Ratcheting screwdrivers: yah or naw?

[Ilikeike]

I bought the Williams ratcheting driver, but I'm really preferring the little DeWalt cordless driver for that type of duty.
So the does all it's duties now. DeWalt

 

[Badgerstate]

You must not own any Li-ion batteries or you are to lazy to put them in the charger.
The SO long shaft hard handle ratcheting screwdriver is the one to have.
Good luck

I own 6 Ryobi batteries, 2 DeWalt 12v batteries and 3 Masterforce 20v batteries. I dont care what kind of battery you have, if it sits in your toolbox drawer for a year and you go to use it, the battery is probably going to be dead. Thanks for playing though.

 

[Badgerstate]

I fully support this rule.

Amen. I work in auto manufacturing and they give us Milwaukee M12 and Makita 12v impacts to use for shooting small bolts and screws. I often feel like some of the people I work with probably shouldnt be given anything more than a 4v powered screwdriver. LOL

 

[eyeball]

I love ratcheting screwdrivers when I am packing up a small bag to head over to a friends / family place for some small repairs. In addition to the convenience of the ratcheting the handle of bits comes in pretty handy.

 

[Dave455]

Like a lot of these things, it depends on what you do.

I work on a lot of stuff with small (but not tiny) screws, and I find a ratcheting bit driver just perfect for a lot of jobs. Many times a power screwdriver is just too big or too awkward, or lacks the feel that I want.

I also find that some sort of bit driver almost essential working away from base. I encounter screws that might be slotted, Pozidriv, Phillips, hex (imperial or metric) or Torx, carrying that volume of regular drivers is a big ask.

Finding the perfect bit storage is difficult. I don’t like bits rattling around in the handle, and the PB Swiss inserts always seem to come unscrewed, so I favour solid handles. The short Snap On, and the T handle shown below are favourites. The PB Swiss “cross handle” is superbly comfortable, but only in clean conditions.

If I leave in a hurry and need to grab something it will probably be my regular Snap On with 2 slotted, 2 Pozi and 2 Phillips in the handle - but bagged up so they don’t rattle.

 

[bonneyman]

My ratcheting ball screwdrivers keep multiplying! Help!

 

[Badgerstate]

So, last weekend I picked up a Masterforce ratcheting screwdriver at Menards. It looks like its basically the same thing as the Husky. I used it a bit when I took the top off of my electric lawnmower and blew all of the grass clippings out of it and it worked great.
When I was at Menards, I made the mistake of cruising through the Dremel section. I had an old Dremel 200 that was getting a bit worn out and planned to pick up a new one (ended up picking up a Dreme Lite, btw) and Ive been kicking the tires on a Dremel Ultra Saw (probably going to pick on up on Friday) and I saw that they had a Dremel Go on sale for $25. Thus far, its been a nice little unit. I do kind of wish that it hinged in the middle but all in all, I cant complain about it. Its not a tool that I probably will use all the time but it is something that will come in handy when I do need it and Dremel claims that the battery will stay charged for 2 years, so we'll see how it does.

 

[lardy1]

If anyone is interested, KC Tools has the Felo Ergonic-K ratchet today only for a good price. I'm getting one shipped for less than twenty bucks. Been pondering them for awhile and at that price I'll bite.

 

[Vvmvbb]

Try this one for $14. If you are going to be ratcheting, the ball is very nice. It’s also nice to hold the ball in your palm and turn the lower part with your fingers for fine control

Vessel 2200B

 

[bonneyman]

I have this ratcheting screwdriver I snapped up at a pawn shop. Gearless mechanism, marked "Servalite". Missing the end cap so it's been sitting in a bucket. Pulled it out last night because of this thread and I gotta say I'm looking at it in a different way Maybe I'll try and mod it so I can use it.

Very similar to this Westward tool now discontinued at Grainger Canada.

https://www.grainger.ca/en/product/SCREWDRIVER-KIT-GEARLESS-RATCHET-45/p/WSWSDK45

 

[Ton ton]

Try this one for $14. If you are going to be ratcheting, the ball is very nice. It’s also nice to hold the ball in your palm and turn the lower part with your fingers for fine control

Vessel 2200B

I love these vessel screwdrivers.

 

[Robinson1]

Ive got several ratcheting screwdrivers but what I usually reach for is either a 12v Bosch screwdriver or the 12v Bosch installation drill. I do keep a stubby ratcheting Lennox and a Sunnex bit ratchet in the case with the Bosch drill for odd ball stuff

 

[bonneyman]

If I leave in a hurry and need to grab something it will probably be my regular Snap On with 2 slotted, 2 Pozi and 2 Phillips in the handle - but bagged up so they don’t rattle.

I had acquired a damaged Snappy ratchet driver, and - was bored one weekend - so installed the Snappy mechanism into an empty EASYDRIVER ball. Best of both worlds!

