# Forum Home Renovation Tools & Products  impact driver

## barney118

Looking at an impact driver, seems like the Makita is better than the dewalt? Makita 18V LXT LI ION Impact Driver Tool Only BTD141 Z LXDT04 Z | eBay Dewalt DC825B 18V Nano Cordless Impact Driver NEW Bare Tool DC825 | eBay 
on stats, 1420lbs vs 1330 in torque.

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## Uncle Bob

> seems like the Makita is better than the dewalt?

  Depends on who you ask  :Biggrin: 
I brought a Dewalt combo and the impact driver would drive a descent screw right through a piece of timber till there's not enough "meat" for the tread to pull with. 
I brought mine from hardwaresales.com, which is an Americian Co. Ordered on a Thursday night and it was on the door step on Monday morning, I couldn't believe how quick the delivery was from stateside. So I'd compare there against Ebay. 
There was a pamphlet in the mail the other day with tools at real good prices. Unfortunately I read it then threw it out.

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## METRIX

Most manufacturers are much of a muchness now days, all the decent ones will drive anything through anything, and will snap heads of any weak or inferior screws, we use the Makita LXT, they are relaible (unlike a lot of their other tools) and they haven't broken yet (unlike a lot of their other tools).

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## Handyjack

> Most manufacturers are much of a muchness now days, all the decent ones will drive anything through anything, and will snap heads of any weak or inferior screws....

   :What he said:  
I get to use both a Makita and AEG impact driver. I find that the Makita has a more sensitive trigger for slower screwing compared to AEG which tends to go from 0 to 2000rpm in a blink. The AEG has an independent switch for the work light compared to the Makita which requires the trigger to turn on. Work lights can be useful but I would not depend on them.

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## Micky013

I have the Makita LXT also but I used a mates Dewalt today and it definitely has more torque.  
Also its noticeably heavier than the Makita. 
Love my Makita though - it does everything I ask it to!

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## Gaza

Got SMS today makita with 3 3amp batteries $350 bargin

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## barney118

OL Gaza PM me or let out the secret.  I would like to hear on battery life too for those that have these tools. 
I have held the Dewalt and maybe the weight is to do with batteries?
My 18v Hitachi cordless is dead so I may as well upgrade to impact.
Check the stats again Mickey013, they say Makita is better not Dewalt.
Also I like the fact they are now brushless motors or 4 pole..... Further study needed here.  
Sent from my iPhone 4s using Tapatalk

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## METRIX

> Got SMS today makita with 3 3amp batteries $350 bargin

  Got the same SMS from NETWOKBS

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## METRIX

> OL Gaza PM me or let out the secret.  I would like to hear on battery life too for those that have these tools. 
> I have held the Dewalt and maybe the weight is to do with batteries?
> My 18v Hitachi cordless is dead so I may as well upgrade to impact.
> Check the stats again Mickey013, they say Makita is better not Dewalt.
> Also I like the fact they are now brushless motors or 4 pole..... Further study needed here.  
> Sent from my iPhone 4s using Tapatalk

  Once you have impact you won't go back.

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## Micky013

> OL Gaza PM me or let out the secret.  I would like to hear on battery life too for those that have these tools. 
> I have held the Dewalt and maybe the weight is to do with batteries?
> My 18v Hitachi cordless is dead so I may as well upgrade to impact.
> Check the stats again Mickey013, they say Makita is better not Dewalt.
> Also I like the fact they are now brushless motors or 4 pole..... Further study needed here.  
> Sent from my iPhone 4s using Tapatalk

  I agree stats def in favour of makita and i have one but i was using an older model dewalt not the newer one (wasnt lithium batteries). There was a noticeable difference in torque though. 350 is pretty good - i think bunnies have cordless hammer and impact for somewhere around that price. Comes with two batteries though.

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## Uncle Bob

I believe the weight difference id due to the DeWalts having metal gears.

