Any recommendations for powered micro screwdrivers?

[OP]

I'm looking for a quality, compact powered micro screwdriver. Is probably overkill for most people, but I have severe tendonitis, making it very painful to screw things.

From looking around, this is what I've found so far:

General tools Ultratech, and its rebranded variations. Power: 2xAAA Pros: Cheap Cons: Very fragile, underpowered, slow.	Wiha 75989 System 4 Powered Micro Bit Set. Power: 3xAAA Pros: Good bits. Cons: Driver itself is poor quality.	Proxxon MIS1. Power: 12V power supply needed Big and heavy (8 inches long, weighs 1 lb) Corded and requires separate power supply Setup has the largest footprint; takes up a lot of desk space, and extra cords to manage Switch is purely on/off; variable speed requires a variable power supply

Out of those, I'm liking the proxxon the most.

Is anyone aware of other options or ideas?

[mikeselectricstuff]

There does seem to be a gap in the market for a small, light powered driver that will quickly spin most of the thread of a machine screw, leaving the final tighten to do by hand.

My ideal would be something small and light, which could spin an M3x10mm screw in under a second, with a slipping clutch or cut-out, which would then lock the handle to allow manual tightening to however tight it needs to go, or initial release when undoing.
 
This Panasonic is the closest I've found so far, but more heavy duty than needed for machine screws, and top speed could do with being about 2x faster.
It has a torque shut-off which has a very wide range, which is good.
The charger is ridiculously huge though.
http://www.tool-net.co.uk/p-336391/panasonic-ey7410la2s.html?gclid=CP2P0tH2970CFYbMtAodw2oA8w
 

[SPRX]

I have been using this Bosh driver for years, and very stisfied with it and can recommend. Only thing to note is that it does not come with any bits, you need to buy them seperately. I have couple of long nose screwdriver bits with different sizes, and is very useful.

This is fairly light weight, but not sure how micro you are looking for;

http://www.bunnings.com.au/bosch-professional-10-8v-li-ion-cordless-drill-driver-with-2-batteries_p6200230

[GiskardReventlov]

Don't have any personal experience with these.
Wiha 275988

These are $$$
ASG 64225

This one is less but still big $$$
http://www.all-spec.com/products/64109.html

AIMCO even lower
http://www.all-spec.com/products/AE-2015.html

There are others if you have shop air. Like to hear what you find out.

[mikeselectricstuff]

I think what all the manufacturers have so far missed is that there is a potential need for a power screwdriver where smallness, lightness and speed are more important than torque.
I terms of time, manually  tightening (or releasing) machine screws is a small proportion of the time relative to spinning in/out the rest of  the thread.
As soon as you remove the need for a big chunky battery, motor and gearbox, you can save a ton of weight & size.

[gregariz]

These are $$$
ASG 64225

I use the ASG's at work. They are well built, have an external speed controller and have all the options like the suspended arm system for a production environment. The controller is usually good enough/has enough speed so that you can do some basic drilling with it. I haven't been able to destroy one with various abuse.

HMC has most of these but they are probably a bit pricy for hobby use. Ebay may be the answer.

[RobertHolcombe]

I own the Panasonic model mike linked, I use it daily at work, saves my hands/wrists a lot of strain compared to using a conventional cordless drill/driver while sitting at a bench, as well as in the field. I share the same sentiment about the speed, I never use the lower speed setting, and wish the higher setting was faster. The length can be an issue in tight spaces but the handle does pivot and if in doubt I use a right angle attachment.

[Carrington]

@OP:

Do you prefer low or high torque?

Because the Proxxon MIS1 have a torque range of: 9 to 3 in-lbs ~ (1 to 0.34 Nm) or (100 to 34 cNm). Not bad.
The General tools Ultratech, suggest: "Super-torque".  http://www.all-spec.com/products/500.html
And the Wiha 75989 no idea.

Cheers,
Carrington.

[OP]

Thank you so much for the suggestions everyone, I'm amazed at the suggestions.

@Carrington: I'm not sure how much torque I would prefer. I'll mainly be working with m2 or m3 bolts, and I don't think that requires much torque. Speed though, is a priority.

The CL-3000 looks very promising. 1000 RPM, wow (vs the Proxxon @150 RPM). And it's lighter as well.

[GiskardReventlov]

Another one.
http://www.mountztorque.com

Seems with shop air you can get up to 2200rpm.

[Carrington]

The CL-3000 looks very promising. 1000 RPM, wow (vs the Proxxon @150 RPM). And it's lighter as well.

