What tool can you not live without ? Mine is the Rapi-drive. It's perfect for reassembly. It takes a little practice to get used to it, but is a joy to use. One advantage is screwing in self-tapping screws back into plastic panels. It's difficult to "back in", then change over to clock-wise motion using a ratcheting screwdriver. With the rapi-drive, it becomes second nature; with a more gentle finish. It's also easier on the wrist, as you're spinning from your arm, and not the wrist. What tool separates your tool kit from the rest of the pack ?Rapi-Drive Screwdriver.jpg
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Kevin900 -
I have a Hatchi cordless screwdriver, when I got it, it was about $95 or so, came with extra battery, charger, and case, batteries are Lith Ion.
Variable torque settings, High and Low speed ranges, I have 3 #2 phillips bits with it, short, med and long,
Also a set of drill bits, can handle most any field mod I need to do.
With a full charge it will drill through 1/8" steel, and on low speed, can sink a 2" drywall screw into a stud.
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Vincent64, that's a beaut ! All your fellow tech at the shop must be jealous.Kevin900Comment
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It was a gift from a fellow tech. I was telling him that I didn't care for the Katun screwdriver much, and was planning on adding a couple ounces of lead to the handle. The balance wasn't quite right. He came in the next day with the Craftsman/Schroder Mag Tip. I've been using it for the last 6+ years.
Three or four months ago I was working in the shop and misplaced my favorite screwdriver. I don't know about you but I must have 50 mag-tip screwdrivers. I put them all in the car to try them out throughout the day. By the end of day two I went to Sears to replace my favorite. (The old one showed up a few days ago.)If you'd like a serious answer to your request:
1) demonstrate that you've read the manual
2) demonstrate that you made some attempt to fix it.
3) if you're going to ask about jams include the jam code.
4) if you're going to ask about an error code include the error code.
5) You are the person onsite. Only you can make observations.
blackcat: Master Of The Obvious =^..^=Comment
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I like it, and I used to think I would never carry one, it dont take up much room, and when faced with a lot of screws, Cougar series come to mind, it sure is faster, and will work like a regular screwdriver cause of auto-lock, it dont come out of the tool bag every call, but when it does it sure comes in handy.Comment
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Many years ago one of the new techs had the same situation, new screw driver magnetism gone.
The screw driver still worked, it just wouldn't hold the screw.
She remembered a small magnet that was about 1 and one half inch tall,
and one inch wide on the sides and ends. with a hole
through it along the inch and a half direction. She jammed the magnet into one of the upright
pockets in her kit, store the screw driver in the hole in the magnet, and every time you move
the screw driver into and out of the magnet the screw driver is magnetised and the screw driver
remains magnetic until the tip of the screw driver is worn out.
Expenses for screw drivers dropped almost to ZERO!
I can't recall if she got a reward for this discovery!
Lots of gratitude though!~Comment
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I made a magnetizer years ago, by taking a 12 volt solenoid with the solenoid "hole" being just a bit bigger than the screwdriver.
I discarded the plunger, and soldered on a lead to each terminal, with a cigarette lighter plug on the other end.
Any time I needed to remagnetize, I just went out to my car and gave the screwdriver a quick zap.“I think you should treat good friends like a fine wine. That’s why I keep mine locked up in the basement.” - Tim HawkinsComment
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Yep, the magnetize block gets my vote for best tool. I told one of my customers about the one we had in the shop 11 years ago, and he went to Sears and bought us both one. I don't use the power screwdriver, mainly because I know I will be a long way from the truck and it will be dead.I have two Dewalt 18 volt cordless drills in the truck, and I use Craftsman and Klien hand tools.The greatest enemy of knowledge isn't ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge. Stephen HawkingComment
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You can still find those magnetisers at Sears. They're cheap & indespensible, like us.Kevin900Comment
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I'm not allowed to carry my any of my favorite tools anymore:
1) 6lb mallet
2) 9mm
3) dynamite
Very Flexible tool set - Fixes a large number of problems, but too tempting to 'fix' a few customers with them
Besides, I think I finally got rid of the last AF1224c in my territory!73 DE W5SSJComment
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Outside of a good magnetic screwdriver and well made pliers I like to have a bright flashlight (60+ lumens) and a good set of corona hooks. I like the long single ended hooks you can get from precision roller, or was it katun... hm!I will not give you service manuals or firmware.Comment
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I have broken quite a few spring hooks. The latest one is home made, and as far as I can tell, indestructable.
I started out with 14" length of 1/2" threaded rod, tapered 5" of the one end to a point, bent over 3/16" of the tip, then hardened the tapered end.
I don't think that I have the hand strength to bend or break this one, and the threaded rod makes for a sure grip. =^..^=If you'd like a serious answer to your request:
1) demonstrate that you've read the manual
2) demonstrate that you made some attempt to fix it.
3) if you're going to ask about jams include the jam code.
4) if you're going to ask about an error code include the error code.
5) You are the person onsite. Only you can make observations.
blackcat: Master Of The Obvious =^..^=Comment
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What's in your tool bag?
We sell the magnitizer KenB showed and one that has a demagnitizer slot as well as a magnitizer one. I don't go anywhere without it & my most frequently used screwdriver is stored with the tip in it, so it's always ready. I also carry a magnetic dish that I can stick on the side of the frame while I'm disassembling something so springs and screws don't get lost while I'm working. But my favorite thing is the HPtoolkit we sell. I thought it was just another bit and handle set. I use it so much I don't know what I did without it. The bits have dimples and can be any length from short to regular by releasing the neck ring on the handle. The bits are double sided so if you are using the #2 phillips, for example, you just remove the bit, turn it around and insert it in the handle to get a #1 phillips. It comes with the commonly used socket bits, star bits, hex bits, an extension, & the phillips bit. All of them have the dimples so they can be as long or as short as you want. Saves room in my bag.Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways - Coke in one hand - chocolate in the other - body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOO-HOO, what a ride!".Comment
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How could I forget this one ?
Canned Air. My favorite Copier Guy invention of all time. My machines are super clean, quickly, without the noise. You still need the vacuum by your side,for toner/developer clean-ups. This stuff, with a paint brush are a one-two punch. Canned Air.jpgKevin900Comment
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