Difference between DWC 18-2500 and DWC 18-4500

[AlexThePalex]

What's the difference between DWC 18-2500 and DWC 18-4500?

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Well, I know about the RPM, one is 2500 and the other is 4500, but what I need to know is, what application they would be suited best. Which one suits my application best.

Since last week I am the project manager of a project where we turn a former commercial space into 5 appartments for rent, and all the divisions will be made with metalstuds, OSB board, and drywall. I have 6 guys directly under my supervision and 5 more on a neighbouring project that manage themselves but rely on my logistical support.

We have many meters of wall to do and right now we only have one guy with one DeWalt screwgun installing all the drywall. First we put up the metalstuds, fill them with insulation, then a layer of 12 mm OSB board for rigidity, and finally a layer of 12 mm drywall that will be sprayed with latex wall paint.

The 6 guys worked for 3 weeks by themselves, hoping they would manage themselves just like the other group did succesfully, but it didn't work out, it all went chaotically and very slow. So I was brought in to organise the lot and speed up the process. I will also will join them myself, 10 hours a day for 6 days per week.

So I am thinking we need an extra drywall gun so we can have two people installing drywall and OSB. Naturally I thought about the Festool DWC since I am already on the battery platform and we might only need a basic version. I will be using my 15 volt batteries instead of 18, but I don't think I'll lose too much RPM's there. Or maybe I am wrong?

Turns out there are two versions of the DWC, so I wonder why, and what would be best for my situation. I never used one before, so any advice is appreciated. Thanks.

 

[guybo]

Hi, you need speed for metal.

 

[live4ever]

The higher speed guns tend to be used for drywall, while lower speed/higher torque are for fencing, subfloor, decking etc.  You could feasibly use the 2500 for drywall into wood studs (definitely 4500 for metal studs), but I don’t think the 4500 would work as well for decking, fencing etc.  In NA we only have the 4500 targeted at drywall.  I use a collared Senco for subfloor, fencing etc.  Never tried the 4500 for those applications mostly because a non-Phillips drive bit isn’t available here and a lot of those screws tend to be square drive.

I’ve been using it this week for drywalling.  The thing is whisper quiet and smooth.

 

[semenza]

The lower 2500 RPM and more torque for wood etc. 

The 4500 for drywall onto metal framing. I do not believe the 4500 will do much of a variety of materials.

Seth

 

[AlexThePalex]

Thanks for the replies guys. So it is about torque vs speed, well, I definitely need the latter. Been told the projected number of screws is around 20.000. Looks like it is the 4500.

And using a 15 volt battery, would that make a lot of difference in speed? I don't have a lot of battery powered tools, so I had no chance to experiment there.

 

[scb_yyz]

Definitely use high quality self tapping screws meant for metal studding. Normal drywall screws will work, but they're a time waster.  Just did a kitchen using metal studding..  self tapping made all the difference.

 

[rst]

Whether or not you need self tappers depends on the stud thickness.  The most common studding, at least here in the US, commercial, is 20/22ga and self feeding screw guns work fine.  If the walls are tall the could be 18ga and you will need self tappers.  I studded out my shop and my daughters basement with standard 22ga and used my C-18 with the depth limiting nose.  I couldn't find my
DWC, thought I left it in Florida at my other daughters along with my Planex as they were still remodeling.  Found it last week in spare garage along with couple thousand screw strips  [mad]  I quit using wood for framing probably 35 years ago when I started remodeling the house we live in.  My wife's grandparents, off the boat Polish 16 year olds, built the house in the early 1920s.  Her grandfather was a crossing guard for the Pennsylvania Railroad.  Anyway back to remodeling.  I stripped the horsehair plaster off, good times  [sad], and used steel hat channel to flatten the walls and ceilings.  Working 40 years in commercial construction gave me lots of insights into ease in construction.

 

[scb_yyz]

Actually I found the lightweight studs I was using from HD, tended to bend away from the normal drywall screws before they bit in, requiring a lot of perseverance and finesse.  The self tapping nipped that in the bud.  zip zip.

Of course I wasn't using a dedicated screw gun.  hobbyist!

Funny thing was, I only needed a couple of pounds of screws for the reno, but the materials dealer only had 25 lb boxes of them, so I ended up with a load of screws I didn't need.  I passed them along to our local housing charity.

 

[Rob Z]

I think those light weight studs at HD are 25 gauge  [eek], or as we used to say, had thinner metal in them than a can of beer. [big grin]

Actually I found the lightweight studs I was using from HD, tended to bend away from the normal drywall screws before they bit in, requiring a lot of perseverance and finesse.  The self tapping nipped that in the bud.  zip zip.

