The remodeling market has been singing the praises of impact drivers for a few years now. If you are not one of the "insiders", you may not have heard, but the word is getting out.

Leading the way toward this industry revolution regarding how fasteners are handled is the Makita BTD142 Cordless Impact Driver.

Cordless is not new. In fact, remodelers and many construction professionals have long favored cordless tools. Extension cords are "old school." With cordless tools, you avoid the hassle of extension cord tangles and the ever-present possibility of not having one that is long enough.

Everyone knows and loves cordless drills. It has been the most popular of all cordless tools. In recent times, technology has improved in batteries and power supply so that just about any tool can be purchased as a cordless tool.

But it is only recently that the impact driver has been recognized by workers as an amazing alternative to the cordless drill, especially for driving fasteners.

The word has gotten out, but very slowly. Trade magazines have had reviews and stories about impact drivers for a few years now. However, most of the current users of impact drivers are discovering them from a friend or fellow worker. Magazines are not the only place that has been proclaiming the value of these tools. Just read the user comments at online tool stores. The funny thing is that most buyers had no intention of getting an impact driver until after using a borrowed one.

In most cases, the praises are as much about the surprise as about the effectiveness. Check out this comment:

"I'm a lead carpenter for a residential remodeler. I've owned 11 cordless drills over the years (currently I have 4) and this Makita is not only the best of the bunch, by far, it may be the best power tool I own. I've had it for about a month now and I've used it everyday. "

And another: "After a month of use I am extremely happy with the performance and my purchase. It does an impressive job of driving screws of all types and sizes. Significantly better than anything else I have used... "

The power of a Makita BTD142 impact driver leaves drill drivers lacking.

Other benefits to consider include the size of the tool and the lithium-ion compact battery.

Tool size is no indication of how much power you will experience. How does Makita suppy so much efficiency and power from such a tiny tool? Not quite certain, but it certainly does.

Lithium-ion batteries are replacing the older nicad batteries. The lithium-ion batteries deliver more consistently because they do not have power drain as they sit on a shelf or in the van waiting to be used like the nicads do. The tool can stay dormant on your tool shelf for long periods of time, and the battery will not drain. It will be ready to go when you are.

In the case of the Makita BTD142, the battery is compact. This means half the weight because the battery is half the size of a regular battery. The result is less fatigue over long periods of use. Of course, the battery does not last as long as a full size one, but the positive side of that is that it charges in about 15 minutes.

With the power of this 18-volt impact driver, you can drive lag bolts, long deck screws, and just about any fastening job with ease. Impact drivers are also good for working on cars, planes and trains, and maybe even a boat. It is great for removing stubborn bolts and machine screws.

Do yourself a favor and borrow a friend's impact driver. You could be the next surprised owner.