Impact Drivers?

[woodie]

The Festool impact driver is currently NAINA (release sometime this fall/price TBD) so I was wondering if there are alternatives anyone could suggest. I have a NiMH C12 and a T18.  The original allure of the Ti15 was the ability to interchange batteries.  Although I think I read that you can only do this with same or lower voltages. This means the C12 batteries are the only ones that would work on the Ti15… kind of pointless I suppose.  The systainer is a definite plus too, but that can be added on its own.

As an alternative, I was looking at the Hilti SID 18. Can anyone comment on the Hilti, good or bad? Any others I should be looking at? The one thing I'd like for sure is a brushless motor. A light would be great too.

 

[festooldude]

Buy the makita combopack.. It's a driver and a drill combo.. Makita LXT series BTD134 and BDF446..
I got both, but little older version, absolutly love them.. 14,4v LI  lot's of power.. lightweight, comfortable grip,
led light.. Mine came in a Makita sys3..

good luck choosing..

Gr rick

 

[ericbuggeln]

Ive found that with the family of Festool drill/drivers there is no need for an impact. I have the Makita 18v that I will sell you for half price. I have barely used it bc I like the c12 better PM me if youre interested, Eric

 

[neth27]

I have the Hilti.. excellent impact driver..

John.....

 

[woodie]

Thanks for the input so far! I was excited to hear that Makita offers some of their tools in systainers… unfortunately it seems these are NAINA as well (the exception being the track saw).  I've heard good things about the Makita, I do wish they had a "fuel gauge" of some sort.

 

[ericbuggeln]

Woodie, the one i have recharges in fifteen minutes and would fit in a sys 2 with some Kaizen foam. Let me know if you are interested. I live in CT but would send it to you, Eric

 

[neth27]

I have the Hilti impact driver, charger and the 2X 3.3ah batteries in a systainer 2 (red systainer [big grin]) with plenty of room left over...

John.....

 

[jmbfestool]

Ive found that with the family of Festool drill/drivers there is no need for an impact. I have the Makita 18v that I will sell you for half price. I have barely used it bc I like the c12 better PM me if youre interested, Eric

Umm you say that but to today I was driving in some Thunderbolts 120mm long and I used my festool for first 10 of them it left them ALL about 50mm out and even in first gear just wouldnt send them in.    I used my Milwaukee Impact drill and they just went in a breeze!  Now saying that the Festool I have found has the same power as Milwuakee Impact it can drive in the same size screws as easily and I think quicker and even bigger ones BUT with fixings like the thunderbolts a impact drill is required.   Even though the festool is equal or great in power than my milwuakee it was the impact which is required to help drive the screws in. I dont know if you have used thunderbolts but they are mint!

JMB

 

[jmbfestool]

Thanks for the input so far! I was excited to hear that Makita offers some of their tools in systainers… unfortunately it seems these are NAINA as well (the exception being the track saw).  I've heard good things about the Makita, I do wish they had a "fuel gauge" of some sort.

Well the first tools where in a ''systainer'' which where not true systainers they looked like them  but they wouldnt clip together because they had metal clips!  Now Makita do have ''reall'' systainers for their tools.

 

[ericbuggeln]

JMB, i was just saying me. Since Im a huge tool dork, when Impact Driver Mania hit and everyone told me that I had to have one, I researched it and bought the best one I could find. Winds up I use it once a year and it just collects dust, hence my offering to sell it to this fine gentleman at a spectacular price. It does have the nicest grip of any driver i have ever held, Eric

 

[promhandicam]

I've got the Hilti SID 121a 12v impact driver and I wouldn't be without it. It is small, light, robust with 3 bright LEDs and is more powerful than the Ti 15 - 130Nm compared to 100Nm for the Festool. Apparently Hilti no longer sell the 12v version only the 14v and 22v versions - in the UK at least. Doing a quick google, Home depot sell the SID 144 kit for $319 which as far as I'm concerned is an absolute bargain as it comes with 2 batteries and charger. For comparison The Ti 15 kit with one battery is £549 or around $860

 

[jmbfestool]

I've got the Hilti SID 121a 12v impact driver and I wouldn't be without it. It is small, light, robust with 3 bright LEDs and is more powerful than the Ti 15 - 130Nm compared to 100Nm for the Festool. Apparently Hilti no longer sell the 12v version only the 14v and 22v versions - in the UK at least. Doing a quick google, Home depot sell the SID 144 kit for $319 which as far as I'm concerned is an absolute bargain as it comes with 2 batteries and charger. For comparison The Ti 15 kit with one battery is £549 or around $860

Just saying  cus its annoying when people mention the specs  to relate its power.  They mean NOTHING!   Often you will find drills with 80nm could be more powerfull than 100nm.  So your saying cus the hilti has 130nm and festool has 100nm means it has more power means nothing. Its how it performance in the real world.   Not saying the Hilti isnt more powerfull im just saying specs on drills are just a rough guide.

