Electric Screwdrivers for pc assembly/household use.

[M A J O R]

Howdy, wondering if cordless screwdrivers like this are appropriate for use building computers or would they be too rough on pc hardware? It would be nice to have a little cordless that I could use for IKEA and computer assembly. Feel free to elaborate if the poll isn't enough

[Poinkachu]

12 minutes ago, M A J O R said:

Howdy, wondering if cordless screwdrivers like this are appropriate for use building computers or would they be too rough on pc hardware? It would be nice to have a little cordless that I could use for IKEA and computer assembly. Feel free to elaborate if the poll isn't enough

I don't mind using them if it's for something like securing a fan, or whatever else that doesn't need finesse.
For things like air cooler screws and the likes I mainly use non electric ones. (Since most often I will need a long shafted one to access the screws anyway).
Coolers usually need some amount of tightness that small electric driver can't provide, but not too tight that it ruins everything.

Some big tech tubers uses them often, Jayztwocents, Hardware Unboxed.
Probably because they need to screw & unscrew a lot during testings.
But yea, IIRC, even them uses it mostly for non crucial stuffs in PC building / Modding.

Never used IKEA products, but for general woodworking stuff, and especially if it's a really long screw, you probably need something with more torque.

I voted yes, but my real answer is : "For me, it depends"

[manikyath]

i have a small electric screwdriver for this exact purpose, and i really have to put it like this:

 

if your hands still work okay, get a ratcheting screwdriver instead.

anything that you need more force for than you can realisticly get out a screwdriver, the electric ones will suck at anyways. anything you dont need more force for, a ratcheting screwdriver will be orders of magnitude faster.

 

however, if you have a joint problem in your hands, or hitting that age where opening jars becomes a tough task.. get yourself an electric screwdriver.

 

so no, you're not going to break stuff using these if you're not a baboon.. you're just also going to spend 10x longer assembling a computer.

[Neroon]

I actually use my drill for stuff like furniture, just set your dial low enough so that it won't push in whatever material Ikea claims is wood.

[M A J O R]

IKEA was just shorthand for furniture and whatever else I need around the house haha.

[RollyShed]

A power drill will do two jobs, a screwdriver one. It is the way you use it as to whether good or bad. More than 4 screws and I use the power drill.

 

manikyath - I don't see how you can open jars with a screw driver. The secret for big diameter jam jar tops is to roll them on edge on a hard wooden surface to distort the metal top.

 

As for age, it should improve skills, not make things harder to do, or so I find.

[Needfuldoer]

I don't like electric screwdrivers. They're usually too wimpy for what I'd consider grabbing a power tool for. If I've got a job that's too difficult or repetitive for a regular screwdriver, I'll grab the cordless drill (which has an adjustable clutch), then escalate to an impact driver if necessary.

 

A good ratcheting screwdriver is a better investment for light duty jobs like assembling furniture and PCs. 

 

(Then again I'm only in my thirties and I don't currently have any mobility issues, your mileage may vary.)

[KTown]

Cross threading and over torque are the major risks with electric screwdrivers. Most computer screws are fairly small and don't have much tread to turn so manual screwdriver is the safest method.

[Poinkachu]

29 minutes ago, KTown said:

Cross threading and over torque are the major risks with electric screwdrivers.

^ This, unless you really know what you're doin.

 

5 hours ago, M A J O R said:

IKEA was just shorthand for furniture and whatever else I need around the house haha.

so IMHO, if you don't need to screw and unscrew a shit ton of PC screws daily. You don't need an electric screwdriver.
Most PC is pretty much, assemble once then forget until either you need to clean it or fix it.
And most of the "Fix It" part either parts not using screw, or parts that are too tight or delicate that small electric one can't handle.

But if you really want to buy one, I suggest to buy one that ain't gun shaped. Or buy one that can be switched between gun shape and straight shape.
The DeWalt one that Hardware Unboxed used looks like a nice one, too bad it's too expensive in my country.

At 24:33
But yep, I don't advise using such thing for installing motherboard standoff and CPU coolers if you are not used to it.

As for furnitures. Me personally prefer just either invest on cordless drill or impact driver right off the bat. More versatile.
Mainly because I do some light woodworking and DIYing too.

[Needfuldoer]

4 hours ago, KTown said:

Cross threading and over torque are the major risks with electric screwdrivers. 

 

4 hours ago, Poinkachu said:

^ This, unless you really know what you're doin.

There's a trick to avoid cross-threading:

 

Before you drive the screw, turn it backwards with light pressure until you feel it "thunk" a little bit. That's the end of the thread on the screw falling off the "end" of the last thread in the hole. Then gently turn the screw for a couple turns, and once you're sure it's in the threads right you can drive it home.

 

This is especially useful when you're reinstalling coarse screws into plastic. Chances are, the screw cut its own threads as it was originally tightened into the hole. If you just go to town driving the screw at random, it might cut a second set of threads, which would make it more likely to pull out. (Especially if you overtighten. Avoid that by going less than a quarter turn past the point where the screw bottoms out.)

[Erioch]

I have a couple of smaller electric screw drivers and they hardly have any torque.  You're not going to ruin anything with them.

[xAcid9]

I'm using this one for laptop, desktop and almost everything else I need.

Stick to level one for laptop, level 2 could strip the screw.

Spoiler

 

https://www.boschhardware.com/bosch-power-tools/bosch-cordless-tools/cordless-screwdrivers-pocket-series/bosch-cordless-screwdriver-go-2#7