Screwdrivers

The screw which holds the flybar / balancing bar in place is tiny. I just didn't have a screwdriver small enough to take it out. Coupled with my local hobby shop's suspicion that this is not a screw of the self-tapping variety -- i resorted to ordering a good set online (local hobby shop can't source the ones he likes anymore).

I need to strip the heli down to make any of the adjustments i am planning (swashplate tweaking / installation of a power switch etc).

Which Screwdriver Set Is a Good One?

Cheap jeweller's screwdriver sets are 10-a-penny. They're cheap, but they're rarely made well and are more likely to grind away the delicate head on this screw than anything else. So what are my requirements for this screwdriver set?

• Recommendation from a fellow hobbyist: very important to me.


• Strong tips: very important to my heli :-)


• Good grips: It's frustrating not to be able to apply the necessary torque to a screw, a good grip helps solve this.


• Price: my local jeweller's shop will sell me very high quality screwdrivers (sold individually, not in a set) for £19.99 each!!! A set of 7 at that price would cost more than the heli!

The Candidates

1. Bost screwdriver set: This is what the local hobby shop use, however they can't source them, and i can't find the same set online (otherwise i'd link to it). It's a handle with interchangable heads of a good quality, all stored in a rigid plastic presentation box. Seems to be good, but difficult to source. Next!


2. Rolson 15pc Precision Screwdriver Set from Maplins. These are cheap enough (£10 in the maplins sale). However, these are made by Rolson, and my past experience of their cheap but nicely presented tools is terrible. I've been sucked in by their nice presentation boxes before and the tools are just cheap rubbish. Next!

At this point i felt i was struggling -- i don't know any other hobbyists to phone up and consult on this, and i can't find a screwdriver review online (ok so i'm not totally surprised by that last one, hence my attempt here!).

Known Good Manufacturers

So i resorted to thinking about tool manufacturers i have been happy with in the past, and one name sprang to mind from fiddling with the car: Draper.

Draper do a few ranges of tools, typically you will come across their budget offerings. A lot of these budget draper tools are perfectly serviceable and a great price. However, draper's budget line of jewellers screw drivers were clearly of the 10-a-penny variety and of no use.

The Draper Expert line is a different story. I've chosen to go for the Draper Expert 8 Piece Precision Screwdriver Set @ £9 from Abbey Power Tools.

These screwdrivers are excellent in my experience so far. I recommend them! I also recommend the Abbey Power Tools guys. I got to them via the Amazon.co.uk marketplace search. Their delivery was very prompt and their price was the most competitive for this set. Thumbs up.