What tool(s) are you using to drive lag bolts?

[some seeing eye]

We have to put in and take out lag screws. The playa soil is going to vary by year. There are many wired drivers, but battery powered drivers are more convenient. It might be good to have a manual hand powered backup tool.

There are impact sockets and non-impact, 4, 6, 8 & 12 point impact and non impact sockets. 1/4, 1/2 inch drive.

There are straight torque and impact drivers.

There are about 5-8 major power tool makers, with 18V, 40V and other battery systems.

What worked for you, what struggled, and what did not work? From a list we could zero in on the energy specs, like was done with rebar drivers.

(Fortunately/unfortunately because I got some 18V tools free from a relative, I think I am going down an underpowered path, so I need a plan to change)

[Sham]

I got a Black and Decker 20V impact driver. I think I have 5 batteries in the bag along with a charger. As a back up, I have a Walmart Hyper Tough 20V impact driver. (inexpensive as could be, and I have 2 batteries for that one) They both work surprisingly well. I have around 20 bolts to drive in (and out).

[some seeing eye]

What model numbers of each?

[Sham]

What model numbers of each?

Black & Decker driver BDCI202
Hyper Tough 20V 1/4" impact driver
From what I think I see, there's pretty much 1 company that owns most of the brands. The working parts inside are the same, but cases and batteries are different and not interchangeable. The price of the driver is based on the reputation of the brand.

[BBadger]

I use a Milwaukee 1/4" brushless impact driver that I bought reconditioned as a set with a drill like 8 years ago. It works great on playa and around the house. The two batteries it came with are still going strong and I only need one for the lag screws I use for the week.

One year I thought it wasn't working (user error) and had to resort to using a socket wrench to finish driving the screws allthe way down. It was slower, but actually not terrible.

Something else to try would be a bit brace, maybe with an extender of some sort to not need to crouch while driving the screw in.

[DVD Burner]

Wish I could say.

[motskyroonmatick]

a 5 year old dewalt 20 volt 1/2 inch impact socket driver. Works like a champ. Smaller impacts of the same brand seem to heat up a lot and emit the bad smoke when setting up a lot of shade.

[laurawoods]

Lag screws feature hex heads, so you can't tighten them with a standard screwdriver. To tighten them, you must use a ratchet or a nut driver.

[The Rod]

We use a variety of 18v cordless impact drivers for our 14-18 inch lags. I have successfully used the 18v Makita impact driver for my big 24 inch anchors used to secure the scaffolding, however this last year we were able to borrow our neighbors 110v Porter Cable 1/2 drive impact drill and it made of a world of difference on the big fuckers, added one of those to next years shopping list.

[The Rod]

From what I think I see, there's pretty much 1 company that owns most of the brands. The working parts inside are the same, but cases and batteries are different and not interchangeable. The price of the driver is based on the reputation of the brand.

I've heard this before, and this is the angle that harbor fright uses to market their power tools "made in the same factory as the name brands". However in my years using various tools at home, work and on playa I've found there to be differences between brands as far as durability and effectiveness of certain tools. And HF tools almost always suck.

Also 20v is basically 18v but marketed as more "powerful"

[ygmir]

From what I think I see, there's pretty much 1 company that owns most of the brands. The working parts inside are the same, but cases and batteries are different and not interchangeable. The price of the driver is based on the reputation of the brand.

I've heard this before, and this is the angle that harbor fright uses to market their power tools "made in the same factory as the name brands". However in my years using various tools at home, work and on playa I've found there to be differences between brands as far as durability and effectiveness of certain tools. And HF tools almost always suck.

Also 20v is basically 18v but marketed as more "powerful"

I am seeing more offerings of battery adapters, for different brands and batteries.

[Elorrum]

A speeder handle for manual back up might work. I also saw a video of a woman just spinning a pair of vice grips like a propeller to get a lag out.

For less than the 20 stakes I need, I wouldn’t spend the money. I don’t have the infrastructure for charging and wouldn’t subject a decent tool to that environment at that cost. I was selling big box power tools and doing the resets, coveted a lot of makita and Milwaukee tools.

