Ultra thin screwdriver - update on Brownells Thin-Bit set

That should have read "sliding or threaded collar to compress the collet".

Chris

Ultra thin bits? I would have reccommended the WIHA picofinish-screwdrivers.

Nick

I just bought a set from mcmaster carr that i needed in a hurry. Turned out to be the whia picofinish. very nice set at a fair price.

karl

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Yes. I've got three of them. Utica torque limiting screwdrivers. There is a collet plus an O-ring to keep the bit from falling out if you loosen the collet's knurled nut with the bit pointing down. :-)

But be sitting down when you read the price. (Even the price on eBay.) But there are things where they are lifesavers, such as for installing the CPU modules in Sun Blade 1000/2000 systems and Sun Fire

280R (same system board, but in a rack-mount chassis instead of a tower, optimized for use as a file server, not a workstation.)

Enjoy, DoN.

What's that Lassie? You say that Christopher Tidy fell down the old rec.crafts.metalworking mine and will die if we don't mount a rescue by Fri, 02 Jan 2009 17:39:37 +0000:

At work the de-burring dept. uses a bunch of power screwdrivers with those cheap 3 jaw chucks that have 1/4 hex shanks. When one fell out and dinged a very expensive part, I drilled and taped the power screwdriver for a 6-32 set screw to hold the hex shank in.

Those are precision screwdrivers (or jeweller's screwdrivers - they go by several names). While the bits are thin, they are not especially thin compared to the overall size of the bit, as the bits are very small.

The Brownells set consists of bits which are thin, but are otherwise of normal dimensions, and have the standard 1/4" hexagonal shank. These are much less common.

Best wishes,

Chris

I thought such a screwdriver would exist. Do you know if Utica make such a screwdriver which isn't torque limiting? I can live without the torque limiting - in fact, I doubt I'd use it much; I tend just to trust my intuition - but I'd like the collet which grips the bit tightly.

Best wishes,

Chris

Apparently, Utica specializes in torque tools.

You could always *make* your own screwdriver collet chuck.

Or -- you could drill and tap the side of the socket for a setscrew (grub screw?) to retain the bit.

Note that some things which use the longer screwdriver bits have a spring-loaded ball detent which engages the groove near the back of the bit. For the short ones which are held magnetically, the setscrew seems to be the only option other than making your own collet.

Good Luck, DoN.

Actually, the handle I just bought has the ball detent, even though the bits and handle are short. Or, actually, I'm doubtful that it is a ball detent. It looks and feels more like a circlip, without the "ears". But it still lets the bit wobble a little.

Best wishes,

Chris