Annual Time, It’s No Cessna!

[MBDiagMan]

Yeah, I am old enough that I have a few Yankees.  Glad my current Yankees have batteries.

[bradp]

Here’s a question. For the thousand screws ... clutched power impact driver or clutched power drill?  I’ve always used a drill... my IA had this sweet little lightweight 18V Milwaukee thing that has been discontinued and I can’t find anywhere. 

[MBDiagMan]

I have one of those.  It’s main advantage though is its compactness and lightweight, which makes it great for going on a roof or something.  In the hangar I just use a heavy, clutched Dewalt.  The impact action kind of concerns me on the airplane.  My concern might very well be unjustifiable, but the idea of the hammering action of an impact on somewhat delicate aluminum assemblies just concerns me.  Probably nothing wrong with it though.

[Bob_Belville]

I use cheap, low voltage clutched drivers for access panels and one piece belly. Light weight and I can set the clutch fairly low. I seldom strip a screw. 

[MIm20c]

42 minutes ago, MBDiagMan said:

I have one of those.  It’s main advantage though is its compactness and lightweight, which makes it great for going on a roof or something.  In the hangar I just use a heavy, clutched Dewalt.  The impact action kind of concerns me on the airplane.  My concern might very well be unjustifiable, but the idea of the hammering action of an impact on somewhat delicate aluminum assemblies just concerns me.  Probably nothing wrong with it though.

I agree with this. With an impact driver you have very little control over the final torque. I use this Bosch unit (ps21).  Small and lightweight and the clutch settings are very repeatable and easy to use. 

 

[jaylw314]

I use this dude.  It's very compact and light, and multiple clutch settings.  I bought a pneumatic drill for the RV project, and junked it for this.  This is small enough to get in tight spaces.  I can't tell you how many holes I've drilled and deburred with it, and it easily drives screws.  Out of paranoia, I just set the clutch on the lower settings and then hand tighten them.  For most screws I still need another quarter turn or more to hand-tighten, so I'm confident I'm not over driving them. 

[Guest]

I use a Snap On ratcheting screw driver and an apprentice and will happily race them opening and closing panels.  No powered screw drivers anywhere.

Clarence

[jetdriven]

 I use a dewalt 12v drill to remove the screws and to install them. Well, by install them I mean run the screw in until it’s about 4 threads short of tight, then finish the job with a screwdriver. I never can get the clutch to slip when the screws are tight. There’s too much variability, it will under tighten half of them and when you get one with a looser nutplate the drill rams the screw down so hard you strip the head trying to remove. 

Edited March 29, 2018 by jetdriven

[Hank]

I sometimes use a power driver to remove screws, but never to install them. When removed, they range from warm to hot and if the drill jumps it buggers up the heads . . .  But the blue & gray double ratcheting screwdriver is a wonderful tool!

[Rumblestrip]

On 3/28/2018 at 5:20 PM, M20Doc said:

I use a Snap On ratcheting screw driver and an apprentice and will happily race them opening and closing panels.  No powered screw drivers anywhere.

Clarence

Over or under .4 AMU's for that SnapOn? 

[MBDiagMan]

I am almost finished getting it back together.  Much of the reassembly has been with a Dewalt drill on the number one clutch sitting.  I checked the clutch several times by following up with a good old fashioned screwdriver.  I am going back this morning to get the rest of the nose bowl back on.  Now that I am finished it was not as time consuming as it appeared it would be.

BTW the plane came through its first annual with flying colors.  Technically it wasn’t my first annual because an annual was done with the prebuy.