JMB

 

[Ken Nagrod]

Marketing is what JMB is referring to. Everyone likes numbers and can relate to them for "comparison".

 

[Kevin Stricker]

I have had good luck with my Panasonic 14.4.  I'm on my second body ( dropped the first 16' onto concrete) and the 3 year old batteries can still last for most of a day even when building decks. Panasonic released a 18v model last year that looks like a beast.  If you are going for a smaller model I would check out the recent review in Tools of the Trade.

I wish I could just use a drill/driver all the time, I hate the noise of an impact.  After driving a couple thousand screws my elbows turn to mush, so I try to be smart and just put on ear protection.

BTW impacts are also awesome at countersinking as their higher RPMs can really speed up production.

 

[Nigel]

I'd go with the Makita 18v combo. Got to be the best value out there.

I don't know about the specs but in 1st gear the drill will break you hands off .As for impacts they are great for fast driving and for pozi - head screws but for long construction screws I find 1st gear on the drill best , the impact just doesn't have the power.

 

[woodie]

Thanks again for the feedback so far! I do have the drill/driver department covered with the C12 and T18, plus a Hilti SFH 18 A (trying to sell that one though). So combo kits, although a good value, aren't needed.

I looked at the 18V Panasonic online and it is a beast! How well does light work placed down by the battery I wonder?

The Makita seems to be a good option, I just wish it had a "Fuel Guage" instead of the "I'm dead" light (two more LED's Makita, thats all you needed).

Of course now I've noticed the Hilti doesn't have a belt clip. I would have thought this was of little value had I not been exposed to this on my T18.

Dang you Festool! Of course the Ti15 has all these features plus the systainer. I just need something sooner and preferably for less than the $550 to $860 price range given above… Arghh

 

[jmbfestool]

Thanks again for the feedback so far! I do have the drill/driver department covered with the C12 and T18, plus a Hilti SFH 18 A (trying to sell that one though). So combo kits, although a good value, aren't needed.

I looked at the 18V Panasonic online and it is a beast! How well does light work placed down by the battery I wonder?

The Makita seems to be a good option, I just wish it had a "Fuel Guage" instead of the "I'm dead" light (two more LED's Makita, thats all you needed).

Of course now I've noticed the Hilti doesn't have a belt clip. I would have thought this was of little value had I not been exposed to this on my T18.

Dang you Festool! Of course the Ti15 has all these features plus the systainer. I just need something sooner and preferably for less than the $550 to $860 price range given above… Arghh

I think the T18 belt clip it crap to be honest!   Not to fond of the hook over other hooks I have used but mainly because they break off!  I broke my belt clip on my battery within a month! The piece which you rotate so you can remove the belt clip if you want just snapped of one day! Good job I wasnt up very heigh! I just tried to clip it onto my belt and about to let go and it just came off! I was left with the drill in one hand and the piece of metal partly hooked onto my belt.

JMB

 

[Alan m]

Thanks again for the feedback so far! I do have the drill/driver department covered with the C12 and T18, plus a Hilti SFH 18 A (trying to sell that one though). So combo kits, although a good value, aren't needed.

I looked at the 18V Panasonic online and it is a beast! How well does light work placed down by the battery I wonder?

The Makita seems to be a good option, I just wish it had a "Fuel Guage" instead of the "I'm dead" light (two more LED's Makita, thats all you needed).

Of course now I've noticed the Hilti doesn't have a belt clip. I would have thought this was of little value had I not been exposed to this on my T18.

Dang you Festool! Of course the Ti15 has all these features plus the systainer. I just need something sooner and preferably for less than the $550 to $860 price range given above… Arghh

I think the T18 belt clip it crap to be honest!  Not to fond of the hook over other hooks I have used but mainly it breaks off!  I broke my belt clip on my battery within a month! The piece which you rotate so you can remove the belt clip if you wanted just snapped of one day! Good job I wasnt up very height! I just tried to clip it onto my belt and about to let go and it just came off! I was left the drill in one hand and the piece of metal partly hooked onto my belt.

JMB

must be all that silicone etc on those snickers

 

[Kevin Stricker]

I looked at the 18V Panasonic online and it is a beast! How well does light work placed down by the battery I wonder?

It is not as good as some( Dewalt seems the best I have seen), but can be a convenient flashlight as it turns on and off with a button.

 

[Nigel]

The Makita seems to be a good option, I just wish it had a "Fuel Guage" instead of the "I'm dead" light (two more LED's Makita, thats all you needed).

Mine doesn't have any lights at all apart from the headlight . Maybe they've upgraded them?