How Tall

How tall is that drill unit?

I'm laying track in my helix and I need a SHORT drill unit in a couple of situations where I have a track layer only 4-5 inches over the other.

How long

It's exactly the same length as a Dremel, 8" long.

What you need is this:

$28.99 on Amazon: http://amzn.com/B013UBXU3E

I have one

I bought mine from Micro-Mark. I'm very happy with it. I don't break drill bits anymore and hand fatique is highly reduced.

Bob Harris

Great tool tip, thanks.  Too

Great tool tip, thanks.  Too bad the price has gone up since you wrote the article.  

Wow, that was fast

Wow, that was fast. I wrote the article last week, and the screw driver was $10. Now it's almost $13.

How's that for inflation?

What does the use of the

What does the use of the screwdriver do to the "feel" of drilling the part? A big part of successfully drilling small holes (at least for me) is the tactile feedback as I'm drilling (binding of the bit, etc.). Do you lose that with the screwdriver?

A little

Because this drill is so lightweight and turns so slow, I still have a pretty good idea what's going on, but certainly less than with a hand-driven pin vise.

I've never had a problem, really. And the chuck on this is really deep, allowing me to leave just a smidgen of drill sticking out, minimizing breakage. Most pin vises I've used won't let me put the drill all the way in -- I bottom out before that.

On the flip side, I find it's very easy for me to snap off small drills with a manual pin vise because it's hard to put perfect radial torque on the drill without also warping the drill somewhat off kilter. I snap off far more drills with a manual pin vise than I do with this powered drill.

It's much easier to keep this drill from stressing the bit with off-kilter forces. I can grab it with both hands and keep it steady. If I'm providing the spinning motion with one hand on a manual pin vise, it's hard to steady the pin vise with the other hand too.

Powered Pin Vice

I've been chucking pin vices in variable speed drill motors for years, but this is genius! I imagine it would have a much better feel than a full size drill motor.

I now open my Amazon app before reading Joe's article...

Good Suggestion

Hopefully Amazon & Micro-mark give you a little revenue stream for this helpful suggestion. Had been thinking about a Dremel drill press, but this seems a good solution.

Micro Mark Chuck

Joe,

My Micro-Mark chuck finally came today after a wandering odessey around the SF Bay area where it seems the UPS ground connection to the USPS for final delivery took over 4 days. 3 different UPS offices and post offices at a day each to go 40 miles. (Their online history showed UPS Richmond from New Jersey, to UPS Milpitas to UPS Pleasanton transfer to USPS San Ramon (not sure if it didn't go through Oakland USPS regional center) to USPS Walnut Creek but not in time until the next day delivery. Makes one really appreciate Amazon. 

Final cost for delivery of just the chuck was $30 including very slow UPS ground from New Jersey to SF Bay area. And the package was stuffed with Micro-Mark catalog and other offers which comprised 95% of the weight. 

And it will only tighten on a #76 bit or bigger. It will not tighten on a #79 drill bit. I don't have a #77 or #78 drill bit on hand to test. What a disappointment. 

I already had the electronic screw driver on hand so that was not part of the order. 

I am a bit bummed about this but don't want to go through the hassel of returning it. It will be useful for drilling #76 holes or larger, But I had wanted an electronic tool for easing the tension on my aging hands while drilling the many holes needed for grab irons on HO resin kits and breaking multiple drill bits for every car built. 

This chuck unfortunately just isn't the solution.   And Micro Mark's quick upping the price and overpriced UPS shipping  smacks of rip off.  I doubt they will get any more of my small tool purchases as I have discovered Otto Freis, an Oakland California firm that sells jewelry maker tools at reasonable prices.  And will even let me pick up an order breaking away from the UPS/USPS incompetence.

Ken

Odd

Odd, I can tighten mine to hold an #80 drill no problem. Sad to hear manufacturing tolerances are off enough to make some batches tighten less. I got a good one.

One trick I use on smaller bits in some drills ... roll a short strip of masking tape around the drill shank to increase its diameter. If you keep the strip short and roll it evenly around the shank, the drill will still remain centered and fit in chucks that won't tighten down as much.

This is the chuck I use for

This is the chuck I use for the small bits.. I use it with my cordless screwdriver... 
https://amzn.to/36GtZJU

It works great.. the cordless driver I have will turn at slow speeds with slight trigger pressure...any way..works for me...

I put

Tony's example into the Canadian Amazon (Amazon.ca) and the same bit exists, but it is $34.30Cdn, as opposed to the under $10US on Amazon.com.  Even with exchange, that is significantly more than double the cost.

