There is a humorous saying: “A screw driven in with a hammer holds tighter than a nail driven in with a screwdriver.” Merge impact force Hammer and screwdriver torque have been tried by many home craftsmen.
This usually ended in tool failure. Finally, the impact screwdriver was invented, in which the impact force is correctly converted into torque.
Actually, the principle of operation of an impact screwdriver is similar to the operation of a bolt. The mechanic holds the handle in one hand and strikes the end with a hammer with the other.
There are two main types of power screwdrivers that work on the chisel principle:
Percussion.
This is a modified bolt. Only the main purpose, not working as a jackhammer - but still loosening and tightening screws.
Distinctive feature tool - the tip of the screwdriver passes through the entire length, from the working slots to the heel of the handle. Moreover, it is monolithic; no joints or welding joints are allowed. Of course, only high-quality alloy steel is used to manufacture such tools.
To realize the full potential of the screwdriver, the tip is shaped like a hexagon. There may also be a square or hex key on the heel of the handle. Of course - he is one with the sting.
How to use an impact screwdriver? For greater efficiency, it is better to work together. The splined part is installed on a screw that can be unscrewed (tightened), a key is put on the hexagon, and at the same time, frequent short blows are applied to the rear part with a twisting force.
An assistant should use the hammer, being careful not to hit the hand of the main worker.
Soured screws recoil due to vibration and are easily unscrewed. However, this type of screwdriver cannot provide a direct conversion of impact force into torque. Tapping the handle with a hammer only helps to unscrew or tighten a “heavy” screw.
Important! Many would-be craftsmen use impact screwdrivers as bolts. It is unacceptable.
Firstly, – for these purposes there is specialized tool, more durable and massive. In addition, a real bolt has hand protection in the form of a rubberized fungus. If the hammer comes off the heel of the impact driver handle, you can seriously injure your hand.
Secondly, – when using a screwdriver as an impact tool, it will very soon be hopelessly damaged. And the cost of such equipment is much higher than a simple bolt.
Today, an impact screwdriver is a very popular tool not only in construction, but also for work at home. It will be simply irreplaceable in those situations when you need to unscrew a tightly “welded” screw. Regular screwdriver in this case It simply cannot help you, but the drums are a completely different matter.
What kind of instrument is this
If you look visually, there are very few similarities with the screwdriver we are used to. This model has a metal body, which makes it more durable and can even withstand strong hammer blows.
An impact screwdriver set usually comes with two bits: a flathead and a Phillips. The connecting part where these nozzles are installed has the shape of a square. In fact, this is very convenient for the reason that you can attach socket heads to it, which will give you the opportunity to special effort work with bolts, self-tapping screws and screws. This is especially good for that category of people who constantly repair cars.
Using an impact screwdriver, you can not only unscrew the fasteners, but also install new ones in their place. It is worth noting that this tool screws in parts “for centuries.” Believe me, you will not be able to unscrew the bolt with a regular screwdriver.
Impact screwdriver principle: how it works
The principle of operation of the tool is not as complicated as it might seem at first glance. When a hammer hits the end, the lower part begins to rotate with such force, which is quite enough for the attachment to cope with the strongest fasteners.
Brief instructions:
- In order to make your task a little easier, before starting work, you can slightly lubricate the fasteners with a rag pre-moistened with brake fluid.
- Next, take our screwdriver and install it perpendicular to the head of the hardware.
- We take a hammer in our hands and hit the end of the tool with all our might.
After the fastener begins to rotate around its axis, give it a few more blows with a hammer. This is necessary so that the screwdriver switches back to the “twisting” mode. As you can see, it's not that hard to figure out how to use an impact screwdriver.
Making your own impact screwdriver
Oddly enough, making this one is quite useful tool can be done at home without much effort. The main thing is to understand how an impact screwdriver works, then the work will go much easier.
Let's get started:
- Prepare a rotor taken from an electric motor (small). Everything needs to be cut off from it so that only the shaft and bushing remain.
- Take the bushing and select a piece metal pipe, which is the right size to put on her. This will be our handle.
- WITH reverse side you will need to insert a larger nut. This will give the handle strength and not break under a strong blow with a hammer.
- We weld all the parts together.
- We sharpen the end of the shaft thoroughly so that it takes on a square shape.
Our homemade tool is ready. You just need to put in a little effort, and believe me, the impact screwdriver will turn out no worse than any store-bought model.
Advantages
- Has a reinforced body made of steel.
- Significantly larger than a regular screwdriver.
- Has a torsion switch. This is very convenient if you need to tightly tighten a bolt or unscrew a rusty part.
- Using an impact screwdriver is absolutely safe for humans. It cannot hurt you or cause you any other damage.
