Buying a new impact driver isn’t easy with all the options out there. DeWALT is a pretty common pick, though. Now, that might lead you to believe it’s a great choice, but don’t be that hasty.
If you’re interested in the DeWALT DCF787 impact driver, I’ve been using one lately and wanted to share a review for it. So, keep reading to learn more about the tool, and how it is!
DeWALT DCF787 Impact Driver – A Detailed Review
Specifications
Just going through the specs, you can tell it’s a pretty well-rounded impact drive. Speaking of, this table will show you more:
| Voltage | 20v |
| Chuck Size | ¼ inches |
| Max Torque | 1500 ft-lbs |
| No-Load RPM | 2800 per minute |
| No-Load IPM | 3200 per minute |
| Motor | Brushless |
| Bare Tool Weight | Around 2.09 lbs |
| LED | Yes |
That covers the most important details about the tool. But, I’m not here to just talk about numbers.
I did a bunch of jobs with my DeWALT DCF787 impact driver to see how it would hold up. You can read more about each thing I tried below, starting with…
- Driving Short and Long Screws Into Wood
It doesn’t get much simpler than driving a short screw into some wood, so of course I started with that. It’s safe to say that the tool had no problems with that, which is no less than anyone would expect.
It was quick, didn’t strip the screws, or give me any other trouble. Then, I tried the same with a long screw, and got the same results. You can see me trying both things in this photo!
While doing light, everyday tasks like this, you really notice the power of this tool. It’s effortless for the user, and quite quick too. There’s no straining on the hands, and it’s just a smooth ride.
- Driving Long Bolts Into Wood
Long bolts were the next obvious step, so I got my DeWALT DCF787 and started working away on it. Just like the screws, I drove the bolt through wood for this test.
This was another easy job for the impact driver. It didn’t give me much trouble, and even though it was (obviously) more straining than driving screws, it was still super easy.
At this point, it’s safe to say that the tool is pretty good at driving, which is its main purpose. It does really well with driving screws and bolts into wood, metal, and most hard surfaces.
Personally, I found it useful for everyday things and light construction work. But, heavier workloads are an issue because it has a maximum torque of 1500 ft-lbs, which isn’t a lot for difficult work.
- Drilling Through Iron With A Step Bit
Moving on to other tasks, the next example I want to give is drilling through iron with a step bit. Surprisingly, it was another thing that this impact driver was pretty good at.
Despite being a driver and not a drill, the step bit was able to push through my iron plate easily. While it took some strain and force on my part, it was still much easier than I originally expected.
One important thing to know about the DeWALT DCF787 is that it doesn’t have variable speed settings. New users shouldn’t try drilling through iron with a step bit on the tool because of this.
Since there’s no speed control to manage that, you have to use it cautiously when drilling through hard surfaces. In other words, be careful not to push the tool too fast when drilling on iron.
Otherwise, the friction leads to overheating and can ruin the step bit. Drivers that have variable speed settings make this easier and risk-free than the DeWALT DCF787 for drilling like this.
- Drilling Through Concrete With Small and Large Bits
When drilling through concrete, the impact driver once again did a surprisingly good job. I was able to drill through using a large bit and a small bit without fuss, which you can see me doing below!
Once again, though, this is where non-experienced users will really miss that variable speed setting. The lack of control over speed can be terrible while drilling through concrete.
Still, in the right hands, this tool can definitely manage drilling through concrete using both long bits and small ones. It’s just a lot better to use actual drills meant for that purpose instead, since they’ll do better.
Conclusion
Personally, I’m a fan of the DeWALT DCF787. It’s great as an impact driver, and even works well as a drill if you can deal with the absence of variable speed settings. For light work, I’d say it’s a great option.
But, if you’re looking to mainly use it for heavier work like masonry, or as a drill, then I’d suggest getting something with more max torque and speed control instead.
