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The White Makita tools are meant for DIY/home use, and probably not designed for 4 hours of straight use installing 3” screws. All impacts are noisy, so while you may not like it, you wont find anything different from anyone else. The White Makita’s also use 1.5 amp hour batteries, compared to 3 amp hours in their pro grade tools… so they last half as long.

You might want to try Makita’s green/blue colored pro grade tools. The battery will last longer, has more power, and probably uses stronger parts.

I used the older Makita 12 volt and 14.4 volt impacts to run hundreds of 3” and 3-1/2” #14 screws in an 8 hour day (much larger screws then you used) when I installed cabinets for schools. So I know the impacts are capable. Though Makita’s quality might not be the same as it was.

Good Luck

-- Chris, Southern California, www.tool-rank.com

I have the Makita “white” cordless impact and drill. I would not have chosen the impact. I drive dozens of screws at a time with the drill and all is good. These are great tools but they have their place. The only time I have used the impact is for driving a few 1/4” lag screws. Maybe I don’t have the feel for it, but I have snapped off too many screws trying to drive them with the impact.

I agree these are intended for home use (v. contractor), but the same can be said of Black & Decker. These are not B&D by any stretch.

The nice thing about the Makitas is that the motors are built in Japan, not China. Unfortunately that can not be said of our US DeWalt or Milwaukee brands, both products of China. My 2 cents.

-- Just 'cause a cat has kittens in the oven, it don't make 'em biscuits.

With 14 different Dewalt 18 volts and about 20 batteries I don’t think I’ll be changing soon. I ‘m a contractor so it might not work for me any way. But a fine review thanks.

-- Jim from Heirloom Woodshop Southern Oregon

I use this combo set daily, and I am a carpenter. It’s great for what it’s designed for. It’s not for screwing your whole deck down. If you wanted a longer lasting battery, then why would you buy a battery that uses AA batteries instead of C batteries? This combo set is a great buy if you are in need of a powerful impact that is very light.

This is what I use for screwing down decks. I use it with a standard dewalt corded drill, and it never gets hot and I don’t have to worry about any batteries.

-- Julian, Park Forest, IL

Julian you are right that is the best tool to install a deck boards. I have used one when I worked for a guy that only built decks. Less up down just push down pick up untill you need to reload.

I have used Milwaukee drills in the past doing decks and there was never a problem as long as I didn’t pick up one of the 14.4v ones and only used the 18v model.

Quiglag I know that all impacts are noisy. I just did not like it. As for the batteries the 3amp hour will work with the white tool. It only comes with the 1.5amp hour. I think I found out that this tool was not ment for what I was doing. This is of course is my opinion.

TBH I don’t like the sound either, but I have been using cordless impacts for 8 years. I just use lots of ear plugs, especially if I have my head in a cabinet. :)

Are you going to return it or exchange it? If the impact got that hot, you might want to at least exchange it.

-- Chris, Southern California, www.tool-rank.com

I would hate to use one in a cabinet. I returned it and I am going to do some resurch befor I make a purchaces. I bought this in the midle of a project and needed to get finished. That is not the time to buy something. I also let the guy at HD sway my choice (he is a freind).

I use one in a cabinet shop every day of the week, 2 actually. I have both versions (white and blue/green) and you can’t tell them apart performance wise. The 3.0ah batteries obviously last longer and are a little heavier, also interchangable with the 1.5ah model.
I am quite used to the sound and I wouldn’t even think of driving a screw with a drill ever again. Most of the other guys in the shop have switched to impact drivers over the last few years, the “noisy” one of the group is the RIDGID. That thing is rattly and abusive. My Makita out performs it quite a bit…a lot faster before the impacting starts and it drives the screw much faster with less noise while impacting.
I couldn’t do w/o mine. I use one for posi drive “Euro screws” and the other for #2 Robertson screws. That cuts down on the hundreds of bit swaps that would have to take place otherwise.

I used to build for a living and used the white Makita a lot. I bought it quickly as a replacement for a melted DeWalt (maybe I’m jinxed or something, but I burn out dewalt tools (except my router) after minimal use). When building decks, I stopped dragging my compressor along to run lag bolts, and would drive 3/8” x 6” lags with the Makita no problem. I loved being able to hook the belt clip on the back of my tool belt and not even notice it there.

-- Finding satisfaction in creation

Yeah, i’ve helped my husband around the house and i usualy use the white tools. he uses the teal and black ones because they are built for more wear and tear.

As a matter of fact, i just posted on another blog how we just went to our local store (white cap?) and bought some more Makita because theres some kind of promotion giong on. buy a tool, get a free one back..you guys should check it out, my husband was prety stoked.

http://www.makita.com/en-us/Modules/Promotions/Default.aspx

Good to see that I’m not the only one that hates the noise of impact driver’s. I have a Ridgid impact and the 1/2” hammerdrill. While building a deck a couple of month’s ago I was screwing some lags in with the impact but I couldn’t stand the noise so I switched to the hammerdrill but not on hammer. To my surprise it screwed the lag bolt’s in probably 3 times faster that the impact. Impacts may be ok for nuts and bolts but for screws or lags I’ll take a regular drill.

-- BUILT TO LAST WOODWORKS, West Blocton, Alabama

I have this too, and its first job was to unscrewed 1 inch rusted nuts on a old iron fence. It did it with ease. Also, I think they can take the 3 amp hours battery, with little more weight as a trade off.

-- john

Got this combo for a present and it is a great lightweight all purpose set – I don’t expect it to do the beefy stuff and it doesn’t.

Tried to screw a nail in 3/4 maple ply and it got tired. I guess I should have drilled, then driven…

Yeah the hammer is noisy…

Still like it though for light work.

-- John

I have no complaints with any of my Makitas. I have and still use (to make pocket holes) a corded 3/8 drill that I bought in 1982! It’s on it’s 3rd chuck… ;o)

-- jack -- measure once, curse twice!

Have em and love them. I’m a weekend woodworker, but these have all the power I need and I really like how light they are. Recharges super fast and lots of torque.

-- Laziness - Apathy = Efficiency