Skil/Bosch. Or B&D/DeWalt motors and tool bodies may have been alike, especially after the brands were sold to Chinese manufacturers and tools stopped being made in America. Skil/Bosch at the low end could be pretty close. The cheaper holiday dewalt kits could be pretty close to b&d. B&D holiday specials had very shitty batteries. These were NiCad days. Build quality durability and mostly battery capacity were reliably better at higher price points I thought. The weights and balances are better now too I think. DeWalt drills had Jacobson chucks you could drive over, but those were heavy tools. It wasn’t just different colors having different prices. Multiple batteries, Ryobi use to make kits with a silly radio, or a flashlight, but also two batteries, I would watch for those.

Hammer and galv spikes with 1/2” fender washers and some long handled slip joint pliers are ok for me. I have rebar in the car too, but haven’t used it for a few years.

[ygmir]

A speeder handle for manual back up might work. I also saw a video of a woman just spinning a pair of vice grips like a propeller to get a lag out.

For less than the 20 stakes I need, I wouldn’t spend the money. I don’t have the infrastructure for charging and wouldn’t subject a decent tool to that environment at that cost. I was selling big box power tools and doing the resets, coveted a lot of makita and Milwaukee tools.

Skil/Bosch. Or B&D/DeWalt motors and tool bodies may have been alike, especially after the brands were sold to Chinese manufacturers and tools stopped being made in America. Skil/Bosch at the low end could be pretty close. The cheaper holiday dewalt kits could be pretty close to b&d. B&D holiday specials had very shitty batteries. These were NiCad days. Build quality durability and mostly battery capacity were reliably better at higher price points I thought. The weights and balances are better now too I think. DeWalt drills had Jacobson chucks you could drive over, but those were heavy tools. It wasn’t just different colors having different prices. Multiple batteries, Ryobi use to make kits with a silly radio, or a flashlight, but also two batteries, I would watch for those.

Hammer and galv spikes with 1/2” fender washers and some long handled slip joint pliers are ok for me. I have rebar in the car too, but haven’t used it for a few years.

very good points!
you don't "need" a power tool, if you have a lever. It may take a few more minutes, but a ratchet with socket, vice grips, pipe wrench, anything that will grip and you can put a cheater pipe on, will do it just fine, as far as lags. The driven spike/rebar can usually be loosened either by pouring a little water around it, or, hammering back and forth to loosen, then, pull out either by brute force, or, with the aid of a lever. Once it's moving, it's pretty easy.

[some seeing eye]

There is a YouTuber who tests handheld power tools ProjectFarm? I inherited a bunch of Ryobi, which is the worst, but hey, free. There are instructions online on rebuilding the battery packs, most use the same standard size cells.

Back in the early 00, I think I found here Mr Rebar, camping at Illumination Village. He delivered and I borrowed his demolition hammer, with the ground rod driving bit for rebar to build my monkey hut, in his Star Wars land speeder, because demolition hammers are heavy! Getting the rebar out, 18-24" sunk, was a huge PITA, even by all the usual methods.

[Elorrum]

… demolition hammer, with the ground rod driving bit for rebar to build my monkey hut, in his Star Wars land speeder, because demolition hammers are heavy! Getting the rebar out, 18-24" sunk, was a huge PITA, even by all the usual methods.

The demolition hammer was the shit for putting in rebar. To be honest, I always planned to use rebar, but always temporarily used the 12” spikes to get the shade footprint spaced right. One year I just decided to see if the spikes held well enough, as I was lazy and always dreaded removing rebar. (The spikes slide out real easy.). Turns out they were ok and lasted the week holding a 30’ dia 12’ tall shade tipi, and my tent. I never turned back, though I kept bringing rebar just in case. The difference between a 12” lag and a 12” spike is just the thread. It may grip some better, but it’s not an impact driver and a generator better, for my limited need. I don’t use any hooks or straps pulling up against them, just drive them through the grommets or loops on the tents.

