ifixit driver question

[linnoff]

The big question, are the ifixit 1/4" drivers meant to magnetize the bits?

This is not said anywhere on their website.

The story: I bought a Manta driver kit a while back, and only really had use for the 1/4" driver until recently with a smaller project where I used the 3mm driver. Once I used that one I realized I loved the feature that it magnetized the bit so screws would stay on it making install much easier. This is not something my 1/4" driver does, I have to hold the screw or it just falls off.

Discovering this, I reached out to ifixit for clarification, and they said the 1/4" driver is meant to magnetize the bits just like the 3mm driver, and sent me a replacement 1/4" driver.

The replacement driver arrived and behaved exactly the same as my original. I told ifixit, and they sent yet another, with the same result.

At this point I honestly believe the service rep is wrong and the 1/4" driver is not meant to magnetize the bits, either that or something weird is going wrong here.

To clarify, the magnet holds the bit in very well, almost too well, and it can be hard to remove, but screws just fall off.

I have tested the bits when stuck to a different magnet and they can pick up screws then.

[Yohannes]

Maybe a wild shot - but did you test bit with both magnets on the same screws? (I think, the screws used to assemble hard drives are not magnetic). I don't have iFixit tools, however a magnet holding bit in place and not magnetizing it seems to go against the physics I remember from high school.

[linnoff]

4 minutes ago, Yohannes said:

Maybe a wild shot - but did you test bit with both magnets on the same screws?

yes, tested on various screws and other steel objects, just to be sure.

[The1Dickens]

8 hours ago, linnoff said:

and they said the 1/4" driver is meant to magnetize the bits

Sounds like a bit of a mix up in understanding what you are asking. Like, they may be under the impression your bits are not holding to the driver.

 

And it is my understanding that any magnetic effect of bit-to-screw is incidental, and not intentional. I have the Manta kit, and have not noticed any screws with either driver holding to the bits. But for me, for every 1 time a magnetic bit would have been nice, I have a dozen more where magnetic bits are more frustrating.

[linnoff]

I believe the rep understood what I meant.

the 3mm driver in the Manta set and the one in my pro-tech-toolkit both magnetize screws quite well, which has been handy.