DRILL VS. DRIVER (What's The Difference?!! Cordless Drill Vs. Impact Driver--COMPARISON)

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DRILL VS. DRIVER (What's The Difference?!! Cordless Drill Vs. Impact Driver--COMPARISON)

The cordless drill has been around for a long time now. But the IMPACT DRIVER is still a relatively new tool that many homeowners and DIYers don't seem to know about. In this video, The Honest Carpenter explains some of the differences between these two tools!

Cordless drills are mostly just spinning machines. They use a chuck and jaw to clamp down on drill bits--the motor then applies constant torque to turn those bits. This makes them very good at boring out holes.

Cordless Drills can also be used for "driving bits"--bits that are designed to turn fasteners.

An impact driver is a similar rotary tool. But, instead of a chuck and jaws, it has a lockable collet that traps hex-shanked driving bits.

Impact drivers are primarily used for driving fasteners. Unlike cordless drills, they're not that great at drilling (in my opinion). BUT, they're capable of delivering so much more force than a cordless drill, there's really no comparison!

Impact drivers can sense resistance. When driving a fastener, the impact driver will spin like a drill until a certain amount of resistance occurs. At that point, they will activate a "super mode." The motor will begin to detach from the bit, and reattach to the bit dozens of times a second.

This cuts down on bit slippage, saving your arm from having to counteract that force. But, it amplifies the force sent through the tool into the drill bit.

Impact drivers can often drive really large, long drill bits without even pre-drilling (though pre-drilling is still a good idea.)

Cordless Drill Vs. Impact Driver--COMPARISON:

Cordless drills are still my preferred tool for driving fasteners.

But, impact drivers are a tradesperson's best friend. They make driving and backing out difficult fasteners extremely easy. They also save wear and tear on your arm!

I don't, however like to use the impact driver for drilling holes (even though they do make custom drill bits for loading into the impact driver).

I also still prefer using a cordless drill for driving smaller fasteners, like decorative screws.

I hope this DRILL VS. DRIVER COMPARISON was helpful!

Please be sure to visit us at The Honest Carpenter Website:

[AfnanStudio_]

Drill: Go in there please
Driver: I wasn't asking

[Alady-nuqp]

Thank you so much! I am a woman who is introducing myself to electric tools late in life. I bought a "Pink Power" drill a few years ago, I don't use a drill much but Oh! my goodness, they are so much better than using screwdrivers! However, it is not a powerful drill and I am tired of having to borrow my neighbors tools so I am going to purchase myself a full power drill for myself this fall. When I look at the ads, they all say drill/drivers. What in the world does that mean. I want to thank you so MUCH for your direct, simple comparison with visual comparisons. You didn't make a video about yourself, you made it to help people understand the difference between the two tools. You didn't talk unnecessarily and wasting time. You got to the point and I got all the knowledge that I was looking for. Much appreciate you.

[kebers]

As a single, female homeowner I find your videos to be clear and concise and very helpful. I like to fix and build what I can myself to save money and save the big or difficult projects around the house for the professionals. I enjoy doing things myself to fix or improve my home. YouTube and channels like yours has been a huge help answering nagging questions I’ve had as well as questions I didn’t even know to ask! Thank you for your excellent content.

[Jose-cfbz]

I’ve watched a dozen of these videos trying to explain this difference. This one was by far the best I’ve seen. Thank you!

[evelynwald]

Thanks for explaining the difference & how to use the drills. I used one for the first time when I was trying to mount some L brackets to the floor joists to add some ceiling storage. I predrilled with my drill and then tried to put the 2.5 inch screws in. I thought I was going to cry because, the screws wouldn’t go in and I was afraid to use the drill further because of damaging the screw head. I didn’t have the strength to do it by hand, (I’m a 100 lb, 70 year old female) so I asked my neighbor for help. After assessing the situation, he brought in his impact drill. I couldn’t believe the difference, I was able to finish my project by myself which had 10 more screws to do. An amazing tool & thanks for explaining how they operate so clearly. I’m going to get one of my own as I want to put some shelves in my garage.

[monkeygraborange]

Should be required watching for all DIYers and most pros! Your explanation was crystal clear!

[talaverajr]

*Pre drilling is not only used to prevent camming out, but also as to not split the wood.

[chillmonger]

"It's like using a sledge hammer to swat a fly" immediately subbed after this. Great explanation!

[aussiebladerunner]

The best thing I found for using the impact driver was for taking out rusted fasteners. The drill couldn’t budge them but they came out with no effort with the impact driver. That alone changed it from an unused tool to an often used tool.

