Which Impact Driver?

[opps]

It isn't. I linked a corded one. It's much more useful than the battery carp that pro decorators use.

The only battery powered tools that I own are drills.

I have 6 different types of Festool sander, all of which are mains powered. I don't see the point in battery powered sanders given that they are only ever used when connected to my dust extractors. My dust extractors have 5m power cables, the tools' power cables and extraction hoses are 3.5m. How long is the flex on your Clarke? 1.5m?

I once made the mistake of buying a TacWise Duo staple/pin gun to lay 6mm ply on a customer's kitchen floor. The fact that I had to use an extension lead to reach the floor from the worktop power points really irked me. The next time I need to do a similar job, I will purchase a battery powered version.

For light duty DIY use, I find clarke to be OK

I accept that I may well be unfairly maligning Clarke. You say that they are fine for light DIY use. They say that they are suitable for professional use. These days, most people expect "professional" tools to be able to be run for hours continuously. DIY tools often need breaks in use for the motor to cool down.

I have never stopped anyone contributing. But you seem to want to stop mine by keep asking why I am here on this site. I am here because I am, it's that simple. I usually have a giggle on things that are obviously wrong, such as caulk that doesn't crack.

I have no desire to stop you posting. I was simply trying to explain the way this website generates income for the site owners. This site is not subscription based. I assume that the servers and staff are funded via advertising. The site has 1.2m visitors per month. Part of the success of the site is down to the fact that there are a number of competent professionals that are happy to spend their free time trying to help people that ask questions. Those answers are then seen by other people using search engines to find answers to their own specific queries.

Visitors seeing your constant harping about tradesmen as being corrupt, may well be less likely to visit the site again, and accordingly, revenue will fall. I contribute here because this site helped me when I previously needed advice. I see it as being a quid pro quo scenario. Regardless of your opinion of me, I am extremely knowledgeable with regards to the products that I use in my main sphere of work. I am equally willing to accept that every day is a "school day". My knowledge is not absolute, I am painfully aware of that. I am not convinced that you understand the limitations of your ken though.

 

[opps]

Ok, punch a hole in a respected brand and see if it burns your house down same as a hole in a cheap one will. Accidents can happen, a drop, a bump, etc.

Which kind of device are you using to post on this site? If a phone, laptop or tablet, doesn't it have a lithium battery? If a desktop computer, is it likely to have a lithium coin battery for the cmos- granted, it is unlikely that you will accidentally puncture it.

Thermal runaway is a real problem and not one that I am dismissing. Having spoken to various trades over the years, I (personally) am not aware of any tool that, over night, spontaneous entered thermal runaway. I do however get the impression that, whilst rare, it is more likely to occur in devices such as phones and tablets. Devices that have the battery very close to the source generating the heat.

When you look at a cordless drill there may be 6" between the battery and the motor

 

[opps]

Ok, punch a hole in a respected brand and see if it burns your house down same as a hole in a cheap one will. Accidents can happen, a drop, a bump, etc.

Punch a hole in the copper gas supply and see how long it takes your home to explode..

My bad, I forgot that plumbers are part of the NWO (New World Order) and that Bill Gates directed plumbers and tool manufacturers to depopulate the planet.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

Punch a hole in the copper gas supply and see how long it takes your home to explode.

FFS @opps, don't make suggestions like that...

 

[opps]

hI can see Mr Knock on head is a closet corded fancier but refuses to admit to it

WTF is your problem?

Over the last 5(?) years @JobAndKnock is one of about 5 (?) tradesmen on this site whom I trust implicitly.

You however come across as being someone that has very little knowledge but has an overly developed sense of entitlement.

I really cant be bothered to respond to you from this point forward.

 

[robinbanks]

I went for the Eeinhell.

Go for the one whose battery fits all the other tools you've got. If starting out, go for the brand whose range encompasses all the tool requirements you'll have - it really helps with birthdays if you're difficult to buy for..

Next up; oscillating multitool

 

[robinbanks]

NOT ONE .. SCREW HEAD MASHED

Yeah, you know when you give the non-impact cordless driver to the "has plenty of building experience" apprentice the job centre sent over, and get them to zap a hundred screws in to hold down a sheet of ply or something..

..and every one sounds like it was driven with an impact driver

Tick.. Ticka.. Tickatick.. Tickatickaticka brrrrrpp

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Well it certainly has more torque for my requirements, I confess I may have been a bit heavy handed on a couple of the screws I popped in today, anyway it's been a learning experience.

I have to say that generally apart from a couple of Makita drill's and this driver oh and crappy strimmer I don't have any other cordless stuff, it's never irked me to have to drag an extension lead out when needs be, saves any hassle with charging/having different systems etc, strictly a DIYer.

 

[mcprinter]

I bought this Einhell set about 3 years ago. Use their 12V drivers at work for electronic repairs

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B06W2JYKSC

No problems. Very rarely runs out of charge and only takes about 30 Mins if it does.
Keep thinking about getting a matching multi-tool but my old Bosch corded is fine.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

I can see Mr Knock on head is a closet corded fancier but refuses to admit to it

Far worse than that, I collect and restore old corded power tools, and I have some fantastic tools, like this 1960s Porta-planer complete with a relatively uncommon spiral cutter grinder:

TBH my 18 volt cordless brushless Makita planer with a 3rd party spiral TC-RT cutterblock knocks it into a cocked hat. But it looks cool to me

Or if you ever wondered where the inspiration for shape of R2D2 came from? How about this Stanley 90-014 (R14) router, also from the 1960s?:

Again, equivalent modern cordless tools can run rings around it in performance, but they just don't have that retro chic look

As far as cordless tools at work, I now have north of 30 no Makita 18 or 2 x 18 volt tools, 4 no Hikoki 18 volt nail guns plus a few sundry other cordless tools (e.g. DW laser, etc) having gone about 90% cordless a couple of years ago, so maybe your confidence in my supposed predilection for corded tools is somewhat misplaced. That's despite having used corded tools for a goodly number of decades. It gives me maybe a smidgeon more insight into power tools thay you have, wouldn't you say?