 

[Rob Z]

Hello Alex

Way back when Festool was bringing out the 18v cordless track saw, I had 15v batteries for the T drills and I asked Tom Bellemare if they would work on the 18v track saw.  (I didn't have any 18v tools and was trying to avoid adding more batteries.)  If I recall correctly, he said the 15v batteries would work on the 18v saw, but the rpms would change and most importantly, the torque would drop. I didn't buy the cordless saw so I never got to see  if there would be a noticeable difference as described by Tom. FYI in case the drop in rpms and torque would affect the ease of running in so many screws using the DWC

What's the difference between DWC 18-2500 and DWC 18-4500?

[attachimg=1]

Well, I know about the RPM, one is 2500 and the other is 4500, but what I need to know is, what application they would be suited best. Which one suits my application best.

Naturally I thought about the Festool DWC since I am already on the battery platform and we might only need a basic version. I will be using my 15 volt batteries instead of 18, but I don't think I'll lose too much RPM's there. Or maybe I am wrong?

 

[Rob Z]

I always said I never wanted to work with steel studs.  And I was quite certain about that [big grin] .  And then  about 25 years ago I met a guy who did commercial steel stud work.  He came to help on one of my jobs and I quickly saw the wisdom of using steel studs  [eek].  I never made the full transition like you did but we ended up doing probably half or more of our framing each year  with steel.

  Anyway back to remodeling.  I stripped the horsehair plaster off, good times  [sad], and used steel hat channel to flatten the walls and ceilings.  Working 40 years in commercial construction gave me lots of insights into ease in construction.

 

[AlexThePalex]

The quickness and ease of working with metal studs is good, and it is very cheap also. What is not good is that it is not very strong, and the noise transmission from one appartment to the other is a large problem. We already finished another building with two appartments, and when you're in one appartment, you can litterally hear anything they say in the next. Something you don't have when you work with bricks or aerated concrete blocks. Anyway, not my problem, owner and architect want it like this, we make it like this.

 

[AlexThePalex]

Definitely use high quality self tapping screws meant for metal studding. Normal drywall screws will work, but they're a time waster.  Just did a kitchen using metal studding..  self tapping made all the difference.

We use the black drywall screws, and they work fine, we already installed many thousands of them.

 

[AlexThePalex]

And I have a second question, if we want to have two people installing boards we also need a second cutting station for the OSB boards.

I have my TS55 and two 1400 rails available, and I can easily get another used TS55 for around 250 bucks, so that's no problem. The problem is getting a 2700 or 3000 long rail to cut the boards along their length. The Festool rails are not only twice as expensive as those from the competition, but also very difficult to get, everything is on backorder as we all know, with delivery times of 6 weeks. And also impossible to find on the used market.

But Makita rails of 3000 are easy to get, do the Festool saws fit on them?

 

[GarryMartin]

But Makita rails of 3000 are easy to get, do the Festool saws fit on them?

They do. You might need to tighten the saw to the rail a little more on the Makita, but for a standard cut, that's about it.

Seehttps://workshoppist.com/festool-vs-makita-guide-rails-just-the-same/ for full details.

 

[bertv]

[member=5277]Alex[/member]  At the Hotel New York, which you may know (…) they doubled up the walls when they subdivided for hotel rooms. Provides for extra insulation and extra room for utilities. You loose maybe 15 cm’s per wall, but the benefits are evident.
Also: using neoprene strips on the U’s on top and bottom is very important if you need sound isolation (which is something different than insulation).

 

[AlexThePalex]

They do. You might need to tighten the saw to the rail a little more on the Makita, but for a standard cut, that's about it.

Thanks, good to know. That will simplify things greatly.

[member=5277]Alex[/member]  At the Hotel New York, which you may know (…) they doubled up the walls when they subdivided for hotel rooms. Provides for extra insulation and extra room for utilities. You loose maybe 15 cm’s per wall, but the benefits are evident.
Also: using neoprene strips on the U’s on top and bottom is very important if you need sound isolation (which is something different than insulation).

I don't know that hotel, but we do the same, double walls between appartments, with a 60 mm empty space in between the walls (spouw).

They did the walls of 2 appartments before I was brought in, and they did not put in the empty space, and did not install the neoprene strips. When the general contracter saw that he was very displeased. One of the reasons why I was brought in, to make sure everything is done according to Dutch building code. The workers are from Eastern Europe.

 

[bertv]

OK, I was under the impression you lived in Rotterdam, so…

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[AlexThePalex]

Nope, Amsterdam area.

 

[bertv]

Ah, one digit different in the area code… : )