Our screwdriver took three years [video] • Hacker News Board

Re: Our screwdriver took three years [video]

#241

Post by toss1 » Thu, Sep 01, 2022, 9:41 PM UTC

rozab wrote: post #227

bobsmooth wrote: post #199

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Or you can just buy a quality tool and not waste your time.

The point of lifetime warranties is it incentivizes the company to make something that will last forever. https://youtu.be/syii9DKnb2M

Except it doesn't.

An engineer I worked with used primarily Matco & also Snap-On & a few otehrs. He specifically said about Craftsman: "Sure, they have a lifetime warranty that you can go swap one at any store — that doesn't help you when you are out in the field and the thing breaks and you need it NOW. More than worth it to buy one that doesn't break."

I picked up that approach and can strongly recommend it. I've also bought a lot of Matco tools on eBay with very good results. They just work without problems and last effectively forever. (The one thing that hasn't lasted effectively forever was Snap-On air-powered dual orbit sanders, they only lasted a 8 years or so...)

Re: Our screwdriver took three years [video]

#242

Post by ghosty141 » Thu, Sep 01, 2022, 10:06 PM UTC

causi wrote: post #156

SadWebDeveloper wrote: post #103

Seems like the juicero for screwdrivers... over-engineered tool that without the "LTT" branding could probably sink in the stores. Personally i like my tools rugged, kinda like Klein does it because "on the job" i tend to thrown them away either on purpose or by accident, this tool looks fragile, if little margins stuck the ratchet mechanism i can not wait what is going to happen when it suddenly falls from the 2nd f…

The half-height bits also make it very hard to curate the selection for your specific use cases without buying directly from LTT.

Did you all not watch the video before complaining? He specifically mentioned this, its designed so yoi can also have normal bits in the bitset

Re: Our screwdriver took three years [video]

#243

Post by ghosty141 » Thu, Sep 01, 2022, 10:12 PM UTC

what-imright wrote: post #92

Three years to make a screwdriver. That says it all

No it doesnt. Have you ever developed any product?

Re: Our screwdriver took three years [video]

#244

Post by linsomniac » Thu, Sep 01, 2022, 10:14 PM UTC

Last year I got a very similar looking Channellock that WireCutter recommended and I've really despised a few things about it:

The bits are not retained by magnet, but by a bit-mounted sprung ball bearing. If I don't push the bit in hard enough, it'll just fall right out when I turn it over. It's like that comedy bit: "What time is it?" when someone is holding a drink in their watch hand.

This probably is what led to the #2 Phillips bit being lost the first week I had it when my kids borrowed it to unscrew something in the yard, but that first week was pretty glorious...

And the bits are surprisingly hard to find. Searches on Amazon have turned up few if any replacements, and it doesn't seem like Channellock has a replacement bit set.

Finally, the ratchet mechanism is surprisingly easy to flip while using it, so most sessions I have with it I end up having to reset the ratcheting one or more times in regular use.

Admittedly, Linus talks up how much they worked on getting it just right, but I'd be reluctant to get another driver that used the ball bearing bits. I'd go with something that has replacement bits available, or uses the same bits that my power driver uses, because I always keep bits for it around.

I hate flat screwdrivers with a passion, but that one AvE made years ago is sure a thing of beauty: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shnpPFQAugU

Re: Our screwdriver took three years [video]

#245

Post by bobsmooth » Thu, Sep 01, 2022, 10:15 PM UTC

rozab wrote: post #227

bobsmooth wrote: post #199

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Or you can just buy a quality tool and not waste your time.

The point of lifetime warranties is it incentivizes the company to make something that will last forever. https://youtu.be/syii9DKnb2M

You must not be familiar with Crasftman tools.

Re: Our screwdriver took three years [video]

#246

Post by xenadu02 » Thu, Sep 01, 2022, 10:20 PM UTC

throwaway0a5e wrote: post #131

tmh88j wrote: post #108

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Seems like the juicero for screwdrivers... over-engineered tool that without the "LTT" branding could probably sink in the stores. I haven't used one so I don't know how durable they are, but I got the opposite impression. The juicero served no purpose. If you don't need a multi-purpose screwdriver that's one thing, but it does have plenty of use-cases and there are a lot of competitors which they showed so they ar…

>I'd say their attempt is more akin to Snap-on with how much energy they seemed to focus on ergonomics and UX, especially the ratcheting mechanism. Snap On builds "fine" tools and sells them for premium prices because their brand has a lot of mind share among the customers. Kitchenaid does the same thing. These people don't a long established brand to power their money printer so they instead turn to marketing. If yo…

Snap On is selling more than just a brand:

1. They will outfit your new shop on a payment plan (or at least they did at one time), allowing a new mechanic to get started with a full set of tools for not much money.

