Should I Use A Drill Or Impact Driver?

If you have questions about your home improvement projects, stop by the forum on our website, where Shannon will answer your questions in detail for free.

[armandhammer]

I'm a licensed plumbing contractor and I watch Shannon's plumbing tutorials. He just that good. Hey Shannon did drywall yesterday, I refreshed my memory by watching your video again. I must say, I kicked some drywall ass. 😁 Thanks.

[Protrainer]

"But we could be" looks at the camera. lmao someone sponsor this man!

[armandhammer]

I wouldn't have watched this if it wasn't Shannon. The master speaks, listen.

[eodhowland]

I bought my 1st impact in 2006 in a Dewalt 6 tool kit. Didn't use it until 2007 because I didn't know what it was. Once I started using it, I haven't stopped. I showed my Dad and he's purchased 4+, my younger brother's bought 3+ and my Mom owns her own because she never could find Dad's. I've convinced coworkers to invest and had my employer purchase several. Great tools.

I carry both with me when I travel with an assortment of bits because they are both very handy.

[stans]

The drill uses torque [twisting motion] and the impact uses hammering.
The twisting will change the angle of how the drill hits the head of the screw.
The drill's motion is constant so any loss of grip will not be lessened until you stop. The impact will hit the screw to turn it and then stop and start again letting the tool REENGAGE back onto the screw.

torque
[tôrk]
NOUN
mechanics
a twisting force that tends to cause rotation.
"the three-liter engine has lots of torque" · [more]
variant spelling of torc.
VERB
apply torque or a twisting force to (an object).
"he gently torqued the hip joint"

[ooSpyderoo]

Love the impact drivers, but often still predrill a short way to be sure I don't split the wood when burying the screw head in. I have a 3 speed dewalt which helps reduce the torque unlike some, helps over doing it.

[fixandfoodgman]

Visited my86 yr old dad last week, had to intall, outside rail for him he had a craftsman a monster from 1990's , brutal to use - man they have come a long way

[rcytb]

You are a master of explaining useful skills. I know you have helped thousands to help themselves, me among them

[klehman]

Thank you for the video. I have both but like you said, I'm used to a screwdriver and it's my go-to. And yep, I have stripped both screws and the bits.

[stoakcity]

Got tired of batteries running out and stripped screws with the old drill. Been using my Ryobi impact for about 7-8 years now and it's been a game changer!

[mikechiodetti]

1. Don't forget safety glasses and ear protection.
2. Wear an impact resistant glove to protect your wrist. Trust me, I know this!
I have 4 Milwaukee tools. A 3/8" impact wrench, a 1/4" impact wrench, a 3/8" ratchet and an L.E.D. adjustable angle light.
The 1/4" impact chuck came with the spring loaded chuck to hold the hex drills, and different length screwdriver, phillips, torx, the 1/4" and 3/8" anvils to hold sockets and
I also have a chuck to hold non hex or round drills. The 3/8" holds sockets and 3/8" to 1/2" adapters and 3/8" to 1/4" adapters. For its size, the 3/8" impact has quite a bit of torque for its size. All my Milwaukee tools are 12 Volt. I've had them about 10 years now.

[countryboy]

I got an impact a few months ago and won't go back to driving screws and lags with a drill! I like that it isn't direct driven so as it gets harder to turn it slows down and you have much better depth control.

[lw]

Wow! This was great information. I can't wait to try this because after driving a lot of screws in a project, my shoulder is about shot. I am a Ryobi girl and do have the impact driver and will play with that bad boy now!

[eddieg]

I find it is very important to be able to adjust the torque of the drill when screwing together furniture and such. No adjustable torque on most impact drivers. I don’t think it’s recommended to drill holes with the impact driver either. Highly recommend having both.

[Maxid]

I remember the jump from cordless drill to impact driver but the real moment was when I went from hammer drill to rotary hammer. That was a good day! Probably more of a memory because it wasn't as long ago. But really busting my butt trying to hammer drill in concrete for hours to a few minutes for the same thing with the rotary hammer made a big impression.
As far as drill or impact driver, I get things done faster having the right bit in both. Otherwise gravity takes over and I'm dropping bits changing them out on just my driver.

[klmbuilders]

We tend to pull out the impact drivers for everything now! Even drilling holes. Speaking of irritating noise fire up a multi-tool inside a house!

[RileyNA]

I love this channel and the fact it has so many subscribers! I recently picked up the Hart drill and driver combo and I would recommend them for amateur diy guys like myself

[kylefowler]

I believe the first time I saw an imapct in construction was 2011. I had to drive some 3 inch screws into 2x4's blocking to support a ceiling fan in an attic and planned to use my drill like I always did and was grumbling about what a pain it was to use a drill to run long screws. A carpenter told me I should try his new impact so I said sure. I was so blown away by how much easier it was to drive screws with an impact that when I got off work I went and bought one myself lol.

Drills are much more powerful now than that 18v ni-cad drill I bought in 2008 that struggled driving 3 inch screws but impacts are still the king of sinking screws.

The one advantage drills used to have over impacts is the clutch feature to stop you from stripping screws but now even new Milwaukee impacts have a screw mode to help prevent stripout.

[FishFind]

2:35 the motor does keep turning but it winds up a spring that dumps then energy in a hammer and anvil giving it the impact.

[kirtusstruthers]

Thank you for sharing this. I have really struggled with understanding the main differences with these 2 tools. This was very helpful for me.