Magnetic bit holders for Stanley spiral ratchet screwdrivers

[Paul Chapman]

I was in Building Supplies, our local hardware store in Leatherhead this morning buying some rope to repair our cat's scratching post when, lo and behold, the CK representative was there Wow, it was too good an opportunity to let go I must have given him a good 15 minutes worth of ear-bashing about the non-availability of CK's magnetic bit holders for Stanley spiral ratchet screwdrivers. He knew them well and still remembers the part numbers (blimey, he's more sad than us :lol: ). Reckons the decision to stop doing them was all down to the accountants (not surprising - that's probably what happened at Stanley and Record as well :roll: ).

Anyway, he saw my point very well - that is that the Stanley screwdrivers are still in use by a lot of us hand-tool nutters and the number of different screw head patterns grows like topsy, so we need to be able to use the bits in our Stanleys.

He seemed like a nice guy and promised to put a note about it in his weekly report to the suits upstairs. We must continue to live in hope that someone out there is listening......... :roll:

Paul

 

[George_N]

It is really easy to make a magnetic bit holder for your 'Yankee' screwdriver. I made one for my little 'handyman' one by shaping the hex shaft of a spare bit holder. I chucked the bit holder in my drill press and knocked the corners off the hex shaft with a flat file. I checked the diameter frequently with my vernier caliper, set to the size of an original bit. The retaining notch was easily cut with a small triangular file and likewise the semi circular drive end. it took 20 - 30 minutes to make and gave this trusty old tool a new lease of life. I've even drilled holes with it using quick change, hex shanked drill bits but it is not so easy to back the drill out as it's only held on by the magnet.

 

[Russell]

Trend do a quick chuck for Yankee screw drivers so anything with a snappy type (desouter I think) fitting can be used.

 

[Paul Chapman]

You're right, George - Jarviser also posted details of one he had made. I have some of the old CK ones so I can manage but I suppose I'm just niggled that so many firms (Stanley, Record, CK and many others) now adopt a policy of selling what they want to sell rather than what we want to buy. You can still get them in America where people like the Amish and Shaker communities try to avoid using power tools. It's a shame that no firms over here seem interested in importing them

The Trend Snappy one is the only one I know of over here (just noticed your post Russell) but it only comes in one size to fit the #131 (that's the big one). And that only takes the short hex bits if you fit a magnetic adaptor of the power tool type in the chuck first :wink:

Paul