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## ringtail

Bosch blue fellas. :Wink 1:

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## METRIX

Bosch is making a lot of nice tools now, which is quite the opposite to some of the other big brands.

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## ringtail

> Bosch is making a lot of nice tools now, which is quite the opposite to some of the other big brands.

  
I've had my drill ( 18V li) for 3 years and the impact driver ( bought as a skin) 2. Awesome. Runs rings around everything else on sites so far, especially Milwaulkee

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## Whitey66

Spot on ringtail,Bosch blue (professional) are awesome.
I've got 12 power tools now from the Bosch Professional range,the new 4Ah batteries are the same size as 3Ah and last much longer.
I love my impact driver,when I was building my shed it survived 2 accidental 5 metre drops onto a concrete slab, hardly a mark on it and the battery didn't even fall off.
I cringed as it fell down,especially the first time and was very surprised when it just bounced about. 
As soon as the new Bosch"Core" brushless impacter comes out, I will be getting one -  http://www.coptool.com/wp-content/up...bosch-core.jpg
1/2" drive as well as the standard 1/4" hex drive,great idea !!

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## goldie1

> Bosch is making a lot of nice tools now, which is quite the opposite to some of the other big brands.

  Í have had Bosch tools for ages . Green and blue. They are all good! Some of them are out of the ark 
but they just won't die

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## Whitey66

> Í have had Bosch tools for ages . Green and blue. They are all good! Some of them are out of the ark 
> but they just won't die

  The old green seemed to be very good,I still have my first impact drill my mum bought me when I was at school 33 years ago!!
The new green don't seem to be anywhere near as reliable as the old ones.

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## Gaza

I have about 3 of the bosche blue power planners so nice to use easy to adjust its my power planer of choice superior over makita never worried about buying a Festool as the vac hooks up to this one

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## ringtail

> I have about 3 of the bosche blue power planners so nice to use easy to adjust its my power planer of choice superior over makita never worried about buying a Festool as the vac hooks up to this one

  
Yep got one of them too but the flash 4 mm cut one - animal. And their jigsaw as well. I have not found anything else on the market - not counting festool - that comes anywhere near bosch blue for quality and engineering build quality. I have to square my makita saw up every 2 weeks. Never again will I buy makita rubbish and pay for the name. $860 for the saw and the quality is rubbish. My older bosch blue drop saw was beautiful to use a and so accurate. Pitty I broke the end off the armature with a massive jam. Next saw will be a 12 inch bosch blue

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## Whitey66

Anyone tried the 18v cordless Bosch blue planer?
I was thinking of getting one for small, quick jobs.

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## barney118

Back on track, trying to decipher all the makita models, impacts and wrench, brushless vs 4 pole.

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## Godzilla73

The Makita Brushless model is good, i've got the 3 speed version which lasts about 50% longer than my standard one. Only about $40 more if buying from overseas.

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## ChocDog

Another vote for the Makita LXT range - I cant fault my LXDT08Z 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Brushless Impact Driver (not Aus model number). Battery charge lasts ages. 
Got mine from Makita LXT239 18V Cordless 1/2-Inch Hammer Drill and Impact Driver Combo Kit - Combo Kits - Cordless Power Tools at Hardware Sales and then bought a local charger.

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## Pitto

ive had the 141 makita for the last 5 years and its still going strong.  one of the batteries has left the building, but has been replaced by two 3.3ah aftermarket batteries. 
it was the start of my ever growing 18v LXT family.  
i would like to upgrade it now to the new brushless model and retire the 141 for home use.

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## r3nov8or

Love my Metabo 18v gear.

