"Sideways" Torque on Leatherman Bit Driver?

[lxbatty]

In my line of work, I often need to access screws in hard-to-reach places. I'm considering cutting off the 5/16" end of the pictured ratchet (which I don't think I've ever used; I bought the thing for the 1/4" side to hold standard hex bits) and doing some minor (freehand) machining to allow it to fit in the Surge's Bit Driver/Holder. Size wise, it should work out OK (I measure the thickness of the bit at about 3.12mm, while the handle of the wrench is about 2.87mm at it's thickest point - only 0.25mm difference, and the width of the bit is 7.11mm, while the width of the wrench handle is 8.53mm) but my concern is that the Leatherman's Bit Driver was designed for rotational torque, while this set up would apply pressure to the side(s) of the Driver. The metal there is actually thicker, at least on one side, than where the normal set up would apply force. I'm wondering if anyone has experience with something like this, or perhaps ran into trouble while using their Bit Driver in a way they shouldn't have, like chipping at or prying something? I've also thought that it might work in the Blade Exchanger spot, as that is designed to handle the force of sawing etc, which would apply force in a similar direction as using the ratchet would, except I'd have to machine it down pretty thin to get it to fit. Thoughts?

I don't have Leatherman's Bit Driver Extender, as I've found it actually kind of difficult to get where I live without paying exorbitant shipping. I'll probably just make one myself. (It might be of interest to my fellow Canadians that Leatherman intends to start shipping direct to Canada. In my interaction with them on Twitter, they said "We're making it a priority in the first quarter of 2015: we hope to have it set up shortly after that!")

[NKlamerus]

Oh man this looks fun. Sub'd for results.

[pingu]

In my line of work, I often need to access screws in hard-to-reach places. <snipped>

Thoughts?

Quite surprised to see how expensive extended reach ratchet spanners are.  Or how good value Wave is in North America (but not Europe ).

Not done what you suggest but looking at the changer, you would need to very precisely file the handle to engage with the very small shoulder in front of the spring and in one direction all the stress would be resisted by the shoulder and cut out where the end of the spring sits.

For light duty work maybe.   But for light duty work maybe better to engineer a handle extension

[hiraethus]

I think you'd be better off cutting the 5/16" end off the ratchet and making some kind of extension tube for it rather than relying on the Wave's bit driver to take the force.

[lxbatty]

Well, I did it. I will be the only user of this tool, so I'll try to be conscious of how much force I'm applying. I used my Crappy Tire brand "Dremel" tool to cut and shape it, being careful about heat build-up, and I also drilled a hole, which may act as sort of a shear-pin while also allowing me to attach it to a key chain or what have you. The hole may also help to secure it in the extension handle suggested by Pingu and Hiraethus, which I'll start designing in my head.

Unrelated, but I wonder why the bit that Leatherman ships with the Surge is a Phillips/Flat. Aren't there already enough standard bits on the tool? I would have preferred it came with Phillips/Robbie or two different sizes of Phillips on one bit. Regardless, that's not an issue for me now, as I can put in any 1/4" Hex bit I want.

[Amedio]

I think the bit carrier should be able to handle a reasonable force. The rectangular pipe shape works better under bending (what you meant with apply pressure to the side) and is very inefficient for torsion (what you call rotational torque). This is why the real screwdrivers or bit holders are cylindrical (they are meant to work under torsion) while the cross section of the ratchet is rectangular, similar to the bit holder.
I don't know if the bit holder lock will like the new "working conditions" though.

Hiraethus idea sounds very good. you can flatten a piece of pipe of the right diameter until it slides over the ratchet and use it as an extension.

[gregozedobe]

Another (possibly more robust) suggestion is to get hold of Leatherman's "Universal Bit Adapter" (NB  to fit a Surge you will need the later Universal version, not the earlier narrow Original Bit Adapter with two bumps and a bend on one "leg").

http://www.multitool.org/reviews/leatherman/accessories/96-universal-tool-adapter.html

They aren't very common these days, but do appear from time to time on the bay of fleas.

[ducttapetech]

Cool looking mod.

Nate

[NKlamerus]

That actually turned out really well. Did you do it all with the dremel?

Have you used it yet?

[neillcurrie]

Even with the one end cut off, can't you get plenty of torque via the handle length that you still have, without it being in the Leatherman?? Some people drive screws using those small keyring/keychain based 1/4" bit drivers, so I am sure you exceed that torque by several feet/lbs.

BTW, those (or very similar) double ended ratchets are available pretty cheaply at Lowes here in the US. A set, with a variety of bits and sockets, is less than $20.

[Aloha]

I made a ratcheting thing that I use from time to time with my bit extender.  I have not used it hard but in the light situations I've have no issues really. 

Great job on your mod 

[lxbatty]

I've tried it out a little bit around the house, so far so good; it feels strong. I haven't yet put it under harsher real-life conditions. I modified it a bit more today. I added a second hole, and enlarged them so that a #8 screw fits thru, that way I can easily attach it to any pipe or conduit or piece of wood I have on hand, without having to make or bring a special extension, and I can then make the extension in any shape or length I need too.

[lxbatty]

Another (possibly more robust) suggestion is to get hold of Leatherman's "Universal Bit Adapter" (NB  to fit a Surge you will need the later Universal version, not the earlier narrow Original Bit Adapter with two bumps and a bend on one "leg").

http://www.multitool.org/reviews/leatherman/accessories/96-universal-tool-adapter.html

They aren't very common these days, but do appear from time to time on the bay of fleas.

That looks handy, I'll have to keep my eyes open.

[lxbatty]

That actually turned out really well. Did you do it all with the dremel?

Have you used it yet?

pretty much just used the Dremel, I tried a file for a second, but realized I'd be there all day and night doing that. Used a cordless drill to do the holes, (until the battery died, then I finished the last little bit with my Granfather's old 2-jaw chuck hand brace) and a countersink bit to ream them a bit.

[lxbatty]

I made a ratcheting thing that I use from time to time with my bit extender.  I have not used it hard but in the light situations I've have no issues really. 

Great job on your mod 

As I think I've mentioned somewhere else on the forum, but I've been finding it difficult to get any Leatherman stuff where I live, without paying thru the nose for shipping. I would buy Leatherman's Bit Extender if I could just go to a store and buy it, but I can't, so I made my own version today.

I took an old stripped bit, and ground it down until it fit in the Surge's Bit Driver. Then, off of an old Picquic Super 8 Plus I took the adapter piece (which in itself is a handy little tool, as it has a 1/4" nut driver on one end and a 5/16" on the other - 2 sizes I use often, and both sides accept 1/4" hex) to be the receptacle for any 1/4" hex bit.