# Best cordless drill for drywall screws on smaller projects?



## Axecutioner-B (Jan 28, 2010)

*Best cordless for drywall screws on smaller projects?*

When i started hanging drywall for the first time in my life doing my current job a little over a year ago i only thought cordless drill when it came to putting screws in. Then i worked with a guy who only had a dewalt impact driver to put screws in, i thought to myself "thats crazy". Months later i bought the new 18volt Makita combo pack & me & my helper were hanging about 6 sheets of drywall (i really only ever get in to smaller projects so i never end up hanging & screwing tons of drywall), i used the cordless drill & he used the cordless impact driver. The impact ended up being closer to me a time or 2 when i needed to put some screws in i noticed it was SO MUCH LIGHTER than the cordless drills i had been using for putting screws in. 
After this little experience i had a little extra money & being that the drill that comes in the Makita combo kit is CRAP (!!) & i needed a new cordless drill ASAP, i bought the white Makita 18 volt small battery drill/impact driver kit. I tried out the 18volt impact driver with the small (1/2) sized battery and my god (!) THIS IS EVEN LIGHTER !! 
So now when me & my helper have an hour or 2 worth of screws to put in we have 2 Makita impacts to use & you wont see us go near a regular cordless drill again, there is just no comparison!! 
"Once you go impact you never go back" 

Disclaimer: I know hilti has a new cordless drywall screw shooter but that thing is a tank compared to an impact & for small projects ill just stick with my impact. I also know that a corded drywall screw shooter is light & fast, but that is different because we are talking cordless here in this thread


----------



## Big Shoe (Jun 16, 2008)

I own just about every tool man has invented........except an impact drill.:w00t:

Seems weird to use on drywall,Ive been pumping in screws forever and it's second nature for me. The impact would throw me off but I would give it a try.

An impact driver has been on my want list,not my need list. Someday I'll get one.:whistling


----------



## ApgarNJ (Apr 16, 2006)

if you don't do much, just buy the rigid or senco collated screw gun, so much faster, they aren't that heavy, both make a cordless model.

works great for the little bit of drywall work i have to do each year. wouldn't hold up on a drywall crew but for a few times a year or so both of those guns work just fine. picking up screws and hand feeding them into your gun/impact is too time consuming.

i bought the senco one years ago and for 99 bucks, it's gotten a ton of use on various projects. real time saver.


----------



## Axecutioner-B (Jan 28, 2010)

@Apgar Are collated screws alot more $ ? I've never tried a collated screw gun but i would like to. 
I carry around a 25 pound bucket of 1 1/4" drywall screws, i dont know how many screws are in it but its alot,,, like more than a couple months worth for me. 

@Bigshoe -- yeah cordless drills for setting screws has been second nature for me for years & years too. Setting concrete forms, electrical boxes, electrical pipe with straps, etc etc,, for years & years now. I'll be sticking with my lightweight Makita impact from now on,, try it you'll like it


----------



## JLeeper07 (Apr 13, 2010)

Panasonic 14.4 v. Built a 20 by 40 deck with 3 inch deck screws. This brushless motored impact held up. We drove over 150 pounds of screws. Enough said


----------



## JumboJack (Aug 14, 2007)

Big Shoe said:


> I own just about every tool man has invented........except an impact drill.:w00t:
> 
> Seems weird to use on drywall,Ive been pumping in screws forever and it's second nature for me. The impact would throw me off but I would give it a try.
> 
> An impact driver has been on my want list,not my need list. Someday I'll get one.:whistling


Once you use an impact on DW you'll never go back.Other than a DW screw gun they are the way to go IMO.


----------



## WarnerConstInc. (Jan 30, 2008)

I hate impact drivers.


----------



## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

What you really mean is you hate festool for not having one. :clap:

Impacts are the alpha and the omega my son. :notworthy


----------



## WarnerConstInc. (Jan 30, 2008)

Inner10 said:


> What you really mean is you hate festool for not having one. :clap:
> 
> Impacts are the alpha and the omega my son. :notworthy


No, I really just don't like them.

I own 2 but, have not used them in over 2 years, maybe more?

Their just too loud for me.


----------



## Tony M (May 9, 2007)

WarnerConstInc. said:


> No, I really just don't like them.
> 
> I own 2 but, have not used them in over 2 years, maybe more?
> 
> Their just too loud for me.


Ditto. The noise gets on my tits.

I'd buy one for general carpentry use (Hilti of course) but for putting in thousands of drywall screws all day, i'll stick to my collated cordless.


