Power Screwdriver
 

I wonder what members' experiences have been with the use of a power screwdriver on a bike. When I was outfitting a bike for a family member, making it usable in everyday life, and needed to cope with a number of bolts (fenders, rack, rack, reflectors, lock mount etc.), I turned to a power screwdriver. This has been an impact screwdriver from Sears, where the impact mechanism could not be switched off nor the torque, otherwise, regulated. For smaller tasks on a bike, I have not been using much such a screwdriver.

Also, can anyone recommend a source for metric hexagonal bits?

If it won't come off with a socket set and a breaker bar, it ain't coming off. I've never, ever had the inclination to use any kind of power tool on a bicycle. Okay, I take that back. I used a dremel and wire brush to clean some rust off of an old seat post, and I've used it to polish up bearing races.

Yup, any Sears:

http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/produ...TOOL&ihtoken=1

Harbor Freight sells a set in 3/8" drive. I'm still looking for a set in 1/4" drive.

Here's a cordless screwdriver kit from Harbor Freight that's pretty handy. I've filed a flat screwdriver bit into a nipple-driver and it makes building wheels a snap:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/pho...3699/93690.gif

Never use power tools on a bike. You're asking for bigger trouble then you care to know.

Very handy for wheel-building. Anything else...not so much.

Bob

+1. There are no other repetative jobs on bikes that need, or benefit, from power drivers.

Bob, HillRider.....agreed, except for that lock nut on the caliper brake pivot. Hate it - long tight threads at 1/2-turn increments. And the pivot bolts on canti & vee brakes: long and tight all the way. A deep 10mm socket and a hex bit in the chordless drill makes light work of them.

Other than a light duty low power cordless screwdriver for running down spoke nipples you should never use an impact wrench on a bike. That said there are instances where I do use an impact wrench on bicycles. This involves destruction of stuck parts as well! I love to work on bikes and this includes rusty ones. If a freewheel is so stuck on the hub I cant remove it with a freewheel tool in a vice I will weld a nut on the freewheel and use an impact wrench to remove it. This works every time but your not going to be reusing the freewheel, it's toast! Same thing with stuck pedals, I cut the pedal with a torch and weld a nut on the pedal shaft and use an impact wrench to remove it. Needless to say what remains of the pedal goes in the scrap steel recycle bin.

I like them for spinning down small fasters quickly. The one had would lock when stopped so I could do the final tightening manually. It had an adjustable clutch but I never learned to trust it. It was not an impact driver. It was simply a motorized screwdriver. It was on of the very early ones and did not have a replaceable battery, so I tossed it when the rechargeable battery gave out. I plan to replace it one of these days. I have carpal tunnel syndrome at it would save me some pain and suffering.