Patent ID: 8746364

Claim:
An electric power tool, comprising: a motor as a drive power source; a speed reduction mechanism for transferring a rotational power of the motor at a reduced speed; and a reduction ratio changing unit for changing a reduction ratio of the speed reduction mechanism, wherein the speed reduction mechanism includes an axially slidable changeover member and a gear member, the changeover member being engaged with or disengaged from the gear member depending on an axial slide position thereof, and the reduction ratio changing unit includes a shift actuator for axially sliding the changeover member, a driving state detector unit for detecting a driving state of the motor, a slide position detector unit for detecting a slide position of the changeover member and a control unit for starting up the shift actuator depending on a detection result of the driving state detector unit and for changing a drive control of the shift actuator depending on a detection result of the slide position detector unit; wherein the control unit is designed to temporarily reverse the direction of slide movement of the changeover member caused by the shift actuator if the detection result of the slide position detector unit indicates that the changeover member fails to slide to a desired target position when the shift actuator is driven.