Tweakers' Asylum

Posted by nightdoggy (A) on June 18, 2007 at 20:51:07

My trusty B&D stick style powered orange screwdriver finally gave out and it costs more to replace the ni-cads than to buy a new one. It was cheap but almost perfect for audio project use. I got seven years out of it using it most days literally. I once worked for a ni-cad (industrial) battery maker and learned how not to treat ni-cads to make them last a long time. Generally you never recharge them until they are dead. But more importantly, they have to be really dead. You'll notice that when a ni-cad powered tool goes dead, a few minutes later it has a little juice again. This is due to the ni-cad's infamous memory effect. What you do is clamp or tie wrap (big size) the power switch on and leave it overnight. That will drain it completely and now it's ready for charge.
First of all for audio use the driver must be a stick type. Forget about using the pistol grip/drill styled drivers. They are for driving screws and home improvement. They are too big and clumsy for audio work and will not fit into tight confines. Also they will ruin your amp's screws and maybe strip threads too. It's finesse we want here.
Popular Mechanics tested stick drivers in the June 2007 issue. Although they were stick types, almost all were really intended for home improvement use. They have too much torque and speed for audio use. Plus they are priced accordingly and that's high. My $25 B&D was nearly perfect, but I decided to go with two speeds this time with some degree of torque control. After a lot of time surfing, studying and pricing I found two that I could not resist and so I bought both.
The trend is now towards lithium ion batteries but I actually prefer ni-cads for this application. They provide higher current (torque) capability and last just as long if you know how to use and maintain them. L.I. batteries are smaller and lighter but cost 2-3 times more to replace. They are best for cell phones though.
Below are my recommendations. I bought drivers 2 and 3.
1. Panasonic (all models). The gold standard, used by companies in production and field service and by people who want the best without regards to price (>$120+).
2. Milwaukee 6546-6. Popular Mechanics criticized it for being underpowered, but that makes it ideal for audio work, not building decks. Most online sellers are at around $100 but I found one for $79 new plus $6.50 shipping.
3. Craftsman 7.2 volt (new). Built by B&D for Sears and available in a B&D version for slightly more money, believe it or not. I bought it from Sears online for $34, on sale. It must be selling well because it is usually out of stock. I had to wait two weeks for stock (auto notify).
4. Skill (both models). Both are ideal for the audio tweekster and cost between $35 and $55 ($25- $39 online).
5. B&D (both stick models). Real toolheads dislike B&D but they are almost perfect for the tweekster.
Spend more and get less? Yes! Buy a Bosch, P-C, Makita, Hitachi or Ridgid if you are going to build a deck or gut that house! They'll fail miserably in the world of Tweakdom!
Happy screwing,
Doggy

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