Makita Impact Wrench Quality VS Price

Makita Impact Wrench

The turquoise blue casing of Makita’s line of power tools is a commonly included in the tool cases of professional carpenters, construction workers, masons and mechanics. The brand is synonymous to quality. A Makita impact wrench can cost double to triple of a competitive tool but since its target market are professionals in their trades; the price is negligible as quality is the issue here.

The Makita Corporation started out as the Makita Electric Company as a service repair shop for electric tools and equipment. After World War II, the company was prodded by no less than the president of Japan to branch out in the manufacture of electric power tools. The year was 1945 and since then, the company has been unstoppable in its growth. Makita is a brand to contend with when referring to power tools.

Though the company’s mission is to provide quality powered tools targeted to professionals users, the high quality tools are enjoying a significant percentage of its sale from the regular do-it-yourself market.

In 1978, Makita introduced to the market its first cordless drill. Though the technology was slow to catch on as the cordless gives less torque, heavy, expensive and has a limited time of operation. From then on, the cordless technology has been improved a hundred times fold that a cordless Makita impact wrench may be the most sought- after cordless impact wrench. The top cordless Makita impact wrench is Makita BTW450 18-Volt LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless 1/2-Inch High Torque Impact Wrench Kit. The kit comes in a handy bag and an extra lithium battery.

Today, a cordless Makita impact wrench is a staple in most tool chests.

Ingersoll Rand Impact Wrench

Ingersoll Rand Impact Wrench

Ingersoll Rand is a leading name in construction tools and machineries. The company has been providing quality products since 1871. With a track record that old, who would not pick an Ingersoll Rand impact wrench for an “impactor”?

There are plenty of top brands of impact wrenched. Aside from Ingersoll Rand are Porter Cable, DeWalt, Bosch, Skil, Ryobi, and Milwaukee. If you want quality, then quality you will get with these brands. Prepare to shell out $100 up to $400 for ¾ inch to 1 inch sockets for any of these higher end brands.

Based on power to weight ratio, the best impact wrench is an air or pneumatic impact wrench. According to consumer reviews, Ingersoll Rand’s air impact wrenches may be the best of the lot based on price and performance. The DeWalt brand has great performance rating too but its price is double that of an Ingersoll Rand impact wrench.

The best impact wrench according to customer reviews is the Ingersoll Rand 231C ½ -Inch Super Duty Air Impact Wrench. Priced at $100, this tool is highly recommended by mechanics and is raved about by weekend DIYers. It has an innovative ergonomic contoured handle on top of its major features of an adjustable power regulator, and a pressure-fed lubricator. This impact wrench is suitable in most working environment. Consumer reviews point out that the 231C pacts enough power to deliver the torque called for that it is good enough to be used in small automotive and mechanical shops. This impact wrench is almost maintenance-free as some weekend hobbyist will claim. This product gets a 4 out of a possible five stars.

Ingersoll-Rand 2130 1/2-Inch Heavy-Duty Air Impact Wrench


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Electric Impact Wrench

An electrical impact wrench is a handyman’s tool. This piece of equipment is often used in automotive shops specifically for tightening and loosening bolts. It is also a common tool found in assembly lines, construction sites, heavy equipment motor pools, and more often than not in toolboxes of regular DIYers.

An impact wrench is a high torque power tool. It can run on compressed air, AC/DC electric current. Most seasoned mechanics find that an electric impact wrench serves its purpose in automotive work that calls for low torque. Jobs like changing tires and brake pads, rotors and vehicle suspensions are ideal ones for an electric impact wrench. Sizes of bits or sockets are available in: ¼ inch, 3/8 inch, ½ inch, ¾ inch and 1 inch.

There are plenty of top brands of impact wrenches. You can expect to spend at least $100 for a quality electric impact wrench. However, for a higher-end type, the price could be as much as $400 especially on the ¾ inch and 1 inch sockets.

An electric impact wrench offers less torque power and is bulkier and heavier than an air wrench. Although majority of electric impact wrenches are heavy, there are models that weigh 6 pounds that generally offer a good weight to power ratio.

An electric impact wrench would do well for most weekend DIY homeowners who use such tool for household routine work like rotating the tires of cars or changing the blades of lawn mower. Electric impact wrenches are perfect for loosening rusted and bothersome bolts too.

Heavy-Duty 1 HP 1/2" Electric Impact Wrench & Socket Set - No Air Compressor Needed!


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Butterfly Impact Wrench

No self-respecting do-it-yourself -er would be caught without an impact wrench. It’s probably in his tool shed or at the trunk of his car. An impact wrench is an indispensible tool for mechanics and construction workers alike. The device has become a staple in tool in auto repair shops, tire centers, factory assembly lines, on heavy equipment maintenance pool. Even farmers carry a cordless spare just in case a nut or bolt in his tractor comes lose while in the field.

