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31 of 34 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Nearly Perfect, July 16, 2007
I've had the PS40 for over six months now and find it to be an excellent driver - nearly perfect.
At first I was put off by the noise of the impact mechanism, but after drilling hundreds of deck screws I came to appreciate the tremendous amount of torque available. More torque is usually a good thing, but in a standard drill/driver excessive torque can be bad as it requires more work, is less precise, or possibly dangerous if the tool, say, twists you off a ladder. The PS40 doesn't have this problem, in fact, it requires less effort to drive the same fastener as a standard driver or drill. I found myself backing off on the downward pressure to the fastener - much less force is necessary to keep the bit engaged. In particular this is a boon for those situations where you can't get a good and strong angle, such as working overhead or where the screw is hidden from view. With the PS40, if you can get the bit in the fastener that's probably enough to get the job done.
The impact noise is loud but not "hurt your ears" loud. If you're using it inside it may annoy others in the house, be forewarned.
The size, grip, weight, balance, and battery life are all excellent. It really does feel like a phaser, that is, if the phaser actually existed.
I have not tried using it as a drill. To do that would require purchase of a conversion chuck such as the DEWALT DW0521 Quick Connect Impact Driver Conversion Chuck (which is now on my wish list), or hex-shanked drill bits. Still, I find it quicker to use a regular drill for holes and then swap to the driver.
For lighter duty driver applications, I would think the non-impact PS20 would be ideal (though I've not tried it). Given that the '20 retails for just over $100 (for the 2 battery & charger kit) I'm considering buying one to compliment the 40. If they ever sell just the PS20 driver alone I will definitely buy one.
The PS40-2A kit differs from the PS40-2 in that they throw in a belt holster. I wouldn't pay extra for it.
I strongly recommended the PS40 for mid to high torque applications, such as deck building, drywall hanging, and framing.
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good in certain applications, April 17, 2008
I purchased this driver to help me in my work as an electrician. It's a well designed very compact tool, but won't replace my drill.
First, the features. It's so small! It gets into places my 18 volt drill only dreams about and with the LED lights is very practical. The quality of build is apparent, and I like the balance of weight when it's in your hand. The handle is also well shaped and the direction switch is easily reached with your thumb, something I have to strain for with my 18 volt. The batteries last well although I haven't taken up Bosch on their number of screws driven on a charge claim. But the 30min. charge time seems pretty accurate. It turns at up to 1800 rpm and comes with 2 batteries.
I've tried the tool out on a number of applications. Driving screws into wood, I have found the hammer action begins too soon, on a 1 inch screw the hammer action drives about 3/4 of it. The hammer action also seems to drive in smaller increments, and these two add up to it taking a long time to drive a 1" screw into wood.
I've also tried it out on driving wafer screws into Q-deck. Q-deck is that steel ceiling in warehouse type buildings that is ribbed and wafer screws are about 1/2" and come with and without self-tapping tips. Again the Bosch PS40 begins the hammer action too soon for quickness and I prefer my regular drill for this too.
For my liking, this impact gun works best on steel stud construction, again with wafer screws. Steel studs are a thinner metal than Q-deck and the screws drive in quite rapidly.
The best feature of this gun for me is it's size and weight. There are plenty of times when I'm up a ladder and can just drop the thing in my pouch instead of hauling up my 18 volt drill. It might be slower in some applications, but it is much more convenient to use. And with the hammer action it's also easier to screw without straining against the torque of a conventional drill.
It's also quite handy for removing doors off of panels or any kind of steel box. You can get up to 8 or more screws per cover and with a screwdriver this can take a while. Just be careful when replacing the screws, the hammer action will start to strip the screws if you overtighten.
As a trademan, speed is usually of the essence which is why I refer to it taking too long in some applications. this is not necessarily a fault of the tool, it depends on your priorities. You need to weigh that against the size and ease of use for your needs.
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fantastic, December 30, 2007
Best tool I have ever had for for cabninet installation, window installation, or general lighter duty needs. I have driven screws in to hardwood stiles with no problems. This driver is so light and compact it allows you to fit in tight spaces that a regular impact driver cannot fit and with the holster you hardly notice it is with you. For constant heavy driving needs I use my 18 volt Mikita. I would say that 80-90 percent of the time the Bosch PS-40 is all that is needed.
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