- It is possible to change attachments, depending on the case. With only one tool at home, you will always have both a cross-shaped and a flat attachment at hand.
- You can make it at home without much effort, and this is a significant cost savings.
- Can be used not only in construction work, but also repairs related to the car.
There are times when you need to unscrew heavily rusted fasteners. What to do in this situation, because household tools do not cope well with this task. All you need is an impact driver. It's hard to believe that she is able to unscrew an outdated part.
Wet the bolt a small amount brake fluid and see how easily the part comes off. Of course, it happens that this doesn’t help either. There is no need to despair. Moisten again with the fluid you use for the car's brake system and leave for several hours. After that, you can use an impact screwdriver to do the necessary work.
The tool can be purchased at the store or made at home. In any case, in addition to the body, you will need additional attachments. This will save you from unnecessary tools. Imagine how nice it is when instead of ten screwdrivers in a drawer there is only one - an impact driver, and it comes with attachments that will help you in any construction situation.
What types of impact screwdrivers are there?
Main types:
- A tool in the form of a simple beard. It's very easy to use. The biggest advantage of such models is that they are very cheap and absolutely everyone can afford them.
- In the form of a regular screwdriver. If you put two screwdrivers side by side - an impact screwdriver and a standard one - you will not be able to find any visual differences. However, our tool is equipped with a special mechanism inside, thanks to which you can handle difficult situations during construction and renovation. However, if we talk about the cost of such models, they are quite expensive.
- DIY impact screwdriver. The best and economical option. If you have a little time and desire, then with the help simple details You can make a very useful tool for the household with your own hands.
Summarize
As you have already seen, an impact screwdriver has a very simple principle of operation. It's useful and the right tool in the arsenal of any mechanic who can easily help unscrew even the most outdated bolts. Having made it yourself, you will work with pleasure. Be sure that you will get it no worse than models from specialized stores.
The impact screwdriver is an indispensable tool in those frequent cases when the task is to unscrew a rusted or tightly tightened screw or self-tapping screw. A regular screwdriver will not work for unscrewing rusted screws or self-tapping screws, as attempts will either break the screw slot or damage the tip of the tool. Particular difficulty arises in situations where a steel screw for a screwdriver is screwed into an aluminum part. Under the influence of corrosion, a tight adhesion of the two materials occurs, as a result of which only an impact screwdriver can cope with the task.
Impact screwdrivers, which are produced by production, differ from each other in technical features and equipment. The main difference between an impact screwdriver and an ordinary tool is the presence of a reinforced metal body. Moreover, this building is several times more design standard tool. By technical specifications The products in question differ:
- Presence of reverse. A good screwdriver will definitely be equipped with the ability to not only break the connection, but also tighten it. Screwdrivers from the USSR do not have this function, so this is typical for advanced modern models.
- Handle design. The handle is not only a handle, but also the body of the tool.
- Case material. Often the instruments are presented in a steel case, and more expensive models cover the structure with polyurethane, rubber or polyethylene.
The scope of application of these tools is quite wide. These tools will be indispensable not only in home use, but also in various workshops, especially where car repairs are carried out. The twist screwdriver allows you to use it not only for unscrewing rusted screws, but also for screwing them securely.
The main characteristics of the tool are presented above, but it is important to mention the types of screwdriver tips. Impact rotary screwdrivers are almost always equipped with replaceable bits. Each set most often consists of a screwdriver and four different bits (two Phillips and two flat). The use of these tools is so effective that every self-respecting craftsman must have such a power screwdriver. In addition, it is as easy to use as a regular one.
How the tool works
The principle of operation of an impact screwdriver is based on the impact of impacts on the body of the tool while simultaneously turning the bit in the desired direction. For this purpose, the body is made of high-quality steel, which is special labor Can withstand hammer blows. When the handle is struck with a hammer, the clip with the bat moves to the side, thereby displacing the “stuck” screw. The angle of rotation of the clip when making impacts is insignificant, but this is enough for the screw to be “broken off”. The screw is tightened in the same way.
The tool in question is intended solely for “breaking” or tightening screws. After fastener will be “ripped off”, you should use a regular tool.
To increase the efficiency of unscrewing the fastener, it is important to select the nozzle as accurately as possible. Thanks to the double impact on the fastening element (straight along the axis, and rotating to the side) when striking, the self-tapping screw, screw or bolt is unscrewed.
How to use the tool
Although the tool is the simplest to use, when working with it it is important to know some important rules:
- The impact screwdriver provides the most accurate selection of the appropriate attachment for the fastener. If the nozzle is not selected accurately, this will lead to the folding of the slot of the fastening element.
