On Sun, 29 Jan 2006 10:12:09 -0000, "Doctor Drivel"
wrote:


"Andy Hall" wrote in message

It is more likely for a project of this nature that there would be a
significantly larger volume of drywall screws than there would be 4"
screws.

Typically, one does not use 4" screws for attaching drywall.

You are guessing as usual.

Are you just being stupid or do you really believe that 4" screws are
used to fit drywall?



An impact driver is completely unsuitable for drywall screws because
there is not the level of control required to avoid either leaving the
screw proud of the surface or pushing it right through the board.

An Impact Driver and drill/driver can be had for the price of one of those
overpriced and overrated DeWalts.

It doesn't matter what you can get it for if it's not suitable for the
job




Impact drivers have no clutch in the way that a conventional
drill/driver does and the only controls are the amount and time of
trigger depression. This means that the operator must gauge both
accurately for every screw. This is going to become very tedious.

You get used to it very quickly. The professionals use them.

Not for fixing drywall, they don't.


A screw gun gives the easiest and fastest way of putting in a lot of
drywall screws. I know, by the way, because I have done it.

Not worth it unless you are doing it all day and every day.

For 7000 screws it could be. I was able to pick up a Senco screw
gun quite inexpensively while in the U.S. some while ago. Given the
exchange rate at the time, it was a very good deal indeed.

I've used it both for drywalling and loft flooring and it periodically
gets used for other jobs. It's certainly earnt its keep.

However, I would not recommend to the OP that he buys one specifically
for this job at UK prices.

The 18v DeWalt or a Makita 18v drill driver is the sensible purchase
for the job.



Failing that, the 18v drill driver is the correct choice for the
purpose requested.

Matt, you clearly haven't a clue what and how an Impact driver does things.

I know precisely how an impact driver does things.

I tried out several different products a few months ago because I was
considering buying one.

Although they are not that expensive, their application is quite
limited through lack of control.

If I were installing wooden decks for a living I might consider using
one for the lag bolts. I have seen contractors using them for the
purpose. However, they don't use them for attaching the boards -
another job involving a lot of screws. They use a screw gun with a
flooring extension so that they don't have to kneel all day.





Those who have them swear by them, and occasionally many use a small 12v
drill/driver for the odd small screws.


"The odd small screws", possibly - not thousands of them.

They also use the Impact Drivers for
drilling too, which zips through wood. Battery Impact Drivers give the same
performance as a mains powered tool, which no drill/driver can. Impact
Drivers are also very small, which those large 189v DeWalts are clearly not.
The 18v and 24v battery drills are "heavy" and cumbersome.

The Techtronics Ryobi product that you mention earlier weighs 1.6kg.
The DeWalt 18v drill driver weighs 2kg

Hardly a major difference.



It is best you go out and buy an Impact Driver and play with it. Another
manual under the pillow.


Already investigated and considered. Not worth having unless one
regularly needs to drive large screws of different kinds without being
too concerned about accuracy.


--

..andy