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## Pitto

had a good chat to the makita reps on saturday, makita is bringing in a 4ah battery in a few months, probably to try and keep pace with the rest of the market. 
hopefully they are not the same circuit board as the 3ah batteries. they denied knowing that there was an issue with the 3ah battery funny enough  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

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## Gaza

Where do you get fake makita battery's from how much $

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## Godzilla73

> Where do you get fake makita battery's from how much $

  4 X NEW Makita BL1830 18V 3 0AH LI ION Battery FOR Makita BL1830 Battery A | eBay

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## METRIX

> 4 X NEW Makita BL1830 18V 3 0AH LI ION Battery FOR Makita BL1830 Battery A | eBay

  These are Fake, would not bother with them, The Makita Originals are made in Japan

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## Godzilla73

> These are Fake, would not bother with them, The Makita Originals are made in Japan

  Hey i was just replying to Gaza's query maybe it was tongue in cheek, that's the thing with forums it can be hard to tell sometimes. 
I wouldn't touch 'em myself though... :Burnt:  Did someone say unexplained fire... 
Along with the 4ah batteries that are coming is an ipod dock site radio that charges your phone.

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## METRIX

We were only looking at the makita with integrated iPod today, might be time for an upgrade

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## Pitto

> These are Fake, would not bother with them, The Makita Originals are made in Japan

  i have two of these and they have been working out great so far. 3.5ah panasonic japanese cells are used, so they say.  
Service from Frontline was great too.  2 x MAKITA BL1830 3.5 18V Replacement Lith-Ion Battery - Power Tools Online, Buy Cordless Hammer Drills, Cordless Power Tools | Melbourne Tool Sales

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## grantbudd

I have the older style Dewalt 18V that I got for about $110 (skin only) on Ebay about 2 years ago. I have used this so much and its still going strong. Its been dropped and covered in plaster dust as I use to to drive plaster screws. Cant complain for the price and the fact it drives anything I need. I think they are all much of a muchness these days to keep up with current market trends. Having an inbuilt work LED is great. I would have a feel for trigger response and control and go along to a tool expo even in store. Take some hardwood and some screws and a bit and have a go  :Redface: )

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## barney118

To put you out of misery, I bought the dewalt : Dewalt 18V XR LI ION Cordless Impact Driver KIT DCF885C2 XE | eBay
but not from ebay, picked up a brand new one just like this from local cash converter store for 1/2 the price 2 batteries case never been used, I nearly fell over when I saw the price tag.

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## Uncle Bob

You won't go wrong with that Barney. But if you need some self assurance, have a youtube where Dewalt canes the competition  :Wink:

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## Markw

The real test these days is actually the number actions the driver will achieve prior to the battery being recharged. All the manufacturers bang on about how many ampere/hours their system provides and like megabits in a digital camera its all meaningless drivel. 
As part of my work I tested a whole stack of impact drivers in the 14 to 18v range to achieve a specific outcome, the installation of an electrical insulation peircing connector (IPC) for use on the electricity mains - the wires that run past your house. The Milwalkee 18v which rated way above Bosch, Makita and Panasonic could install 48 IPCs before battery exhaustion, then I tested the Hilti. At 96 IPCs and still showing a 1/2 charge left, the Hilti is the far better tool but at a larger cost. 
If your only going to use an impact wrench once in a blue moon, then the tool is just a new toy, fun to use and save you a bit of effort. If you need to use one day in day out then its all about the output and to some extent the usable life of the gearbox and batteries. I know there will be fan bois of other brands, why I don't know unless maybe its to justify their own impluse purchase. As the manager for tools and equipment where I work, I have to justify why I purchase a particular brand of tool as part of the cost benefit analysis. BTW we didn't purchase impact wrenches because the cost benefit analysis couldn't show that the saved time would be spent with a higher productivity.

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## CraigandKate

My Milwaukee is 2 years old and still going strong, been heavily used and abused, just about built my shed and hasn't missed a beat. Unfortunate really as I got to try out my mates new Milwaukee brushless version the other day with 4ah battery went even better and is much lighter! Would like to get one!

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## Boolligan

I have three Milwaukee kits from 28 through 12 volt, I work them hard and can't fault them.  The older 28 volt batteries died after two years but the newer jobs are still going strong into the third year 
Cheers
Steve  
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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