking screws, but all that torque with no clutch can strip a screw head in seconds, and you'll find a lot of screws just aren't up to the challenge, it is best with torx heads IMHO as the chances of camming out are reduced. It is really useful to have a drill and a driver without having to change bits and setting constantly, but a lot of the time you'd be better off with a two drills.

I've been using a little 10.8v makita impact recently, it has less power, torque and weight than my 18v dewalt, but actually that all works in its favour, it does everything i need it to do and is so much more comfortable to use overhead.

 

[Andy's Shed]

Shows how things have moved on, we assumed an impact driver is a power tool for driving in screws but the original impact driver was for removing stuborn screws in engineering, any of us who have worked on motorcycles will recall those pozidrive casing screws that would not budge with a driver.


View attachment 152596

I still have one, can't seem to find the bits for it.

 

[RobNichols]

Shows how things have moved on, we assumed an impact driver is a power tool for driving in screws but the original impact driver was for removing stuborn screws in engineering, any of us who have worked on motorcycles will recall those pozidrive casing screws that would not budge with a driver.


View attachment 152596

I still have one. It's got me out of quite a few tight places (pun accidental, but I like it). The wide body alone can make it more effective for getting tight screws out, but the strike of a hammer add that extra umph to both turn and push into the head.

 

[baldkev]

It is the preferred option of builders who do not seem to worry about chewing screw heads up, just as long as they can get the job done quickly so they can get back to the phone. They usually use them for fixing chipboard flooring down without drilling a hole through the flooring first, so its never pulled down correctly.
On a more serious note, they are a good weapon for driving big screws.

Colin

If your builder was using the correct fixings, it shouldnt happen..... the screw in the attached screenshot has a section of shank near the head that is smooth. This is to allow the board to be pulled down tight because the threaded section has passed through the board and the head closes the gap.
They are often sized on the boxes stating something along the lines of 70/40, indicating total length of 70mm, threaded section 40mm

Im not aiming this at you Colin, just posting up for info for others:
Before initial screwing, you can put your feet / weight over the area to be secured and then put the screw in, then move along to the next one.
If you have fully threaded shanks, you screw the fixing in, back it out and then drive it back in, this usually closes up any gaps created by the screw having to bite into the joists whilst it was threaded into the board

 

[ChrisWiduWood]

Yes you can. It’s a lot quicker than using a standard combi drill and you can also screw 3 or 4” 5/6mm screws into really hard wood without any issues . They put a hell of a lot of torque through the screws. My Makita impact driver has an adjustable torque on it which is useful if you don’t need to use full torque.

You could also screw 75 or 100mm 8's or 10's .....

 

[Superduner]

Quite a lot of the current models (like my DeWalt) have several different "force" settings, the lightest of which auto stops the screw when resistance is sensed. Each subsequent press of the trigger turns the screw about 1/6 turn.

 

[Alpasty]

Only if you want to annoy everyone else working near you with the terrible noise they produce!

I nearly always use a cordless drill, chosing which one based on the size of the screws (therefore the torque required). I have a 35nm 12volt, and 18 volt 65nm drill and 110nm drill drivers.

I do use impact drivers, but only on really big fixings the the 110nm drill can't handle, which is only ever larger coach screw type fixings. The 110nm will happily drive 6x150mm screws.

I mainly use torx head screws or good quality pozi (like Reiser).

Impact drivers tend to be slower than conventional drill drivers as soon as they encounter resistance. Fast start to a drive, very slow towards the end.

 

[Wood&StuffLtd]

I use a Dewalt drill with a 3mm bit and use the impact driver every time to fix a face plate for wood turning. Never failed yet.

 

[clogs]

bought the Milwaukee fuel 18v impact as my Hitachi is dying.....
it's very powerful.....to change setting u need the app and Bluetooth on ur phone....
Use the hitachi for smaller screws n plaster board.......
for 1/2 decent screws at a fair price I bought Screwfix's gold screws.....never broke one....
their norm silver grade screws are carp.....
Impact drivers are not for Fine Wood Work....

 

[Terrytpot]

Absolutely although as with drills, your clutch setting needs to reflect the size of the screw and when used to remove screws that have been in place for a long time I find it’s best to not try and remove it in one go but do to an “out,in,out,in,out” thing to wiggle it loose otherwise you can snap the heads clean off. Damhik.

 

[Sideways]

Impact drivers are a handy tool but damnably noisy. You won't want to use it, but sometimes you'll be glad of it.
Construction timberwork driving 6"+ screws with torx heads, great
Holes in places with restricted access taking advantage of them being short tools + using impact rated holesaws and stubby "wood beaver" bits. Sparkys and plumbers wouldn't be without.
Etc.

I use a hybrid 1/2" square drive with 1/4" hex socket. Great ergonomics for me. It doesn't have the highest power but it still does all I need and is often used at the lower settings.

 

[frankendoodle65]

Clearly I'm doing it wrong because I use my impact driver for almost everything
It's convenience as much as anything - my combi drill is for drilling and the impact is for driving, saves switching bits so much. I also like the smaller form factor of the impact, you can get it into tighter spaces than a combi.
As many have said they can be a bit aggressive and wreck screws, but you soon get used to how much pressure to put on the trigger. For smaller screws and anything that shows, I prefer to drive it most of the way and then finish off by hand. Slotted screws are always done entirely by hand!

Just for reference my impact is a Makita 18v lxt - I think it was the cheapest they sell so definitely nothing fancy, I bought it for building my workshop but I've found myself using it for pretty much everything since.

I must admit though, I'm very tempted by the Bosch 12v flexiclick drill/driver with the interchangeable heads, so I can easily see that replacing the impact for the finer work.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Shows how things have moved on, we assumed an impact driver is a power tool for driving in screws but the original impact driver was for removing stuborn screws in engineering, any of us who have worked on motorcycles will recall those pozidrive casing screws that would not budge with a driver.


View attachment 152596

I had a KH250 in 1978 - the first thing I did was buy a purpose marketed set of hex head chromed screws for it. Especially in salty areas like much of Cornwall by the time the bike was a few months old you wouldn't have a hope in hell of the getting the original ones out.