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! :-)