 

[X1 Mike]

Try this one for $14. If you are going to be ratcheting, the ball is very nice. It’s also nice to hold the ball in your palm and turn the lower part with your fingers for fine control

Vessel 2200B

Say it again but slower...........,.... lol

I actually have one of those and agree it is a very pleasant tool. I will say nothing of holding the ball in my hand though.

 

[TJMtl]

I don't use my ratcheting screwdriver much, but I still like having it.

One of the aspects I find handy is being able to hold the handle with one hand to keep the screwdriver straight and quickly spin the shaft with my other hand - then finish up with torque. This is handy on machine screws like you encounter installing electrical outlets and switches because they use flat-head screws and being off-center makes it easy to slip out of the head.

Often if I am doing a lot of rapid turning, I would rather use a cordless screwdriver - but a ratcheting driver still has a place (especially as a kitchen drawer, tool bag or belt multi-bit driver).

I like my Rolgear ratcheting screwdriver a lot. Almost non-existent back drag means it ratchets even on machine screws that have very little resistance. It's also a clutch-style ratchet mechanism, aka a "zero" degree ratchet. It uses the longer-style bits that are better for access. Made in Canada. Very nice grip.

The Rolgear replaced my Picquic multi-bit screwdriver in my mobile tool bag - which I consider high praise, because space in that bag is at a premium.

On the otherhand, I don't use it in my shop basically ever. I'd rather grab a Bahco/Irazola, Felo or Wera fixed-blade driver from my tool chest (or reach for a cordless driver if there's a lot of low torque spinning to be done).


Edit:

I was obviously typing my post while LukeOrest was doing his too. I am seconding that Rolgear recommendation. Very nice ratcheting screwdriver.

Thanks a lot, look what you made me do.

 

[Sneezer]

Back in the day I had the craftsman ratcheting bit holder screwdriver. I loved the ratcheting action, but I kept breaking/stripping the cap on the end because when I would really lean on it for max torque, the cap would turn, and I'd either strip it or crack it. Eventually I just dumped it out and used it without the cap. But then it was uncomfortable. It was like this one (pic stolen from google):


I never really tried another until I got into collecting xcelite/vaco drivers. I have a vaco ratcheting screwdriver that is almost identical mechanically to the old craftsman, except the cap is much more stout. I don't use it much, but it doesn't feel like it would break easily:




I also have had several versions of the Xcelite 99-1-R and 99-4-R ratcheting handles.

But as others have said, as I got older, and cordless technology got stronger and more compact, I almost always reach for my impact anymore.

I have a Craftsman similar to that one, but it just has a full acetate handle on it - no bit storage. I use mine all the time for household stuff and car trim panels. I also have some little bit driver ratchets for when the space is too tight even for a stubby, and they have worked well.

I picked up a Kobalt a couple years back from the bargain bin - has more teeth in the mechanism and will spin screws in/out quicker, but it is bigger in almost every dimension, so not as handy.

I don’t have a good cordless screwdriver yet - on the list though!

 

[nadogail]

I am very happy with my big Stanley Spiral Ratchet Screwdriver, it has given me many years of service. I throw a little powdered graphite at from time to time.

 

[JradM]

Thanks a lot, look what you made me do.

Ha! You'll have to let me know what you think!

 

[bigredcornhead]

THey do have their place for sure!

IMHO, they fall into the handy as hell, but can be a pain in the *** column also. Bit of both dependent upon task.

 

[Chumly]

yes, for sure a ratcheting screwdriver with multiple bits is a great addition to any tool box. It's those assortments of bits and storing them that seem like the purchasing decision breaking-point looking back.

I have the Snap-On SGDMRC44B that stores the various bits in the handle. It has downfalls (I'll mention later) but they're all there and not floating around in a tool box or some other device like a bit-clip. Doesn't have to be a $90 Snap On of course, just using that as an example of how the bits are stored and something to aim for.

I'm new here so I don't know if they've been mentioned, but I really have found Tekton to be an excellent replacement for the traditional Craftsman tools. The most utilitarian screwdriver I use is the Tekton 6-in-1 driver. If you don't know what you're walking into at first, you can just bring that thing and not fumble around with bits but still have the main 6 ready and in hand. Not ratcheting but it's someone to watch to release one. Nothing worse than pouring bits into your hand from the handle and the one you need rolls into the dark depths of nothingness...I learned new words doing that and I'm a sailor! It's like the elusive 10mm / 9/16" socket that always runs away.

 

[PoorUB]

I have one or two ratcheting screwdrivers, never use them. Regular screw driver or reach for the cordless.

 

[Jim C.]

I don’t think there’s any question about the utility of a ratcheting screwdriver. If I had to pick ten hand tools that I use regularly and would not want to be without, one would be a ratcheting screwdriver with multiple bits. The Lutz 15-in-One is my favorite.

Jim C.

 

[MoparMikeO]

Have a snap on with the folding handle. Favorite by far. Wife has a regular snap on ratcheting, she is a fan also.

 

[wtn1271]

Does/did Snap On make a hard handle version of the ratcheting screwdriver that has the interchangeable shafts like the pivoting handle version? I have seen the hard handle nut driver with interchangeable shafts but it is not ratcheting.

