Impact Driver vs Drill | Ask This Old House

In this video, General contractor Tom Silva shows host Kevin O’Connor the differences between impact drivers and drills before explaining when to use one or the other.

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Where to find it?
Impact drivers [https://homedepot.sjv.io/AP2mLJ]
Power drills [https://homedepot.sjv.io/GKGnr6]

About Ask This Old House TV: From the makers of This Old House, America’s first and most trusted home improvement show, Ask This Old House answers the steady stream of home improvement questions asked by viewers across the United States. Covering topics from landscaping to electrical to HVAC and plumbing to painting and more. Ask This Old House features the experts from This Old House, including general contractor Tom Silva, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, landscape contractor Jenn Nawada, master carpenter Norm Abram, and host Kevin O’Connor. ASK This Old House helps you protect and preserve your greatest investment—your home.

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Impact Driver vs Drill | Ask This Old House
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21 Replies to “Impact Driver vs Drill | Ask This Old House”

  1. I bought a new impact and drill set 5 years ago. Never used an impact before. My drill stopped working after a week and dewalt had it at the service center for 4 months. I was forced to use the impact all day. From delicate screws, to driving into concrete, all in the trigger. The impact is the tool I never knew I needed. Rarely used a drill since.

  2. If your putting in big screws like that all day your far better off using the drill 1. It will drive them in x10 faster 2. Less noise 3. Less wear and tear on the tool

  3. Kevin and Tommy are mixing up an Impact Driver with a Hammer Drill vs a standard Drill.
    Yes, the impact driver helps to screw large screws in and out without having to fight with cam out force of the Bit and the screw.
    But the work principle of an impact driver is, that there are ROTATIONAL shocks which increase torque for a split second. This helps to come over friction force of the thread in the material without loosing Connection to the Bit.

    A Hammer Drill has axial shocks (like hammering on the back of the machine) to break up stone and concrete while drilling. But you can not drive a screw with a hammer drill.

    TLDR: impact driver rotational shocks, hammer drill axial shocks

  4. Simple answer use an impact for everything, they make hex shank drill bits 😂..

    For real only time i use a drill is for delicate stuff, when i replaced fende pickets i used a drill set to 3 for the clutch to not overdrive. 98% of what i do is an impact

  5. Impact for metal lile bolts and nuts.
    Drive for wood and cement screws and drilling.

    When you have that nut or bolt that doesnt come off, you take impact. When you need to screw deck, framing etc you use drill drive.

  6. Tommy stop the cap, you know that drills are better for lags by miles. Impacts are good for smaller fasteners like deck screws to small lags. A drill makes quick easy work of larger lags while impacts take forever to get a larger lag down.

  7. Tommy is the GOAT, however in this case he explained 0% of how and why an impact driver is different from a drill.

  8. With all due respect to the show, Tommy isn't keeping the driver in alignment with the fastener, which is causing it to slip/strip. Impacts drills have twice the torque, so they aren't optimal for stainless steel screws that are weaker.
    Appropriate drill/driver for the appropriate task.

  9. For delicate applications, nothing beats an adjustable screw gun. I use both mine equally. There are some things you dont need an impact for. Like setting drywall anchors, installing electrical outlets and switches…….etc

  10. Phillips head screws cam-out by design. You shouldn't base your tool choice on the limitations of your fastener.

  11. Impact driver is a game changer. Like others have mentioned I too bought a drill and impact driver kit probably six years ago now. An M12 Milwaukee. It has been one of the best tool investments I have made. The drill gets used but not as frequently as the driver. Bonus is spending a bit extra has meant I have not needed to buy a replacement drill.

  12. Impact drivers can damage screws because of the hammering. Good for lagbolts and structural screws but not wood screws. Don't use one on drywall screws.

  13. how is it that the impact drill holds the screw better, if it's the same bit and same screw?

  14. I keep my 2 drills nearby and use my impact most of the time. (Drills for holes, impact to screw)I have issues with severe arthritis so, for precise assembling, i make pilot holes then use the impact. For a lot of screws, framing , impact is the best. I love it. 😊 Sorry i don't speak carpentry language , my shop assistants are cats, so we don't speak. . Oh, in their opinion, the drill is their favorite as it is quieter. Lol

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