Any one using Hatachi/Panasonic Impact/drill/driver?

[zac a tac]

I need a bit of advise on what driver I should get as my first power tool for my plastering trade. I've looked in to a couple of different ones, and I particularly like the Dewalt cordless 18v screwdriver ( http://www.dewalt.com.au/powertools/productdetails/catno/DC520N/ ). But after a few words with other gyprockers, I was under the impression that dewalt was not exactly a very popular tool in our trade, main reason for that being that they are too powerful. Please can any one give my advise on what tool I should get as my first cordless driver, or if they can share with me their experiences with any particular model or brand that they found to be good or excellent for the gyprock and plastering trade. I've been told that I should look to Hatachi and Panasonic for a good screw gun, but for what reasons that is, I have not been explained to. I'm also a bit stuck on the choices of picking between an impact driver, or screwdriver w/depth gauge, or just a plain drill/driver. Please help this newbie make his first choice. Any comments wellcome.:2tsup:

[sol381]

those sort of guns are ok but you dont want to load one screw at a time.. you need a collated gun. Makita probably make the best. They have electric or more conveniently they have cordless.

http://www.makita.com.au/category.asp?ContainerID=auto_feed_screwdrivers

[Eli]

I'm gonna drop the F bomb.

The Festool C12 with depth setter chuck is awesome for drywall. It's for sure more expensive, but you haven't wasted any other money on power tools yet. It's much lighter than most other guns, you'd notice the difference between this gun and others after hanging only one sheet over your head. The overall length of the gun is shorter than most, enabling you to place the screw easier. The batteries are managed while you're using them and while they charge, so more efficient and probably last longer (unscientific opinion). You can get four or five other guns that are much cheaper, but you'd be hard pressed to find a better one. Did I mention it's expensive? The advice for a collated gun is good though, especially in a high production environment.

Both Hitachi and Panasonic are good guns, I've used them both. Likely the advice for Panasonic is because it is a bit lighter (I think) of the two. Both are way lighter than a Dewalt 18, which your mates are right, is probably overkill for weight as well as strength. A beast to hold up in the corner of a ceiling at the end of the day as well.

For the record, I don't own the C12 yet, I have a 24v Ridgid, an 18v Dewalt, and a 14.4 Makita. All are good for what they do, all are on the way out the door to be replaced by one C12.

[Pusser]

I have the Panasonic 14.4V Li Ion drill driver. I bought it because of the batteries which are the best and because it was the lightest of the comparable drills I hefted in my test. Don't know about being less powerful though - it has plenty. I have no experience of your business so I cannot really advise on its suitability other than to tell you it is a very good drill driver - better than my Makita (weight and batteries) but that was the best I had had until the Panasonic arrived.

[boban]

For a straight impact driver, the Panasonic is the ant's pants. Best batteries by a mile. I have the Hitachi and Makita impact drivers. If they are ever replaced it will be with a Panasonic.

That said, This is not the tool for your trade. The Makita collated driver what is primarily used in the trade for sheeting. I have one and for sheeting, it can't be beaten. That's what I would buying if you are primarily going to be sheeting.

If you are doing a lot of steel work for partitions and suspended ceilings, then get the Panasonic impact driver. Don't get me wrong though, the Hitachi and Makita options are still very good. I'm not unhappy with them, its just that their batteries (Ni Cad) are not as good as the Panasonic's.

[zac a tac]

sigh.. I should have waited for your reply. Just last night I brought a Hatachi 18v set. But by the sound of it , i should be getting a pano impact. I did look at the makita screwgun, but the price is just a bit too much for my budget right now.

I have one more question for any one that's watching, I've noticed al lot of those new guns have 2 speed setting and I've also noticed a lot of blokes are using 14.4v guns for putting sheets.

So my question is, if I used a 18v impact on a low speed setting , will i be getting much of the power of a 14.4v driver on a high speed setting? Because I looked at the stats for both guns, and the torque difference seems only minimal (<100 in-lbs).

I guess if the 18v is overkill, I'll just have to sell it back on ebay, and pick up the pano 14.4.
what you rekon?

by the way Eli, thanks for the tip, but do you know where i can look at one of those festool in sydney?

[rmartens]

you got a lot of good advise tac is the hitachi lithion? if so maybe not so bad but yes the festool sounds like a good driver I now got three festools one mixing drill I just bought as my dewalt after 15 years might need a bit of work done on the arbiture as I bought new bushes a few years ago not bad I got a hitachi 18 volt cordless hammer but one battery needs new memory only half charges but a good drill they are a good robust tool and a lot of hire companies hire hitachi because they dont break down as much as other tools so apart from the conveniance of the makita been a magazine driver you will get a good life out of your hitachi they are a good tool.

[zac a tac]

you got a lot of good advise tac is the hitachi lithion? if so maybe not so bad but yes the festool sounds like a good driver I now got three festools one mixing drill I just bought as my dewalt after 15 years might need a bit of work done on the arbiture as I bought new bushes a few years ago not bad I got a hitachi 18 volt cordless hammer but one battery needs new memory only half charges but a good drill they are a good robust tool and a lot of hire companies hire hitachi because they dont break down as much as other tools so apart from the conveniance of the makita been a magazine driver you will get a good life out of your hitachi they are a good tool.

yep! it's the HXP lithion. by the way I heard from an older hardware store guy up at waverley, that what ever battery it is, you have to charge it 3 or 4 time before using it, as in charge and let cool, and charge again before discharging. That way you get the maximum memory our of every battery. Seems to be working with all my ni cad batterys.

But where did you get your Festools? In WA?

[rmartens]

I got two festools from bayswater power tools and machinery ptms.com.au I think
and a router from carbitools in balcatta When I was using the dewalt I had to keep tightening the bit as it always loosened. The drill is a dw1000 eq I think as it threads on it does not slip but the paddles are expensive $130 and $158 for the bigger one.
The dewalt had a hard life though so not bad.
ooh interesting about the batteries. let us know how your hitachi performs down the track

[cflake]

I wouldn't sell the Hitachi as you will always need an 18v cordless drill. Also, all the 18v batteries are interchangable with the Hitachi so buy another tool & away you go.

That said, the impact driver is much better at driving screws and for doing plasterboard you probably want a collated gun as others have said. But hey, you can never have too many tools!

[Ashwood]

I'd agree with most of you - for constant waving around, you should go for a lighter drill - the Panasonic ones or Makita LXT series (Lithium Ion, really light yet powerful) would be good. The 18V dewalts are heavy.

But clfake is right, you can never have too many tools :)