Undecided on impact driver

I personally would not buy the Ti15, that is based on only seeing videos and reviews on it, have no time behind one myself.  And $$ you can gt a 4pc kit for them prices, and I like my Fessies, but $ talks.
I have been using my Bosch impacts for 5 yrs now some slim pack batts and 4 fatpacks, I don't even use the slims unless I have too, get the biggest V and Ahr you can looks like lots of GRK's in your future.
Glad to hear Bosch is finally making a brushless (bout time in my opinion) , been waiting as everyone has one already.
If I didn't already have bosch stuff I think I would go to the 3.3A hr Hilti line.  Or I just need to rig up my bosch jam box to charge whatever battery I end up with.
 
Thanks everyone!  Methinks to get the Hilti SID 18-A, but unlike Woody I'm leaning towards the slim battery packs.  Woody, how smooth do you find the trigger?
 
Just that one deck isn't much of a challenge for any of them. However, thinking about driving that many fasteners without an impact makes my wrist hurt.

I have a CXS and T15 kits and a dozen other Festools. Between personal and two businesses, I have impacts from Makita, Bosch, Milwaukee, and Panasonic. I have tried the new Hilti 18v that is actually 21.6v, and the Festool Ti15.

The Bosch 18v and the Hilti are good heavy duty impacts. The Makita 3 speed Brushless would be my choice. It has almost as much power and has the variable power settings that make it so much more useful.

I would make your choice based upon the other tools that you might want that use the same batteries. For me that is the Makita LXT series. I have read the battery "issue" comments on the web. I can tell you that with more than 25 Makita LXT batteries, I only had one that failed early. The failure rate we have had on Dewalt batteries has been horrible. It does seem to me that some of the reported Lithium battery issues may be related to people that leave them in their work trucks overnight in very cold weather.

To answer your question about the C15, or the C12, having the ergonomics of the CXS where you "point" the drill with your finger - NO they don't work that way. I LOVE the CXS but didn't like the C series drills. You really need to try a C and T series drill and make a choice. The T18 has more power than I like in a drill without a side handle. I really like the Bosch 36v drill for a high power cordless, particularly with both slim and fat batteries.

For those of you that have the Makita Impacts but not the new 3-speed Brushless one, the improvement is amazing.

 
GregBradley said:
Just that one deck isn't much of a challenge for any of them. However, thinking about driving that many fasteners without an impact makes my wrist hurt.

I have a CXS and T15 kits and a dozen other Festools. Between personal and two businesses, I have impacts from Makita, Bosch, Milwaukee, and Panasonic. I have tried the new Hilti 18v that is actually 21.6v, and the Festool Ti15.

The Bosch 18v and the Hilti are good heavy duty impacts. The Makita 3 speed Brushless would be my choice. It has almost as much power and has the variable power settings that make it so much more useful.

I would make your choice based upon the other tools that you might want that use the same batteries. For me that is the Makita LXT series. I have read the battery "issue" comments on the web. I can tell you that with more than 25 Makita LXT batteries, I only had one that failed early. The failure rate we have had on Dewalt batteries has been horrible. It does seem to me that some of the reported Lithium battery issues may be related to people that leave them in their work trucks overnight in very cold weather.
Click to expand...

leaving them completely dead, running them down to absolute zero and charging in the sun also
 
reburns said:
Thanks everyone!  Methinks to get the Hilti SID 18-A, but unlike Woody I'm leaning towards the slim battery packs.  Woody, how smooth do you find the trigger?
Click to expand...

The variable speed trigger works great. In addition you also have the three power settings.
 
Always surprises me when people post their opinion that's only based on someone else's opinion ... kinda low in value. As I've mentioned, I have a Ti15 and I appreciate it for what it does. In the US you get to put a Festool through it's paces for 30 days and throw it back if you don't like it.
't suit yo
Anyway - that said, looking at some of the stuff you need to tackle ... you're not installing the odd kitchen cupboard! If the Ti15 doesn't suit you I would probably aim high in the Hilti range !
 
Kev said:
Always surprises me when people post their opinion that's only based on someone else's opinion ... kinda low in value. As I've mentioned, I have a Ti15 and I appreciate it for what it does. In the US you get to put a Festool through it's paces for 30 days and throw it back if you don't like it.
't suit yo
Anyway - that said, looking at some of the stuff you need to tackle ... you're not installing the odd kitchen cupboard! If the Ti15 doesn't suit you I would probably aim high in the Hilti range !
Click to expand...

forget JMB's review, pull up the numbers and compare. if we want the best value from a tool with disregard to brand loyalty it will have a tough time keeping pace, right?

otherwise, i've spent enough time behind impact drivers and different impact drivers to give a "valuable" opinion. i give my recommendations based on what i perceive as the best value not what looks best amongst other festools.

though i can understand your need to devalue my opinion because you bought one.  ;)

 
GregBradley said:
To answer your question about the C15, or the C12, having the ergonomics of the CXS where you "point" the drill with your finger - NO they don't work that way. I LOVE the CXS but didn't like the C series drills. You really need to try a C and T series drill and make a choice....
Click to expand...

