Which precision screwdriver set? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: LektroiD
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 03, 2014, 03:10:28 pm
content: With Christmas coming, people are asking for gift ideas for (around £20/$30), problem is I have pretty much everything I can think of within that price bracket. However I have an old precision screwdriver set and the 1.5mm slot snapped pretty much when I got it, I was just using them and thought a new set would be ideal.I'm wondering whether to ask for a large mid-quality set, or a smaller high quality set.Any experience with either that I should look out for... Pros/cons, recommendations?

author: kingofkya
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 03, 2014, 04:39:33 pm
content: I second the Wiha sugestion..Also not sure about avoiding Knippex, they make some nice hardend cutters you can cut steel wire with out snaping the blades. I haven't uses there screw drivers though.

author: StanleyAdams
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: December 03, 2014, 04:55:04 pm
content: I second Wiha. If you only need philips and slotted you can get the new style pico finish set or maybe and ESD set in that price range. Wera as well. Both brands have very good and precise tips, nice handles as well.Not sure why mojo-chan is mentioning Knipex as a brand to a void. They don't even make or sell precision screwdrivers. They only have insulated regular size screwdrivers, not sure if they're even the OEM for those. It may be a brand to avoid for precision pliers/cutters. But everything I've had branded as Knipex has been top quality.

author: LektroiD
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 03, 2014, 05:06:34 pm
content: Something like this then:

author: StanleyAdams
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: December 03, 2014, 05:17:37 pm
content: Quote from: LektroiD on December 03, 2014, 05:06:34 pmI got that exact same set some time ago. They've very good. The stand is a nice touch, has a small container to put the small screws in so you don't loose them.I'm also using a few Unior precision screwdrivers in philips and pozi. They're also very nice, they're a bit bigger than regular precision screwdrivers. You can find the same branded as Gedore as well (may be easier).If you're into bigger handles and want a modular system, maybe consider the Wiha system 4. But that's a bit above your price range.

author: Sbampato12
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 03, 2014, 05:35:20 pm
content: Quote from: StanleyAdams on December 03, 2014, 05:17:37 pmGedore as you mentioned here, make some tools here in Brazil too. Here on our market they are one of the best you can find. It is very dificult to find (without import delays) Wiha or others top brands. Here basically I need to choose between Belzer (or some Sata, but not all the brands of Apex group) or Gedore, I prefer Gedore, the last ones I bought seems pretty good. But I have some others tools (most of them gifts) from Swiss, Germany, Italy and Japan, that are almost always a step or two better...

author: StanleyAdams
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: December 03, 2014, 05:50:29 pm
content: Quote from: Sbampato12 on December 03, 2014, 05:35:20 pmIf they sell these there at a good price point, they're very good:But they're not made in Brazil, cause they're made in Slovenia:

author: SteveyG
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 03, 2014, 10:23:16 pm
content: The Wera and CK Precision ones are great.

author: nanofrog
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 03, 2014, 11:09:10 pm
content: Another vote for Wiha here.

author: rx8pilot
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 04, 2014, 04:26:12 am
content: Wiha is my only choice. Love them.

author: Monkeh
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 04, 2014, 04:12:54 pm
content: Stanley are not owned by anybody, and do still have a good rep for many tools. They, in fact, own: Dewalt, Black & Decker, Porter-Cable, Bostitch, Facom, Mac Tools, and Helicoil, to name a few brands you're likely to recognise..There is no one evil company.