2. Their reps come to you with a big truck loaded with common replacement tools and calibration machines. How many people ever read the fine print that says their torque wrench requires calibration every six months, let alone bother to do so?

Kitchenaid stand mixers are selling the fact that they're a classic heavily built design not cheap thin plastic and they're still built in the USA.

Not everyone wants to buy the cheapest $5 widget available and I'm glad the market is able to serve different types of customers. Obviously that can be taken to an extreme (the entire audiophile market for example) but finding product-market fit and serving a specific set of customers shouldn't be demeaned as just "branding".

Re: Our screwdriver took three years [video]

#247

Post by nyanpasu64 » Thu, Sep 01, 2022, 10:22 PM UTC

walrus01 wrote: post #238

omega3 wrote: post #99

For the same price you could get a Wera screwdriver, small screwdrivers and a bottle opener. https://products.wera.de/en/kraftform_kompakt_kraftform_komp... https://products.wera.de/en/screwdrivers_series_kraftform_mi... https://products.wera.de/en/tools_for_bicycles_and_e-bikes_f...

Or Wiha, which is also a very reputable German-manufactured steel hand tool company. Similarly named to Wera but a competitor. https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=wiha+scre... they make some excellent torx, security torx, hex, precision screwdriver sets. in addition to the larger stuff they make for 600/1000V insulated electrical use.

Personal story, I ordered https://www.wihatools.com/products/precision-phillips-screwd.... On the plus side, the Phillips screwdrivers are hardened and almost impervious to camming out/slipping (but can still strip on bad screws if you don't apply any pressure), unlike my cheap Amazon screwdriver kit which chewed up Phillips screws for a living. On the downside, the PH0 screwdriver's endcap wasn't spinning freely (until I cut a bigger gap and it spun freely but had increased plastic-on-plastic friction when I pressed down on the screwdriver), and I went through support to get a replacement PH0 screwdriver; I'm not sure whether to feel better or worse about the company. Shape-wise, the screwdrivers are not suited for applying large amounts of torque, but that's not a design defect but a result of being precision screwdrivers and the shape chosen. Next time I might try a Wera screwdriver, or an iFixit kit (https://www.ifixit.com/Store/Tools/Minnow-Driver-Kit/IF145-4... is the cheapest multi-bit kit but not the most popular one).

I wish electronics were built with Torx screws. Those are practically impervious to stripping if fully inserted, even with the cheapest steel possible (though cheap steel drivers can probably still deform and strip). I've heard mixed things about using JIS (looks like Phillips, isn't Phillips) screwdrivers on Phillips screws, and good things about using them in JIS screws.

Re: Our screwdriver took three years [video]

#248

Post by soperj » Thu, Sep 01, 2022, 10:30 PM UTC

colechristensen wrote: post #191

soperj wrote: post #166

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maybe, could be a chinese knock off brand posing as Wera, you'll never know until it's shipped. edit: looks like Wera tools specifically are sold by a bunch of different people on Amazon, NEMobile, and BCFasteners are a couple that I've seen, so really no idea what you're getting.

Eh, Amazon was just an easy example. Grainger stocks Wera in the US https://www.grainger.com/category/tools?brandName=WERA&filte...

Added bonus being that Grainger doesn't track you all around the internet.

Re: Our screwdriver took three years [video]

#249

Post by rowanG077 » Thu, Sep 01, 2022, 10:38 PM UTC

linsomniac wrote: post #244

Last year I got a very similar looking Channellock that WireCutter recommended and I've really despised a few things about it: The bits are not retained by magnet, but by a bit-mounted sprung ball bearing. If I don't push the bit in hard enough, it'll just fall right out when I turn it over. It's like that comedy bit: "What time is it?" when someone is holding a drink in their watch hand. This probably is what led to…

I don't think they use ball bearing bits.

Re: Our screwdriver took three years [video]

#250

Post by rowanG077 » Thu, Sep 01, 2022, 10:42 PM UTC

TheCapn wrote: post #221

kllrnohj wrote: post #211

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Seems like the juicero for screwdrivers... over-engineered tool that without the "LTT" branding could probably sink in the stores. Megapro (LTT's partner on this) has been selling this type of ratcheting driver w/ bit storage in the handle for 25 years and is pretty well reviewed. How did you manage to make the leap to Juicero & only "saved by LTT logo" nonsense from such a well established, long-running product?

So what advantages does the $69.99 LTT driver have over the $48.99, $54.99, or $59.99 ratcheting drivers sold by Magapro themeslves? I think that's more to what OP is getting at. Going to a store knowing the LTT driver is a rebranded Magapro, why would any consumer want to pay the markup besides the brand name? For me, the LTT driver's only notable differences are not valuable additions to justify the cost. I think t…

I mean the video is literally RIGHT THERE explaining in great detail why it's better then the megapro and why they didn't just slap an LTT logo on an existing screw driver.