Which of these two?

http://www.mountztorque.com/products/power-assembly-tools/clseries
http://hios.com/EN/product/retrieveProduct.php?category_id=183

[GreyWoolfe]

I have a small Ryobi that I picked up for about £30 on sale, and am very happy with. It's smaller and lighter than the Panasonic. Similar to this one: http://www.screwfix.com/p/ryobi-csd-4030g-4v-1-5ah-li-ion-cordless-screwdriver/95188

I think there is a mechanical limit on how small these things can get and still have a clutch. All the smaller ones I have seen have no clutch.

+1  I like it very much.  I also have some of the Ryobi One system tools and like them very much also.

[OP]

I've just ordered a used CL-2000 with power supply from ebay. Can't wait to test it out.

[peter.mitchell]

I've got one of these http://www.bunnings.com.au/bosch-3-6v-li-ion-cordless-ixo-4-screwdriver_p6200344 and it's great, but it goes about half the speed i'd like it to. Aside from that, everything else is 10/10

[London Lad]

I have one of these. http://www.leadmaker.co.uk/miniature_electric_screwdrivers.htm

[mikeselectricstuff]

I have one of these. http://www.leadmaker.co.uk/miniature_electric_screwdrivers.htm

Price?

[London Lad]

I have one of these. http://www.leadmaker.co.uk/miniature_electric_screwdrivers.htm

Price?

Not cheap, just short of £300 if I remember correctly.

Very well made and the torque setting is accurate enough for use on screws into plastic. The only thing I can fault it on is the cable is unnecessarily thick and stiff in cold conditions. I have been meaning to get round to replacing it with some super flex silicone stuff.

[Fsck]

not so micro, but I use a milwaukee m12 drill/driver:   http://www.milwaukeetool.com/power-tools/cordless/2410-20
I actually find it reasonably light

[gregariz]

I've just ordered a used CL-2000 with power supply from ebay. Can't wait to test it out.

The nice thing about the ASG's are that once the sticker wears off the vendors no longer know what it is. Looking at this listing;

http://www.ebay.com/itm/HIOS-CLT-50-power-supply-with-torque-screwdriver-free-shipping-/141267595835?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20e434723b

That looks like a CL-6500 to me (just my guess!) which is a $800 screwdriver without supply.

[Kjelt]

.

[London Lad]

I don't have the vacuum model, I assume its vacuum pick up to hold the screw on to the bit

[Kjelt]

This Panasonic is the closest I've found so far, but more heavy duty than needed for machine screws, and top speed could do with being about 2x faster.
It has a torque shut-off which has a very wide range, which is good.
The charger is ridiculously huge though.
http://www.tool-net.co.uk/p-336391/panasonic-ey7410la2s.html?gclid=CP2P0tH2970CFYbMtAodw2oA8w 

That looks almost identical to the Phoenix Contact SF-ASD 21 (1212532)
The panasonic is €150, the Phoenix Contact €650   

https://www.phoenixcontact.com/online/portal/us?uri=pxc-oc-itemdetail:pid=1212532&library=usen&tab=1

[sotos]

Why not this, well known

http://www.tool-net.co.uk/p-401425/bosch-gsr10-8v-ec-hx-10-8v-li-ion-screwdriver-in-l-boxx-2-x-2-0ah-li-ion.html

Or much cheaper this

http://www.prokits.com.tw/en/product/product_detail.asp?catid=16&itemid=PT-1361F#features


Prices vary.

[sotos]

Ok. Micro drilling or micro screwdrivers are for dentists or bone surgery (screws and other) or watch makers.
How small are we looking at?

[VK5RC]

I have one of those little Boschs as well,  battery lasts forever,  no torque clutch though ,  it lives on my bench,  great for teardowns! :-)

[manzini]

+1 the bosch

from small brass screws (with care, little excesive) dozens of rack m6 screws, 4x1U reorganizing some racks it's a jam session.
Concrete wall screws 4mm x 60mm ? never mind:  last summer a small workshop surrounded by shelves and after child's home Furnitures (tendinitis assured)

The battery are like the first day after 4 years.

for very small jobs or brass, nylon, plastic, try to buy some appropriate tips that will not break the head screws by excessive force.

