Time for a new Drill & Impact driver....what's your thoughts?

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Well I use a Makita DTD171 two years ago replaced my venerable BTD145. These impact drivers are both brushless and both multi speed. My recommendation to anyone considering an impact is to try to find the extra money to buy a brushless model and to go multi speed. The ability to use an impact driver to screw in tiny screws without snapping off the heads or rounding them out as well as being able to drive 6.0 x 100 screws is what really makes an impact worth having. Don't believe those people who say they can partly depress the trigger on a si glen spender to achieve the same effect - that is just BS
 
Are you using them as trade, and what sort of work ?
Again, to mention just a DIYer ,I have used the 5Ah and 2Ah batteries on my impact driver DCF887, and personally I have found that the impact driver with a smaller 2Ah battery gets into smaller awkward spaces like to top / back of wall cabinets, and holding with one hand high up or in an awkward position up a ladder is easier - at least thats for ME - and has the 2Ah on as default in the box
Not really looked at the deals , as dont know where you are buying and I assume you would have 4x 5Ah batteries and 2 charges
As mentioned , I use the 3 settings a lot, and on the higher setting I drove screws deep into softwood timber or rounded out the head (did i say i was an amateur :) :) ) , and so I much prefer to have the 1st setting for small screws , and switch up to 2 if needed for final, that i have used a lot - but i have plenty of time to do that.
 
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Are you using them as trade, and what sort of work ?
I'm a trade carpenter and joiner - mainly two areas of work: shop and restaurant/bar fit out (John Lewis, Witherspoons, etc - a lot less these days, and diminishing,but encompasses everything from heavy frami g and inset floors, etc to final finishing) and large listed building renovation (so, mainly heavy stuff as I work predominantly on the structural side at the moment)

Whilst I use 18 volt at work, my home kit is 12 volt Milwaukee - drill/driver with exchangeable "noses" (keyless chuck, offset driver, angle driver) and an oil impact driver. I have taken these on site a few times to do awkward work on kitchens, etc. and for use where low noise is required (oil impact are quiet). Thought I might need the 12 volt SDS, but so far I haven't needed to do much drilling into hard concrete or stone (at home) - and where I have there's been a choice between my corded and my 18 volt cordless drills
 
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Sorry JobAndKnock, I was really asking the OP, not questioning you at all, as i know from previous replies that you are trade, and offer excellent advice here and helped me in my choices
 
Sorry JobAndKnock, I was really asking the OP, not questioning you at all, as i know from previous replies that you are trade, and offer excellent advice here and helped me in my choices

No, I'm not trade just DIY and an upcoming new build.

I do general home DIY as well as construction projects/buildings around the home and garden. The tools aren't used everyday unless I'm working on a project and I haven't done much in the last 4/5 months. I'm getting ready for a load of spring/summer projects around the property.
 
I was really asking the OP...
Oops! :oops: Either way, when I'm working at home I, too, am DIYer...

So the comments about 12 volt kit was probably relevant. Providing I don't need to drive girt great auger bits, drill heavy concrete or drill through 10mm thick steel and put TEK screws in then the 12 volt stuff is actually surprisingly good - far better than the NiCd 12 volt stuff I had more than 20 odd years ago. But, it won't do the really heavy stuff (and I wouldn't expect it to). The size bonus makes it really handy for those hard to get to screws kitchens seem filled with
 
I use Milwaukee 12v and 18v kit and can't fault it. It gets seriously abused sometimes, use my 18v SDS with 115mm diamond core drill - gets a bit warm, uses about 3 5Ah battery charges for a brick cavity wall, but does a great job. Great range of tools as well, including heated jacket which is great for those winter jobs.
For carpentry my tool of choice is Festool, mitre saw, track/plunge saw, jigsaw, router, construction saw, Domino jointer, etc.
 
I use Milwaukee 12v and 18v kit and can't fault it. It gets seriously abused sometimes, use my 18v SDS with 115mm diamond core drill - gets a bit warm, uses about 3 5Ah battery charges for a brick cavity wall, but does a great job. Great range of tools as well, including heated jacket which is great for those winter jobs.
For carpentry my tool of choice is Festool, mitre saw, track/plunge saw, jigsaw, router, construction saw, Domino jointer, etc.

I’m edging towards the Milwaukee 18v. Not the latest one with the Bluetooth setup, the model below.

https://www.sgs-engineering.com/m18..._o9eabQkWK4rZUPpehREr_A0122tX_WwaAuzgEALw_wcB
 
My son-in-law has Milwaukee for all his car work , excellent kit, but he bought into the dewalt system for all the main jobs around the house - again when he had to put up a shed and an offer on at screwfix , and actually advised me the dewalt path as well.
i have played with the Milwaukee stuff at the shows , i just found expensive
But as advised by jobandknock and myself, do find an impact drive which you can adjust , makes a big difference with small screws, like hinges, supports etc

seems to be on offer at FFX bare https://www.ffx.co.uk/product/Get/M...ushless-1-4In-Hex-Impact-Driver-18V-Bare-Unit
Has 3 speeds - but they do a 4 speed version as well
D&M tools seem to have a few offers on, depends on your budget , get a lot of tools for under £1K

also I'm hoping as easter approaches that some deals come up
 
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Not sure, if any actually come through, but would have thought with the restrictions and people working from home, often Easter is a good time for DIY
However, I have done this in the past waiting for a deal and not seen any deals for the Kit i wanted come through, even the FFX show didn't seem to offer much discount, although they had a 5% offer for a few days after.
I have noticed D&M Tools seem to have availability of kit, and some decent discounted prices at the moment , was looking at table saws and a mafell plunge saw kit.
Always on the look out for a good deal, as I do have a long list of would like to haves :) :)
 

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