[Davidgatlin1111]

A speeder handle for manual back up might work. I also saw a video of a woman just spinning a pair of vice grips like a propeller to get a lag out.

For less than the 20 stakes I need, I wouldn’t spend the money. I don’t have the infrastructure for charging and wouldn’t subject a decent tool to that environment at that cost. I was selling big box power tools and doing the resets, coveted a lot of makita and Milwaukee tools.

Skil/Bosch. Or B&D/DeWalt motors and tool bodies may have been alike, especially after the brands were sold to Chinese manufacturers and tools stopped being made in America. Skil/Bosch at the low end could be pretty close. The cheaper holiday dewalt kits could be pretty close to b&d. B&D holiday specials had very shitty batteries. These were NiCad days. Build quality durability and mostly battery capacity were reliably better at higher price points I thought. The weights and balances are better now too I think. DeWalt drills had Jacobson chucks you could drive over, but those were heavy tools. It wasn’t just different colors having different prices. Multiple batteries, Ryobi use to make kits with a silly radio, or a flashlight, but also two batteries, I would watch for those.

Hammer and galv spikes with 1/2” fender washers and some long handled slip joint pliers are ok for me. I have rebar in the car too, but haven’t used it for a few years.

Last year was the first year I participated in this and it really was the woman's video that helped me do this correctly.
If you could give me the link, because I can't find it anywhere.

[Elorrum]

I also saw a video of a woman just spinning a pair of vice grips like a propeller to get a lag out.

Last year was the first year I participated in this and it really was the woman's video that helped me do this correctly.
If you could give me the link, because I can't find it anywhere.

I didn't find the video today that I mentioned, but it could not be simpler, and I wonder if you were thinking of something else here? Loosen by spinning counter clockwise.

[Token]

I also saw a video of a woman just spinning a pair of vice grips like a propeller to get a lag out.

Last year was the first year I participated in this and it really was the woman's video that helped me do this correctly.
If you could give me the link, because I can't find it anywhere.

I didn't find the video today that I mentioned, but it could not be simpler, and I wonder if you were thinking of something else here? Loosen by spinning counter clockwise.

Why would anyone need a video of something so fundamentally simple … ???

If you are gonna go all hand-power, may I suggest the old tire iron - 4-way lug wrench …

[ygmir]

to muffle the sound of banging and driving stakes in the playa, might I suggest a person hold said rebar in their teeth, and get a friend to hit them in the back of the head with a hammer?

[Elorrum]

to muffle the sound of banging and driving stakes in the playa, might I suggest a person hold said rebar in their teeth, and get a friend to hit them in the back of the head with a hammer?

Not exactly silent, muffled a bit at best, but serves a dual purpose if you aren’t sure what to play in the drum circle.

[Captain Goddammit]

Last year was the first year I participated in this and it really was the woman's video that helped me do this correctly.
If you could give me the link, because I can't find it anywhere.

I didn't find the video today that I mentioned, but it could not be simpler, and I wonder if you were thinking of something else here? Loosen by spinning counter clockwise.

Why would anyone need a video of something so fundamentally simple … ???

If you are gonna go all hand-power, may I suggest the old tire iron - 4-way lug wrench …

Because those lug nut wrenches aren’t likely to have a small enough size for the hex heads of the lag bolts, and you’ll have clearance issues trying to spin that unless the lag bolts aren’t near anything.

[Token]

I didn't find the video today that I mentioned, but it could not be simpler, and I wonder if you were thinking of something else here? Loosen by spinning counter clockwise.

Why would anyone need a video of something so fundamentally simple … ???

If you are gonna go all hand-power, may I suggest the old tire iron - 4-way lug wrench …

Because those lug nut wrenches aren’t likely to have a small enough size for the hex heads of the lag bolts, and you’ll have clearance issues trying to spin that unless the lag bolts aren’t near anything.

Goddammit PACNW-ers just looking to put a man down …

… look closer and see it can take a socket on one of the 4 points …

Sheesh …

Now, if a clown can’t plan ahead and there is no room to spin an 18” tool … fuck-em.

The Admiral would understand.

I miss us, brother.