[peter.mitchell]

I have one of those little Boschs as well,  battery lasts forever,  no torque clutch though ,  it lives on my bench,  great for teardowns! :-)

+1 the bosch

from small brass screws (with care, little excesive) dozens of rack m6 screws, 4x1U reorganizing some racks it's a jam session.
Concrete wall screws 4mm x 60mm ? never mind:  last summer a small workshop surrounded by shelves and after child's home Furnitures (tendinitis assured)

The battery are like the first day after 4 years.

for very small jobs or brass, nylon, plastic, try to buy some appropriate tips that will not break the head screws by excessive force.

Would you agree with my comments about it going a bit too slow? For a long threaded screw often I feel it is tedious, sure its much faster than by hand, but still slower than it should be.
Heck, i'd sacrifice some of it's torque for speed, when i first got it i was very very very amazed by it's torque, first thing i did was try to hold the bit in it still with my hand (because if i can hold it with my hand, i can screw with a screwdriver tighter) and i was unable to do so.

[manzini]

Yes ! I agree with you, excuse me for omitting this, It might be important to evaluate.

I have a "big" screwdriver can screw 60mm (2,5"?) in less than a second, but the usability of this small this means that I always use this.

my little mad-zone, about 200 4x60mm concrete walls screws, with the big tool, surely could have ended an hour before but ... the tendonitis can also come by holding and managing a weight tool.

I think it's a good recommendation, of course with your warning, if for example 60mm in +/-5 secs. is an acceptable term.

I think he has the strength to not break anything and help a lot for teardown, bench operation and casual (patiente) walls & large.

[mikeselectricstuff]

I really think there's a market for something like this - more like a "power assisted" manual driver than fully powered unit : 

Similar shape/size  to a traditional medium-sized screwdriver - for smaller stuff, this is easier to "aim" than a pistol grip form factor.

You grip it and it locks the shaft, like a normal screwdriver. For tightening you need to grip anyway so why not use this force to avoid the need for a mechanical clutch.

An alternative may be a ring at the end that's pulled up/down to engage - must be able to do it without changing how you hold it.

You press a button (or maybe a ring at the end and the shaft spins fairly rapidly, but with only enough torque to do/undo a machine screw. e.g. fast enough to fully spin a 12mm M3 screw in under half a second.
Torque cutout, probably using motor current. The high speed also dictates that you want the rotating mass to be fairly small to avoid over-torquing.

As power won't need to be very high, battery should be smaller than 18650 to reduce size/weight- maybe AA sort of size.
Maybe an oval handle with battery/motor either side of shaft and a single gear to couple to the shaft

Replaceable shafts preferable to using a bit holder near the end, to improve stability and maximise access (e.g. down recessed holes)  If there is a bit holder, it would be the smaller 4mm type, preferably with some sort of locking mechanism.
Maybe a set of long shafts for standard sizes, and a 4mm bit holder for less common stuff.

Almost tempted to try designing something myself....

[London Lad]

This is an interesting concept but I prefer your design

http://www.dewalt.com/8vmax-gyroscopic-technology-screwdriver ;-)

[Kjelt]

post removed, brand was already posted earlier.

[peter.mitchell]

It'd be nice if you could get the bosch in a "pencil-grip" with a pwm-controlled speed, and to control it's direction + speed, it worked like a segway - lean forward, it goes forward, lean back it goes back, but instead of lean, it's apply pressure.

I just read the dewalt link above - bugger, they basically made what i just described...

[iRad]

I've been using the Milwaukee battery powered screwdriver on my bench for more than thirty years. First iteration (circa 1983) battery was a bit weak, but so were most NiCd batteries of that time. Still the batteries lasted a year or so each if properly charged and cared for. I still have my 1983 version of this tool and it still works, but the last battery died years ago and it was a better deal just to replace the whole thing with a newer version with better batteries. The latest version of this driver with Lithium-Ion batteries is hard to beat. It's fast and the clutch system works great. For most screws, it does all the work for you. For tight or stubborn screws, the shaft automatically locks and you use your own wrist to start and finish torqueing screws. Weight is only about a pound and about one inch wide, you never get tired of holding and using it. The kit with two batteries is in my opinion the smart buy. This tool is not the go-to construction or machinist driver, but certainly a welcome addition to most work benches. http://www.milwaukeetool.com/power-tools/cordless/2101-22

Single battery kit on eBay... http://www.ebay.com/itm/390706838886
Two battery kit on eBay... http://www.ebay.com/itm/291072953197

[Kjelt]

I've been using the Milwaukee battery powered screwdriver on my bench for more than thirty years.

I am going to check this one out, looks very good and Milwaukee is a very good brand, I own the handheld larger screwdriver for big screws.

