The impact wrench, or rattle gun as some affectionately call it, is a power tool used to remove lugs and nuts that would otherwise remain stuck due to limitations on other power tools not built to specifically carry out this task. Rattle guns use large amounts of torque in quick bursts of speed to turn things in both clockwise and anti-clockwise directions. This means that one can also use this tool on construction sites where bolts and lugs need attaching to structural steel.
Deciding to part with your hard earned cash is not always easy, and if you’re looking to spend several hundred dollars on an impact wrench, it’s best to get a good understanding of the different types and what each can do.
Basically, you can find two distinct types of impact wrenches on the shelves of your local hardware store (or on the internet too nowadays). In no particular order, these are the pneumatic (also called air) impact wrenches and the electric impact wrench.
The battery electric impact wrench is frequently touted as the ideal tool for the construction worker needing to put his wrench to use in sites where there’s no electrical power on tap that can be used to power the tool. Although the electric impact wrench is often the most expensive, the portability that it brings to the job is unsurpassed, which offers improved flexibility to the user. The only disadvantage to this rattle gun is the comparative lack of power when compared to the other types of impact wrench. Having said that, batteries used to power this tool are getting more and more powerful each year, so it won’t be long before the electric impact wrench matches the others pound for pound.
The second type of wrench, the air-powered impact wrench (also frequently referred to as a pneumatic impact wrench) undoubtedly has the largest amount of power on tap to dislodge rusty bolts and tighten bolts on structural steel. The fact that the tool is driven by an independent power source – an air compressor- means that it can produce higher torque and greater rotational capacity. The obvious drawback with the pneumatic impact wrench is the fact that you need to tow an air compressor along to the job. If that’s not an issue due to the fact that you work in a single location like a car garage, then the air impact wrench is likely to appeal.