Over 2-1/2 years ago Bosch came out with a 3-mode impact drill driver. It was an interesting concept, but from what we’ve heard, it never really sold too well. Some hybrid combination tools sell well, some don’t. Bosch went back to the drawing board and came up with something we believe might be a bit more successful – a combination cordless impact driver AND impact wrench.
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The GDX 18 V-Li – that’s its EU designation – features a 1/2″ square drive and a 1/4″ hex chuck, all in one. So you get an impact wrench and an impact driver in a single tool.
Maximum torque specs are a little different for the two parts of the chuck. As a 1/2″ square drive impact wrench, the tool can deliver a maximum torque of 180 newton meters, or nearly 1600 inch-lbs. As a 1/4″ hex-bit impact driver, it can deliver 160 Nm of torque, or slightly more than 1400 inch-lbs, which is still plenty of power.
Tool weight with an 18V 1.3Ah compact battery is 1.6 kg (~3.5 lbs), and lenth is 166 mm (~6.5″). The motor is rated at 0-2800 RPM and impact mechanism at 0-3200 BPM.
There’s no word as to if or when this model will be released in the USA, but it will be available in the EU starting around September 2012.
David Martinez
Definitely buying this once it is available in the US. This would save me carrying an extra tool while working on my weekend job as a HVAC installer.
Lenny
Nice concept. Is Bosh the first to do this or is this a recycled idea?
Stuart
It seems like a brand new idea. Bosch says this is the first impact driver with combined chucks, which I believe to be true, and I couldn’t find any hand tool with similar features.
It’s easy to slap a 1/4″ bit driver onto a 1/2″ square drive, but having an all-in-one adapter might be convenient enough for the idea of a combo impact to catch on.
Ken Marsh
Since in the US, with Bosch tools you essentially get a free tool for the price of the pair of batteries that come with it, I don’t know if they’re going to bother to introduce this combo tool here.
Black & Decker once had a similar concept with a removable drill chuck on an 1/4″ driver base…. but that system was HUGE and of course didn’t exactly compete at the quality level of Bosch 18V Lithium tools.
Stuart
I am intimately familiar with the Black & Decker drill you’re referring to, and was quite fond of it. I still have the 12V kit around here somewhere. I don’t think such a design would be popular if released today.
The Bosch design combines 2 very similar tools seemingly without much compromise. I would think that 1/2″ compact impact wrench users will be drawn to this design more than 1/4″ hex impact driver users, but time will tell.
Robert
It’s hard to get a sense of size when there’s nothing photographed next to an item for scale. This tool may be smaller than it appears, which would be nice. If you had a reason to frequently use an impact wrench, this would be a nice combination.
My issue would be that if it’s used more often as an impact driver, I could see it being overkill in size and even in torque. Considering the new 12 volt compacts that have flooded the market, a useful impact driver can be had in a very compact and lightweight package.
Impact drivers have pretty much reached the max in terms of practical torque. The power of this unit would be impressive, but probably beyond what most would consider necessary for an impact driver. Unless I had a LOT OF NEED for a cordless impact wrench, this would be more tool than I’d want for general use as an impact driver.
I guess I’m saying that it’s more of a niche tool. I don’t see it having as much universal appeal. If you’re in the niche however, it looks pretty nice.
Robert
Dan Richards
I’d buy that for myself. Merry Christmas to me.
James
I’ve been looking at this for a bit, because it saves carrying another tool.
But when I need a 1/2″ impact, I need 1000 ft.-lbs. of torque. So for this size in not an issue.
When I use a 1/4″ Hex drive I need very light weight and very small and a delicate clutch. At work I use a new Dewalt but I much prefer using my own Makita because it is much lighter and the hits aren’t so hard. Mainly when working on top of the dashes in cars, against the windshield.
So I just decided to get the Milwaukee M18 Fuel 1/2″ with friction ring (1,100 ft.-lbs.) this should smoke my MAC 1/2″ air gun! and I don’t have to carry my compressor with me!
mebom
Does it come in differentc color.