I'm moving from skid steers and mini ex's to heavy construction equipment at a new place. My tools are mostly 3/8 and 3/4 drive, seemed like if the 3/8 won't move it the 1/2 doesn't do any better so I go straight to the 3/4. Will this work on heavier equipment or will I be better off starting with 1/2 drive and going to 1 inch when that is lacking?
Exactly, a good 3/4 is usually enough but my 1" gets used enough I wouldn't want to be without it, usually undercarriage work is where it comes out it seems like.
Typically (from my experience anyways) the shops supply all tooling 3/4" drive and bigger. I have my own 3/4" drive stuff but I'd rather wear out the company tools than my own if possible.
I hardly ever use my 3/4. If 1/2 won't do it I skip 3/4 and go 1" if for no other reason than to save a step. Half the time 3/4 won't do it so I've drug out more stuff to put away. I do have a mixture of impact sockets so sometimes it's 3/4 or an adapter. I'd say hit the pawn shops or whatever and buy a set that's the best bang for the buck regardless of it being 3/4 or 1".
You’ll still use 3/8 a lot. I use a strong 1/2 a lot and my 3/4 will still break loose lots of the bigger bolts. I typically only have to grab 1” for big cutting edge bolts, counterweight bolts, some undercarriage bolts. At 30lbs the shop 1” sucks to sling around My shop supplies 1” gun and 1” sockets in the tool crib. 3/4 is up to the mechanic to supply
A modern 3/4 impact is not your grand dad's 3/4 impact. IMO, you can compare the newer 3/4 drives to the older 1" impacts. Of course, the 1" guns are better now too. But, many impact torque specs are pretty similar from 3/4 to 1. In many cases it's the same tool, just a different anvil. You have to go to 1-1/2 or spline to get a big bump in torque.
My new Matco 3/4" kicks the absolute crap out of my first IR 3/4" gun. Way lighter and less vibration on the hands too.
what amazes me is the new cordless impacts. I have an 18v that puts my old top-of-the-line IR 3/4 air guns to shame, and they claim this year's is better.
Supposedly Milwaukee has a 1" drive cordless in the works. I imagine it will be quite spendy...
I have the 1/2 Milwaukee high torque impact, they released it with a 3/4 drive but the same torque, so I passed on getting it in 3/4. I too saw that Milwaukee is releasing a 1" drive later this year that is supposed to be even better than mine. I have a 3/8 aircat that puts out 600ft/lb (supposedly) and other than going cord free I use it all the time over my half inch, and it seems to handle my 1" 3/8 drive impact socket fine.
Just remember that these higher torque impacts will wear the anvil and square on the socket more quickly.
A year ago I was working on a project and the ironworkers had one of these: https://hytorc.com/lithium Its a 36 volt cordless torque wrench. You set the torque value digitally on the screen on the back of the gun. I think his went to like 2000ft.lbs. They make one that goes to 3000. Its not fast, its all gear reduced, but I thought it was a pretty neat little tool. Then he told me it was like a $7,000 gun. On the tool issue, I provide all the 3/4" and 1" drive stuff at my shop. I actually provide all the tools at my shop, most of our projects end up being "communal" projects, and its just easier if they are all my tools. I don't know many outfits that would expect you to come from working on skid loaders and mini's, and have all your own 1" stuff. A lot of guys in the game for a long time, end up getting their own, but I don't think they are going to expect you to have it on day 1.
I have the Hytorc that uses a power unit and the drivers with the reaction arm. I have them in 3/4, 1" and an 1 1/2" drive. There is a small fortune invested in this now that I think about it. Those 36 volt units are nice but I have enough to make most things tight already.
These days you can get into 3/4 drive pretty cheap. The Harbor Freight 3/4 impact is around $250 and they actually work really well. I have an older non composite one that someone gave me and it's actually pretty nice. You can get a set of socket for around $100, or less if you can do without a lot of sizes.
The thought was more if the 3/4 isn't enough umph, to sell it and go to 1" but it looks like I maybe able to keep the set up I have (pretty much no 1/2 drive stuff) until something comes up requiring it.
I have owned my own 3/8, 1/2, 3/4 and 1" guns for seemingly forever, had all rebuilt at least once, 1" I know been remanned four times from incessant use.
I just don't like the heavier impacts if I can get it with a lighter one. I like IR so in my mind the IR 2235 1/2" impact has a lot of punch for the pound.