I stripped the door a few days back and dealt with about 15 trim screws and four torqs bolts holding the check strap in. Some time afterwards, one arm couldn`t manage to get a cup of coffee into drinking position.
Its the radial screw driving, forearm twisting motion that`s the problem, so thought about a power tool.
Never had one except a basic drill as I could never bring myself to spend money on such a thing.
So what do I need for stripping a door (trim screws) and yet enough torque to to do small torqs bolts as in check straps? What`s best to buy? `Lectric screwdriver or bigger?. It occurred to me that if the power tool is heavy, it may be counter productive....
Its just repetitive forearm radial movements that are an issue, not whole arm leverage on big high torque nuts.
Cheers
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Had an electric screwdriver and didn't find it much good-replaced it with a rechargable drill(Hilka) which came with screwdriver bits-excellent both for screwdriving and drilling-hardly ever get my mains drills out now.It has adjustable torque setting so can be used for small screws and larger bolts.
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As with all battery power tools you get what you pay for -- I was issued with a B&D electric screwdriver at work and it was worth it's weight in gold ( till I lost it)- also Bosch SDS 24v drills - still going strong after 15 yrs - on other hand I bought a cheap battery drill from well knows next day delivery outlet and took them back twice as batteries faded after a few minutes - changed them in end for a better one. Mate has a De-Walt screwdriver - expensive but very good - also with these tools never leave them in a cold garage - shed or van.
ps- you can always release screw or bolt with spanner etc then unwind with screwdriver.
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Its not the twisting action for me, its the palm blisters i always develop after say assembling some flat pack junk, not as we have much of that, prefer proper hardwood or antique, only buy it once :)
I've had a Makita cordless drill which doubles as a screwdriver for years, it is very good and the batteries must be 12 years old if their a day.
TBH, i've never used it on the car as space to get the thing somewhere near, bearing in mind the bulk of the tool usually defeats what you're trying to get to anyway.
They are good for the job if you've got room, but unless you can put very high pressure on them as you screw in a particularly tight philips screw, its too easy for the head to chew up the philips cross.
My biggest headache is finding driver bits that are as high quality as the power tool.
Its getting more difficult to guage what may be good as well, as the clever marketing bods have cottoned on to having very similar sounding trade names to high quality British or German or Japanese tools, when their in fact a lot of its junk made elsewhere.
Someone mentioned Dewalt, haven't bought their tools, but their range of workboots are expensive, and some of the best quality i've come across.
Maybe in their replies, some of the posters could tell us which brands will last and not wear out too easily.
I've just thought about what i've written, the truth is i avoid home diy like the plague>:)
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I've got 2 12V Makita drill drivers and I'm very happy with them, I have a torch that I use to completelly flatten the batteries before recharging to lengthen the NiCads life, they're now 6 years old.
Buy drill bits from hire shops and builders merchants
Dewalt are B&Ds pro range, a friend ;o) who used to work in the power tool business swears by Hitachi
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Have various of these tools but the one I use most is a Bosch pistol shaped palm size elec screwdriver. For taking a door off in the house, or assembling flat pack furniture etc, it's very good. The Li-ion battery seems to stay charged while stored so you don't pick it up only to find it's run out.
Having said all that, I agree with other posters that the problem working on cars would generally be access. Also, these tools can be pretty fierce on small fasteners and it's easy to strip threads or rip heads off things, so you tend to need to stop a bit before the fastening is tight and finish off by hand anyway, which ir perhaps where your tendons suffer most. I have a straight screwdriver with variable torque setting, but you'd still want to check the tightness anyway.
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Whatever happened to 'yankee' screwdrivers?
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Bathtub
Showing your age a bit there - I got two in garage but prefer battery drills and screwdrivers.
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Oi! Who are you calling old?
I only finished my apprenticeship in '68.
Oh ;>)
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