Power tools

[jayhawk]

Keep an eye out for the sales. They come around pretty often. Also pawn shops and used stores like that.

Ridgid is good. Milwaukee and DeWalt are good. Stay away from Ryobi. I know they're fine for in-home stuff, but I watched a Ryobi impact stall out on putting deck screw into dense lumber. So we hooked a comperable Milwaukee drill up to it and it just charged ahead.

 

[maleman000]

M12 is a great choice especially with light automotive use in the future. The rachets are great.

 

[Sapcut]

I am looking for an impact tool that will take off 100 ftlb lug nuts as well as smaller automotive nuts and bolts. All in one.

Is a 1/4” impact big enough (Hart from Walmart is not) or is a 3/8” wrench required but not too big for above combination needs ?

Thanks.

 

[displacedtexan]

M12 is a great choice especially with light automotive use in the future. The rachets are great.

I think you're underselling the ratchets!

But yes, I love my M12 stuff.

 

[displacedtexan]

I am looking for an impact tool that will take off 100 ftlb lug nuts as well as smaller automotive nuts and bolts. All in one.

Is a 1/4” impact big enough (Hart from Walmart is not) or is a 3/8” wrench required but not too big for above combination needs ?

Thanks.

You need an impact wrench, not an impact driver.

Even the M12 impact wrench will pull those lugs, assuming they don't have 50k miles in the rain on them.

 

[Q child]

I have M12 and M18 tools. The M12s are sweet, and I pretty much only use the M18s when I need the power. Batteries are so powerful these days that even a 12V will put in some work.
I also think that Rigid and Ryobi are plenty good enough to do most jobs that most people do. My mom uses Ryobi. Her and I have done tons of projects together using her tools and they always impress me for the price. They aren't as beefy or have all the features or power of my Milwaukee stuff, but they'll usually get it done.