Is An Impact Wrench In Your Toolbox?

Posted on February 15, 2010 | Category: Tools Trivia

Impact wrenches are an incredibly useful tool that will find a place in every workshop. Being able to speedily and safely tighten or undo any size bolt is an invaluable skill to have in your toolbox, so to speak. Although plenty of home handymen rely on manual tools like a wrench, socket set, or cross brace spanner, the range of home impact wrenches is ever growing, and these days there is no reason not to own one. Some people still have an image of an impact wrench requiring a bulky air compressor to operate, but mains or even a battery powered electric impact wrench will do the job just as well, and be portable to boot!

The quality of your impact wrench makes a difference, but there are some good bargains among lesser well known names. Of course, a $30 impact wrench isn’t going to have the working lifespan that a $100 model does, but for occasional use it might do the job well enough. When shopping around, compare the torque rating to get an idea of whether you are skimping on power.

Electric impact wrenches have varying drive shaft sizes. Smaller wrenches, like 1/4 inch up to 1/2 inch can be found in an inline model. This is sufficient for small to medium jobs, but larger jobs on heavy machinery might require a 1 inch drive. This will likely be a pistol grip, allowing you to deal with the extra torque more easily. Choosing the right size wrench for the job is important, as if you try to force a smaller tool to do heavy work you will put more wear on the drive shaft, risking damage with repeated use.

Electric impact wrenches come into their own as part of a portable car kit. A battery powered or rechargeable version can be slipped into the boot, making previously messy and slow jobs like tire changes a breeze.

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