If you just bought a new impact driver or impact wrench you're going to love it, but the next thing you purchase is even more important.The most common mistake I see my friends and family make is grabbing a standard drill bit or a chrome socket they already own, simply because it fits the tool.But that convenience is dangerous and comes with serious risk.
Tools are expensive, the batteries cost even more, and the last thing you want to do is spend another $50+ on new sockets or drill bits.However, if you're reaching for an impact, and you're not using "impact-rated" bits, it's a recipe for disaster.Using the wrong sockets or bits Impact-rated sockets are very important Close Just because you can throw the existing drill bits you have in that new impact driver doesn't mean you should.
And that's especially true with something like an impact wrench, which typically delivers insane amounts of power and torque.Simply put, if you use a regular chrome socket with a powerful impact wrench, you're essentially loading a potential hand grenade.The sudden, powerful, and violent torque of an impact tool isn't designed for the standard steel (chrome vanadium steel, to be accurate) used in hand tool accessories like bits and sockets.
See, those chrome sockets you've probably owned forever are extremely hard steel, but also brittle.Using non-impact-rated accessories turns everyday fasteners into a high-speed shrapnel hazard.The overly hard metal can shatter from the powerful hammering and torque an impact wrench delivers.
Regular sockets can and will crack, shatter, or even explode into dangerous projectiles.There's a very good reason every hardware store sells "impact-rated" or impact socket sets, and they're far more expensive than a regular set.Professionals easily spend several hundred dollars on impact sockets, but if you're a casual DIYer, you'll be fine with something like this 40-piece set at Home Depot for just under $60.
See, darker-colored impact sockets are built differently.For starters, they have thicker walls and a hardened surface.That said, impact-rated sockets are made from chrome moly (Cr-Mo) steel, which is softer and more flexible than those chrome sockets you probably already own.
That might sound backward, but the softer steel can flex at the microscopic level, offering better shock absorption, quieter operation, and greater ductility.Combine all that with the thicker design, and they're extremely safe to use.I can't say the same about those regular chrome sockets, which is why it's one of the most dangerous ways to use an impact wrench.
Related Why You Should Own an Impact Wrench Everyone can appreciate more power and torque.Posts By Cory Gunther And if that's not enough to instantly give you pause, high-torque impacts may warp the thin walls of regular sockets, ruining your accessories and rounding off or stripping the corners of bolts, and that's not good either.No one wants to deal with a stripped bolt.
This isn't just a problem with impact wrenches and all those shiny sockets.You can and will experience similar failures and dangerous situations while using an impact driver and regular old drill bits.An impact driver has a ton of power and torque, more than a standard drill, and if you don't have impact-rated bits, you'll easily strip, warp, or break your bits.
Above, you can see a regular Phillips bit that's brand new, but after one use in an impact driver, both the bit and the fastener were ruined.The same thing can happen on flathead bits, torx, extensions, or anything else you're throwing in that impact.Here's a flathead bit that took one powerful burst from an impact driver, and it twisted and ruined the entire thing.
Even if you bought a budget power tool from Ryobi or another brand, impact drivers and wrenches are still incredibly powerful, and you'll always want to pair the correct accessories with your tools.You have dozens of high-quality brands to choose from for power tool accessories.Grab some impact bits from Milwaukee, BOSCH, DeWALT, or even Ryobi, and be better prepared for your next project.
DeWALT 40-pc Impact Driver Bit Set Tackle any project with this 40-piece kit of bits and extensions for your impact driver. See at Amazon Expand Collapse What makes an Impact different? It's right there in the name If you've ever used an impact wrench while working on a vehicle or installing large lag bolts, you know very well how loud these tools are.An impact wrench uses an internal hammer-and-anvil mechanism to add rapid, powerful, concussive rotational blows to its spinning motion, hammering as it turns to deliver more power and torque than a regular drill.When you use one, you feel and hear that hammer mechanism inside slapping as the tool faces resistance.
It's more noticeable with an impact wrench than a driver, but they both operate the same way.It's not a smooth spinning motion, but full of impacts along the way.Related Are hydraulic impact drivers actually worth buying? Hydraulic impact drivers are quiet, fast, and powerful tools used by pros.
Posts 3 By Cory Gunther Then there are hydraulic oil impulse drivers that are quieter and less violent, but they still require impact-rated accessories.And that's because all of those impacts put a ton of power, torque, and vibration into the bit or socket.If you don't have the right equipment, it can and will break, fail, damage projects, or even result in user injury.
Grab what you need and get to work Now all that's left to do is buy some proper impact-rated bits or sockets, and get to work.It is worth mentioning that impact sockets are far more expensive than regular sockets, and if you don't need a full set, it's not a bad idea to head to Home Depot or your nearby hardware store and buy one or two common sizes you'll need.You can always build up a high-quality set over time.
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