Oh, and FYI, my handle, Mr Nutter, is a trade reference to an aspect of work. Yours speaks for itself

 

[robinbanks]

I don't have any other cordless stuff, it's never irked me to have to drag an extension lead out when needs be,

Funny; I went the other way - bought Bosch pro 18v everything for building work, then bought bosch adaptors for the non/Bosch cordless kit I had, i've even started eyeing up cordless mowers..

Having one battery system, 6 batteries and a couple of chargers in place in the garage is heaven, and no messing about with cords or fuel and 2 stroke mix; even considering battery conversions for the mini quads because the ratty little 50cc Chinese engines they have are ridiculously noisy and the stink that comes in the house.. can't believe I used to love it so

 

[hllns]

Aldi have a Ferrex 20V impact driver available at the moment. You have to buy the battery and charger separately, but even with that it's cheaper than those the OP quoted!

I have the Aldi one and did all the loft legs/boarding with it and I'm very happy with it but I did get a multi-tool and a drill as well so the batteries can be swapped around as needed.
I think not having single-device batteries and being able to swap around have a spare on-hand for whatever device you're using is the way to go to be honest so if you've some DeWalt go with that, means you only need the bare power tool if you get any else too.

 

[opps]

I have some fantastic tools, like this 1960s Porta-planer complete with a relatively uncommon spiral cutter grinder:

When you say "spiral cutter" do you mean a single cuter blade set at an angle like the Festool planers?

That reminds me, I was given an old EHL65 that was nearing end of life during the covid lock downs. The first time I used it, it made a loud clunk noise. I think the bearings have failed, but I can't work out how to take it apart... It is currently sitting on the garage floor next to my old Elu/Dewalt DS140 (which I cant dismantle either). Oh and they are sitting next to my Festool RTS400 (which I did dismantle, but probably can't remember how to reassemble).

I have only ever used 4 brands of planer, primarily, my regular Elu one and Festool planers, IMO the spiral blade gives a vastly smoother finish.

 

[opps]

Oh, and FYI, my handle, Mr Nutter, is a trade reference to an aspect of work.

AFAIK, it means do the job required and if you complete the work quicker than anticipated, you can "knock off" early and still get a day's wages..

 

[Deleted member 174758]

When you say "spiral cutter" do you mean a single cuter blade set at an angle like the Festool planers?,

The original cutter blocks are one-piece forged steel blocks with two spiral cutters which need to be ground in situ on a spiral jig (that jig actually rotates the block as you pull the block across a cup grinding wheel secured at the end of the planer tool shaft). Later cutter blocks had two spiral twist tungsten carbide blades brazed onto the steel block. You can just see one (badly abused) block mounted on the sharpening jig in my photo. These blocks have been unavailable for more than a decade and I have been quoted £100 a pop to have copies manufactured in China, in batches of 25 (best UK price wasvobmver £200). This is not going to happen. Fortunately I managed to buy three brand new blocks when I was in the USA about 20 years ago, but TBH I am seriously considering converting the planer to use a spiral segmented TC-RT cutterblock. I have already done a similar conversion on my current Makita DKP181 (cordless) and the planed surfaces are like glass.

That reminds me, I was given an old EHL65 that was nearing end of life during the covid lock downs. The first time I used it, it made a loud clunk noise. I think the bearings have failed, but I can't work out how to take it apart...

The EHL65 produces a beautiful surface, but those special spiral cutters are stupid money, at least for me, at c. £16/17 a pop. Conventional straight carbide cutters cost me about £19 for 10 (German), £13 for 10 (Chinese), from my regular supplier and are reversible, giving twice the life of a Festool non-reversible spiral blade. This means that for another £1 to £2 over the price of an EHL65 blade I get 20 cutting edges (or just under £1 per edge). Bear in mind that some modern corded planers, like the Bosch blue models, sre single bladed. The downside is that straight blades always leave scallop marks, although that can be sanded out or taken off with a finely set sharp block plane. I used to use an EHL65 at one time, but so many new manufactured doors I needed to adjust came in with staples just below the surface, that I eventually gave up and bought a Bosch GHO31-82 and went back to sanding/hand planing at the end because I simply couldn't justify the replacement cutter cost every time I nicked a blade.

I recently switched cordless planers from a Makita DKP180 brushed model to a DKP181 brushless model (more power and can work rebates) but I also decided to spring for a Sheertak segmented replaceable carbide tip spiral cutter block (which cost almost as much as the planer did). It is brilliant , delivering scallop free, glass smooth surfaces. Well up to Festool standards. Sheertak do a number of spiral TC-RT blocks for cordless and corded power planers, and it's one of those I'm considering for the old Porta-plane, now that it has new bearings and brushes, and that I've sourced the missing screws for it.

Not to certain about how to strip an EHL65, though - I've never had to do it.

It is currently sitting on the garage floor next to my old Elu/Dewalt DS140 (which I cant dismantle either).

I seem to recall there is a knack of removing the front body off the DS140 (something like a left hand threaded locking ring which requires an adjustable C-wrench, but I may well be wrong on that as it's been a couple of decades since I stripped one), but once that is off the motor unit is fundamentally just a paddle switch angle grinder. The main issues are probably brushes, bearings, flex, the switch and the gearbox needing cleaning out and repacking with lithium grease as they are relatively straightforward tools