New impact: air vs battery powered?

[wixthedog]

I use the battery powered impacts at work but I do not own one. I have plenty of air tools that are over 20 years old, can't say that about battery powered tools.

If I didn't have a shop compressor with plumbing and tools already in hand I would probably buy battery though, just for convenience and weight.

 

[75gmck25]

I have an inexpensive 18 volt Ryobi impact and it works well, but I have other Ryobi 18v tools and the battery performance is spotty under as they get older. Ryobi is often on sale at Home Depot for a good price, but the tools are relatively bulky compared to the some of the more expensive tools from Makita and Milwaukee.

I recently purchased a new Makita compact brushless drill and driver combo, and the batteries seem to last much longer and recharge very quickly. Its also a very light tool compared to the Ryobi.

Bruce

 

[RangRayy]

I mainly use my 19.2V craftsman 1/2 impact and 1/4 impact. I like them for their portability when I’m out on the farm working on equipment in the fields. I also always buy a second battery when I purchase any battery powered tools just so I can always have a backup when needed.

 

[Craig Nedrow]

I put together a steel building. Craftsman 19. volt died, Got a Dewalt, same. Got a Milwaukee, still going strong expensive, but can be had reasonable now. Used on 5/8 and 3/4 bolts, tightened to 150 ft lbs torque measured by independent contractor. Highly recommended. Use it all the time and still going strong

 

[bigcountry78]

Thanks for everyone’s input. I ended up with the 24 volt kobalt from Lowe’s. I’ve only used it once to remove my tires. It worked great.

 

[78C10BigTen]

Thanks for everyone’s input. I ended up with the 24 volt kobalt from Lowe’s. I’ve only used it once to remove my tires. It worked great.

Its been working great for me! Even used it at work a few times. Only found 1 thing it wouldnt bust loose. Wat they **** ya for it?

 

[bigcountry78]

Its been working great for me! Even used it at work a few times. Only found 1 thing it wouldnt bust loose. Wat they **** ya for it?

If I remember correctly, it was about $200. I need to pick up a spare battery.

 

[ford]

I went battery and haven't looked back and it's done all I need it to.

 

[Ricko1966]

The trouble with battery powered tools is eventually the battery comes to the end of it's service life and you're stuck buying new ones. I have several 12V Makita tools that all use the same battery. It was nice when they were new but many years later I'm faced with the decision of either buying new batteries, which now cost far more than I originally paid for the entire tool, or throwing the entire collection in the trash.

I went through the same thing with electric razors. It was really handy to have a cordless unit, but eventually I found myself trying to shave within twenty or so seconds because that's all the battery life the damn thing would hold on a full charge. Tossed all those crappy things and bought an old school corded shaver.

Battery technology has come a long way, but even the best batteries made today will be an expensive replacement in the future due to them being considered obsolete and no longer in production.

Hey buddy just a little input for you. My 12V and 9.6V stuff some of it I gutted a battery and wired in a 12V cigerette lighter plug,some straight to the tool I ran a 12V cigerette lighter plug. Now I can use them off a jumper pack, in front of a car hooked to the battery,under the hood hooked to the battery. I put up pics before,I'll try to find some for you. My snap on 9.6 impact underwood hooked to the car battery. If you just add a cord to one junk tool battery,you can still use tools battery powered and only have to mod one to swap back and forth.

 

[YakkoWarner]

I inherited a good size collection of older DeWalt tools that used the NiMH batteries which slid up into the handle, and no usable batteries. DeWalt themselves and a couple 3rd party knockoffs make an adaptor that slides in like the old battery and then you clip on one of the current generation LiIon packs. Rejuvinated all 8 of the older tools perfectly.

My friend Dave had a Makita 1/2 inch electric impact - that is on my wish-list of things to buy if I find one affordably. It worked great even on 3/4 ton truck lugs, rear axle and transmission rear flanges - stuff that needed a lot of pop to make it move. I know the orig. poster has already decided and made their purchase, but for anyone else reading I wanted to point out that Makita makes a good option as well....

 

[bucket]

I inherited a good size collection of older DeWalt tools that used the NiMH batteries which slid up into the handle, and no usable batteries. DeWalt themselves and a couple 3rd party knockoffs make an adaptor that slides in like the old battery and then you clip on one of the current generation LiIon packs. Rejuvinated all 8 of the older tools perfectly.

My friend Dave had a Makita 1/2 inch electric impact - that is on my wish-list of things to buy if I find one affordably. It worked great even on 3/4 ton truck lugs, rear axle and transmission rear flanges - stuff that needed a lot of pop to make it move. I know the orig. poster has already decided and made their purchase, but for anyone else reading I wanted to point out that Makita makes a good option as well....

Imho, if you already have Dewalt batteries, just get a good Dewalt impact and forget about the Makita.

 

[YakkoWarner]

Imho, if you already have Dewalt batteries, just get a good Dewalt impact and forget about the Makita.

Well I already have a 3 or 4 Makita batteries as well since I got one of their smaller drill/driver tools before inheriting all the DeWalt stuff. So I can go either way in terms of batteries. The main objective was to point out that Makita has a viable electric impact option more so than anything else.

 

[xm20k]

Have both a Milwaukee M18 and an old Ingersol that's probably almost 30 years old at this point.
Used to work at a shop that serviced the old 1-ton Ford ambulances for Clemente Mckay. They beat those things, so the air gun was nice crank it up to 200psi and just snap those welded on wheel studs off. no time to play around they needed turned around as fast as possible. It collects dust now a days and only ever comes out when I need it at work for something on the Bobcat that the Milwaukee just won't do which isn't very often.

 

[Grit dog]

Those nimh to lifepo4 battery adapters from Scamazon work great. I use my new style Milwaukee batteries on old dewalt tools all the time now.

 

[squaredeal91]

Im late to the party. I bought my Milwaukee fuel 1/2 impact because I was working too far from the shop to use air. Was trying to remove lug nuts on a 97 Dodge 1 ton dually from Pennsylvania and I broke my breaker bar 3 times trying to get them loose. I put that Milwaukee on there and all of them came off seemingly easy lol.
Air still has its place and always will to some degree but these battery things are taking over a bit. My biggest problem with them is its hard to find a way to recycle used lithium batteries in my area. You would think they would want to keep them out of the landfill.