Some Safety Tips To Consider While Using The Impact Drivers
Impact drivers come in a wide range of shapes, sizes and functions. They can be used for both DIY home improvement projects as well as professional trades. The most common type is referred to as the “impact driver”, which is an electric tool that uses a striking mechanism to drive a fastening tool such as a screw or nail.
The striking mechanism consists of a small metal disc that spins at high speed. When this spinning disc hits its target, it causes the tool to spin. This spinning action causes the fastening tool to rotate and tighten the item being fastened. Impact drives typically have two speeds – slow and fast. The slow speed allows you to turn screws without causing them to strip from the surface of the material while the fast speed allows you to drive screws into harder materials more quickly. The fast speed also helps prevent stripping if the screw has become loose during use.
One advantage of using an impact driver is that the striking mechanism creates enough torque to drive large fasteners into hard surfaces. Some models even feature a rotating head that lets users adjust the angle of the striking disc so they can drive nails straight down into the wood. As mentioned above, some impact drivers feature a variable speed option that allows the user to select between fast and slow speeds depending on the material they are working with.
If you’re new to using impact drivers, it’s important to understand how these tools operate. A little bit of care will go a long way when using impact drivers. Below we’ll discuss some safety tips to keep in mind when using impact drivers.
Safety Note:
Always wear eye protection when using any power tool. It is very easy to get injured by accidentally looking up at the spinning disc before it strikes your target. If you’re planning to purchase an impact driver, make sure to check out our list of the best impact drivers available right now.
- Check the fastener for stripped heads
When using an impact driver, ensure that the fastener you are driving has not been damaged before inserting the tool. For example, if you’re trying to drive a 2-inch screw into a piece of wood, make sure that you aren’t hitting the end of the screw instead of the base of the screw. If you do hit the end of the screw, the tip may break off, leaving you with a partially threaded screw. To avoid this issue, it’s best to always check the fastener before you begin.
- Wear gloves
Using an impact driver requires you to grip the handle firmly. This means that you should always wear protective gloves when working with an impact driver. While you don’t need to wear leather or rubber gloves, rubber gloves work especially well because they provide better tactile sensitivity. Rubber gloves also help protect against getting splinters from the fastening tool.
- Keep your body away from the area where the fastener enters
While you may feel tempted to lean forward slightly to help guide the fastener into place, doing so could cause you to get hit by one of the fastener’s spinning parts. Instead, make sure to keep your upper body and arms away from the fastener itself. This gives you time to move your hands back should the fastener fly towards your face, chest or other part of your body.
- Use caution when removing fasteners
When finished driving a fastener, the impact driver will stop spinning. After about 30 seconds, you should remove your hand immediately. Doing so will allow the fastener to cool down and reduce the risk of injury. In order to safely take the fastener out of the hole, hold the fastener sideways. Then push the spinning part of the fastener toward the edge of the hole until it falls out. This process is known as “spinning out”.
- Don’t lose sight of the fastener
As previously discussed, when an impact driver stops spinning, it becomes harder to see the fastener. This makes it easier to lose track of the fastener as it comes flying towards you. To help prevent this from happening, try keeping your eyes trained on the spot where the fastener was originally inserted. This will give you a good indication of whether or not the fastener is still there. If all else fails, look at the fastener after the device has stopped spinning.
- Avoid overdriving fasteners
Overdriving a fastener with an impact driver can lead to damage to the fastener and/or the workpiece. Therefore, always remember to follow the recommended torque setting on the fastener. This should be indicated somewhere on the fastener itself. Make sure to pay close attention to the size of the fastener before each strike.
- Always use the proper tool
It’s important to remember that every impact driver features different sized sockets. Make sure to use the correct socket for the fastener you’re driving. Using the wrong socket could result in damage to either the fastener or the workpiece.
A person can visit the online site and select the Tool Pick Impact Driver Section. There will be various options that will be available for the people. They can choose the one that will be used by the people conveniently. As they prove to be dangerous option for the people so a person need to consider certain things.
Impact drivers are great tools to have around the house, but they’re no substitute for a quality set of wrenches. Even though you probably won’t need to use any wrenches when using an impact driver, it’s still a good idea to invest in a few sets of wrenches for use in case you ever run into a situation where you need to access fasteners that require larger or smaller wrenches.
Impact drivers are useful additions to any handyman’s toolbox. However, it’s important to remember that impact drivers aren’t designed for everyday use. Before you start hammering away with an impact driver, make sure you’re using it properly.