Ball or Plain Ends for Hex Drivers?

[Phoebe]

I'm about to invest in a set of MIP Drivers and I'm wondering what tip style folks here prefer.

Do you think a ball end is contrary to the purpose of buying quality drivers, or are they as good as the plain ones?

[KSHeli]

I have one set of ball end drivers , not MIP, I tried to remove a tight fastner a snapped the ball off the drive at the ball neck. These are great in tight angles for loosened fastners, I would by the normal if this is your primary set.

[jhamel]

The advantage of ball tip drivers is that they allow you to access the screw at a slight angle. Their disadvantage is that there is less contact surface area between the tip and the screw head, so you increase the risk of rounding either the screw head or the ball tip itself.

The straight tips (some are slightly tapered) are a better choice when access to the screw head is not an issue. The straight tips have more contact surface area with the screw head, so you can apply more torque to the screw head with less probability of rounding either the tip or the screw head.

The MIP straight tip drivers have very low tolerance and are as good as it gets for snug fit. They are excellent for removing screws with partially rounded heads. On the other hand, since they fit so tightly on screw heads and without much play, they require a bit more hand precision to insert the tip into the screw head.

I am not a fan of the MIP handles. They are hard plastic and have a round butt end. I prefer softer rubber handles and flat butt ends, so I have the options of standing the driver on its butt.

For very small 0.9mm and 1.3mm screw heads, I only trust the MIP driver tips because of their low tolerance high precision fit. All other drivers I've used have too loose fit and tend to round those small screw heads more easily.

For larger screw heads (3mm and above), the more expensive MIP drivers do not offer much practical benefit when compared to the less expensive drivers like Dynamite and others.

This pic demonstrates how I can stand other drivers on their butts compared to the MIP driver.


These are the drivers I use regularly.


I reserve the MIP drivers for situations where I need to apply a fair amount of torque, or to remove partially stripped screws.


If you are looking for driver tips for your electric screw driver, the MIP driver bits are a great choice. The tips are the same low tolerance high precision you've come to expect from MIP, the length is comfortable, and the 1/4" shank has a locking indentation design. However, the tip size is not edged on the driver bit, so you have to heat shrink a size label on the tips.

This pic shows the MIP driver bits with the included size labels and clear heat shrink below each driver.


Same drivers with label applied.


Close up of before and after securing the label with heat shrink.




The Dynamite tips fit just as snug as the MIP's. The Dynamite bits also have the tip size edged on the shank. However, the Dynamite 1/4" shanks do not have the locking indentation design, so they do not lock securely on the screwdriver chuck.



This pic shows the Dynamite and MIP drivers side by side.


I use these short and compact made in Germany driver bits for the field.


They come in 1.5mm, 2.0mm, 2.5mm, and 3.0mm sizes. They have permanently magnetized tips, so they hold on to the screws well, which is specially important at the field where you don't want to drop and loose small screws on the ground. The only thing I don't like about those hex bits is that they do not have the hex size edged on the shank.

The bits are short enough to fit inside regular handles for easy transportation.

[chambers]

I agree the drivers with the ball ends are weaker, I've broke a handful over the years. I purchased a set off the Snap on truck at work, there decent but very expensive. I won a set of align drivers at a fun fly and I like them better than the pricey snap on ones. I think there 20 bucks for a set of 4 at the hobby shop.

[KSHeli]

Originally Posted by curmudgeon

I am not a fan of the MIP handles. They are hard plastic and have a round butt end. I prefer softer rubber handles and flat butt ends, so I have the options of standing the driver on its butt.

Just take a dremel tool with a cutoff wheel and cut the rounded portion off and then sand and buff the end smooth.

[jhamel]

I've thought about doing that. However, I am concerned about ruining the MIP handles and make them ugly to look at. I know I won't be able to match a factory finish.