Thxs for that answer Greg - I was thinking that it's telltale that there's no C18.  I fondled the C12 vs. T15 at the nearest woodworking dealer... that's all they had in stock.  Don't think I'll get much chance to use those models before buying, so that's where input from y'all helps.  Passed on an eBay NIB T15 yesterday because I'm not sure yet.  I did buy some Makita impacts for a Haiti school I funded a couple years back and those were fine.  Aftermarket batteries that are marketed to photographers stink so even if the cell manufacturer is Sanyo, the assembly and controlling circuits vary widely (www.ralpheburns.com).  

I ordered the Hilti and will try it building a shipping crate in another week, and as a DIY don't exactly know yet what I'm doing on the deck.  But I'll learn, work slow and then be all the more learned from the experience.  My contractor already liked some of my ideas.  I put the hardwood floors in my last house as a DIY and it's held up among the best I've seen because I over-compensated on my inexperience with extra care.  

Cheerio - RalphE
 
I have the Hilti, it's a great impact driver. Plenty of power, light, small, and can be thrown around okay  [big grin]

John..
 
reburns said:
GregBradley said:
To answer your question about the C15, or the C12, having the ergonomics of the CXS where you "point" the drill with your finger - NO they don't work that way. I LOVE the CXS but didn't like the C series drills. You really need to try a C and T series drill and make a choice....
Click to expand...

Thxs for that answer Greg - I was thinking that it's telltale that there's no C18.  I fondled the C12 vs. T15 at the nearest woodworking dealer... that's all they had in stock.  Don't think I'll get much chance to use those models before buying, so that's where input from y'all helps.  Passed on an eBay NIB T15 yesterday because I'm not sure yet.  I did buy some Makita impacts for a Haiti school I funded a couple years back and those were fine.  Aftermarket batteries that are marketed to photographers stink so even if the cell manufacturer is Sanyo, the assembly and controlling circuits vary widely (www.ralpheburns.com).  

I ordered the Hilti and will try it building a shipping crate in another week, and as a DIY don't exactly know yet what I'm doing on the deck.  But I'll learn, work slow and then be all the more learned from the experience.  My contractor already liked some of my ideas.  I put the hardwood floors in my last house as a DIY and it's held up among the best I've seen because I over-compensated on my inexperience with extra care.  

Cheerio - RalphE
Click to expand...

Actually I hold my C15 like the CXS,  - point drill with finger, no difference and it works well for me. Try it and see.  I do think that anything much heavier than the C15 would start to become an issue but maybe it just depends on your hand strength

Chris
 
duburban said:
Kev said:
Always surprises me when people post their opinion that's only based on someone else's opinion ... kinda low in value. As I've mentioned, I have a Ti15 and I appreciate it for what it does. In the US you get to put a Festool through it's paces for 30 days and throw it back if you don't like it.
't suit yo
Anyway - that said, looking at some of the stuff you need to tackle ... you're not installing the odd kitchen cupboard! If the Ti15 doesn't suit you I would probably aim high in the Hilti range !
Click to expand...

forget JMB's review, pull up the numbers and compare. if we want the best value from a tool with disregard to brand loyalty it will have a tough time keeping pace, right?

otherwise, i've spent enough time behind impact drivers and different impact drivers to give a "valuable" opinion. i give my recommendations based on what i perceive as the best value not what looks best amongst other festools.

though i can understand your need to devalue my opinion because you bought one.  ;)
Click to expand...
Read my first comments on the Ti15 - considering it as a total package. Further, I fail to comprehend how making up ones own mind based on a free trial of 30 days is a bad idea.

Another thing to consider is an idividual's particular application and additionally the misleading results you get from comparing various manufacturers specs.

To be clear - I'm not so much devaluing your opinion as identifying that it is based on no direct practical experience with the tool.

Devaluing you opinion "because I've purchased a Ti15" doesn't do much for me - but it may just give the OP a balanced perspective ... You must also remember that the value to consider should be total value over the life of a tool incorporating its utility and how well it works with your other tools and accessories - a significant aspect to consider with Festool.
 
neth27 said:
chelseaboy said:
neth27 said:
I have the Hilti, it's a great impact driver. Plenty of power, light, small, and can be thrown around okay  [big grin]

John..
Click to expand...

Neth what one do you have
Click to expand...

SID 22-A....
Click to expand...

Same exact spec'd size as the SID 18-A... different voltage battery pack same Ah rating.  Hmmm, torque is proportional to current (amps) and methinks what matters for current flow is the chemistry of the cells, no idea how voltage affects current draw.  Could the two tools almost be twins?
 
They are exactly the same tools and same batteries. For some reason called 18v over there  [big grin]

John...
 
I am a Festool nut (as most people know) but I do not have any of the drill drivers and have only 'played' with one once at a show. I do have, and have reviewed, some Hitachi machines which work really well. The 18volt 4Ah impact driver I tested was brilliant and I understand that they also do a brushless model which works just as well but uses much less power.

Peter
 
Tom Bellemare said:
no idea how voltage affects current draw
Click to expand...

E=IR

Tom
Click to expand...

Tom, it's a chemistry question not a circuit fundamental.  Some battery cell chemistry types release current faster.. i.e. if you were using a camera flash it would recycle for the next photo faster using some types of batteries compared to others (NiMh has higher current flow than alkaline for example), and the same could apply to driver torque.  Probably antiquated info but: http://www.dream-models.com/eco/electrics-charging.html
 
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