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By Glen D. Huey
Page: 29
From the November 2009 issue #179
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The newest members of the handheld power-tool party are impact tools. Everywhere you turn you see impact drivers and wrenches being pushed as the best tool for anyone’s shop. But we’ve often wondered just what woodworkers need with an impact driver – there’s an occasional use, just not a huge need for this tool.
But Makita has just introduced an impact driver that makes it an easy addition to a woodshop. The Makita BTD144 is not your ordinary impact tool. This impact driver has three settings that allow you to dial in the amount of speed (0-1,300/0-2,000/0-2,600 rpm) and torque (0-1,300/0-2,800/0-3,400 impacts per minute) you need. If you select the lowest setting, you have a small amount of torque and could use the tool as you would a standard drill/driver. But when the need for big-time drivability arises, switch settings with a button on the tool’s base, and you have ramped-up torque to drive long screws.
From the November 2009 issue #179
Buy this issue now
Here are some supplies and tools we find essential in our everyday work around the shop. We may receive a commission from sales referred by our links; however, we have carefully selected these products for their usefulness and quality.