author: timb
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 04, 2014, 05:02:31 pm
content: Yeah, for big screw drivers and wrenches/sockets I love Stanley. Lifetime Warranty too, you can walk into any Sears store and they'll exchange them on the spot. They used to be made in the US, not sure about now though.Sent from my Tablet

author: GreyWoolfe
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 04, 2014, 05:34:16 pm
content: I have Knipex snap ring pliers and also have a bunch of Xcellite model 99 drivers and handles that are 10 years old and in constant use on my job. Never had an issue with both and haven't worn out any of the drivers yet. I did break a Knipex snap ring but I was trying to remove a ring way beyond the ability of the Knipex to handle so that was on me. It seems to me that a lot of people here bash Xcellite when there is, at least from my perspective, no real reason to do so. I would love to have a set of Wiha drivers but just too rich for my blood. I will keep plodding along with my Xcellite. The space savings in my tool bag is nice, 2 handles and about a dozen drivers-much more compact than seperates. That takes up the same pouch space as 2 Bondhus ball head torx drivers take and I have 4 of them.

author: Sbampato12
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 04, 2014, 06:03:28 pm
content: Quote from: StanleyAdams on December 03, 2014, 05:50:29 pmThey have one factory here, I don't think they run all products in every factory. As I've said, very good tools, but to me it is very difficult to compare with Wiha, for example. The few Wiha tools I have, they look like better on finishing. About steel quality and things like that, again it is complicated to me because I have the tools for 'little' time (few years, when good tools could last for decades), and 'soft' use...

author: nukie
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 06, 2014, 02:38:01 am
content: The Japanese makes JIS standard Philips if you need open japanese products like DSLR.

author: aggregat
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: December 07, 2014, 01:01:13 am
content: Did some research googling around this week and after reading quite a few reviews all hailing Wiha I just ended up ordering their 50 piece ESD safe set.Guess it might be a bit overkill for your budget but I'm sure their smaller sets are a good buy too

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 08, 2014, 06:32:30 pm
content: Quote from: aggregat on December 07, 2014, 01:01:13 amdrool .... ( can we have a drool icon please )and don't diss excelite ! at least not all of it.Xcelite XPE500 and XP600 series are actually made by Felo in germany. I have those sets. They are excellent, same quality as wiha ! virtually indestructible.Xcelite XP600 is Felo 250 series :http://www.bondhus.com/catalog/felo_catalog.pdf(page 53)Xcelite XPE500 is Felo 500 seriesyou can find these tools under other names as well.Felo is an old german company. Dates back to the 1800's.Excellent quality.

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 08, 2014, 06:40:15 pm
content: Makita has a budget line, Maktek, which you do not want to touch unless you literally want a use once tool. AEG varies, as they now often are doing a badge job.Bosch professional tools however are good, and the spares availability is good as well, at least from my experience. Older tools ( over 30 years in some cases) are often still supported till spares run out and are no longer made to repair them, but they still do a surprisingly large range. I ordered small screws for a drill from them when it went in for service, and they came as OEM parts.

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 08, 2014, 07:22:18 pm
content: i have a SKILL electric screwdriver with Li-Ion batteries that costs like 120$ . 4 years old. for some reason the motor burned out.i was putting in a screw and the damn thing caught fire ! Ok, i had been working it hard and it was running hot but so what ..i contacted Skill . they swapped without questioning. got a brand new one ( still make that particular model ), the full kit with two batteries and charger. so i got 4 batteries and two chargers now .

author: Monkeh
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 08, 2014, 09:26:59 pm
content: AEG are currently owned by Techtronic. Their current tools are junk.Stanley did not ruin B&D, B&D have been tat for a long time.

author: timb
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 08, 2014, 11:48:20 pm
content: Any recommendations for ceramic tipped screwdrivers?Sent from my Tablet

author: janoc
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 09, 2014, 12:24:00 am
content: Facom is a French brand. And a fairly good quality one at that. I am not sure about the quality of their screwdrivers, but the calipers, micrometers and similar gear that I have seen and used from them are really good. Probably not Mitutoyo level, but they also cost less than a Mitutoyo!They are certainly not the usual cheapo "supermarket" brand and much better than Stanley, for example. Stanley tools are OK, but fairly low end. If you want good ones here in France, you buy Facom, it is commonly carried in hardware stores.

