Questions about impact wrenches/driver for bin building

andy r · Sep 1, 2016

I have been using a corded impact wrench for several years when I put up grain bins on my farm. Not only is it corded it is 1/2 inch drive and pretty darn heavy after a day of holding with your right hand. I am thinking about buying something like a cordless DeWalt. I see 100"s of 20 volt 1/4 inch drive impacts on ebay. Of course there are the 3/8 and 1/2 drives as well. What are people using to build bins??? Is the 1/4 inch drive / 20 volt heavy enough and have enough torque???? It appears to be more like a big screw driver. What about the 3/8 drive? What have you guys used? I care more about the "drive" size and voltage than the make or brand. I do get along with DeWalt tools although. Thanks.

casenut1 · Sep 1, 2016

Use a DeWalt 1/4 inch drive that has the impact drive. Will work great.

3000OH · Sep 1, 2016

Don't have any experience building a bin but fwiw, this corded Porter Cable impact driver has become a go-to for me. Light weight, nice balance, very good power. Yes, it does have a cord. Haven't pushed it by burying lots of repeated 2"-3" screws into wood but have put a fair amt of time on it over 2 yrs, haven't seen any problems.
Google search for PCE201

504 · Sep 1, 2016

I can t help with bins but my Makita 18V(I returned the Dewalt 20V after one day)will twist off the 3/8 adapters if you let it hammer. The two things wrong the Makita, is the light shines everywhere but where you are working,and there is no extra bit holder.

blue water massey · Sep 1, 2016

I have an 18 v 1/4 drive Makita impact
have used it to drive 1/2 x 6" lag bolts into landscaping ties but never counted how many per
battery
no troubles but get the bigger batteries
I'm using the 3 ah ones now the factory 1.5's when driving lags don't last long
and the bigger ones make them too heavy to hold all day
the 3 ah batteries will drive in 200 3 1/2" #8 deck screws which is my main use (1.5 ah ones did
about 85)
I picked up the bits that allow me to use sockets on it 1/4, 3/8 & 1/2"
I was shocked when it removed the front wheel bolts on my 1950 WD
couldn't do the back ones
I do use it to remove wheel nuts and install as well but I use a hand torque wrench to be sure they
are tight
and it's quite capable of shearing off a 5/16 grade 5 bolt if I over tighten
It gets used almost daily here
handier than a shirt pocket for sure
have never used a Dewalt so won't comment on them
hope this helps

Bob Harvey · Sep 1, 2016

More homework required. You will get ALL kinds of expert advice here. All the best to you. Tools are what they are, check out some specs. I have a 24v Bosch unit and a 12v Makita. they both have their places. Right tool for the job is key. HTH

NCWayne · Sep 1, 2016

I know a few guys with the newest 20/24 (? not sure which is the new one) Dewalt impacts. I typically use pneumatic one's, but I have to admit these new battery powered ones are impressive.

LAA · Sep 2, 2016

We change rear tractor tires with a 1/2" drive cordless dewalt.

Dick2 · Sep 2, 2016

Noticed that Lowes has their own Kobalt cordless impacts and drivers - and replacement batteries are much less than competitors. $20 for the small size battery and $50 for the large battery. Worth checking out.

Traditional Farmer · Sep 2, 2016

I have several battery powered Snapon impact wrenches 1/2 and 3/8 drive they are really good but they are not light.

mozark · Sep 2, 2016

I have a Dewalt 20v impact driver, and just love it. I think the spec is 114 lb/ft of torque. Never put bins together, but seems that it would work great.

Mike M · Sep 2, 2016

Switch off to the left hand ?

I'd sure buy one from a local store so if it does not work like you NEED it to it can be returned.

jeremy in NE · Sep 2, 2016

We moved a couple bins last year and I brought my 3/8 Dewalt impact 20V. It worked awesome and was light to hold all day. It had plenty of power for the job. I can't say on
the 1/4 inch drive.

Leroy · Sep 2, 2016

I have never bin around any bins so my question is this, what size bolts do they use? If 1/4" bolts any 1/4" impact should do it, even a 5/16" bolt. 3/8" might take a bigger unit, dought the bolts are 7/16 or 1/2" but I may be wrong on that. All I have been around is the old perferated steel corn cribs and they are 1/4" and both of my HF 1/4" would have enough power for them to put together but the old bolts would all have to be cut off. Just keep plenty of batteries to have a fully charged one at all times.

