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new Drill and Driver 20v combo - what is best use for each?


WebHobbit

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So I just got the 1.5ah 20v combo set that comes with the DCD780 drill and the DCF885 driver. I have zero experience with drivers having only used drills before. I have been using a Craftsman 19.2 drill for all my screw-driving and drilling tasks up till now. It still works fairly well but it's kinda long and gets heavy after a while so I wanted something more compact/lighter.

Lowes had this combo kit for the SAME PRICE ($199.99) as the stand alone DCD780 which is what I had settled on after months of drill research online.

In addition to everyday household stuff we are converting a Post-Frame building (aka Pole Barn) into a house. So we are doing a LOT of framing right now and eventually we will be trying our hand at drywall. We are not contractors but are trying to do as much work ourselves as possible to save money. Heh...we can only devote one day a week on this as me and my wife both work 40hrs+ a week...so this will probably take a couple of years to complete! Anyway we have been using a conventional nail gun to put wall sections together and then screwing them in place with 3 inch square drive screws. In most cases the Craftsman does this just fine without a pilot hole but a few of the better quality 2x6s we've ran into have been crazy hard and need a bit of a pilot.  From what I've seen on the various do-it-yourself shows on TV it looks like most contractors/pros use only impact drivers for running screws. So would the impact be the best choice for the 3 inch screws rather than the compact drill (which was what I originally set out to buy)? And what about the shorter screws into drywall?  Advice please!

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Use the impact for fasteners (screws, lags, etc.), and the drill for drilling holes. There is a wide range of impact drill bits available now as well, so it is getting to be where you can do most of the applications with that one tool, but a drill still works better for a lot of drilling applications/has a wider range of drill bits available.

Enjoy your new kit!  Remember that you are buying the compact drill, so do not try to use or for really heavy applications (large hole saws, self feed bits, etc.).

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Thanks for the tip! I will be getting some of those. BTW, why does DeWalt recommend NOT using the variable speed on either tool in the manual? I would think I would have to use less than max a LOT especially in drywall.

I have never heard/read that in the manuals. I would say don't worry about it. DeWALT tools are designed to be used. Period. Enjoy!

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Thanks for the tip! I will be getting some of those. BTW, why does DeWalt recommend NOT using the variable speed on either tool in the manual? I would think I would have to use less than max a LOT especially in drywall.

That's the whole point of using a dimpler bit.  You can go full blast and the screw won't go past the paper.  Occasionally in the corners you'll have to switch bits to a normal phillips where you'll use variable speed.

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