Micro Mark Chuck Redeemed

On a blind hunch I unscrewed the chuck and removed the head with the jaws.  A small misshapen piece of plastic fell out. Dreading whether it was anything important, I rescrewed on the head. Will wonders never cease, it will now tighten to the point it will firmly hold my #79 drill bit. I don't have any #80 bits on hand to test as for most of my resin kit grab iron mounting a #79 is called for. 

As to the chuck Tony described above from Amazon.  I had ordered that in an earlier attempt to make the General Tool battery powered screw driver into a drill before.  It does not fit in the hole in the screwdriver.  The Micro-Mark chuck works because it goes over the shank and tightens with a small screw using an allen wrench.  I have used the Amazon chuck in a Fiskers manual rotary drill tool but find it awkward for any precise work. 

Not quite so bummed but still disturbed by the Micro-Mark pricing and the sad tale above of the shipment trail through UPS final delivery by USPS as a method of getting the goods. My plan to use Otto Frei  ( https://www.ottofrei.com) in future for micro tools still stands. 

feeling a little less bummed. YMMV...

Think you're bummed out?

I too ordered the chuck from micromark. I grumbled at the shipping costs (im in Canada). but bit the bullet on that as well. The ups delivery time took about a week. I went online to track my shipment. I was notified that  I owe UPS another 22.07 for clearing customs and duty. Wow!  Talk about being bummed out!  I guess that will curtail most of my purchases from the us. So much for free trade.

Randy

Randy

If you can get them to send it USPS/Canada Post, the fees will be less, but it still is hard to justify anything but a significant order (several hundred dollars) from the US these days, between the exchange, shipping and cross-border fees.

ripple effect

I'm still waiting for my chuck from Micro Mark (about $30 with shipping, US address) so I appreciate the alert about possible foreign matter in the jaws. 

On the positive side, I just returned from the PCR conference in Sacramento, where a tool guy happened to have the General electric screwdriver - for $5! That's compared to $20 at Home Depot and $35 at Micro-Mark, so I'm feeling pretty good, even with $30 for the $12 chuck. 

I hope it works!

Jeff Allen

...

All right, I'm biting the bullet on this, not because I need one but because I'm 1000% convinced that just like the motor-driver, the chuck is also available for a much better price elsewhere.  I'll just have to buy one to tear it down and figure out just what parts are in it.  So far, though, I can find the chuck for about $4.  I just can't figure out the adapter between the drive shaft and the chuck.

Oh, but I can get a hex adapter without any issue that goes from the 1/4" drive of the motordriver to either the 8mm or 7mmthreaded end of microchucks...onwards...

The point..

After reading some of the commentary that resulted from my previous post, I think some additional comments are necessary. First, the chuck I use is compatible with my cordless drill/ screwdriver. It has a standard 1/4 " chuck. Second, I had not considered  non US prices. I would not pay the extra amount either. But, Here is the thing.. There  are more than 1 supplier that has that chuck or something similar.

I don't always look for an exact duplicate of what someone else has done. Take the concept that was given and find an affordable work around that works for you. In my case, I decided to use what I already had , and was comfortable with.. and find a cheap way to use smaller bits.  That seems to be the same thing Joe did.. and it works for him. As to price.. Sometimes Amazon is is cheaper, sometimes Ebay.and so on. Shop around for what you want once you decide on what you want to do..I have even found stuff at local flea markets in the past.. you just never know..

Finally, If you look at the diameter of the motor shaft (or chuck) of the tool.. the next step is to look at the chuck you want to buy and make sure it fits.. As to the General tool (From Micro Mark.. Fits our #86258 Ultra Tech Power Screwdriver with 7 mm outer-diameter shaft. )

Many of you probably already knew this stuff..sorry to bore you For those that didn't.. Hope this helps..

...

Here's an alternative

Okay, here's an alternative that looks to be just about as good.

First, the Ryobi 4v lithium screwdriver (1/4 hex socket) at Home Depot for $20:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/RYOBI-4-Volt-Lithium-Screwdriver-HP34L/302648210

Then a 1/4 hex chuck that closes down to #80 (0.3mm) ... on eBay for $7 (free shipping):
https://ebay.us/LGvCiE

Note: #80 drill = 0.3429mm

I can also find a 1/4" hex shank chuck that closes down to 0.3mm on Amazon for about the same price. The 1/4" hex shank makes it become something that should fit just about any powered screwdriver tool. Just get a smaller one so it's easy to hold over your model and you're all set.

Twelve buck chuck.

I found this when poking around:

https://www.rockler.com/micro-drill-chuck

sorry if this has been already mentioned or doesn't fit the requirements, I've only lightly scanned this thread.

(OT: I had a friend who referred to Charles Shaw wine from Trader Joe's as two buck chuck)

Just bought this

https://www.harborfreight.com/4-volt-14-in-cordless-screwdriver-kit-64313.html

The Ryobi equivalent is 35$.