Torx Screwdriver Set
To do the Palm repairs I wrote about, I needed some smaller Torx screwdrivers. Ace Hardware had size T3, T4, and T6, and above that, but I needed size T5. I went to Home Depot hoping I could get a set of driver bits or an individual screwdriver for five bucks or so. For $4.87 they had a set of 36 driver bits, an extension arm, and a screwdriver handle. It is called the Husky 36-Piece Precision Screwdriver Set. 
In addition to Torx sizes T5, T6, T7, T8, T9, T10, T15, and T20, it had 6 small slotted head bits, 4 philips heads, 3 pozi heads, and 8 hex heads. At that price, and with a lifetime guarantee, how could I go wrong? Besides, that was the only way I saw to get a Torx T5 screwdriver.
The set is in a nice plastic case with each bit held in place and a clear front cover. But as soon as I put one of the bits in the screwdriver, I saw what horrible product design this is. The driver bits don't snap into place, they just slide in and are fairly loose. So if you hold the screwdriver with the point end down, the bit just falls right out. Put in the extension piece and they all fall apart. They're not even magnetized or anything. It is such a poor design that I am tempted to take the set back and get my money back (scratch that, I figured it out in Comment 4 below). The good thing is that I needed the T6 size too, so if I had just bought a T5, I would have been out of luck.
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Comments (4)
I've wanted a torx set since the first time I started taking apart Macs (1987.) I've made do with some torx bits that came with one of my drill sets, but with laptops and iMacs getting slimmer and tighter the screw sizes have gotten smaller. I had to run off to Ace (higher price, closer) to buy a torx set when Claire and I changed out the iMac hard drive. I'd take a picture of it, but I can't find it right now... workshop is a mess.
Posted by Jeb | August 15, 2009 11:17 AM
These bits are narrower than standard bits, too (4 mm or 5/32"), so you can't hold them in normal 1/4" drivers where they might be held more securely. I know it's only $5, but if they had made this just a little differently, it would be perfect and instead it is just annoying. The other thing is there are also some smaller Torx sizes that are not covered by this set
Posted by Ted | August 15, 2009 2:34 PM
May I borrow the torx set? It looks like a nice thing to have.
Posted by Mom | August 20, 2009 9:57 PM
I was taking an iBook apart and bearing down hard on the screw to get a good grip and the bit slid a little further into the driver. Hmmmm. And now it wouldn't fall out. So apparently I just hadn't pushed it in hard enough for the driver to hold it in place. So that works a lot better! So I take it back about the bad design.
Posted by Ted | August 30, 2009 10:23 AM