Introducing the new Tinker and Fix Hex Driver
I couldn't find a Hex Driver that I liked... so we made our own.
Hex Drivers have that great combination of utility and beauty.
As always - function first. There's something incredibly satisfying about using a small bit driver, instead of a screwdriver, for jobs that don't need a lot of torque. I find them particularly useful for those small screws on battery compartments, stripping down a folding knife or building a remote control car (perhaps not the most essential Tinker and Fix job, but fun none the less). The way a Hex Driver fits in the hand is key - with the bearing end allowing easy twist with a degree of precision.
The one I have been using is great, but it's always bugged me that it was just a little small for my hand. I don't have particularly large hands (I'm a Large in the Watson gloves we sell) but the driver was just a fraction short and small in diameter. Making its function just a little less useful than it should be.
Unable to find a slightly larger one, I decided to make our own. The "Dart" bit driver is the result of that project. The end of lots of sketches and mock ups to get a design I was happy with.
I knew I wanted it to be made from brass but don't have a metal lathe or the skills to use one. I managed to find a machine shop in Leicester that had the skills and more importantly understood what I was trying to achieve.
So the driver is made from solid brass stock. It's 100mm long and the area you grip is 14mm in diameter. It weights just under 110 grams and has a nice hefty feel in the hand.
The driver end has been broached to accept standard 1/4 hex bits. These are a standard size and readily available. The driver is supplied with three bits - a 3mm allen head, a PZ0 and a PZ1. These are all relatively small sizes, which is were I find these sorts of drivers the most useful. The end of the driver is magnetic so the bits are held firmly in the driver.
I've also made a very simple wooden holder for the driver and up to eight bits. This also has magnetic inserts to keep everything in place. The wood used for making these will vary depending on what I can get my hands on, but all will have some interesting grain patterns.
I hope you like the Dart as much as we do - either for using, or as giving as a gift.
- Edd -