[Kjelt]

Just returned from the store, Milwaukee does not sell those in this country, it is not listed in their catalogue 
The store showed me another brand (think it was Makita) but that did not have torque adjustment or multi speed.
I walked out with a Panasonic for €200.- very nice machine, tonight going to test it

[GiskardReventlov]

This is an interesting concept but I prefer your design

That link to an intelligent screwdriver.  No thanks. I can guarantee that it's not intelligent enough and will quickly just be in the way and become annoying.

New BMWs have intelligent braking to prevent you from rear-ending "things". But those "things" include bugs that splat on the sensor. Ooops.  Maybe in the fine print the BMW manual states "No bugs were harmed in the making of this vehicle."

Hopefully that screwdriver has a "Disable  gyro" button.

BTW this the same gyro in the other post?

[London Lad]

This is an interesting concept but I prefer your design

That link to an intelligent screwdriver.  No thanks. I can guarantee that it's not intelligent enough and will quickly just be in the way and become annoying.

New BMWs have intelligent braking to prevent you from rear-ending "things". But those "things" include bugs that splat on the sensor. Ooops.  Maybe in the fine print the BMW manual states "No bugs were harmed in the making of this vehicle."

Hopefully that screwdriver has a "Disable  gyro" button.

BTW this the same gyro in the other post?

I tried one this afternoon, its actually quite good. Not much advantage to the fact that you control the start up and speed by turning your wrist but the fact that you can instantly move between forward and reverse without using a switch is very intuitive and useful.

[mikeselectricstuff]

I suspect the gyro think would get confused if you are holding the thing being screwed in your other hand & moving about  a bit!

[GiskardReventlov]

but the fact that you can instantly move between forward and reverse without using a switch is very intuitive and useful.

I don't doubt that.  It's that one time that it switches direction when you didn't intend to do that. Strange angle or using it upside down, etc. Then I look for the disable switch and if it's not there I stop using it by nature.

I'm trying to think of some other "intelligent" hardware that is poorly implemented.  The BMW issue is stark.

[London Lad]

I suspect the gyro think would get confused if you are holding the thing being screwed in your other hand & moving about  a bit!

You pull a trigger to set the neutral position and start the gyro, this can be in any plane or at any angle, then rotate clock or anti clock to run the motor in forward or reverse. 0 to full speed is about a 45 degree twist. It works very well but I didn't buy one. Still too big for bench work IMHO.

If you want emergency stop just release the trigger.

I still just want this with an internal Li-ion batt :-)

[esprits4s]

I own the Wiha from the original post.  It's fine with a nice set of tips.  Not particularly strong, which is good for inserting screws and not so good for removing them.  I like having a small kit with a very nice assortment of bits.  The driver itself is okay; although, not really up to Wiha standards.  The switch in particular gives little confidence that it will last.  I bought this because of elbow tendinitis and because I'm a fan, in general, of Wiha tools.

I also purchased a cheap Black & Decker lithium ion driver (LI2000: http://www.amazon.com/Black-Decker-Li2000-Rechargeable-Screwdriver/dp/B005LTNLDS/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top). I find myself using this far more than the Wiha on my bench.  It cost $20, the batteries last a really long time, and it has enough torque to remove any electronics screws.  You do have to be careful when using it to insert screws though due to the torque.

I don't regret buying the Wiha, but I'm not sure I would make the same purchase over again.  I also agree there is a need for something a little more robust than the Wiha with better control than the LI2000 (or the other general purpose drivers suggested here).

I'm not sure that I see the need for any of the higher price models suggested in this thread outside of a production environment where you need accurate torque control or extremely high speeds for quick and repeatable assembly.

[Kjelt]

Short experience with the Panasonic:

Pro's:
-lays good in the hand in both physical settings
-The torque stop is great, I was used of the rattler noise in my bigger screwdrivers but this one just plain stops, it cuts the power to the motor when the torque is reached, it has the experience of a pro factory screwdriver.
-When it stops you can directly use the screwdriver manually to fasten even more if required.
-Fast! in the high setting 600rpm , more then fast enough for me 
-excellent batteries (Panasonic quality)

Con's:
-Torque has wide setting but even setting 1 (least torque) is already quite sturdy so I would rather have had a 0,1 - 4 then the 1-20 there is now but OK it is workable.
-inserting screws back in the plastick holes needs a short manual cc rotation till you feel the start of the thread, this is much easier with a handscrewdriver then with this large thing.
-no drillholder included

[iRad]

Short experience with the Panasonic:

What is the model number of your Panasonic driver? From your description of the operation, sounds very much like the Milwaukee driver.