 

[Old Donn]

Pass. Had a couple over the years, never found them any more useful than standard issue screwdrivers.

 

[Chumly]

Wife has a regular snap on ratcheting...

I won't ask anything for any clarity, what-so-ever. Good on you mike! have fun

Is this "folding" handle what I'd think as Indexing? I guess they call it 5-position, which ruins my dirty mind yet again.

Snap-on Store

shop.snapon.com

That handle?

 

[egdede]

They are nice to have.

You're high as a giraffes' gonads if you think you can get a cordless so and so in where a stuby ratchet will just fit.

Using my cordless, I can get one of these in where a stubby won't fit:

Amazon.com

 

[Paco Pena]

This is a tool forum. For God's sake buy one. I have a couple that get rarely used but every once in a while find them handy.

 

[CGarage]

I love my Vessel ratcheting screwdriver.
I also have the Facom ratcheting screwdriver with two sets of bits.
Both mechanisms are excellent. The Vessel costs half as much and is more compact and easier to maneuver in tight access situations.

 

[Radio Flyer]

I bought a snap on back in the 90's, when changing a headlight involved removing 6 torx and 4 phillips screws. I could grab a bulb, that one tool, and fix it in the parking lot. Now it pretty much just takes up space.

 

[smackey05]

I keep one in my truck. It's a handy tool to have with a variety of bits for a bunch of different uses. Typically, it never finds it way into the physical garage.

 

[Badgerstate]

The other day I was at Wally World and picked up a Hart ratcheting screwdriver. I like that it stores the bits in the handle but doesnt have seperate holes that each bit sits in (it kind of has a cartridge setup that they all sit in that pops out of the handle).
The ratcheting mechanism feels good in it and its got a nice, bit, grippy handle.
I had that Masterforce one but the ratchet mechanism was kind of sticky in it and sometimes it would switch on you when you didnt want it to. The Hart was only $7, so I figured, "why not?" and I havent been disappointed with it yet.

 

[CHRIII]

Got this a few days ago. Read about ratcheting screwdrivers in GJ and never tried one. Price, $10.97, seemed reasonable. It feels good in hand and the magnet in the bit holder is strong. Seems to be smooth and have low back drag. Plastic bit holder will keep them organized in the handle. I think I'm going to enjoy using it. Made in Taiwan.

 

[AreBeeBee]

I'm in the Nah camp, although I have one (Benchmark, a Canadian make with Robertson, Phillips, Torx, and slotted drivers).

The driver selection is fine, it's the transition for the loosen-drive-tighten sequence. It never seems to catch & hold at "drive" which is where I need it to be most of the time. I have nothing aginst ratchets, using them happily with sockets and bit braces (I'm old-school).

So I have parked it on a siding, and use Klein and Enderes and similar multibits which can all turn either way without me trying to locate the middle that turns both directions.

Ratchet drivers are great if you find them useful; me not so much.

 

[lardy1]

I was unsure but I'm using mine more and more all the time.

 

[Tool Using Animal]

I find ratcheting screwdrivers are not that useful. They're very limited in the amount of torque you can apply and their size and shape makes them unwieldy for a lot of applications where space is tight. I have a bunch of ratcheting screwdrivers, but so far, this kit has done every job a ratcheting screwdriver could have done. But also many more jobs where a ratcheting screwdriver would have had no chance, and on top of that, it takes up less space:

 

[coleman10]

I have a regular ratcheting screwdriver and also a t-handle. I don’t use them often, but whenever I have to put together prefab furniture for family or friends, they come in extremely handy.

 

[Kuma601]

I have this old Craftsman ratcheting driver, it's ok for certain tasks. I often hit the selector so it becomes a PITA at times to use. It basically sits aorund getting dust. The small cordless screw drivers are faster and easier at the expense of size-weight.

That Vessel ratcheting ball driver looks interesting yet I'll tend to grab a cordless tool if I having to drive enough screws.

 

[matthew]

I like using a ratcheting driver to break the screw free, then spin the shaft with my fingers. Particularly with things like cover plates. So for me a round shaft, and a knurled shaft are both important features. Backdrag is important, but if you’re finger spinning it doesn’t need to be absolutely minimal, just reasonable.

I’ve got a SnapOn. I really like just about everything about it except the bit storage. Unscrewing the cap and dropping them into your hands just isn’t optimal. My brother has a Husky. I might slightly prefer the SnapOn feel, but the Husky is really good, came with short and long shafts, much better bit magazine, and is a fraction of the cost.

 

[nbpt100]

I have said this before. I like the ratcheting screw drivers for when I can only use one hand and need to keep pressure on the fastener. I like that Facom set above. Sometimes a screw driver handle is desirable for speed. Not all screws need to be super tight. Some screws should be tight.

i will add this. Every ratcheting scew driver I have seen has a middle position so you lock the ratchet feature out. There are times when you do not want the ratchet. Like on an adjustment screw. The best of both worlds.