T 18 vs Dewalt 18v Impact driver

[Woodsgood]

I dont have a T 18 yet. I am trying to figure the order of priority for my next few Festool purchases.

Will I see a substantial benefit using a T 18 rather than a Dewalt 18v impact driver? The current project is framing. So I'd be driving 3" screws into 2 X material all day long. Also sub-foor decking. Thanks

 

[Kev]

You guys need the Protool range from Festool badly.

The T18 is going to drill holes very well, but it's not an impact driver. I haven't used a Dewalt 18v impact driver, but I'd have to guess its pretty good at percussion screwing.

Are you pre drilling in this application?

 

[Ken Nagrod]

Impact driver for what you're doing.  [2cents]

 

[Alan m]

i have the dewalt impact 18volt.
i use it most days . it drives 4 " screws for sport. my dewalt not impact will only bearly drive a 4 " screw  as you have to have all your weight behind it. the impact you only need the bit to be in the head of the screw and it will drive it.
you dont even need to be able to see the screw to drive it. you need noe pressure to use an ipact so it is great for above your head or other aqward places.

i have used and viewed the t18 at festool demos.
it is a great drill but still wouldnt out perform the dewalt impact. you need pressure behind the bit to stop it slipping.
it would make a great drill for drilling but not for big screws . i know they demo it driving 16" screws but how many will it drive on a charge.

even the ti15 wouldnt out perform the dewalt impact. no data but it feels a lot slower and less bang.

 

[AlexThePalex]

Will I see a substantial benefit using a T 18 rather than a Dewalt 18v impact driver? The current project is framing. So I'd be driving 3" screws into 2 X material all day long. Also sub-foor decking. Thanks

You won't see any benefit doing this with a T18, in fact, you'll see the opposite. If you're driving such screws al day long you want an impact driver.

 

[Woodsgood]

Kev, no pre-drilling, just driving.

I guess I'll be buying the OF 1400 and parallel guides for my rails next.

Thank you for the responses.  Why no festool impact?

 

[Kev]

Kev, no pre-drilling, just driving.

I guess I'll be buying the OF 1400 and parallel guides for my rails next.

Thank you for the responses.  Why no festool impact?

The Ti15 impact s great - I have one.

I'm hanging out for the latest version of the Protool PDC18-4 the thing is awesome.

I don't think you guys have got the Ti15 yet ... can't imagine Festool keeping the Protool drills away from the NA market much longer ... at least not the cordless ones. 

 

[Sean7a]

Like everyone said, stick with the DeWalt for this application.  Or wait for the Ti 15.  I think we're due for late this year.  August- Octoberish.

Recognize the two applications here.  A drill makes holes in material, a driver puts hardware, accessories, fasteners into material.  One benefits from super high speed and lower torque while the other is lower speed but very high torque.  Think off road pick up truck vs high speed small track car (miata?).

 

[Urban Redneck]

I'm a contactor and I agree with the Dewalt suggestion.  I'll even take it to the next level.  Dewalt's 18volts are becoming a dinosaur.  They're pushing their 20 volt line.  If you don't have a Dewalt, make sure you visit their website and find the drills that have at least 420 (preferably 450) or more UWO.  Believe me... You'll appreciate the extra unit watt outs if you're driving 4"ers all day.  A 700 series 18 volt at Lowes has significanty less torque than the 900 series.  Hence, the price difference.  Gosh, I hope Protool makes its way here soon.  When they do... eBay will be flooded with my Dewalt's.

 

[WarnerConstCo.]

I still don't find much benefit to a impact driver over a good quality drill.

I have 3 or 4 impact drivers sitting gathering dust for the last few years. 

I hate using them.

 

[Deansocial]

I still don't find much benefit to a impact driver over a good quality drill.

I have 3 or 4 impact drivers sitting gathering dust for the last few years. 

I hate using them.

They outlast drills when repeatedly driving large fasteners. I know this because my panasonic has driven hundreds of 8" screws where the t18 completely died after about 100, completly cooked it

 

[WarnerConstCo.]

My c-12 has ran in 1000's of long GRk RSS screws without a hitch.

 

[Urban Redneck]

Uh, are we talking about dedicated impact drivers or the drill/hammer units?  That's the beauty of the higher end drill/hammer  Dewalts.  You can quickly adjust for drilling then flip to hammer mode for smaller lags and subfloor decking.  If you're talking about lagging 10"x5/8" then that's certainly a dedicated impact tool.  Although, I have the Dewalt 36 volt drill/hammer model 901. Man, I challenge you to find a more powerful domestic cordless unit.  Trade offs are price and weight but does that thing scream power.

