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They have decided to take a multiple use tool, drill driver, that has been around for years and make it a single function. Well not from BOSCH. K.I.S.S.Purchasing a product online makes returning it a real pain in the., too. I had been looking to replace my RYOBI 14v cordless drill. These companies are managing to take a basic solid product and make it confusing.
Looking every where and being nothing but confused until this BOSCH product, or so I thought. Yes, you can only screw with this product, no drilling. Just what the average homeowner doesn't need. Now , what am I suppose to do buy a cordless drill too.
Like many other reviewers on this page, I too am a professional contractor, My normal drill of choice is the 18v De Walt, but this little monster beats the competition. If this thing was a woman, I'd marry it. HANDS DOWN. The torque on this drill is phenomenal, which is worth the money alone, I am an electrician and need to make 'knock-outs' from time to time, anyone who has done the hand crank or even the pnuematic knows what a pain it is, this baby does it in no time and with little to no force needed to hold in place, I have used this drill for around 6 to 8 months now on a daily basis, it is still going strong, the batteries out last the De Walt by a mile and it weighs around half as much (also a huge plus).
It's a bit heavier than the 18v Makita because it has a nicad battery. Can be removed and placed on either side for left or right hand beltage.- Built-in LED light can be aimed exactly at the point where the driver touches the screw head. I'd kind of like to have a fore/aft design so by looking at it I can see what mode it's in. It's a big step forward in screw driving. Very small nit.
Love it. Then my contractor brother-in-law showed me his Makita BTD142HW 18-Volt Compact Lithium-Ion Cordless Impact Driver Kit. It was light, powerful, fast, offered excellent control and, while delivering tremendous torque, never broke off the fastener head. It has a middle "off" point. The impactor design seems very efficient at not wasting power. Impacting must take less power than raw motor torque. So far have not met a screw it can't drive.Cons:- The ambidextrous push button forward/reverse switch works left/right and goes through the tool.
Gets into tight spots.- Comes with two batteries, a 1-hour charger and a nice case.- Drives and drives and drives. It takes so little power that it doesn't seem to matter. This is because the light is positioned down below your hand on the top of the battery interface. The LED is in a little eyeball that turns. It never breaks the head off.- Comfortable to hold.
Lithium battery technology is the likely future because they recharge better, hold a charge longer and are lighter, but nicads work well until they die.The Bosch can drive 10ga 3" long screws all day.Pros:- Fast initial drive speed gets most of the screw in fast, then the variable speed trigger allow you to slow the rotation as you get near the surface, then it senses resistance and begins impacting the head the last little bit. That way if you are using a short driver or a long driver, the LED can be adjusted to shine on the driver tip. And it would be difficult to have a one hand ambidextrous design that way.Bottom line, I love this tool. The switch can be hit easily and be "off" when you don't expect it. - The forward/reverse switch's design makes it difficult to know if you are in forward or reverse.
Really handy when you are getting those last few screws in as the sun sets.- Quick change 1/4" hex chuck. Holds the drivers securely.- Compact. Noticed they were driving screws with a smallish driver that went fast, then ended with "tat-tat-tat" as the screw when flush. First saw an impactor used on the "Holmes on Homes" cable TV home maintenance show. It screwed in the entire fence with a single charge and set every square drive stainless steel screw perfectly.I opted for the Bosch 23612 only because I have never been disappointed in anything Bosch and it was about half the price of the Makita.This little 12v nicad is simply wonderful. An impactor is a completely different animal from a hammer drill, regular drill driver or a drywall or deck screwdriver, all of which I have.
The handle is narrow and rubber covered, allowing a good grip.- Built-in retractable belt clip. You can turn the light off by rotating it into the tool. We were putting up a dog-eared wood fence and I offered him to use my corded DEWALT DW257 Heavy-Duty 6.2 Amp Deck/Drywall Screwdriver but he preferred his Makita. It just goes all day. I tried it and agreed. You are not working in your own shadow this way. But it works well.
For some strange reason, it's an orange color instead of white.
With the current price being offered from Amazon through CPO Bosch, I can't imagine a better buy. There have been some advancements in battery technology lately, but these NiCD impact drivers offer a whole lot of bang for the buck. Like the title says, I've been abusing these little gems for over four years and the tool and batteries are still strong. The variable trigger is responsive enough to allow for driving everything from small fasteners to large lag bolts. I'm considering ordering a third one, as I can't get replacement batteries for the low cost this kit is being offered for. I've even used it to change the tires on my wife's car.
I own a lot of tools but this is my favorite and most recommended. Good operating time between charges, tough as nails and very powerfull.
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