New DC826 Impact Driver

[roadhog96]

Well I finally did it, curiosity got the best of me. I bought a new Impact Driver after hearing and reading so many good things about them.

First try I ran a 3 1/2" deck screw into a pre drilled hole in a pressure treated 4x4. Went all the way into the 4x4 like it does with a drill but only much faster.

Then I tried it without pre drilling. Started out like a drill then as soon as the screw felt a little resistance, the Impact Driver started to do what it suppose to do, Impact the rest of the way in. Caught me a little off guard because I wasn't sure what to expect.

Didn't react the same as drill does when driving screws. A drill will twist in the same direction that the chuck is turning as soon as it starts to feel a lot of resistance. First thing I noticed about the Impact Driver is that didn't twist your arm off like a drill will do. You could almost do it with one hand. It was considerably lighter and much smaller.

I tried a few different style screws, philips, star, hex, etc. just to see if it damaged them. I thought for sure the philips would be torn up a bit from the Impact force but it looked fine. I have to say I am impressed by it.

I read on one of the reviews that someone thought the LED light should have a switch to turn it on prier to running so it would make lining up screws easier in dark work areas. Well I discovered if you pull the trigger slightly before the motor engages the light will come on so it's fine just the way it is.

It's a keeper, highly recommend it.

I tried it some more today and there is diffenately more control with it driving screws than using a drill/driver. I tried driving some 1/4" 3 1/2" screws without predrilling, piece of cake.

[Bucko]

I have the DC820 with an adapter to 1/4hex. I love it! It is much easier/faster than using a drill as you mentioned. The only issue I have run into is that if you are not carefull, it is pretty easy to snap the head off of your fastener. The nice thing about the DC820 with adapter is that I can take the adapter off and put an automotive socket on it. Then boom, I'm removing lug nuts, pulling brake calipers etc. It's like getting two tools in one. These things just rock! Now I look for projects to use it on instead of dreading having to do this kind of work by hand.