[Kjelt]

The model is EY7410 LA2S

[scientist]

top speed could do with being about 2x faster.

Don't act as if you can't fix that!

[iRad]

The model is EY7410 LA2S

Looks like the Panasonic and Milwaukee drivers are made by the same company with only minor differences to differentiate them. I prefer the black and white color scheme over the red Milwaukee driver, but I cannot find the Panasonic driver in any local stores to check out. It is of course available on eBay, but at a premium price over the Milwaukee driver. That fact alone makes me like the Milwaukee a whole lot better, and I can live with the color. Torque is listed as a little bit higher on the Milwaukee driver, and I bet that is mostly due to its higher voltage battery.

[mikeselectricstuff]

top speed could do with being about 2x faster.

Don't act as if you can't fix that!

Have thought about it but don't use it enough to bother

[Refrigerator]

Some people hack old servo motors to use as mini screwdrivers.

[Psi]

I've been looking for something similar for a while. Mainly something small i can take out to the field when flying RC planes/quads for removing/inserting long 3 or 4mm machine screws.

Ideally i would have it run from a RC lipo.  That way i wouldn't need to worry about keeping the internal battery charged. And it would allow for a smaller unit.

[Kjelt]

Torque is listed as a little bit higher on the Milwaukee driver, and I bet that is mostly due to its higher voltage battery.

If the Milwaukee also uses LiIon batteries the 4V is just marketing, since a single LiIon cell is and always will be around 3,6V   
If they do that with the battery voltage what's stopping them from doing the same with the torque 

[ajb]

We got one of those DeWalt gyro drivers to try out at work recently (along with a bunch of other cheaper drivers not worth mentioning), and I put it through its paces assembling a batch of 25 pendant boxes.  With eight terminal screws and four housing screws each, I'd say 300 screws is enough to get a good idea of its usability.

Thoughts in no particular order:

• Overall it takes some getting used to, but the gyro action is fairly intuitive.  If I hadn't spent so much time using traditional variable speed trigger tools, honestly the adjustment probably would have been easier. 
• The gyro control is actually rather nice for things like screw terminals where you constantly need to reverse direction.  It's nice to be able to turn the tool one way to back off a terminal screw, stick the wire in, then just turn the tool the other way to tighten.
• You do have to make sure that you position the tool such that you can actually rotate your hand enough to activate it, which is sometimes tricky when trying to hold a terminal block and a wire in one hand while fastening the terminal screw.
• There's no apparent battery cutoff to prevent you from discharging the battery into the ground, so that doesn't inspire confidence as far as battery lifecycle.  I'm sure there's a safety cutoff built into the pack, but better rechargeable tools have a built-in cutoff somewhere before that point to improve battery life.
• It's very good at rejecting pitch and yaw motions and only responding to roll.  When the battery gets low it occasionally gets a little squirelly, but that's right at the point that torque drops off to useless levels, so not a big deal.  I tried pulling the trigger and shaking the whole thing very vigorously in all directions, and even then it's very difficult to confuse it.
• Battery life is decent.  I did about 2/3 of the job with the initial half-charge the batteries came out of the box with.
• The handle swivels to a straight screwdriver type configuration, but I didn't find that configuration nearly as ergonomic as the pistol config.
• I didn't try any terribly big screws, but torque seems to be plenty adequate for most general electronics purposes.

 I think I'd rather have something like a variable speed rocker trigger (squeeze in one direction for forward and the other for reverse), but the gyro isn't bad, and with variable speed, a variable clutch, and removable rechargeable battery pack for $90US, I'd give it 4/5.

[scientist]

what's wrong with full size screwdrivers?

[London Lad]

Torque is listed as a little bit higher on the Milwaukee driver, and I bet that is mostly due to its higher voltage battery.

If the Milwaukee also uses LiIon batteries the 4V is just marketing, since a single LiIon cell is and always will be around 3,6V   
If they do that with the battery voltage what's stopping them from doing the same with the torque 

Its strange that they only seem to do that in the USA.

Dewalt do it too. In the UK and rest of Europe they always quote 3.6, 7.2 or 10.8 volt as opposed to 4, 8 and 12 in the US, even the actual battery packs are marked differently despite being the exact same 1, 2 or 3 cell Li-ions

[Monkeh]

Torque is listed as a little bit higher on the Milwaukee driver, and I bet that is mostly due to its higher voltage battery.

