On Sun, 19 Aug 2018 03:51:34 +0100, John Rumm
wrote:

On 18/08/2018 21:36, T i m wrote:
Hi All,

I was nearly tempted to get one of the impact screwdrivers as
mentioned here a while back but I couldn't really see a need and
wasn't sure how / when I would use it?

Every time you stick a screw in basically. (also leaves you drill free
to have a drill in it without continuous bit swapping)

I have more than one drill. ;-)

It also looked like it was a hex drive and so limiting what sort of
things you could drive with it (compared with a chuck)?

Yup, although if you really want drill bits with hex shank you can get
them.

I have, admittedly mostly cheap ones ... you know, where the drill bit
turns in the hex under any real load ... ;-(

At the market yesterday I picked up a set of hex drive to square drive
adaptors (1/4, 3/8 and 1/2") with the thought of using them in my
Stanley Fat Max cordless impact drill (on speed one) as a form of
electric nut runner (mainly for removing machine screws / nuts) and I
wondered what the RW difference would be between that and the impact
driver?

Max torque on the drill will be significantly lower.

Always John?

Many 18V drills top
out at about 60Nm, and 18V ID will do north of 150Nm

I appreciate you said 'many' but I would have to say my Fat Max
probably deals out as much torque as I can handle (or it feels like it
when I've disabled the clutch and a 1/2" bit snags in something)?

(although for
comparison a full on cordless impact wrench will usually do several
times that).

Ok.

Also the rotational impact action can be better at freeing
stuck fastenings than continuous torque.

Understood.

I wonder if I was conflating an electric screwdriver with an electric
impact wrench / rattle gun?

I have a 12V rattle gun that is less of a rattle and more of a
clunk-clunk-clunk and I think the only time I used it (a tight wheel
nut) it didn't do any more than I could with the spider brace.

The only time I might use an electric drill / driver on any fastener
is when doing loads when speed is more important that finish or
tightening torque, like assembling a wooden shed. Eg, On anything
'important' I much prefer the feel and control of a manual screwdriver
(or spanner etc).

Do you use an electric driver on your furniture builds OOI John?

Cheers, T i m