This article is part 2 in the Cordless Power Tools 101 Series. Part 1 covered cordless tool batteries but it is now time to delve into the more commonly used cordless power tools available. I will cover 5 of the most common cordless tool types and explain their purpose and features but lets start by getting this out the way early on:
“If you serious about your tools, in the trade or a serious DIY’er you cant get away by just getting any old ‘cordless’ and hoping for the best”
You can’t just expect one tool to do it all and not all tools in the same genre are suited to your needs but there is a reason that all these tools exist. You won’t need them all but I bet your life would be a hell of a lot easier if you had more than one.
Think about it: How many times have have you been do something around the house and swapping the drill bit out on your cordless for that philips bit so you can put that screw in then change the bit for the drill bit again for the next hole. Pain in the A@# if you ask me!
Now if you had a Cordless Drill and an Impact Driver it would be a much simpler and less stressful affair. Why? Drills are designed for drilling first and foremost while Impact Drivers are designed for putting in fasteners like screws.
Cordless Drills
Cordless Drills would have to be the most common of cordless tools. They are some times referred to as ‘Drill Drivers’ as they do have an ability to drive screws and drill holes. General differences between models will be:
- Chuck size 10mm or 13mm
- Body size – Compact versions are available for awkward areas or lighter weight
- Battery capacity – Amp hours – Check previous article here
- Number of torque adjustment settings – Used for fixing screws without over tightening
These are a bread and butter tool and a good one is worth it’s weight in gold. They are great for drilling but have no hammer or impact function so are not suitable for drilling concrete and masonry or driving long or large diameter screws and bolts.
Cordless Impact Drills
A cordless impact drill is very similar in specification to a ‘drill/driver’. Features are generally very close to their drill driver counterpart with the addition of a selectable impact function to drill into concrete and masonry. This impact function is best described as if the back of the drill is being struck into whatever it is you are drilling. This hammer blow breaks up the substrate and allows faster more efficient drilling. As the impact setting is selectable you can still use these for drilling into wood and metal as well as driving screws etc.
The downside? Added weight. The hammer function doesn’t come for free so does increase the drills size and weight. This can mess with the balance of the drill in the hand making it hard to keep steady or just be uncomfortable to use for extended periods.
The impact rating of these tools is measured in Joules. The higher the impact strength the greater the Joule rating
Cordless Rotary Hammers
This is the next step up from an Impact Drill. These are serious tools for drilling concrete and masonry and are not really designed to drill other materials. They are distinguished from Impact Drives by their weight and size and more importantly by their chuck. Rotary Hammer Drills or rotary hammers for short use an SDS chuck mechanism. This chuck uses special tungsten carbide tipped drill bits to make short work of concrete.
They also come with a unique rotary stop feature allowing them to be turned into an electric chisel or jack hammer. Chisel bits are available in various shapes and sizes to fit the SDS chucks.
The impact power of the rotary hammer is significantly higher than an impact drill. The downside is they are really a niche tool and generally don’t see a lot of use.
Cordless Impact Drivers
The cordless impact driver is probably the second most popular cordless tool next to the drill/driver and will probably be your second purchase after your drill. They are easily identified by their 1/4″ Hex chuck. Many manufacturers sell twin kits containing both an impact driver and an impact or driver drill to help save you money.
The impact drivers main purpose is to drive screws and bolts in as easily as possible. It has an impact function but don’t mistake it for a hammer as in the tools listed above. The impact function here works in a rotary direction as the fastener is being installed rather than in a horizontal direction against the material being screwed. As the screw meets resistance when being installed a hammer within the drill hammers hard against it to help install. You can hear a sound change in the tool when this happens. Compact and standard versions are avialable and all will offer higher torque than your everyday cordless drill
Cordless Impact Wrenches
Impact Wrenches are easily confused with Impact Drivers as shown above and essentially they are built on the same platform. The main differences are they use a square drive like a socket set and generally run at a higher torque output.
Whats Next?
I hope that helps some of you out there and if you need some further advice ask a question or drop us a line on the website here. We carry an extensive range of cordless power tools at Direct2Trade.co.nz so we are bound to have something to fit your needs and budget.
Until next time cheers from Liam @ Direct2Trade.co.nz
Direct2Trade Blog - Liam Southall 