The Difference Between a Drill and an Impact Driver
A drill and an impact driver are both useful pieces of rotary equipment to have in any home, workshop or garage. An impact driver is also typically termed an impact drill; however, a drill and an impact driver are not the same type of tool. They share some similarities and are often confused. It is advantageous to possess both a drill and an impact driver as they possess different features, enabling them to fulfil a diverse collection of construction and repair goals.
What a Drill Is
A drill can either be plugged in or powered by a battery and it will rotate a drill bit in a clockwise direction to make holes in objects by cutting away any waste materials. A drill applies constant torque. A drill, provided with a driver bit, can be used to insert screws, bolts, and other fasteners into materials. The drill can reverse to remove the fasteners.
Individuals use leverage to increase the force of the rotary drill by pushing against it from the rear. When using a drill and it stalls, a simple method of getting it to move is to tap the trigger in quick succession. The connection between a drill and an impact driver can be made through additional activities, which could provoke the holders of drills to consider buying an impact driver.
Pros:
- Greater utility than impact driver.
- Can both drill and drive.
- Low-cost bits and drivers.
Cons:
- Poor at driving long fasteners.
- Difficult fasteners require pre-drilling.
- Hard on the hand, wrist, and arm.
What an Impact Driver Is
An impact driver has a drill-like form and is usually of a more limited size and stature. This tool has a lot of the same parts like a drill, like a handle, a trigger, and a hex collet, which is a type of chuck.
The contrast between an impact driver and a drill is that an impact driver can generate successive blasts of power users generally aim to obtain with drills in a more efficacious manner, and this is accomplished through the spring-loaded shock force mechanism located inside the tool. It gives out those explosive bursts automatically, without needing any extra input from the user.
An impact driver maintains a consistent speed when required and utilizes a powerful motion when it detects resistance when drilling into the material.
Impact drivers have been a staple in garages for automotive purposes for a long time. Impact drivers that are light, cordless, and compact have recently become popular for home repair projects.
Impact drivers are known for their remarkable ability to drive fasteners with a strong turning force, rather than drilling holes. An impact driver isn’t the preferred tool to drill a hole, though it can be done if necessary.
Pros:
- Easy on wrist and arm because torque is applied by the tool.
- Reduces chance of stripped screws.
- Smaller than most drills.
- High power ratio when compared to its size.
Cons
- No variable speeds.
- Poor for drilling.
- Not for hard, brittle materials like masonry.
- Requires special, expensive bits.
- More expensive than a drill.
Impact Driver vs Drill – Front end
Impact driver
The impact driver has a ¼” hexagon bit retainer.
The impact driver does have a tool retention system that makes it easy to switch out bits, but only bits with a ¼” hexagon shape are compatible with it, so that could be a limitation. Certain companies do produce power tool attachments with a 1/4-inch hex shank, which is meant to be used with an impact driver.
Drill
The drill relies on a three-pronged chuck to secure the power tool attachment. A three-pronged chuck is utilized to grasp cylindrical, six-sided, and even triangular-shaped rods. The 3 jaws are intended to hold bits firmly in the center of the chuck for maximum accuracy when drilling. This feature is self-centring in nature.
The action of the chuck enables it to hold various sizes of cylindrical shanks used for drill bits, triangles shanks on many arbors and hexagonal shanks for stirrers, bit holders and screwdriver bits.
There are a wide variety of tools and accessories one can use with a drill chuck, too many to mention here. Nevertheless, it can handle any device that has a shank with one of the shapes described above.
Impact Driver vs Drill – Working mechanisms
The way that each machine operates is where the two tools diverge. I did not know the best way to express this, so I went to our customer service desk and asked Simon Wilde, who leads the group of technicians approved by the factory, for his advice.
Simon has been involved with power tools for over 35 years, and I was relying on him to elucidate the details to me in an easy to understand way. He kick-started his action by first displaying the components of each implement by unpacking the containers of both tools.
The motors of both machines are operated by a battery, and each one utilizes a different method of producing torque.
Impact driver
Impact drivers provide a stirring amount of rotary power that is released from a spring. This robust activity leads to revolving hammers smashing an anvil repeatedly every second. This is optimal for tasks that necessitate a great deal of torque with no resistance felt by the user.
Drill
The drill maintains constant turning torque using gears. Explaining in simple language, it is like pressing your hand against the surface of a brick wall and continuing to push against it – this is how a drill is able to produce power. Imagine using a powerful force akin to punching a brick wall; that’s how an impact driver operates. One is a consistent effort, while the other is a powerful blow. Have a look at this clip of a Festool PDC drill to observe how it functions.
Impact Driver vs Drill – Torque delivery
The main difference between the two tools is how they deliver torque, which further shows their pros and cons.
Impact driver
Impact drivers are most efficient at high speeds, providing the most substantial force of the hammer striking the anvil. Drills create the greatest rotational power when functioning at a slow speed and shifted to the lowest gear.
Impact drivers may be utilized for drill jobs, however, when employed in tandem with ¼” hexagon shank drill bits, the stop-start turns could potentially result in an unfavorable surface finish. The speed of drilling is often reduced when impacted by an impact driver.
Many users of impact drivers appreciate the convenience of not having to fight the tool while driving large screws.
Impact drivers deliver their torque in brief intervals, so there is no kickback to the user, making it possible to use just one hand when holding them.
The main advantages of the impact drivers torque delivery system means:
- Screwdriver bits are less likely to jump out of fastener heads.
