To get that 1400 in-lbs max torque, you’ll need to be in the 0-500 RPM speed range. Referring to our guide to Milwaukee cordless drills, their top of the line M18 Fuel 29 brushless drill and hammer drill deliver 1400 in-lbs max torque, and with 0-500 and 0-2100 RPM speed ranges. The higher torque is part of the reason, but it also comes down to application speed.Įven if one were to upgrade to a heavy duty or extreme torque cordless drill, most impact drivers will complete the same fastening tasks in a fraction of the time. But when I need a hole saw, larger drill bit for wood, or other more demanding drill bit, compact drills are rarely enough.Īn impact driver is, in my opinion, an indispensable complement to any cordless drill. Personally, I use compact drills more than heavy duty models, as I don’t have to drill larger holes too often. It’s a great idea to start with a compact drill. Not only that, it’s more compact and lighter, too, which is very welcome when working overhead. I use a compact cordless drill for quick pilot holes, and then an impact to fasten everything together.Įven when using smaller fasteners for certain parts of the construction, an impact driver is quicker. I can build an outdoor raised garden bed from 2x cedar or cypress wood boards far quicker with an impact driver than just a drill. The same is true for driving larger or longer fasteners, such as 3-inch lag screws into 2x construction lumber. In a DIY or home environment, drilling larger holes in harder wood or harder metals such as steel will typically call for greater torque than the roughly 500 in-lbs compact drills can deliver. The torque required to drill holes can vary wildly, even from hole to hole with no change in material or drill bit. But in residential and many commercial environments, materials change, as do the fasteners or accessories being used. In a factory production line, a self-threading screw might be driven into a plastic housing at an exact torque. In my experience, it typically comes down to trial and error, except when the application can be well characterized. There are too many variables to be able to say “this is how much torque you need to drive a #10 wood screw.” What material are you drilling into? Wood studs through drywall? How old is the wood? Are there knots? What types of screws are being used? Do you drill pilot holes first? But for larger or longer screws, or things like lag bolts, impact drivers often have speed and torque advantages.īack to the original question, as to how a drill or driver relates to a DIYer’s household needs. The next step up would be their pricier M18 Fuel model.įor driving tasks, such as John indicated being interested in, an impact driver would be a great addition.Ĭordless drills, with their adjustable torque clutches, are still fantastic for driving smaller and medium sized fasteners. The 2801 is Milwaukee’s M18 compact brushless drill. Impact drivers deliver non-reactive torque, and so there’s far less worry about kickback sending the tool spinning. If you don’t, the rotational energy can twist the drill from your hands. When driving larger or longer fasteners, you will have to exert effort to hold the cordless drill steady. With an impact driver, the faster the speed, the greater the torque delivery, due to how it works. With a cordless drill, the higher speed setting delivers lower torque delivery, and the lower speed setting delivers higher torque delivery.īecause of this, impact drivers will typically deliver faster fastening application speeds. I would say there are 2 classifications of cordless drill torque. Most of the time, it’s a binary decision – either a drill has enough power, or it doesn’t. It’s hard to identify exactly how much torque one needs in a drill. The same drill might deliver different output levels when drilling the same size hole, depending on the type of wood and type of drill bit. Let’s say you want to drill a 3/4″ hole in wood. You’re not going to find a torque table that assigns torque levels to real-world tasks. These tend to be rough guidelines, and many brands don’t provide these application limits. When digging into brands’ product spec sheets or user manuals, they will sometimes provide guidance as to their tools’ application limits.Ī tool brand might say their cordless drill has a maximum drilling capacity of 1/2″ in steel, or 2″ in wood.
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