What is an Impact Driver? – Impact Driver Guide
Impact drivers are the best power tool when it comes to fastening and unfastening, impact drivers require less effort than what is required from a drill or electric screwdriver when fastening and unfastening.
Why are impact drivers so efficient at this task, below, we will look at how impact drivers work to help you better understand why they are better than drills or electric screwdrivers.
Impact drivers are different because they use what is known as rotational hammering function. The best way to explain it is using the following example:
Imagine you are trying to loosen the lug nuts on your car wheels. You are using a large wrench to try and twist the bolt off, but it has been screwed on so tightly that it will not budge.
It needs more torque to be taken off. The solution is to hit the end of the wrench with a hammer as hard as you can and as many times as you can until it loosens.
Impact driver does the same thing, if it encounters any resistance when trying to unscrew or even screw for that matter. It has an internal mechanism that hits the rotational part of the driver up to 50 times a second in some impact drivers. This helps it to produce enough torque to loosen or drive in any stubborn screws or bolts.
This tool does not rely purely on the spinning mechanism (RPM) to screw or unscrew, it has a hammering function, not to be mistaken with the hammering function on a hammer drill, which kicks in when things get tough.
This hammering function also greatly reduces the risk of stripping the screw head. When you only have high RPM at your disposal, the screwdriver bit starts to slip and eventually strip the screw head.
With the hammer function also known as impacts per minute, you can reduce the RPM via the trigger and relay on the hammer function fasten and unfasten screws without stripping the screw head.
High RPM only has the ability to spin fast without much torque behind it to loosen screws without stripping them
The internal hammering function in an impact driver is what makes it so efficient at fastening and unfastening, driving screws into wood and various other materials. This is the basics of how an impact driver works.
As you can see, the other popular fastening and unfastening power tools miss this hammering feature (hammer function in a drill is completely different to impact drivers), that is why an impact driver delivers better results for fastening and unfastening, regardless of if it is screws, bolts, nuts or driving screws directly into timber. If you currently do not have an impact driver and are planning to do a lot of fastening and unfastening, get one! As it will make the job so much easier.
What is an Impact Driver Used For?
The best use for an impact driver is used to fasten and unfasten screws, nuts and bolts. You can use an impact driver for the following tasks:
- Screwing decking
- Screwing together sheds
- Fencing
- Securing timber together
- Loft boards
- Screwing shelves
- Building furniture
- Screwing directly into brick with masonry screws
- Driving long screws
- Loosening stubborn screws, nuts and bolts
- Fastening screws into thin sheet metal
- Speeds up repetitive fastening and unfastening jobs
As you can see from the list above, there are many uses for an impact driver, and many more than mention in the list above, but is gives you the idea how useful an impact driver is.
Do You Need an Impact Driver?
I guess the final question on your mind is, do you really need an impact driver? It all comes down to the type of jobs you are doing, different tools for different jobs. If you’re putting together decking or putting together any other large structures that are mainly made of wood, then absolutely yes! Because you will be driving a lot of long screws and you want to do it in the quickest time possible with the least amount of effort.
If you are also finding yourself needing to remove a lot of stubborn screws or bolts, than there is only one tool for the job, an impact driver. If you do a lot of drilling, and are thinking of replacing your cordless drill with an impact driver, then you absolutely do not need an impact driver and would be replacing it with the wrong tool.
However, a lot of us just like to have a selection of tools, in case we need them, and if you’re one of these people like me, then go ahead and get yourself one, below you will see reviews of some of the best impact drivers.
Is The DeWalt DCF850 Better Than DCF887?
Understanding Torque and Speed Settings on DeWalt Impact Drivers
The Role of DeWalt Impact Drivers in Construction and Renovation
The Evolution of Makita Impact Drivers: A Brief History
Makita Impact Driver vs Drill – Key Differences and Uses
Pros and Cons of Investing in a Makita Impact Driver
A Beginner’s Guide to Using an Impact Driver Correctly and Safely
Guide to Building Decking with an Impact Driver
How to Reduce Impact Driver Noise Level When in Use
Brushless vs Brushed DeWalt Impact Drivers: Which is Better?
Guide to Choosing the Right Bit for Your DeWalt Impact Driver
Can a DeWalt Impact Driver Be Used as a Screwdriver?
Can I Use a Drill Bit in My DeWalt Impact Driver?
Are DeWalt Impact Drivers Good?
Are Makita Impact Drivers Good?
What Do You Use a Makita Impact Driver For?
Can a Makita Impact Driver Be Used to Drill?
What is T Mode on Makita Impact Driver?
DeWalt DCF850 Review
Can You Drive In Concrete Screws With an Impact Driver?
Self-Proclaimed Property Maintenance Expert
Welcome to ToolPick.co.uk, My name is Ken Miller, I am a very photo shy individual, but would like an image that represents me on my site, the animation on the left describes me perfectly, and will be a common theme throughout the site.
I have a lot of knowledge on general property maintenance that I would like to share. I have been involved in property maintenance for the last 22 years and have gained a wide range of knowledge on various topics that come under property maintenance.
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