- Very little weight is required behind the tool.
- It can be used at arm’s length – ideal when you need to tighten or loosen something in a difficult-to-reach area.
This absence of feedback is advantageous in the majority of cases, except when it comes to precision screwdriving.
In recent times, impact drivers have been outfitted with varying velocity settings to enable the person to have greater authority over the screwdriving practises. Milwaukee impact drivers possess an interesting attribute, that being a feature that is specifically set up for self-drilling screws. The “auto-setting” aims to stop excessive tightening and guard against smooshing washers located below the roofing tek screws.
Drill
Drills are especially useful for creating holes in materials as they provide a constant level of torque which produces an even, precise, and clean hole. Drills are the most suitable instruments for applications that require precise screwdriving as the rotational speed can be easily regulated, torque can be preserved even at lower speeds, and the machine offers feedback – which will be discussed further down the line.
A drill does not transfer the same amount of force to the user as an impact driver does if it is turning a fastener with 30Nm of torque. The tactile sensation of a drill provides a clearer indication when you are close to fracturing a brittle material or utilizing too much pressure and breaking the head on a tiny screw – something that you cannot discern when utilizing an impact driver.
Impact Driver vs Drill – Torque
It is quite usual for people who use power tools to decide which tool to buy based on the technical information listed on the spec sheet – they might think that the one with the fastest RPM rate and the most powerful torque is the best one. Well, not quite.
Impact driver
Impact drivers are celebrated for their mightiness in terms of torque and are capable of generating effective influxes of rotational power, primarily due to their diminutive size. The figures for torque stated on technical documents can be befuddling depending on the system used to measure the torque. A prime illustration of this is firm and yielding torque.
Soft torque
It might be helpful to imagine screwing a nail into wood when considering this. As you drive the screw further and further, you’ll need to use an increasing amount of torque until it reaches the material – this is what is known as soft torque.
Hard torque
Think about fastening a threaded bolt into a steel plate which has had screw threads cut into it beforehand; as soon as the thread is engaged with the plate, the bolt will move easily and without any effort through the threads.
When the base of the bolt head comes into contact with the metal plate, it does so with a sharp sound, since nothing is taking the sudden power from it. At that instant, the torque rises sharply, producing an exceptionally high measurement – this is known as a hard torque.
Drill
The variation between a drill and other tools is that drills can keep the twisting force constant throughout the whole rotation. Many individuals are often astounded when they observe a powerful drill persistently driving in a large construction screw, despite the fact that an impact driver boasting a higher torque level has already ceased function. It’s the continual turning power that makes this possible.
When to Use a Drill
A drill can be used for making holes by using drill bits, for inserting screws into soft wood, and for drilling into brick or stone.
By having an impact driver, it is possible to switch to using it to tighten all screws, except the smaller ones. Due to its immense strength, an impact driver will quickly “sink in” short screws faster than anticipated. This can lead to forcing the screw further down than desired.
This is especially essential when inserting drywall screws into drywall. You must be exact in your control in order to stop the screw tip from sinking below the paper line and into the gypsum hub. A drill provides more precision than an impact driver.
An impact driver should be used when drilling into masonry surfaces like concrete, brick, or veneer stone.
When to Use an Impact Driver
For most fasteners, the impact driver should be used instead of any other tool, except if they are very short.
An impact driver can easily handle jobs like sinking 3 inches screws into wood, something even a drill can struggle with even if a pre-drilled hole has been made. Impact drivers are highly effective when it comes to putting screws and other fasteners into hardwood that is full of knots or otherwise dense.
You should also employ an impact driver for screws of the machine type or lag screws.
Should You Buy a Hammer Drill?
You may want to look at getting a hammer drill if you are looking for a specific kind of drill. A hammer drill utilizes both short bursts of rotation along with a forward and back movement (the hammering action) to create a hole in hard masonry that is too difficult for traditional drills to penetrate.
If a hammer drill is not as functional as a drill or an impact driver, then it usually has less practicality for the majority of those who own a home. If you anticipate doing a large amount of drilling into masonry, you should buy a hammer drill. Otherwise, consider renting or buying one.
Tools that combine the ability to rotate and to hammer drill can now be bought. These can be beneficial for working with ceramic tile and lightweight concrete block. It is also possible to find multipurpose tools that provide all three types of operation: normal rotational drilling, impact driving with periodic pulsations, and hammer drilling that incorporates linear beating motion with rotational blowing. Professional and more experienced DIYers usually prefer to have individual tools specifically designed for each task. Different companies provide sets of tools that include a hammer drill and an impact driver.
Should You Buy an Impact Wrench?
An impact wrench can be mistaken for an impact driver, although they have a similar appearance, their functions are entirely different. An impact wrench is not normally used to insert screws through wood, rather it is often employed to either fasten or loosen nuts or bolts of machinery. These tools are pricier and more robust, but they don’t run as fast as an impact driver. Generally speaking, an impact wrench is the go-to tool for automotive purposes, rather than an impact driver.
The hammering action of the tool is somewhat different. An impact wrench is built to give out a sudden surge of rotational power, while an impact driver creates numerous smaller surges of hammering power, which are required for putting screws through wood. Impact wrenches are usually operated by air compressors, yet electric and battery-operated models can also be located.
You should get an impact wrench if you do a large amount of car repair. If carpentry-oriented construction is your primary occupation, you should get an impact driver.
