Impact Drivers (Hex Drive)

It is a driver that takes bits and inserts with a quarter-inch hex shank and, when the screw resists, adds rotary impacts to the rotation. It helps drive long screws and loosen stuck ones without straining your wrist. It is a typical tool for carpenters, fitters, window and door installers and maintenance technicians, who work with screws of different sizes.

Voltage indicates the power and weight of the tool. The 10.8 V models are lighter and more comfortable for repeated assembly work, work at height and small screws. The 18 V models deliver more torque for long screws and for fastening into hardwood or dense materials. The collection offers both voltages, such as the Stanley FMC040LB 10.8 V model with a 1.5 Ah battery.

The bare-tool version, without battery and charger, is for people who already have a range of batteries on the same platform. Before choosing, check that the voltage and battery type are compatible with the ones you own. If you are starting from scratch, a kit with case, batteries and charger is more practical, and avoids having to buy accessories later. In the titles you will see the wordings ‘without battery’ and ‘unit without battery’.

A brushless motor has no brushes to wear out, so it needs less maintenance and normally delivers more power for the same battery. In the collection many models are brushless, such as the DeWalt XR series and some Milwaukee M18. For occasional use a conventional motor is enough, while for sites with intensive use brushless is often preferred. Check in the title whether the word brushless is present.

The impact drivers in the collection use different platforms: Stanley V20 Fatmax, DeWalt XR, Milwaukee M18 and Ingco, as well as 10.8 V models. Batteries from one system do not fit another, so it is best to choose the platform according to the tools you already own. Check the capacity shown in Ah, because more Ah means longer run time but also more weight.

The 1/4 inch hex drive accepts bits and inserts for screws, suited to assembly work, light carpentry and dry-fixing jobs. The square drive, 1/2 or 3/4 inch, uses sockets for large bolts and nuts and develops much higher torque. If you need to drive screws and do assembly work, choose the hex drive. If you need to tighten bolts on wheels or metal structures, look at the collection dedicated to square-drive impact wrenches.

Use bits and inserts in good condition, fully seated in the hex shank, so they do not slip or snap. Hold the body firmly with two hands when it delivers the impact, because the reaction can twist your wrist. Wear goggles and gloves, and take regular breaks to limit vibration and noise, as required by Italian Legislative Decree 81/2008 on workplace safety (the rules on physical agents). If the screw spins without gripping, stop and change the bit.