Choosing the right cordless powertools to get the best out of the Versadrive Installation kit

Posted by Piers Crane on

The following powertools are tested and recommended to give good results. The perfect demo set will have a cordless impact wrench as well as a drill driver, that use the same battery platform

The Versadrive system has been used with and powered by virtually every power tool on the planet. Please don’t think that only these power-tools listed below can operate with the Versadrive cutting tool system. However we often get asked what our recommendations are, so here are the ones used by our demonstrators for reliability and maximum success

Recommendation #1 – Makita XGT System

  • Makita XGT40V TW007 Impact Wrench – ½” Square drive – importantly, this impact wrench has an anvil hole, so the rapid-lock Impact adapter can be secured by the pin and ring, so the adapter does not slip off in use
    • Providing 760 Nm of torque, this means it provides a good power range for all of the tools supplied in the installation kit, when used on power setting 3
    • Typically this will be used on standard structural steel.
  • Makita XGT40V Combi Drills – all of the current Makita combi drill models have a high gear speed (0-2600rpm) and a low gear speed (0-600rpm)
    • The low gear speed is very suitable for the Versadrive TCT Holecutters – these should not be used on impact
    • It is also suitable for the Versadrive items in the Install kit for use on stainless steel and hard materials where lower RPMs are advised
    • The high quality metal chuck and electronic brake make this a good choice
  • For extremely heavy duty applications (for example 20mm + material thickness, large quantities of holes etc, we also use the ¾” drive TW001 heavy duty XGT impact wrench with up to 1800Nm of power. This has an anvil hole so the adapter does not slip off in use

Recommendation #2- Milwaukee M18 System

  • Milwaukee M18FMTIW2 Impact Wrench- however this is no longer available in the anvil hole version. The friction grip versions are widely used with Versadrive but an anvil hole version is much better so the adapter cannot slip off in use
    • Providing 745 Nm of torque, this means it provides a good power range for all of the tools supplied in the installation kit, when used on power setting 3
    • Typically this will be used on standard structural steel.
  • Milwaukee  M18FPD2 Combi Drills – all of the current milwuakee combi drill models have a high gear speed (c. 0-2200rpm) and a low gear speed (c. 0-550rpm)
    • The low gear speed is very suitable for the Versadrive TCT Holecutters – these should not be used on impact
    • It is also suitable for the Versadrive items in the Install kit for use on stainless steel and hard materials where lower RPMS are suited
  • For extremely heavy duty applications (for example 20mm + material thickness, large quantities of holes etc, we also use the ¾” drive  M18ONEFHIWF34 heavy duty M18 impact wrench with up to 1627Nm Torque. However , again this is not currently available with the anvil hole version so the adapter can slip in use, especially as the tools are removed out of the hole

Recommendation #3 – Fein 18V cordless system

  • Fein ASCD18-1000 – ¾” Square drive - importantly, this impact wrench has an anvil hole, so the rapid-lock Impact adapter can be secured by the pin and ring, so the adapter does not slip off in use
    • Providing 1050 Nm of torque, this means it provides a good power range for all of the tools supplied in the installation kit. There is a torque control dial which we normally use at setting 5/6
    • Typically this will be used on standard structural steel.
  • Fein ASCM 4 speed Combi Drill – 4 gear speeds 400/800/1950/3850
    • This drill is unique with 4 easy to operate gear speeds. The 400/800 rpm speeds are very good for drilling thick steel with the Carbidemax holesaws (which are not impact rated)
    • It is also suitable for the Versadrive items in the Install kit for use on stainless steel and hard materials where lower RPMS are suited

Please bear in mind that the powertool market changes rapidly, so these model numbers may be superceded by more recent versions, or they may not be available in your region. However it should be possible to compare the specs and choose the current model without too much difficulty

In addition to your powertools, we also recommend the following for successful demonstrations 

  1. Cut-resistant, tight fitting gloves
  2. Good quality drilling lubricant -we typically use HMT Speedlube aerosol
  3. Safety specs
  4. Swarf brush to clear up the mess
  5. Material to drill/tap/ream. We provide our demonstrators with 6mm and 8mm thickness box section, in around 400mm lengths. We use UK spec S275 structural steel
    1. The Versadrive system is very impressive when demonstrated in thick steel sections (for example 20/25mm)

However we have found demonstrations in 6/8mm material is more practical as it the most common application, and it can be done quickly and efficiently, with less battery drain on your tools and less swarf to clear up. These are important points for a busy salesman!

Safety during the operation of these operations is of course a priority. We recommend studying and following the manufacturers instructions. As the situation and risk profile for each demonstration will vary for each location, any risk assessment and method statments should be tailored to suit this.



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