Mark - IN. · Sep 2, 2016

My job takes me into fossil fuel coal powered power plants quite a bit and corded power tools aren't allowed in certain areas, but battery are. I've got corded and some battery, had to drill through a concrete wall a couple of feet thick in a coal bunker. I went to their tool crib, they handed me a 36 volt 1/2" drive Hilti. OK, I thought. Blew right through that concrete like nothing. Wow, that was pretty impressive. Might be able to find a used or remanufactured one. Just a thought.

Good luck.

Mark

BarnyardEngineering · Sep 2, 2016

1/4" impact drivers are the bee's knees.

Like some others I haven't built a bin but I have used them for assembling bolt-together items. Mine can twist off a 1/4" bolt if you're not careful, strip a 5/16" bolt, and put all the torque you could want to a 3/8" bolt.

A cordless 1/2" impact wrench is even heavier than the corded one, so you really don't want that.

Bill in IL · Sep 2, 2016

I have moved a couple bins and have dewalt tools. I would think that for taking down bins the little impact will not be stout enough for rusted
bolts. For putting together these smaller bins that use 5/16" bolts that little one would be just the ticket. We always used the big dewalt impact
but yea that thing is heavy by today's tool standards and to have to use all day. If you are going to use the 1/4 inch hex model be sure you use
impact rated adapter bits. The cheap ones will twist and get stuck in the chuck as I have found the hard way.

I like dewalt and have dewalt but if you are interested in new tools I would look hard at the Milwaukee lineup.

Tx.Ricefields · Sep 2, 2016

I totally agree with Casenut1....the 1/4" drive Dewalt will do the job. I was driving 3/8"x6" lag bolts and the only trouble I had was twisting them off if I hammered them too much.

Sparktrician · Sep 2, 2016

I have all Makita battery tools. That
said, I think 1/4" impact driver may be
a bit short on the job, a 3/8" would
the ticket. Makita makes a couple
variations on the 3/8" unit.

RGMartin · Sep 2, 2016

Built a bin 2 years ago using dewalt 1/4" impact drivers(one 18Vnicad, one 20VLI) with adapters/stems for 3/8" and 1/2" impact sockets. It hasn't fallen down yet. The 20v had more power, drove more nuts per battery, and was lighter. Only issue was it would break the shanks on the adapters(maybe 3-4 on the whole bin, and all were on the first ring) if you hammered them too hard.

Eastsider · Sep 2, 2016

I too have been in love with my Makita impact drivers for many years... I volunteered on a playground build and they had them to use. I went out and bought all sorts of the 18 volt tools. I would suggest the 3/8 impact driver...built with a 3/8 drive and doesn't need any adapters. The 1/2 inch drive one is a beast, but would be heavy to hold all day. Get the larger capacity batteries and you will be set!

Josh in Pa · Sep 2, 2016

To muddy the water even more dewalt makes 20v impacts
with brushes, and brushless as well. The brushless are more
powerful and a battery lasts longer. So far they only offer
brushless in 1/4 and 1/2. The 1/4 brushless is more powerful
than the 3/8, but can break the 1/4 hex shank adapters if you
hammer too much. The 1/2 brushless is more powerful than a
lot of pneumatic 1/2" guns. Way overkill for a bin I would
think. Milwaukee makes a very nice brushless 3/8 impact.
Josh

Dave Sherburne, NY · Sep 2, 2016

I bought the DeWalt 20 volt kit with the 1/4"drill driver, and a 1/2" hammer drill. I've got the larger batteries. I think that 1/4" drill driver would work well for building and taking down bins. I use it as an impact wrench on a lot of bolts and it will take out most of them.

T in NE · Sep 3, 2016

I would get the small-framed 1/2 or 3/8 impact
wrench. The 1/4 impact driver is probably going to
come up a little short.

But for driving screws, the impact driver can't be
beat.

The larger 1/2 impact will turn some lugnuts.

I had to buy a 12 volt dewalt working on a truck
this summer, couldn't get a screwdriver into the
space I had and grip the handle. It works a lot
better than I thought it would.

Definitely going to get Milwaukee when funds allow.

36F30 · Sep 3, 2016

(quoted from post at 05:45:09 09/02/16) 1/4" impact drivers are the bee's knees.

Like some others I haven't built a bin but I have used them for assembling bolt-together items. Mine can twist off a 1/4" bolt if you're not careful, strip a 5/16" bolt, and put all the torque you could want to a 3/8" bolt.

A cordless 1/2" impact wrench is even heavier than the corded one, so you really don't want that.

The pro bin jackers use air tools.

showcrop · Sep 4, 2016

When I fist saw those 1/4 drives my thought was that they would not be very useful. But then I saw them in use more and more. Then I got a set with a drill and an impact driver together as a kit for Christmas. I find myself using it more and more. I think that they are 18 volt and the battery charge really lasts a long time.

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