Are the battery drill type impact drivers any good for tight bolt removal, and what other uses do they have .. asking for a friend who may be buying me one for xmas...
I've always been tempted to buy one for disassembling stuff. They're kinder to bolts than swinging on a spanner, as they give them a series of short belts rather than a lot of torque all at once. Not sure if they'll deal with really rusted-in stuff. Worth having, I'd say.
If you spend enough money they are excellent, mid range are reasonably good too but battery life is an issue
Not really the same thing, para. The battery ones are really just for disassembling stuff that’s a bit reluctant. I’ve got the Clark mains one as well, and there’s nothing it won’t shift
Digressing somewhat...saw a vid on YouTube of the Snap On bolt heater: thing with a coil on that you slip over a bolt and it induction-heats it to free it off. Looks great, but being Snap On, it probably costs a million pounds...
I’ve got a mechanic mate that use to swear by snap on, until his new Milwaukee one says it’s a different breed!
Even the non snap on induction heaters don’t come cheap Would be a godsend to have though. I normally use a butane blow torch or build up a blob of weld to get heat into stuff.
If you want to spend under £100 the Clarke 1 kilowatt electric rattle gun is just about almost powerful enough to do up rear wheel nuts. Not to undo. Battery powered rattle guns cost a lot more before they are anything like as powerful.
I really wouldn't do stuff up with the Clark gun. You've got no control over the torque, which can hit 350 ft lbs as I recall. Bolt-shearing time
I've used a draper one at work, works very well but seem to remember even that was about £700 dread to think of the Snap On price
I recently used a percussive maintenance impact driver and it was a bugger to work out if I had it set to open or close . Instructions on it left a lot to be desired but after a week of wd40 and exhausting myself with the hammer I did finally open six door hinge bolts but it was more luck than management