- Although a screwdriver is effective tool for unscrewing rusted and stuck fasteners, but it is important to facilitate its work and prepare the screw to be removed. To do this, you need to treat the screw part with brake fluid or WD-40 lubricant. After processing the connection, you should wait 5-10 minutes, and then proceed with action. Sometimes, after treatment with such lubricants, you can even unscrew the fasteners using a regular screwdriver.
- We insert the screwdriver into the slot of the fastener strictly at a right angle, without distortions, and hold it with one hand.
- Next, use the other hand to strike the end with a hammer. It is important to use a hammer weighing 300-500 grams.
- The blows must be light and hard, otherwise the effectiveness will be zero.
- After 2-3 blows, you should check for shifts. If there is no shift, then pay attention to whether the slot of the fastener is being licked off.
Is it possible to do it yourself
You can make an impact screwdriver with your own hands, since structurally it does not present any particular difficulties. If from the above material you understand how the tool works, then you can start making it. To do this you will need the following parts:
- Rotor from an electric motor. All you need is a shaft and bushing. It is best to use the rotor from the starter by removing the winding from it, as shown in the photo below.
- After removing the winding, only the shaft and bushing will remain. You need to put a piece of steel tube on the shaft, which will act as the handle of the tool.
- On the back side of the pipe you should put a nut on which you will hit with a hammer.
- The resulting parts need to be welded together, resulting in the following tool.
As you can see, making an impact screwdriver with your own hands is not at all difficult, especially if you have a manufacturing diagram available. Homemade products like this not only make life easier, but also allow you to significantly save money. To be able to apply to your homemade instrument different attachments, you will need to sharpen the end part of the sleeve for the adapter or the necessary attachments.
In conclusion, it remains to be noted that the resulting device is quite reliable and even almost eternal, since the starter parts are made of hardened high-quality steel. Periodically you need to check the lubrication of the splines on your homemade product. The price of the most inexpensive impact screwdriver is about 500 rubles. When choosing, carefully look at the completeness and quality of workmanship.
Having trouble unscrewing rusted bolts? I suggest you try to make a screwdriver yourself that will allow you to unscrew almost anything!
Sometimes there are times when it is necessary to unscrew a heavily rusted bolt or, for example, screws with torn edges. You can't do this with a regular tool. And now such a simple tool will come to your aid, which you can easily make yourself. I will tell you how to do it using the example of a rotor from a faulty Zaporozhets electric starter.
First of all, we cut off the part of the rotor shaft on which the winding is located (see photo 1), and then, with the remaining part, we remove all excess.
As a result, we only get the shaft and bushing (see photo 2).
We put a piece of pipe on the sleeve, which will serve as a handle. At the other end, we insert a plug into the tube from a piece of a large bolt, which will not allow the handle to deform due to blows with a hammer and at the same time limit the movement of the shaft inside this sleeve (see photo 3).
Then, using electric welding, we weld all the parts (see photo 4).
We sharpen the end of the shaft into a square shape so that it is possible to put on different heads (for bolts). If you need to unscrew a screw, you must insert the appropriate bit into the head. The principle of operation of the screwdriver is simple: when you hit the end of the handle with a hammer, the shaft begins to rotate slightly on the oblique slots inside the handle. This is quite enough for the dried bolt to come loose.
Due to the fact that all parts of the electric starter are made of high-quality steel (need to be cut with a grinder), the screwdriver is quite powerful and durable. You should not hit the handle hard with a hammer, because the heads of the screws or bolts will break off. And in order for the splines to serve you faithfully for a long time, they must be constantly lubricated.
Note! To make this screwdriver, an old starter from almost any passenger car. And the larger it is, the more powerful your instrument will be.
Corrosion is one of the most adverse consequences to which all metal materials, including fastening elements. Often in the process of unscrewing bolts, screws or screws, you have to face the fact that these elements simply cannot be moved from their place. In order not to damage the tool used to unscrew the fastener, you need to choose the appropriate approach. A regular screwdriver is not able to deal with rusted or stuck joints, so the only option left is to use an impact screwdriver.
Features of the functioning of impact screwdrivers
The tool discussed in the material also has a name such as an impact screwdriver. It is a product equipped with a core monolithic type. The main difference of this device From a regular screwdriver is a reinforced metal body that is resistant to hammer blows. Only high-quality alloy steel is used to manufacture impact screwdrivers.
Before you find out how the tool works, you should understand design features. The tip of the product runs through the entire length of the structure from the working slots to the heel of the handle. The rotation of the tip is carried out due to the splines, which are set in motion with each blow of the hammer. The impact-rotating mechanism is located in the handle of the product. The tip is connected to a helical gear. The handle in the form of a clip has teeth of a similar design. The hammer blows are applied directly to the heel, located on the back of the device. The tool is used not only for unscrewing oxidized or rusted fasteners, but also for checking their screwing.
