drill torque

[Thermo]

nestor, the whole idea of them is that they dont need to be pre drilled, as they cut their own hole. Some intresting answers, thanks chaps

 

[2scoops0406]

You say you don't want to spend too much. As you are a prof landscaper, I'd have thought that time was more of a consideration. To this end, may be worth spending a bit more on a tool that can do the job quickly, all day every day without fuss. Just a thought.

 

[Hitachimad]

Impact driver are excellent.

As said, the mechanism lightly hammers the drive in a rotary action rather than an 'end on' action like an SDS drill. Its created through a series of springs, ball bearings and 2 collars with 2 interlocking dogs on each.

Beceause the torque is created internally, you get very little resistance on the handle. Probably go as far as to say less reaction than on a normal cordless.

As long as you use the correct bit it doesnt damage the screw. Or keep your finger on the trigger once its tightened.

Some of the best ones on the market generate in excess of 140NM.
They are available usually with a 1/4" hex chuck, (ideal for screws) or 1/2" square drive (ideal for bolts)

 

[Thermo]

eddie, trouble is its only going to be used on a very limited basis, so i dont want to spend the earth on it. Thanks for the advice hitachimad, ill have to have a look into it.

 

[Nige F]

one of theses perhaps!!
hammers round rather than along the bit
http://www.toolstation.com/search.html?searchstr=87597[/QUOTE]If you`ve got a compressor ..you can get these air powered.In fact they all used to be air powered until the cordless elec. ones came along....so maybe a friendly tyre fitters would have an old air one lying around

 

[Thermo]

funnily enough i was literally just looking at those and a bit ceaper too, but then its a bit less portable......decisions decisions!

 

[2scoops0406]

Slight hijack here, but where / how do you get the sockets suitable for screws??

 

[Nestor_Kelebay]

You can't buy sockets for screws, but you can buy driver bits for screws...

... and fit that driver bit into a 1/4 inch hex socket,

.... and fit that 1/4 inch hex socket onto a 1/4 to 3/8 inch drive adapater

..... and fit that adapter onto a 3/8 to 1/2 inch drive adapter

...... and turn that assembly with a 1/2 inch electric impact wrench

And, the gameplan is that the impact wrench is going to hammer away on that driver bit to drive a 10 inch long screw into softwood without predrilling.

I'm skeptical. I figure the screw head is going to strip or the screw is going to twist and break before you drive it in without predrilling. If the hole was predrilled, I'd have more hope.

 

[Hitachimad]

Nestor, dont be so sceptical.... You can screw a specialist screw through steel without a pilot, so dont see why softwood would be a problem!!

As for the bits, depending on your driver, you can get 1/4" Male hex - 1/4" - 3/8" - 1/2"sq drive, 1/2"sq Female - 1/4" Female hex quite easily.

Or do you mean the sockets with the male hex shaft?

Screwfix & Axminster do the the male hex-male sq drive, and the 5/16" socket drivers.
The female 1/2" - 1/4"hex, mine came from my local snap-on dealer.

 

[Hitachimad]

Another quick point...

The main manufacturers make the cordless ones with both 1/2" square drive (perfect for bolts) or with a 1/4" quick hex chuck. (perfect for screws)

 

[Thermo]

http://www.railwaysleeper.com/Timberlok railway sleeper & decking fasteners.htm

If your in any doubt thats the kiddie, it has a hex head rather than a normal screw head. It is designed specifically to be used to fasten large timbers together without the need for predrilling. Couple of landscapers i know swear by them, im a bit sceptical, so im giving it a try out

 

[Nestor_Kelebay]

Now that I see those Timberlock screws, they seem to be well suited for driving with an impact wrench. I was under the impression that these were 10 inch long decking screws (or similar) that you wanted to drive with an electric impact wrench.

If you're skeptical, why not take one of those Timberlock screws and a piece of wood down to any place that rents tools and try using their rental electric impact wrenches to drive the screw into the wood. I don't think they'd have a problem letting you try before you rent.

And, if an electric impact wrench drives it in, then a pneumatic impact wrench will zing it in like nothin. But, you'd need an air compressor.

 

[2scoops0406]

Now that I see those Timberlock screws, they seem to be well suited for driving with an impact wrench. I was under the impression that these were 10 inch long decking screws (or similar) that you wanted to drive with an electric impact wrench.

If you're skeptical, why not take one of those Timberlock screws and a piece of wood down to any place that rents tools and try using their rental electric impact wrenches to drive the screw into the wood. I don't think they'd have a problem letting you try before you rent.

And, if an electric impact wrench drives it in, then a pneumatic impact wrench will zing it in like nothin. But, you'd need an air compressor.

The electric one described in the link has more torque than most air wrenches.

 

[eggplant]

going back to my days as a hgv fitter, I used a "windy gun" (air impact wrench) on a day to day basic, my small 1/2" drive one put out about 650 pounds feet - the cheapo ones you can pick up for a fraction of the cost will be lucky to put out 100, I have never used a cordelss one of any description so cant comment. We regularly had to drive in 5" deck screws into trailers but the windy gun was no good for this - one slip and the screw was useless - but they were pozi's, I'm sure you would have no problem driving a 10" screw with a hex head without a pilot hole, but I'd stay away from the cheapo air powered ones.

 

[Nestor_Kelebay]

The electric one described in the link has more torque than most air wrenches.

Believe only half of what you see, and none of what you read.

For example, this impact wrench claims that it will deliver 500 foot pounds of torque at 90 psi.

http://www.toolbarn.com/product/portercable/PT502/

Whereas this one claims to deliver 1000 foot pounds of torque, making it twice as powerful as the first one:

http://www.irtools.com/IS/product.asp/item/2863

However, further reading reveals that they're NOT saying the wrench will tighten a nut to 1000 foot pounds. They're saying it will loosen one that's been tightened to 1000 foot pounds. Not exactly the same thing, is it?

And, if you click on the "View Model Specifications" link to investigate that claim a bit further, you find out that this tool will in fact only deliver a maximum of 700 foot pounds of TIGHTENING torque.

http://www.irtools.com/IS/modelComp_full.asp?item=2863

But, alas! I'm sure you've already noticed, that they've chosen NOT to tell us what air pressure it will deliver that 700 foot pounds at, so you can't easily compare it to the first impact wrench.

If they're quoting that 700 ft-lbs torque at 125 psi pressure instead of 90, then (90/125) times 700 gives you a maximum torque of 504 foot pounds at 90 psi.

So, what started out as two completely different impact wrenches boils down to much the same thing through the magic of creative numerical manipulation. It's called "advertising" and you put it in the same bag as election promises, product guarantees, and pledges of material and financial aid to assist the victims of a natural disaster. There's generally a lot more fluff to it than substance.

In the real world, a good 1/2 inch drive pneumatic impact wrench will twist any 1/2 inch drive cordless impact wrench into a pretzel. Otherwise garages wouldn't go to all the bother of buying those big loud and expensive air compressors that they couldn't do without.