I wonder if all these big bad new electric impacts are bad you your hands/arms.

[fastfredracing]

Ive been holding impact guns daily since i've been 18 now. I don't ever remember having any real arm pain, other than a short bout of tennis elbow.
Moved to re chargeable impacts roughly 2 years ago . I have been having some arm pain off and on for the last year, and am noticing that it goes away when I go back to my old small air gun .
That big Milwaukee grabs, and twists my wrist, arm, and even shoulder every time I press the trigger . If you have one , try it , the thing is brutal. It is also huge, and heavy, causing me to have a death grip on it when using, and finally, the hammer parts of the gun are huge , and I think transmit way more vibration into my hands/arm.
Any of you guys use these daily and experienced similar ?
Its kind of like using a 5 pound sledge to drive trim nails, or buying a Ram 3500 to haul your bicycle rack on .
I think I am going to move back to air for the big stuff , and use the smaller 3/8 electric impact to drive everything else

[stevej37]

Not an electric gun...but when working a summer job between college years, I was assigned to a concrete removal project with air hammers. My knuckles on each hand started hurting right away.
I stayed with it thru the summer and I pay for it now. That was 45 years ago. Vibrations from tools and riding bike irritate all the knuckles of both hands. I can live with it...but sometimes they get very sore.

[GH85Carrera]

Same thing for 18 volt and higher drill - drivers screwing in screws in a fence or deck. I have a big 18 volt driver hammer drill. I use my light weight 9 volt one more.

[Ayles]

I got a new Sawzall and there was a warning about nerve damage from using it for extended periods.

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by Ayles

I got a new Sawzall and there was a warning about nerve damage from using it for extended periods.

That's a new one. I knew from the get go that when I had tolal shoulder replacement to lock those things away. They have to be the worst and I used one a LOT.

Fred, I would put the big Milwaukee away. But, and here's a thought that I have tried, but the jury's out: wear big soft gloves like you wear in the snow. And one I definitely do, don't hold any of these tools tight. Cradle and brace them but don't make you arm do the work. Let the tool work while you just hold it gently.

If that isn't good enough then it's not a good tool for you (or me). And I'll give you an example: a Sawzall will grab every now and then and shake the hell out of you. If you're barely hanging on, that grab doesn't shoot all the way up your arm. It may jerk the tool out of your hands and that's what you want.

[Bill Douglas]

Umm. A month ago I'd been rebuilding a fence and using my new rotary hammer drill - same sort of thing.

I was getting chest pains at night, mainly stress listening to GF, but it coincided with having a numb left arm and particularly numb little finger on that side. GF phoned the after hours doc and they said come n right now. then they sent me to the main hospital. After about 12 hours I was given the all clear to go home.

But I still have the numb, like I've slept on it, left arm. I just put it down to being older and these things happen. Probably a slightly pinched nerve.

[juanbenae]

Originally Posted by Zeke

But, and here's a thought that I have tried, but the jury's out: wear big soft gloves like you wear in the snow. And one I definitely do, don't hold any of these tools tight. Cradle and brace them but don't make you arm do the work. Let the tool work while you just hold it gently.

If that isn't good enough then it's not a good tool for you (or me). And I'll give you an example: a Sawzall will grab every now and then and shake the hell out of you. If you're barely hanging on, that grab doesn't shoot all the way up your arm. It may jerk the tool out of your hands and that's what you want.

kinda like drivers of racecars these days being trained to let go of the steering wheel once all is lost and impact becomes inevitable.

[ted]

my old Longacre impact just died, it was rated around 350 ft-lbs.
It's just for lug nuts. Replaced it with a lighter stubby 12v brushless impact at 250 ft-lbs.
An 18v rated near 1000 ft-lbs is bone crunching power.

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by fastfredracing

I think I am going to move back to air for the big stuff , and use the smaller 3/8 electric impact to drive everything else

When you say "big stuff" do you mean something like a Chevy 5500 or F550-ish?

Does the Milwaukee grab with everyday car lug nuts?

[onewhippedpuppy]

Might just be getting old! I used to be a mechanic and work construction and have had occasional issues with carpal tunnel like symptoms and occasionally losing strength in my hands when gripping, like turning a wrench. I now sit at a desk which isn’t much better. I have a similar issue in the last few months where I get a tingle in my left hand pinkie and ring finger, it’s like carpal tunnel but resides in the elbow.

