Black & Decker Gyro

[[email protected]]

The March 2013 issue of "The Family Handyman" magazine (available at your local store) has a review of the Black & Decker Gyro screwdriver. It starts:

"Have you ever driven a Segway? Just lean in any direction and it takes you there. That's a bit like the Black & Decker's Gyro Screwdriver".

I have one of these screwdrivers, and it certainly acts like it contains gyroscopes.

[Bob.Kerns]

The March 2013 issue of "The Family Handyman" magazine (available at your local store) has a review of the Black & Decker Gyro screwdriver. It starts:

"Have you ever driven a Segway? Just lean in any direction and it takes you there. That's a bit like the Black & Decker's Gyro Screwdriver".

I have one of these screwdrivers, and it certainly acts like it contains gyroscopes.

The literature says it does. So you just twist in the direction you want it to go?

[[email protected]]

So you just twist in the direction you want it to go?

Yes. You grip it naturally which depresses the button with your palm and turns it on (a light at the front turns on). Then you just twist (clockwise or counterclockwise). Twist a little bit and it drives slowly - twist more and it goes faster - twist the other way and it reverses.

[SegNerd]

I'm not very "handy" or knowledgeable about tools. If you got a low-end power drill and some screwdriver bits for about half the price of this thing, would you be losing anything other than coolness?

I'm not denying that it's cool, but do you get any actual added functionality?

[GadgetmanKen]

I have seen one at the hardware store and played with it. They are cool, but I don't think they have much power. I don't know if it actually has electronic gyros in them, but the same effect can be achieved with cross wiring a relay, and a ball bearing, or penny switch, with multiple leads on a curve with voltage regulators. Don't get me wrong, I love Black n Decker products. I have used two of their first hand held gray n black style screwdrivers to assemble, screw together over four thousand pneumatic valves as kits from a company I worked for years ago. So I know the quality. I even submitted an idea to them years ago for a quick disconnect system, so as to change from the different heads they offered at the time. Simple forward, reverse, then the head with adjustable torque settings, then the right angle head for attaching sockets and such. Same battery pack was used on all three screwdrivers, just three different screwdrivers. My idea was to use the same battery on your choice of three different heads. It was as simple as a quick disconnect as on an air hose cord. They did like it, but had just spent millions on tooling etc, redesigning their next generation they were starting to roll out with. That was the green and orange bodied design screwdrivers that had one or multiple battery cells you slid out of the handle to put in a recharger. So my idea was a day (or two) late and a dollar short, if you know what I mean. Now pretty much all electric screwdriver models have inter-changeable heads.

[[email protected]]

I'm not very "handy" or knowledgeable about tools. If you got a low-end power drill and some screwdriver bits for about half the price of this thing,....

I'll leave the comparisons, features, comments about power, etc. to others ---

But can you really get a power drill plus screwdriver bits for $20.00?

[SegNerd]

I'll leave the comparisons, features, comments about power, etc. to others ---

But can you really get a power drill plus screwdriver bits for $20.00?

Maybe not the fanciest or most powerful one in the world, but yes (http://www.amazon.com/Black-Decker-AD600-Accessory-Assortment/dp/B000077CPQ/ref=sr_1_49?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1360610809&sr=1-49&keywords=power+drill).

[[email protected]]

Maybe not the fanciest or most powerful one in the world, but yes (http://www.amazon.com/Black-Decker-AD600-Accessory-Assortment/dp/B000077CPQ/ref=sr_1_49?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1360610809&sr=1-49&keywords=power+drill).

Well, that one takes 4 AA batteries (isn't rechargeable) and requires that you select forward or reverse - but otherwise is quite similar.

[SegNerd]

Yes, I know it isn't rechargeable. I guess I should've clarified that that is a second known difference (besides the less cool direction control), although you could just use rechargeable AA batteries.

I've seen rechargeable drills as low as $22 (http://www.amazon.com/Black-Decker-9099KC-7-2-Volt-Cordless/dp/B0002TXNX0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1360615737&sr=8-1&keywords=power+drill), although I'm not sure if that one comes with as many drill bits.

[[email protected]]

Of course, the reason I posted the thread was the relationship to the Segway.

On the other hand - I think it's interesting that (IMO) this is the way power screwdrivers should have always worked.

[SegNerd]

Yes, I agree that the Gyro wins easily in terms of elegance and coolness. It's just question of how much extra you are willing to pay for that, which is something each person must decide for him/herself.