Design diagram of an impact screwdriver
The operating principle of impact-type screwdrivers is that when you hit the handle with a hammer, the clip moves. Through this movement, torque is transmitted to the sting through a gear train. Each time the hammer strikes the heel, the tip moves slightly, just enough to weaken the joint force. After loosening this connection, you can use a regular screwdriver to completely unscrew the hardware element.
The device does not have any complex elements, so it is very convenient to unscrew fasteners that cannot be unscrewed with standard tools. Their advantage is not only the gradual movement of the sting when striking the handle, but also the inability to lick off the head of the fastener.
Technical Parameters of Impact Screwdriver
Each manufacturer strives to make their product not only high-quality, but also multifunctional. Impact screwdriver, depending on technical features and configuration, is determined by the following characteristics:
- Reverse. Good tool will definitely have a reversible design. This function is not always needed, which is why they are absent on products from the USSR era. The presence of reverse affects the cost of the tool, but is not always justified by necessity
- Material of manufacture. Products from the times of the USSR were made of steel, and in this form they went on sale. Modern models rarely found without a surface coating, which is polyurethane, rubber or polyethylene. The presence of a metal base coating provides not only additional protection tool, but also eliminates the possibility of slipping and damage electric shock when working with electrical devices
- Lever. The role of the handle in a conventional tool is to apply physical force. In an impact screwdriver, the role of the handle is slightly different - it is integral part impact-rotating mechanism, and is also intended to hold the product during work
This is interesting! Every home craftsman has encountered a situation where a fastening connection cannot be unscrewed. This situation is usually familiar to car owners when rusty bolt The door awning fasteners cannot be unscrewed. For such purposes, a special bit is put on the impact screwdriver, which performs the corresponding actions.
Impact rotary devices are supplied with several options for replacement bits. Moreover, manufacturers equip their tools not only with Phillips and flat bits, but also with hexagons and an asterisk. Bits with different diameters do not necessarily have to be included in the kit with the product, since ordinary bits from standard screwdrivers are suitable for such a screwdriver.
What are percussion instruments for? Everyone can answer this question independently as soon as they use the product. These tools will always come in handy if you have them in your arsenal. home handyman. If there is an urgent need to use a tool, but have not yet had time to buy it, then for this there is the possibility of making an impact screwdriver with your own hands.
How to make an impact screwdriver with your own hands
Many people probably already have a homemade impact screwdriver in their arsenal of tools. You can do it yourself without much effort. To make a homemade product you will need only one part - the car starter mechanism.
It is this mechanism that is best suited for the manufacture of such a tool. The process of making a tool with your own hands in the form step by step instructions described below:
- From a car starter you only need a shaft. You need to remove the rotor part from the shaft, for which you will need a grinder
DIY impact screwdriver from a car starter: cutting off the rotor winding
- The shaft and bushing that remain after removing the winding will form the basis of the future tool
Necessary elements for making a tool
- The tool is almost ready to use. All that remains is to make the handle and heel, for which you will need a piece of pipe. An impact heel is made from a large diameter bolt. The bolt head is used as a heel
Additional parts for manufacturing - a piece of pipe and a bolt
- To combine all these elements, you need to use welding machine. After welding the pipe and bolt to the shaft, final stage wrap the resulting handle with electrical tape
Ready tool
The percussion instrument is now ready for use. As you can see, making it with your own hands is not difficult. Disadvantage homemade device is an unpresentable appearance, as well as the lack of reverse.
Using the tool and how to use it correctly
Before using the device, it is necessary to pre-treat the fastening joint with brake fluid, solvent or WD-40. These liquids corrode rust, so their use will not only make the unscrewing process easier, but also speed it up.
After this, a percussion instrument is taken, into which it is installed required type and bit diameter. The tool should be positioned exclusively parallel to the leg of the hardware. Light blows are made with a hammer on the end of the device, holding it in one hand, and holding the device by the handle with the other.
To increase the effectiveness of your actions, you need to hold the tool tightly. As soon as the fastening of the hardware begins to loosen, continue striking the tool until the hardware is unscrewed with a regular screwdriver.
The effectiveness of the work performed also depends on the quality of the tool. Cheap options are aimed only at unscrewing small hardware products, so when choosing, be sure to focus on which fasteners you plan to unscrew.
When working with a tool, it is important to follow the safety rules:
- Work is performed with gloves
- Using a hammer weighing up to 0.5 kg
- The blows are applied easily, as this is enough to set the hardware product in motion. If you miss and the blow lands on a finger or hand, the master will receive a minor injury
Advantages and disadvantages
Having analyzed a tool such as an impact screwdriver, you should note all its advantages and disadvantages. Based on these criteria, appropriate conclusions can be drawn about the benefits and necessity of such a device.
