There’s a big difference between “I want to build this” and “I can make a deck board go in a straight line.” You’re covered in sweat, in the hot sun half way through a patio installation when all of sudden your drill bit are spinning like crazy and stripping the screw head off because you was trying to drive it in too hard. And even worse, you miss the damn beam and drive it into adjacent joist instead. It’ll kill your mojo and ruin flow of the job.
Frankly, it’s frustrating. This led to the creation of the Worx SD Semiautomatic Driver. The claim was: remove the dexterity required for screw driving; specifically, the boring part of screw driving.
But is it realy true? Or is it just another gizmo that sounds like a good idea but does not live up to the hype? When I saw this thing initially, it looked like typical cordless drill.
There’s a battery and there’s a trigger. It spins a little thing around. But the kicker comes when you see how the screw gets aligned.
You simply throw the screw down its feed port, and then a spring-loaded arm guides it into the bit. Next, place the base against whatever you’re working on and engage the trigger. It drives the screw home without you needing to hold it with your other hand.
If you’ve ever had a screw fall out of sight somewhere in unfinished lumber, this seem like heaven. So does it perform well enough to warrant the price tag and learning curve? So what’s the big deal?
How Worx SD Semiautomatic Driver Performs
Alignment System and Speed
Well the headline feature of the Worx SD are its alignment system. There is a mechanical arm that keeps the screw pinned until it reaches and is engaged by driver bit. You won’t have to balance the screw on the end of your bit while trying to hit a tiny target, which is the most annoying part of regular screw driving.
You won’t need a second hand to hold the screw steady, and you won’t need a magnet bit holder. That’s huge, from a speed standpoint. Save a couple seconds on each screw.
When you’re installing hundreds of deck boards, those few seconds realy add up. But there’s a learning curve. You have to get a feel for the timing of where the base goes as soon as the screw drops down.
Hesitate too long and the screw will fall off. Rush it and maybe miss. So it’s a balance of convenience versus consistency.
It’s fast. When used correctly, the screwdriver will let you drive screws far quicker then a traditional drill. That is when it works best.
Best Use Cases and Limitations
If you’re driving lots of screws, say framing, decking or fence work, then this is right tool for that job. If your screw-driving needs are more subtle; like delicate furniture assembly or fine woodwork, then this isn’t the right tool. For that kind of stuff, bulkier and more aggressive screwdriving tools probably aren’t needed.
You want precision, not raw power, for that type of task. With the SD, you just have to embrace the fact that you’re giving up some level of tactile control in exchange for pure raw speed. It is fair enough if you’re assembling a deck, but it is not something you want on hand if you’re making a birdhouse.
Battery Life and Compatibility
There’s also battery life to consider. The Worx SD uses Worx’ 20V Power Share battery platform, which is a major plus since those batteries work in most Worx tools. If you’ve got some lying around from another tool, there’s a good chance it’ll fit right in here.
I found that the tool drain a fair bit of power, particularly when driving long structural screws. Don’t expect to get more than one battery out of this thing. This makes sense, as you are likely using it for big screws.
The battery connects firmly, so there is no fear of it sliding around while driving stubborn fasteners. This tool vibrate during use, so having a loose connection would be a real pain in the ass in the middle of a project. Because of the platform consistency, it makes sense for people who already own Worx tools to pick up on this; it fits right in with their ecosystem.
Ergonomics and Tactile Feedback
Ergonomically the Worx SD is okay, but nothing special. It’s heavier than your typical compact drill. That weight make it stable when you’re driving, but it gets tiring after some time of use at odd angles and overhead.
The trigger works well, but you must use a light touch to make the tool work quickly. You learn how hard to hold it to go fast and deep versus light to just barely grab the screw. There is no real sense of feedback other than the screw head going flush with the wood.
People often criticize the lack of tactile feedback when the bit grabs onto the wood. It just stops and then you have to watch as the head goes flush. This is where you take over and rely more on your senses.
You have to look at the screw head, guess how far out from the hole it is, and decide when it goes in. You are relying on the machine to stop when you want it to. Most times it does, but sometimes it doesn’t.
I drove one a little too deep once or twice. How durable is it? Any power tool needs to be durable.
Durability and Screw Compatibility
With its plastic housing, this one definitely fits into the jobsite abuse category. However, we’ve dropped it and bumped it around without worry so far. There are very few moving parts inside, which helps durability, as there aren’t many more parts that could get broken down.
The most fragile part seem to be the screw feed arm, which will jam up if you try to force the wrong sized screws or bent screws into it. Use standard straight-shank screws and avoid odd shapes like self-drilling screws. Standard deck screws or wood screws are what this tool is expecting.
Within that range, it’s smooth sailing and although the plastic guides will wear down over time, they don’t break. It is not made for display in a store; it is just for doing some work. So, is it worth it?
Is It Worth It?
Well, that’s up to you. If you only use a couple of screws a year (for example, hanging pictures), then get yourself a regular drill. It’s cheaper and better at other tasks.
However, if you’re a pro installing fences and decks or a serious do-it-yourselfer who spends hours each week/weekend working with screws, the Worx SD saves you time and thus pays for itself. It also help your accuracy and cuts down on fatigue over long periods of work. So rather than worrying about dropped screws, you can focus on the structure at hand.
It converts this annoying chore into a rhythmic one. And that is a big change in how you think. It doesn’t make you any more skilled, but it does amp up your efficiency.
Yes, you’ve got to measure twice and cut once; the driver simply makes the fastening portion less painful. It’s a specialist tool for a single purpose. Use it as such and I think you’ll like it.
After all, there’s nothing like the feeling of a quick and clean job well done when putting in a deck.