The most widely used type of impact wrench is a pneumatic or air powered impact wrench. This piece of tool offers the greatest torque. There are three common designs for smaller impact wrenches of ¼ inch and 3/8 inch drives. The regular type is one with a pistol grip and the second type is the inline impact wrench and a third is an angle drive. An inline wrench is more like a fat screwdriver with the other end holding the output socket. This type of wrench can only be used for small drives as the torque would be too much for the operator to handle. An angle drive is much like an inline wrench but it comes with a set of gears for a 90° rotation.

A special form of inline is the butterfly wrench. This wrench is perfect to accessing tight spaces because of its shape. On its sides are flat throttle paddle that can be angled and tilted to control the direction of the rotating sockets. There would be no need to use a reversal control. A butterfly wrench has a torque of 75 ft.lbs. Its throttle allows a one-hand directional change and its air inlet can be swiveled at 360°.

A butterfly wrench is ideal for repair jobs of ignition, body panels, bumpers and carburetors.

Porter-Cable PT381 3/8-Inch Butterfly Impact Wrench


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Battery Impact Wrench Gimick Or Must Have Tool

Battery Impact Wrench

When battery impact wrenches first became available in the market, these seemingly novelty items were more apt as gifts to suburban husbands by suburban wives. It was just another new gadget in the tool box.

It is true that air impact wrenches can deliver more torque and are less expensive that the battery-operated impact wrench. However, a battery impact wrench is more portable as there is no need for hose lines and air compressors to operate one. A battery impact wrench is highly convenient especially when the job at hand is a short and sweet like changing a tire or changing the blades of a lawn mower.

Battery packs of 14.4 and 18 volts are powerful enough to loosen a couple of rusted bolts. Today, more mechanics and self-proclaimed enthusiasts have a battery impact wrench in their tool boxes.

There is nothing to beat the power that an air or pneumatic impact wrench can give. But, if the you are a farmer, out in the field and an equipment suddenly needs tightening up, the portability and convenience of a battery impact wrench is tops.

Battery impact wrenches are available in 9.6, 12, 14.4 and 18 volt units. An 18 volt battery impact wrench packs about 240 to 325 foot-pounds of torque, weighs from 7 to 18 pounds with a price range of $300 to $545. A typical 18 volt battery pack will give you an hour or so of usage.

In the long run, a battery impact wrench is not practical to use if your usage takes hours. It would certainly be an added cost for you to buy extra battery packs to sustain long hours of use.

Bosch 24618-01 1/2-Inch 18-Volt Li 2-Fat Battery Impact Wrench



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How Does An Air Impact Wrench Work?

Air Impact Wrench

An air impact wrench is an impact wrench that is powered by compressed air. An impart wrench can actually be operated manually, or by electricity and of course, by an air compressor. If you have no idea on how it works, you have to know first how a manual impact wrench works.

An impact wrench works on the principle of a downward force much like or as the name implies, “impact”. Picture a fat screwdriver and at the end where the screwdriver blade goes is where the socket of an impact wrench snaps in place. To manually operate the impact wrench, fit the socket into a bolt that you want to loosen. Hit the other end of the handle with a hammer while applying a downward pressure on the wrench. The downward impact agitates the inner workings of the wrench and the bolt is loosened.

An air impact wrench works on the same principle. The only difference is that the tool is powered by an air compressor and that the tool basically does the job for you. All you need to do is pull the trigger and impact from the hammer mechanism inside the wrench is converted into a rotating motion. Air impact wrench hammer mechanism are designed that once the impact is delivered, the hammer can freely spin thereby causing the operator to feel very little torque.

Air impact wrenches are available in different sizes and styles. Your choice depends on your needs. Care should be observed when using an air impact wrench as an inexperienced operator might over-torque a bolt or for cross-threading to occur. It is best to manually tighten a bolt or nut first before using an air impact wrench.

Kawasaki 840770 1/2-Inch Air Impact Wrench



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18V Impact Wrench Work Horse Or Wimp

18V Impact Wrench

Impact wrenches have come a long way. This tool used to be the exclusives to professional tradesmen like carpenters, mechanics, masons and assembly line workers. Today, any regular DIY-er has to have the tool in his car trunk or in his tool box.

There are three basic types of impact wrenches according to the power used: air or pneumatic; electrical and battery operated. An air impact wrench runs on air compressor. An electric impact wrench runs on AC or alternating current which could either be 110 volts or 220 volts. A battery operated impact wrench is what you call cordless.

An 18 v impact wrench may not have the powerful torque of an air impact wrench. However this type of impact wrench has more than enough torque for light fastening jobs. Since it is also cordless, you can virtually access tight and angled spaces that a traditional air impact wrench can’t.

The best in power tools cordless technology is Makita. Its top # 1 cordless product is Makita BTD142HW 18-Volt Compact Lithium-Ion Cordless Impact Driver Kit. Since an 18 volt cannot be plugged in a cigarette lighter (inside the car) this package includes an extra lithium battery.

Another 18v impact wrench that is a high-ender is the Bosch 21618 18V Impactor™ ½ inch with a high torque impact wrench. The 18 v impact wrench can deliver as much as 350 fl.lbs. of torque that is suitable for light jobs, touch applications and for quick and easy jobs around the house. It has a spring loaded mechanism and an ergonomic soft grip that would make using the tool less tiring. Speed can be adjusted by a trigger that is completely in your control.