If the Milwaukee also uses LiIon batteries the 4V is just marketing, since a single LiIon cell is and always will be around 3,6V   
If they do that with the battery voltage what's stopping them from doing the same with the torque 

Its strange that they only seem to do that in the USA.

Dewalt do it too. In the UK and rest of Europe they always quote 3.6, 7.2 or 10.8 volt as opposed to 4, 8 and 12 in the US, even the actual battery packs are marked differently despite being the exact same 1, 2 or 3 cell Li-ions

I believe it's classed as false advertising over here. As it should be.

[iRad]

I heard that Americans don't like decimal points.

It's just that we don't want to be bothered with insignificant details... 

[mikeselectricstuff]

"Hey Bubba - what's the deal with this three period six volt battery.."

[Kjelt]

Hey Bob, how many horse power hour are those batteries rated? 

[neslekkim]

Have anyone looked at the Makita's?
http://www.makitatools.com/en-us/Modules/Tools/ToolDetails.aspx?Name=DF010DSE
http://www.makitauk.com/product/cordless-tools/impact-drivers/td021dse-7-2v-li-ion-cordless-impact-driver.html

The first looks a bit like the Panasonic earlier in this thread, but the other one seems to be very lightweight and speedy?

[mtdoc]

I love my Hitachi

Excellent torque for its size. Easy to control speed and direction. Really comfy grip. Battery seems to go on and on before needing recharge.

Dave really needs one of these. Watching him take out screws by hand on teardowns, even sped up, is painfull....

[neslekkim]

spec wise it looks very similar to the first makita I mentioned, 200 and 600rpm, no variable speed, 21 clutch/moment settings.

Not so big selection it seems here in Norway, but so far I have found the panasonic and these makita's.

[notsob]

Probably not in the same ballpark as what is being discussed, however I've seen these being used in manufacture.

by   ASA      electric screwdrivers

here's a general reference to the product for those interested

http://www.mektronics.com.au/brands/asa.html

[jackbrouno]

How is Ultratech ?

[ajb]

Have anyone looked at the Makita's?
http://www.makitatools.com/en-us/Modules/Tools/ToolDetails.aspx?Name=DF010DSE
http://www.makitauk.com/product/cordless-tools/impact-drivers/td021dse-7-2v-li-ion-cordless-impact-driver.html

The first looks a bit like the Panasonic earlier in this thread, but the other one seems to be very lightweight and speedy?

No experience with those particular tools, but I've been nothing but pleased with my Makita tools, including the cordless 18V drill and impact driver.  Only thing that gives me pause on the linked screwdrivers is the side rocker switch.  It's hard to say how ergonomic that would be without holding it.

[neslekkim]

True, but so has the Hitachi and Panasonic..

[VK5RC]

I bought one of the Hitachi drivers and am quite happy with it, bizarrely the rocker switch works quite well, although I have been used to a 'pistol grip' position for drill/driving for quite a few years!
The rocker switch works quite well as an extra torque release mechanism as if you hold the drill like a pencil, when the screw tightens up then drill handle starts to twist away and this then pulls your finger off the rocker switch. When it first happened I was a bit surprised and the initial response was to then hold the handle more firmly but now I let it happen quite readily. I still use the torque settings as well though.
It has been great for some chassis access, when I finally get in I am not so exasperated!

[mtdoc]

I agree. The side rocker switch on the Hitachi works very well.

[iRad]

The side switch on these screwdrivers (Panasonic, Milwaukee, Hitachi) works perfectly. A well thought out design for use both in the angled pistol style position, as well as for straight-on screwdriver style use. You operate with your thumb (at least most would), and you quickly get used to the operation of the screwdriver.

A pistol style grip would limit the design of these, and there are already many other screwdrivers available with pistol grips.

The biggest limitation IMO with these screwdrivers is speed, which is not really an issue for its intended market. These type units would not be fast enough for repetitive production on an assembly line, but just fine for most professional and hobby bench use.

[neslekkim]

yes, It seems like most of them have 200 and 600 rpm, but the last makita I listed, have also 0-2000 rpm, I think one of the panasonics also have that speed range, if I reads the specs correct...

[neslekkim]

ah, good to know, removing those from my list then.

To bad it seems like the two-speed ones doesnt have any variable speed, but at 200 and 600, maybe that is not a problem.

I found that makita priced locally for approx $177, including two batteries, charger, tax, delivery and all,, which seems to be an good price for it.

[Kjelt]

If only I had the money I would love an industrial screwdriver like this Weller