ON TEST
16 The Woodworker & Good Woodworking September 2019 http://www.getwoodworking.comMakita DTD170Z 18V LXT cordless brushless impact driver
MAKITA
DTD170Z 18V
CORDLESS
IMPACT DRIVER
Featuring a brushless
motor for energy efficiency
and extended runtime,
Cameron Sidgwick finds
that this impact driver
from Makita certainly
packs a punchSide view of the DTD170Z... ... and from the back Inserting a Tekscrew into oakallows your thumb to rest on this area and means
you can apply extra pressure when driving long
screws into difficult positions. It also allows you
to manoeuvre the driver into tight spots and
achieve a solid fixing. The rubber handle is super
comfortable, and the gun fits well in your hand
with the trigger on your index finger: three below
for support on the lower handle with your thumb
firmly on the back or wrapped around the body.Performance
In terms of performance, I feel the DTD170Z is
right up there with its competitors. The speed
of screwing and power of the machine is at a
very professional level with not many other makes
matching this standard. For jobs such as driving
in long Timberlok screws, external brick screws
or anything where the motor and battery are
really put through their paces, this model drives
the fixings in effortlessly. The charge time on
the new batteries is super fast, maximising
drill life to ensure you can always be on the go.Impressive features
Makita have really incorporated some impressive
features into this tool, starting with the speed
change options, which come in very handy when
chopping and changing jobs on site. The speed/
force gauge helps you increase or decrease yourT
he DTD170Z is the latest addition
to Makita’s impact driver collection.
In my opinion, its effortless power,
modern practical touches, and mobile
size make it a top-of-the-range drill. Makita have
been producing quality impact drivers for many
years now, and this model doesn’t fail to impress.Small but powerful
Unboxing the DTD170Z, its compact size really
struck me. It feels a lot smaller in your hand
and the flat back feature is very useful. I was
concerned that the power might not be as
sufficient due to the reduced footprint, but
with the 5Ah battery, this machine is certainly
a workhorse. Benefitting from a brushless motor,
it can do a serious amount of work before any
damage to the battery is experienced. During a
full day of driving in screws, for example, I only
lost two bars of battery and the power did not
deplete during use. The thin handle allows for
great comfort in your hand and it is so light that
your arm never gets tired. Having the flat backdrive, meaning you can wind screws deep
into the material, or have them sitting flush to
the surface. For example, with plaster boarding,
impact drivers are typically always too powerful
and sink the screws in too far, but this new feature
makes it very easy to gauge the depth. The
impact driver is backed by a powerful light that
stays illuminated for a few extra seconds, which
certainly helps in dark site situations, and doesn’t
seem to affect the battery life whatsoever. The
hard shell on the front of the driver makes
for a sturdy machine. Working on busy, full on
job sites, these tools can take a heavy hit now
and again, and this driver seems to have been
built to withstand a fair bit of rough and tumble.
Other great features include a side holster,
which makes carrying the driver around site all
day really easy. It clips onto a Makita tool pouch