Choose wisely in purchasing an impact wrench. Get the tool that meets your requirement.

Bosch 22618 120V 18V Impact Wrench


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12v Impact Wrench Can It Change Your Tire?

12V Impact Wrench

 

The change in lifestyle has made procuring electronic and electrical gadgets a must. Everything has to be done quickly in this fast-paced world. Communicating from anyone anywhere in the world can be done in a split second. Cooking a full dinner could take a mere 30 minutes or less. Why shouldn’t changing care tires be fast-paced too?

The use of 12-volt impact wrench can make a job such as changing a flat tire or rotating your car’s tires a breeze. You no longer have to sweat a ton by using a manual impact wrench as you change a flat tire in the middle of nowhere. A 12-volt impact wrench can be safely plugged into your car’s lighter socket for power. There’s also a cordless 12 volt that you can opt to safely tuck at the trunk of your car for emergencies. Most 12-volt impact wrenches come in car kits where electrical jacks are included.

There are plenty of branded and generic 12-volt impact wrenches out in the market. For a cordless 12-volt the NEW DEWALT DW053K-2 1/2" 12V Heavy-Duty Cordless Impact Wrench Kit is tops. It can deliver a whopping 1,400 in-lbs torque or 117 ft.lbs that is more than enough for fastening applications. Drive size is at ½ inch. It weighs 12 lbs which is average for cordless impact wrenches. The price is $200.

A cheaper (but usable) version is a 12-volt Impact Wrench Kit by YJ-1AS. Just plug the impact wrench in the cigarette lighter and you are all set. This model is highly recommended as a car kit as it has a reversible ½ inch drive sockets for loosening and tightening tire bolts and nuts.

Note that 12-volt impact wrenches are either powered by battery packs or by car cigarette lighter sockets.

1/2" 12 Vlt Impact Wrench Kit



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Cordless Impact Wrenches

Cordless Impact Wrenches

The increased availability of cordless tools has set many seasoned mechanics and weekend do-it-yourselfers on the advantages of owning one. A cordless impact wrench is just like any impact wrench. The difference is that this tool is without a cord and therefore runs on a portable type of power source i.e. battery pack. The question now is, are cordless impact wrenches worth it?

As with any tool, there are pros and cons in owning a cordless impact wrench. One glaring benefit of a cordless impact wrench is its portability. You can use a cordless impact wrench anywhere, anytime without the hassle of either lugging an air compressor or scouring for an electrical outlet. A cordless wrench is handy when doing quick jobs such as changing one tire or for removing a couple of rusty lug nuts. A cordless impact wrench is also handy for weekend DIYer who in all probability use the tool only on occasions.

What are the cons? Power for power, a cordless impact wrench delivers about less than half of its corded counterpart. A traditional ½ inch air impact wrench can deliver about 700 to 800 ft.lb of torque while a ½ inch cordless impact wrench can only deliver 250 to 325 ft. lb of torque. A cordless wrench is heavier than a traditional one because included in its gross weight is the weight of the battery pack. A cordless impact wrench is also more expensive than a traditional one. A cordless one is pegged at $300 to $500 while a corded one is from $175 to $250.

In conclusion a cordless impact wrench is ideal for quick and short jobs.
DeWALT DW059K-2 18-Volt Ni-Cad 1/2-inch Cordless Impact Wrench Kit


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Which 3/8 Impact Wrenches Best Suits You

3/8 Impact Wrench

An impact wrench is also called a rattle gun or an air wrench. It is a tool most commonly used in directing torque or a rotating force to a specific object, in most cases, nuts and bolts. An impact wrench can be powered by an air compressor, an electrical power, a hydraulic power or even batteries. Businesses such as the automotive, constructions, product assembly lines, and heavy equipment maintenance industries may well be slowed down in terms of work output and production without powered impact wrenches.

Impact wrenches are available in sizes ranging from ¼ inch socket up to the large 3.5 inch socket most common in construction sites. Choosing the socket size depends on your needs. If you will use the impact wrench for simple assembly and disassembly, then a ¼ inch socket will be good enough for the job. Sizes such as ½ inch, ¾ inch and 1 inch are available in both inline (held like a screw driver) and a pistol grip where the output shaft is held at a 45° angle with the handle, like a regular gun. A 3/8 inch socket is common in pistol grip type wrenches and butterfly wrenches. A 3/8 inch inline impact wrench is not common but there are probably manufacturers who carry this product.

It is safer to use a pistol grip or a butterfly wrench when the power of the impact wrench is increased (in direct proportion to the diameter of the bolt used). The increase in torque is in part directed back to the user and the increased weight of the tool requires a bigger handle that would be hard to grip.

With a 3/8 inch impact wrench it’s best to settle for a pistol grip wrench or a butterfly wrench.
Ingersoll Rand 2115TiMAX 3/8-Inch Impactool

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