 

[Dogwood]

Dean,
Your t18 was cooked? Really I would've expected the festool drill to err on the side of beeping itself into a "time-out". That sucks. What ended up happening(Warrantied?) and what's your opinion of the line now compare to other drills?

(I'm sorry this strays a little from the topic but lets face it we're talking festool vs competitor drills and his festool shit the bed...)

 

[Kev]

Dean,
Your t18 was cooked? Really I would've expected the festool drill to err on the side of beeping itself into a "time-out". That sucks. What ended up happening(Warrantied?) and what's your opinion of the line now compare to other drills?

(I'm sorry this strays a little from the topic but lets face it we're talking festool vs competitor drills and his festool stuff the bed...)

I'm guessing he really means tapped the battery ... if it killed a T18 I think he would have made a bit of noise about it elsewhere by now.

Dean ??

 

[Nathan Lee]

even the ti15 wouldnt out perform the dewalt impact. no data but it feels a lot slower and less bang.
[/quote]

Not true it's got power, at work we had a race we tested the makita brussless impact, lxt makita impact, panasonic impact, hilti impact (ni-cad) the dewalt impact and the festool impact

The results were

1st Hilti 14.4v nicad

2nd Makita brushless li-ion

3rd Festool li-ion

4th Panasonic li-ion

5th dewalt nicad

6th makita li-ion

The race was just driving a 4" screw in too a 4x2

 

[Kev]

That battery seems to last forever on the Ti15 ... using it today - didn't charge it, didn't charge it last time either  [eek]

 

[Alan m]

even the ti15 wouldnt out perform the dewalt impact. no data but it feels a lot slower and less bang.

Not true it's got power, at work we had a race we tested the makita brussless impact, lxt makita impact, panasonic impact, hilti impact (ni-cad) the dewalt impact and the festool impact

The results were

1st Hilti 14.4v nicad

2nd Makita brushless li-ion

3rd Festool li-ion

4th Panasonic li-ion

5th dewalt nicad

6th makita li-ion

The race was just driving a 4" screw in too a 4x2
[/quote] i wasnt using any test. i was just obseving my 18 volt dewalt to the festool ti15. i am shocked at those figures.. i found the ti 15 didnt spin the screw in as far as my dewalt before the impact kicked in. they are both slow when impacting

 

[JSands]

My c-12 has ran in 1000's of long GRk RSS screws without a hitch.

                    As many posters above mentioned, the difference is night / day, when it comes to driving large or hard-to-drive fasteners.  The difference, as mentioned, is the amount of force you must apply to the fastener head to prevent it from stripping.... with driver, you must apply forces equal to the resistance of the fastener.  With an Impact, hardly any pressure is required as the Impactors takes hundreds of small whacks at the head.  Then there is the wrist issue, specially if you drive fasteners all day.  A driver tries to apply opposite force to your wrist, so you must grip tight and your wrist exerts anti torque resistance continously.... an impact driver takes hundreds of tiny hits, not torquing your wrist.  IMO, the Impact Driver is one of the best innovations the fastener field has experienced in a long time...

                        Now, OTOH, if the force required to insert a fastener is minimal, such as small 1" screws into well drilled holes, this differences becomes irrelevant.... and the ratchet capability of the driver now offers more benefit to prevent stripping of the wood threads as the fastener head becomes seated.  This is what makes the CXS so spectacular, its low speed torque, makes it the ultimate small fastener screw driver.   

                                I have the 18V DeWalt drives, which are amazing...they have more than ample power for 5/16" lags, up to 5" long.... that is largest fasteners I drive, and this little yellow gem eats them as an appetizer..    Can't fathom more power.... of course, larger fasteners or higher torque fasteners might benefit from added power.   

Does the 24v provide more torque, or just longer amp hours?   

In my case, I never wear out the batteries, and if I do, the one on-deck is always waiting, so I appreciate the lighter weight of smaller batteries.  If you drive fasteners fasteners continuously,  some obvious benefits to larger batteries....

 

[Woodsgood]

JSands, nicely said.

I ended up going with the 1400 and parallel guides.

I think the driver combo for me is the T 15 Impact, for strictly driving, along with the CSX for fine work.

So I'm getting tired of striping phillips tips and screws when dealing with the not-so-perfect-vantage-point screw driving. Is there a good thread on fasteners?