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 09, 2014, 12:25:49 am
content: Facom is excellent ! i still have Facom's i bought in belgium. almost any car shop in europe uses Facom

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 09, 2014, 12:26:44 am
content: Pwahahaaaahttp://www.mcmelectronics.com/product/22-3282?green=8F178F07-772D-5957-06A7-772CDFBB8742electronics kit.comes with big yellow hammer for Widlarizing (tm) ( or pounding stubborn 0402 parts in place on the board )

author: janoc
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 09, 2014, 12:31:11 am
content: Quote from: free_electron on December 09, 2014, 12:26:44 amActually Pro's Kit is not too bad. I wouldn't buy that huge suitcase thing, but if you need a tool you will use once in a while, you could do much worse than buy Pro's Kit.

author: janoc
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 10, 2014, 11:04:11 am
content: I am not sure what parts you can "share" on tools like a screwdriver or a wrench, unless you simply rebrand an existing product. Considering that Facom is kinda "household name" in workshops here, I doubt they would risk that - they would instantly lose their pro customers which is their main market (Facom is generally a bit expensive for hobbyists).Power tools are a bit different, there are more parts that can be shared - gearboxes, motors, charging systems, etc.

author: SteveyG
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 10, 2014, 01:24:36 pm
content: There's no decline in quality, you're probably just buying the DIY tools. The DIY Makita range is crap too, and the same with every other brand.With all power tools you get what you pay for, and if you're serious then only buy professional kit. Spend £400 on a cordless drill and you'll get a decent drill that will last forever (other than the batteries).

author: janoc
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 12, 2014, 11:01:38 pm
content: Sure, but that would just mean - "do not make this wrench yourself, just stamp your logo on our blank". Re-using moulds or other tooling would be pretty much equal to simply rebranding the generic stuff in this case.Your analogy doesn't really work that well, because cars are complex, made out of tons of parts and even though the "platform" is shared, you still get a different car. Just today I have visited a factory making engine blocks here in France. Did you know that a Renault Megane, Dacia Sandero, several Nissans - and a Mercedes B class share the same engines? Yeah, Renault made ones. They are all made here in France, 30km from where I live, on the same production line. But you still have quite a difference between a Dacia (low cost Renault brand) and a Mercedes, don't you? Or the new Smart car (also Mercedes made) - it is built on the chassis of the last Renault Twingo. But nobody would confuse a Twingo and a Smart, I believe.

author: staxquad
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 15, 2014, 05:30:17 am
content: Which precision screwdriver set?Price:GBP 1,136.20Approximately US $1,783.72You save:GBP 358.80 (24% off)Swiss Made by Petitpierre(if it's good enough for Patek...)

author: SteveyG
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 15, 2014, 09:38:26 am
content: Quote from: 3roomlab on December 15, 2014, 01:12:03 amYes, you'll notice there is a professional and DIY range, although they don't make it as easily discernible as some of the other brands, but they are a slightly lighter blue and the casework feels a bit plasticy. The DIY tools are at the cheaper end of the scale and weigh about half as much as the professional tools as the majority of the drive system is plastic as in other DIY tools. e.g. 6271DWPEDespite what some people will say, in reality few brands are better than another when you're comparing like with like. People say Black and Decker are crap, but they do not do a professional range of tools. Compare it to one of the Makita or Bosch tools at the same price point and the quality is no different. You don't get anything for nothing.

author: Monkeh
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 15, 2014, 06:07:31 pm
content: Ryobi are okay as long as you treat them like fine china. Drop them and they break. They're a little lacking in guts, but that's expected.

author: FrankenPC
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 16, 2014, 06:24:06 am
content: I got the Hitachi handheld for the same reason. VERY light with the Lion battery.http://www.amazon.com/Hitachi-DB3DL2-3-6-Volt-4-Inch-Screwdriver/dp/B004Y74AU6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1418710929&sr=8-1&keywords=hitachi+electric+screwdriverI really like it's quality but it has one very very bad design flaw: The threaded collet shaft mount is a TINY bit off from Dremel. None of the Dremel hardware fits. UGH!