Impact driver

Very helpful, thanks.

Mine fails at stage 1 - I don't get the "jump" when rotating it clockwise or anticlockwise to set up loosening or tightening. The circlip is partially hidden, too, but I'll try to get it of if the WD-40 doesn't loosen it up.

I've got one of these 'proper' impact drivers somewhere. It worked really well when I last used it, 40 years ago. If I could locate it, I'd happily give it to you.

Thanks, but I don't know if I will use it yet even if I get it working. I've got a jammed euro cylinder fixing bolt which, if I can't move by other means, I might have to use the impact driver on. But I don't want to chance damage to the rest of the lock.

Be sure that you using the correct screwdriver. Phillips and Pozidrive are not the same cross head. Without the correct screwdriver you will not get enough grip on the screw head.

In my experience the longer the shaft of the screwdriver the more chance of initially turning a stuck/tight screw.

Put the screwdriver in the screw head and lightly tap the end of the screwdriver handle with a mallet or hammer before attemtping to undo it.

If you can hold the screwdriver tightly into the head of the screw.

i) if the shaft of the screwdriver has a hex section use a spanner to turn ii) If the handle of the screwdriver has a hole put anther screwdriver through the hole to aid turning. iii) put some locking vice grips on the screwdriver shaft or handle to aid turning.

And if it's Vessel, is it likely to be JIS? Any small 'dot' on the head?

slightly OT: but funnily enough I have been thinking about whether one of these tools would be useful to me ATM.

I have a seized screw (in a bike pedal, as it happens) with a Pozidriv head. I have a small Makita 'pen' type impact screwdriver, but the bit on this is starting to cam out if I try to undo. I guess I need to apply more downward force at the same time as the rotational force is applied. Do these old-fashioned impact tools work any better in this regard?

Thanks, J^n

After soaking overnight in WD40/oil, I was able to turn the impact driver both ways until it met an end stop. It didn't exactly jump into place like the YT video, and there wasn't a mark to put the "R" or "L" against. I tried it with a socket on a hex-headed bolt on my Workmate, but it didn't seem to turn.

So I decided to take it apart, and it wasn't identical to the video in having any lining-up marks. But it came apart easily enough using the jaws of the workmate to compress the spring, get the ballbearing covers off, and take out the bearings. After dismantling I gave it a good clean, and reassembled it.

Oddly, there are 7 heads in the box, and one of them fitted the jammed screw very well. Unfortunately, it didn't turn it at all, and the screwhead is now useless. I decided to see if I could get to the screw by removing the handle/lock covers, and found that one of the 8cm screws holding the covers on was slightly bent in the middle! Whoever assembled that door took no care. There's no way of accessing the cylinder screw from the sides, so it'll be a locksmith job if I ever need to replace the cylinder.

No. None of the heads have any markings at all.