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The collet type chuck is easy to operate and the small size and light weight of this thing are truly amazing. As for the color scheme, I love it. As a dinosaur who's gone to great efforts to avoid buying cordless tools and/or anything made in China I finally succumbed after reading the latest Fine Homebuilding and Amazon customer reviews. You definitely won't get it confused with those "other" brands on the jobsite. I give the Hitachi 5 stars for fit and finish with solid construction and a rubberized outer cover to absorb shocks and bumps. I switched to star drive coated steel and haven't had a problem since. While I haven't needed the light yet it can be aimed at the work so that could be handy when you're finishing up that last few pieces in the dark or under a cabinet.
I have a bunch of summer outdoor wood projects stacking up and decided to go cordless for the portability. The forward/reverse switch is a simple finger/thumb operation. And if it somehow disappeared I would definitely replace it with the same model. Stainless fasteners definitely need pre-drilling as three inchers will go right to the end before the head pops off.
This is just fantastic. I am slowly switching all my cordless drills over to hitachi, they make an excellent product- this driver is proof. Hitachi hit a homer with this impact driver. I've driven 4" screws into oak with this thing with no effort and was just amazed.
Drilling is not its strong point but it works and works well. Decent, small like the Makita. The ratcheting starts just as the screw sets so you can back down and get a perfect drywall set w/o a drywall bit. Was like slicing through butter.But when I used a regular hex drill bit - 1/4", the ratcheting mechanism kicked in for a brief sec and things slowed down a smidge but still finished the job well. My 18V Black & Decker 18V drill cannot hold a candle to the WH18DL.Another buying point for me is the little white (red on some) switch on the handle that allows you to slow the RPMs. But this does not detract from the Hitachi which has more torque, faster RPMs, etc. torque)Battery life has been outstanding. If you want to see what the grip feels like on this WH18DL, you'll have to go to your local Lowe's and try out some of these green HXP Lithium Ion models (our Lowe's did not have this particular model but had the sister drill and others so I could get an idea of what to expect).I also looked at Bosch's 10.8V Litheon impact driver which is a great idea, but did not like the feel in my hand tho I loved the general size of it.
Drilling is not its primary function, but it will work fine for lighter drilling (haven't tried it in masonry yet, but on the list).The integrated LED light/belt hook is a nice feature, and useful though I thought it wouldn't be. I have not drained the first battery yet, seen absolutely no loss of torque/RPM as happens with standard batteries. Makita does not have this option, fwiw. Reason for the larger bottom is that it has a columnar battery post/insert as opposed to Makita's slide-in battery. They have the most comfortable grips IMHO. I have a bigger drywall project coming up, but so far, most screws are set perfectly (using the slower mode).
Rigid's 18V ID was nice, but larger and heavier. I've used a 1/2" spade bit to drill through 46 year old 2x6 rafters. For reference, try out the Makita Impact Drivers (Makita BTD140 LXT 18 Volt Lithium-Ion Impact Driver Kit, Makita BTD142HW 18V Lithium-Ion Cordless Impact Driver). I think I'd prefer a slimmer metal belt hook, though. Awesome to have one tool to accomplish both tasks.Using high-speed mode was really impressive.
So you can drive fasteners till the sun sets and be less fatigued when done.Overall: Highly recommended.-Value includes 5 year warranty compared to Makita's 3.-More torque, RPMs than equivalent Makita models in price range.-Good grip, a little "large" at the bottom of grip for those of us with smaller hands. The Makita models go fro 0-2300 RPMs only. In the fast mode you get from 0-2600 RPM and in slow you get from 0-2000 RPM - and it makes a big difference. The grip is thick all around, and its a nice unit otherwise. :-)While I poured a lot of time into research, I did not spend a lot of time looking at DeWalt's offerings as they were beyond my price range. In terms of torque and RPM's, it is not in the same class as the Hitachi.So if you only use a drill (corded or cordless) to do your screw driving you don't know what you're missing. If you have ever torqued your wrist drilling a stubborn screw or lag bolt and ended up throwing back Advil caps as a result, this tool will be your saving grace. Not sure which is a better technical design, but there you have it.-Use for driving fasteners AND light drillingHope this review was helpful.
And I like Bosch's light integration around the "chuck" better. Jury is out as to whether the yellow LED is better than a white LED which other impact drivers have.If you have a honey-do list that is loaded with driving fasteners, then let your spouse know you have found a tool that will speed you through it like never before and leave you less fatigued to boot. (This is entirely personal, and not major enough to detract from the overall rating of the tool) I have smaller hands and find the lower portion (ring, pinky finger) of the grip to be slightly larger than I like. Impressed so far and I give it 5 stars for build quality, value, performance, and general coolness (I like the look that some find toyish).One area that I'd like to see improved is the grip. Handy when you don't want to drive too fast. Bought this back in Feb '08 and have used it a number of times for smaller projects, though my big projects are ahead. So for me, the Hitachi allows for more nuanced work.Uses: I've used this for BOTH drilling and driving. Unscrewing 3.5" wood screws was so fast I had to let the fasteners cool down before I handled them (in pressure treated lumber).Using the WH18DL to hang drywall is a breeze.
Torque is in abundance, but thanks to the ratcheting mechanism, it doesn't transfer to your wrist. Though I did get my hands on them at the Home Depot. (Exception being Makita's new BDT141 which has 1330 lbs. Driving and unscrewing screws, lag bolts, etc., is super fast and easy. You can use it as a drill within reason (another reason I chose over the Makitas is faster RPMs). Your mileage may vary.Don't think this tool is *only* for driving screws, bolts, etc.
It drives 3" screws into pressure treated wood like screwing a drywall screw into soft spruce. By far the best drill ever made. One of the best tools I have ever owned. The power is unreal, and it weighs nothing. Incredible. I am a General Contractor and have been in the building industry for 23 years, I wish they made these Lithium Impact Drivers 23 years ago.
The Hitachi is rated close in In./lbs. The Hitachi is about a pound lighter than the Bosch which helped my decision.I have used the tool several times and am impressed with the power and weight of the tool. I purchased this about a month ago. I would have given the tool 5 stars but the green and black design looks a little Fisher Price to me. When it came down to the wire I wanted the most power, the best warranty, lithium ion and a quality product for the best price. As a final determining factor of purchase was the overall weight as I am continually up and down ladders. and the Bosch, it has a 5 yr.
After researching cordless impacts for quite a while I narrowed my search to three main ones. with the D.W. I would recommend this tool to anyone as I am pleased with it. warranty and was well below the cost of the others and it came with 2 batteries and the charger.
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