[lisaseverdoodles]

Thank God someone finally cleared that up... a revelation for the DIYer with arthritis! I did not know what to do with my new tool...an impact driver… Never would have thought that it would save the muscles and joints in my wrists. Manufacturing companies need to include THIS video with the purchases of their driver/drill combo sets for folks like me 😂… (Now I know those bands on my new drivers mean they are specially made for an impact driver). Thank you for making this easy for someone who enjoys DIY as a hobby.

[philhiggins]

I’ve seen drill and impact drivers advertised a lot. But just thought it was a money making thing for the manufacturers. Thank you so much for being clear and concise on their deliberate, and separate functions.

[sharonhendricks]

I love tools! Several years ago I started buying my own....the ones I wanted, not what my husband thought I should have. I got the combo drill driver set but I never knew how or why to use the driver. I had watched lots of guys using one in their videos but never heard why or their purpose. I finally decided to figure it out, first learning curve was to learn how to use the collet! When I successfully used that driver, I fell in love with it! I'm 76 and don't have as much strength as I used to have, especially with my arms raised above my head. I have to get my shoulder behind it when needing to push. Once I figured out that bar the door! Now, unless I just can't get up high enough to reach where I need to drill, I don't have to ask for, let alone WAIT for someone taller to help me out. This driver is so much easier to use and gets the job done without a lot of frustration from improper use of the drill on my part. Thank you for explaining this tool. I totally understand it all now!

[deangeorge]

I really didn't know the difference between a driver and drill. This was very informative. Thanks.

[bullfrogpondshop]

Excellent description of the difference between both tools for beginners! My understanding of the operation of the Impact Driver (ID) is slightly different: When Impact Mode kicks in, the driving mechanism inside slams repeatedly against the shaft. Think of a series of short but powerful high frequency hammer strikes (impacts), only the striking is done in a rotary motion instead of the somewhat linear motion of a hammer strike. Similar to smacking a wrench with a hammer to free a stubborn bolt...only much higher frequency.

As a soon-to-be-retired Woodshop teacher and avid DIY'er, I'd like to add my slightly different experience to the discussion. I often use my ID to drill holes. A cheap hex end drill set (suitable for DIY'ers) can be had at Harbor Freight. The ID is smaller and lighter hanging on my tool belt. Changing bits is quicker and easier. Lastly, I've NEVER had my ID kick over to Impact Mode when drilling holes even in hard wood, so it DOES supply the same constant torque that a Drill does.

Also, when the ID kicks into Impact Mode, the RPM's at the drive end drop dramatically. This can be good or bad, depending on the situation. I like the ID for more precise depth control when driving fasteners where the depth is critical. As the fastener head approaches the surface of the wood, Impact Mode kicks in, slowing down the progress and allowing for accurate control of fastener depth for those cases where you want the screw head perfectly flush with your surface.

I've found the adjustable clutch on Drills to be unreliable as a means of fastener depth control, likely due to the variances in wood density...even in the same board. I NEVER use it. With a little practice and a fair amount of hand-eye coordination, one can learn to release the Drill trigger at precisely the right moment, especially if the speed is reduced towards the end of the drive.

However, on long 3" screws, the decreased RPM's provided by Impact Mode result in significantly slower progress and longer drive time...not to mention the increased noise levels! So I prefer the Drill for driving most long screws quickly. Combined with Star-drive screws, "camming out" is virtually eliminated.

And for almost all fastener driving in softwoods, pre-drilling is not necessary with modern powerful cordless drills (12 volts and above). 3" Deck or Drywall screws can be driven with ease with a Drill. We all did it for years before ID's hit the market. Hardwoods are a different story!

While we're on the topic, I know the Canadians love their Robertson (square drive) screws. I've tried them a few times and they were a little better at preventing cam out than Phillips head, but they still required significant downward pressure to do so. Even then, they cammed out occasionally. Torx Drive (Star) virtually eliminates the need for downward pressure to prevent cam out. They are more expensive than other screws, but so worth it!

Happy building!

[SrryJaCk]

I just came to see wtf an impact driver is and now i'm subscribing. Thank you for the lesson, sir!

[damiensilva]

For a new home owner with no tools this was extremely helpful

[psadhi]

as a homeowner I bought one impact driver that I use for drilling holes, driving nuts also work on my cars, cleaning kitchen, restrooms. all in one tool.

[BA-fbtz]

I've built tons of Ikea furniture as a contractor. Never once have I used my impact drill. I've seen so many other guys blowing through soft cheap Ikea material by using an impact with way too much torque for the job. I always end up just sticking with my drill/driver "combo, " putting it on "screw" mode (not drill/hammer) and turning the power dial down anywhere from 1-5 (out of 25) depending on the screw length/size.

[Bootydoc]

So glad my phone is always listening to me. Was talking to a few friends and wasn't able to really describe the differences, and then this video is suggested! Gotta love the surveillance State.

[nathangonsalves-williams]

Without a strong father figure in my life. This was very helpful, thanks.