Cordless screwdriver

[Phillip Ford]

>I think the real difference between these two tools is the torque range they
>produce. The Power Grip is 0.3 to 3.5 in-lbs. Joe's Panasonic is 3.5 to 26
>in-lbs. Obviously, a job that one of these tools works for, the other will
>not. Now the question is how much torque makes for a happy flange?

Good question, for which I don't have a good answer.  At the moment, all I 
can say is that I tighten the screws until they feel tight enough to my 
'torque wrench', otherwise known as my hand.  I did an archive search on 
action screw torque but didn't come up with anything (did come upon some 
other interesting things though - I find looking in the archives is like 
looking in a dictionary, I get so interested in all the other stuff I see 
that I forget what I went to look up).


>It would seem to me that 3.5 in-lbs would be way less than that needed for a
>flange screw. Yes? No?
>
>Terry Farrell

I've never done any torque measurements with the Power Grip, so I can only 
give you anecdotal evidence at this point.  I agree that 3.5 in-lbs sounds 
way too low for a flange screw, and based on my experience with the tool 
I'm surprised at that figure for max torque.  The torque settings on the 
tool are 1 - 5.  I normally use something like a setting of 3 to run action 
screws in.  That makes them as tight as I want them to be.  I actually 
prefer to do the final tightening by hand, so that I can feel how tight the 
screw is.  I use the tool for running of screws in and out to save my 
wrist.  With the torque limit on the max setting I've had no trouble 
running screws into a new Steinway rail with only pilot holes.  So, for my 
uses, the tool has adequate torque.

As far as the question of how tight action screws should be,  I'll measure 
the torque on screws that I think I've tightened adequately and report 
back.  That will give one data point (probably not very convincing).  But 
if a few other people do the same we might get a better picture.  Also, 
someone like Don Mannino can probably give us official factory figures for 
this.

Phil Ford