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

Might just be getting old!

I think that's the basic problem. Fred isn't 18 anymore.
Getting used to not being able to do what you used to do is subtle and frustrating. The weaker muscles, more tender ligaments, and arthritic joints don't kick in all at once.

[greglepore]

Part of it is age, but Fred says it goes away with air. I suspect that the electric has a big slamin solenoid whereas the air sort of self cushions the impact while ultimately developing the same torque.

[petrolhead611]

I have a 240v Pole Hedge Trimmer and it has a chainsaw attachment which I have never used.
The instructions warn not to use the machine for more than half and hour at a time. Well the darn thing is so heavy that I couldn't hold it for 30 minutes let alone actually switch it on. The leverage caused by having the cutting head so far away is tremendous.I can use it for about 15 minutes before I have to have a rest from it and use the time to collect up the leaves twigs and small branches that it has cut. The vibrations when in use. don't help the discomfort either but the experience beats the previous method of using a ladder on sloping ground and a small hedge trimmer to get to the top of my hedges.

[A930Rocket]

I’ve noticed over the past ten years my hands are numb and shake slightly after using something like a hammer drill or something that has a vibration for an extended period. Trying to write something after is an exercise in frustration.

Getting old sucks...🤪

[DanielDudley]

''Doctor, my arm hurts when I move it like this.''

''Don't move it like that.''

[1990C4S]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

Might just be getting old! I used to be a mechanic and work construction and have had occasional issues with carpal tunnel like symptoms and occasionally losing strength in my hands when gripping, like turning a wrench. I now sit at a desk which isn’t much better. I have a similar issue in the last few months where I get a tingle in my left hand pinkie and ring finger, it’s like carpal tunnel but resides in the elbow.

Tennis elbow is pretty common, I get it when I swing a hammer and build things. It can be very painful. Old age...

[Nostril Cheese]

Originally Posted by ted

my old Longacre impact just died, it was rated around 350 ft-lbs.
It's just for lug nuts. Replaced it with a lighter stubby 12v brushless impact at 250 ft-lbs.
An 18v rated near 1000 ft-lbs is bone crunching power.

Whats the battery life on the Mil? I've thought about getting one of those.

[1990C4S]

I can vouch for the Ryobi 1/2" impact gun...you can't beat their tools for overall value. Sure, mechanics can justify a Hilti or something similar, but for home use Ryobi is excellent.

[Nostril Cheese]

Originally Posted by 1990C4S

I can vouch for the Ryobi 1/2" impact gun...you can't beat their tools for overall value. Sure, mechanics can justify a Hilti or something similar, but for home use Ryobi is excellent.

Ive had pretty good luck with Ryobi stuff. I needed to buy several buffers for an aluminum polishing job. We didnt burn out a single one in several days/square feet.

[fastfredracing]

Thing is , Im still tough . A few weekends ago, I spent an entire day hammer drilling 74 ,1/2 inch holes 6 inches deep into my concrete footer . I hammer drilled for an entire day /.
Sure, I had some discomfort afterwards, but nothing like what I am experiencing at work . I have a pretty good grasp on using impact tools, saws, and drills and stuff, spend a lifetime using them
I looked up specs last night,
My old IR 2135 air gun. A tick over 4 pounds weight, and 1200 ft pounds of torque.
MIlwaukee fuel . almost 16 pounds weight, and 1400 ft pounds of torque.
I'm betting it is mostly the weight causing me to hold it so tight in my hand.
Like Milt said, my older air gun, just feels like an extension of my arm . It is light and comfortable, and I hold it loosely in my hand, super easy to control and manuver .
The fuel impact, feels like I am wielding a concrete block at the end of my hand. It almost needs 2 hands to use it
I usually knock out State Inspections first thing in the morning . If I inspect 3 cars, that is 60 lug nuts off and back on .
My arms bother me using the milwaukee whether I am doing dually lug nuts, or Kia wheel bolts. Does not seem to matter .
I actually have a cheaper porter cable electric impact that I use a lot, and it does not bother me a bit, but it is not quite up to the task of blasting off lug nuts all day . It works itself to death, and battery life is short using it in this capacity . It is light and comfortable in my hand, but if you get a tight lug, it will just sit there, and hammer away for 30 seconds or so on each lug.
Im spoiled, with the Ir, or Milwaukee, you pull the trigger, and the bolt is off, instant