----------



## ApgarNJ (Apr 16, 2006)

collated screws are more but you save a ton of time and that is even more expensive if you add it up. I pay about 15 bucks for 1000 collated drywall screws. the 2" subfloor or ceramic ones are more, i don't recall how much.

warner, i can't believe you don't like impacts. i love my makita lith ion impact. it's one of the best tools in the truck. i only use the drill for drilling holes. the impact gets used for running in SDS screws on framing members. ledger locks etc. runs them right in. it's a must have tool.

i will be checking out the C15 when it comes out, i'll probably pick one up over the winter once they are released. 

i'm not sure i'll be waiting for their 18v. i've heard such good things about the c12, I think the 15 will be perfect.


----------



## curtis fulton (Jan 29, 2010)

the DW impact driver is awsome , no complants here


----------



## WarnerConstInc. (Jan 30, 2008)

They are just noisy and too hard to feather the trigger.

I run all sorts of GRK RSS screws into everything with my little c-12.
I'm weird, I just don't like impact drivers.

If someone would come out with a quite impact, I may re-consider it.


----------



## ApgarNJ (Apr 16, 2006)

lol. i know what you are saying but i have found to just barely squeeze the trigger and they very slowly turn in the screw. 

i have used a c12 and liked them. just not in the budget right now. i have enough drills lol. two locktors that aren't even used.


----------



## drywallnflorida (Sep 19, 2008)

I too have a makita impact, the thing is great, yes its noisy but what jobsite is quite? I don't use it for hanging the board very often, I mainly only use it on board when I'm checking for missed screws before an inspection or for in a tight corner where the corded gun don't fit. But I use it alot for everything else including metal framing ( over a corded gun anyday). As far as the collated guns go I think they suck!! I have a makita and it is never used, takes too long to change the strips out compared to grabbing another handfull of screws from my pouch, plus the cost alot more. 


I do like the makita cordless screw gun but have not bought one yet, need to find someone with one and try it out first!!


----------



## ApgarNJ (Apr 16, 2006)

you can load a collated and screw off the whole strip faster than a guy hand feeding a gun. i'm sure some guys are pretty fast, but i can't imagine putting screws in as fast as I can with my collated, and it's not even a top of the line. i keep a bunch of strands of screws with me. and can load it up fast. keep the trigger pulled and put them in as fast as you can.


----------



## KennMacMoragh (Sep 16, 2008)

Don't think I would trust the Makita, I've used the Makita auto-feed floor guns numerous times and I spend about half my time trying to fix something that goes wrong with it.

I would go with the Hilti or Senco if I were to buy one now.


----------



## grusel (Jul 16, 2007)

Hilti all the way. Both Impact and Collated. Though like "DrywallinFlorida" said. Impacts are really only good for screw pops and tight spots.
But my bet is that if you buy a Hilti... you'll never look back. I bought my first collated Hilti for $80.00 on ebay. Worked until the day it was stolen.
Look for a Hilti SD 4000 or SD 4500 screwgun on ebay. Should be able to get a corded one for under $50.00 or a Cordless SD 4000-A for around $150.00. Then you need the collated attachment. Either the older SM-57 or SMI-55. Both are made from the same plastic they make glocks from. You should be able to get one on ebay for $45.00.
The screws are another deal. You have to order them from Hilti (Downside) but they cost $14.00 for 1000 of the 1 1/4" Metal stud and $16.00 for 1 1/4 Coarse Wood thread (Huge upside). Hilti can deliver same day, next day or on-site (from a rep). But when you're paying 50% less for collated screws that are 100% better than anything availble from the Home Despot, you'll be willing to plan a day ahead and order the collated from Hilti.
They also carry up to 2" for drywall and collated decking screws as well.
As for tool quality....
My older Hilti SM 55 rarely jammed and when it did it was usually my fault. (Not pushing hard enough, going too fast) Takes about a second to clear the jam. My newer SMI 57 has never jammed and I can pop in 3 screws in 1.3 seconds.


----------



## grusel (Jul 16, 2007)

PS. I checked out the Makita collated at the HD on "Contractor Appreciation Day" Wasn't impressed with the in-house rep.
He looked shady and untrusting.
He also may have hissed and swooped his cape over his face as he turned back into a bat when I mentioned I had a Hilti SM 55.

I think that's the protocol response taught from Makita Corporate.


----------



## sanders (May 18, 2010)

*Hilti or Makita*

I am selling tools from more than 3 years already. Best choice will be Hilti or Makita. Hilti is 2 times more expensive than Makita. It depends how much you want to spend. Hilti is great but if something happens they dont sell parts you have to bring it to their service center. Thats why i vote for Makita. 
Its not cheap but def. amazing tool. Dewalt is also good choice but somehow Makita is doing better on screwdrivers.
I am totally agree with Rusel if we neglect the service of the machine. Makita has different policy about spare parts. I hate Hilti's domination on the market. They want all the money in their pocket. What if the customer wants and have the knowledge to take good care of the machine on his end.


----------

