All That You Need to Know About Impact Drills

Whether you are someone who needs to do a certain construction, automotive, or renovation task at home or in a professional setting, having the right basic and power & hand Tools with you is essential. The correct construction tool makes your work easy and efficient. One such tool that helps with intense drilling through various materials such as metal, concrete, brick, wood, etc., is the impact drill. 

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The impact drill is a powerhouse tool particularly designed to effortlessly drill precise holes and drive screws into tough materials. It typically operates by combining a rotational motion with a rapid percussion force. These tools are precisely known to combine power with control and speed as well, saving you a lot of time.

In this impact drill buying guide, we are going to shed light on everything you need to know about it – from what are impact drills to how are they different from other drills, why are they important for your tasks to application of impact drills, and more.

What is an Impact Drill?

Imagine you have some metal frames to put together and you need to drive a screw into it, but, when you do so with a basic drill you really struggle and even end up breaking the screw. Well, there’s a solution to this and that is using an impact drill.

These power tools are specially designed for drilling holes and driving in screws through the toughest of materials with a rational motion and a percussion force in an axial direction. In contrast to a basic drill, an impact drill technically produces high torque with very little effort. Basically, the impact drill is your go-to for any heavy-duty tasks, both as a do-it-yourself person or as a professional.

What Is the Importance of Impact Drills?

Impact drills are a crucial power tool for basically any task, particularly useful if you need to get things done accurately, efficiently and quickly. It doesn’t matter what task you are doing, this power tool reduces labor, saves you a lot of time, and most of all it gets the task done with just the kind of results you would want. The high torque applications and their ability to work with any material are what make them a perfect choice for both professionals and beginners alike.

Therefore, to summarise, the benefits of impact drills are as follows:

• Fast drilling and driving reduces a lot of effort and time.
• Quite accurate drilling and fastening.
• Can be used on any kind of material – metal, wood, concrete, etc.

Key Features of an Impact Drill

Let’s take a look at some of the key features of an impact drill.

• Lightweight and Compact

  Impact drills are basically designed to be compact and light in weight. Since they are designed so, it makes them easy to use, even in places that have little space.

• Speed and Torque Settings

  You would find that impact drills typically come with various speed and torque settings. You have the option to change them as per need of the task that’s being done.

• High Torque Power

  Impact drills technically have quite a high torque power and it is due to this that impact drills are highly needed for all heavy-duty work.

• Battery-Powered and Portable Options

  Basically, there are impact drills that have rechargeable batteries and require no power outlet to operate.

Types: Corded and Cordless Drills

Let’s take a look at these popular types of impact drills that are available on the market today.

Corded Impact Drills

Corded impact drills are basically those drills that need to be plugged into an electrical source to function. These electric impact drills are just what you need when performing any auto repair, construction, renovation, or DIY tasks. Since these impact drills use electricity to operate, they generally have more power and torque and are perfect for heavy-duty jobs.

Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of corded impact drills.

Cordless Impact Drills

Cordless impact drills are basically those drills that function on rechargeable batteries. Since these impact drills do not need any electrical outlet, you have more flexibility in terms of operation. You can operate it when there’s no power or no power outlet and you can carry it wherever you want to since it’s cordless. These battery-powered drills are apt for outdoor tasks or projects at home or in a professional space.
Moreover, with the passage of time, the batteries have become quite advanced, therefore, they have improved power and even last longer. Due to ease of use and convenience, cordless impact drills have become quite popular.

Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of cordless impact drills.

Impact Drill vs. Other Drills

Let’s compare impact drills with other drills, and power tools and understand how they are different from each other.

Impact Drills vs. Hammer Drills

Impact drills and hammer drills  are quite similar in their operation yet they both serve different purposes. When talking of these drills, it basically comes down to their operation. For an impact drill, it is the rotational motion with a striking force that helps drill and drive screws with minimal effort into various materials. As for a hammer drill, it is the combination of the pounding action with a rotational force that helps drill into tough materials such as metal, concrete, wood, etc. While both serve the purpose of drilling and driving, the impact drill is way better at fastening, and the hammer drill is perfect for drilling into tough materials.

Impact Drills vs. Jackhammers

Now when it comes to distinguishing between impact drills and jackhammers, then it’s pretty simple. Both these power tools are different in power, operation, and size. By now we know what an impact drill does. It’s a compact and lightweight power tool that operates in a rotational motion with a striking force. It can be both corded and cordless with its main function being drilling and fastening screws into various materials. The jackhammer, on the other hand, is significantly a large pneumatic tool that is typically used for breaking concrete and other hard materials. It’s basically used more for demolition purposes.

Common Applications of Impact Drills

By now you are aware that impact drills help drill, drive, and fasten screws or bolts super easily. Their high torque power, rotational motion, and striking or hammering force help get the work done way faster, saving time and effort. So, let’s take a look at where all do we generally use these impact drills.

Automotive Repair:

An impact drill is a great and one of the most crucial  automotive repair tool. With an impact drill, it gets so easy to fasten or unfasten screws and bolts, change tires, assemble various auto parts, etc. Impact drills play an important role in the automotive repair space, therefore, it is a must-have tool.

Industrial Applications:

Impact drills play an important role in the construction and manufacturing space. This tool is extremely important for drilling and driving screws through various materials, assembling any sort of machinery, building structures, etc. Impact drills are crucial in these spaces because they are powerful and can carry out any task, be it a heavy-duty task or even a simple task. Besides, they are much needed since there is a lot of repetitive work that needs to be done efficiently and quickly.

Household and DIY Projects:

If you are a do-it-yourself person or someone who very often takes up DIY projects, then the impact drill without a doubt is for you. Whether you need to drill holes to hang some of your favorite paintings or you need to assemble furniture, impact drills are just what you need to get your job done easily and quickly. Since this tool is pretty versatile, you can basically do a lot of DIY projects with ease.

How to Choose an Impact Drill?

When choosing an impact drill, consider these factors.

High Power and Torque: 

Make sure that the impact drill has high power and torque as well as adjustable settings. This is an important factor so that all your heavy-duty tasks are handled easily.

Speed and Torque Setting: 

Another crucial factor is speed and torque settings. Now you need this because depending on the task at hand you will be able to adjust the speed and power needed.

Size and Weight:

Now something that you should consider is the size and weight of the impact drill. Remember you will have a lot of repetitive and consistent tasks to do, this means that you might have to hold on to the drill for a longer time and also ensure that the job is dine accurately. Hence, look for ones that are lightweight and easy to hold so that you can avoid any strain and feel at ease when doing any work.

Build Quality and Durability:

Never go for options that are not built with good materials and aren’t durable enough because that is just going to be a waste of money. Therefore, invest in impact drills that are made of high-quality durable materials that will last you longer.

Battery-Powered Options:

Besides corded options, you also have battery-powered or cordless impact drills. These run on rechargeable batteries and are extremely efficient for outdoors or where there is no power outlet.

Safety Measures

It is extremely essential to handle impact drills with precaution. Ensure that you always wear your safety gear such as gloves and safety goggles. Moreover, if the impact drill is powered by electricity be super careful in situations when it’s raining or it’s wet around you. Also, replace and repair parts that are damaged. Additionally, make sure whenever working with these tools, there’s enough light for proper visibility so that any unfortunate mishap is avoided.

In conclusion, impact drills make all your tasks super easy. Whether it’s a DIY project or construction work in a professional setting, your drilling, driving, and fastening are done with speed, ease, and precision. Besides, you have options to choose one based on your needs and requirements – from a cordless to a corded impact drill. Additionally, do keep in mind safety when using impact drills.