Ratcheting Screwdriver & Bit Storage

Tools & Technologies

Project Overview

"Only a bad craftsman blames his tools." Thus, I decided to build a better tool so I had nothing to blame and therefore could not be a bad craftsman. I designed and machined a custom reversible ratcheting screwdriver. The body is machined entirely from aluminum, providing a weighted, premium tactile feel that contrasts standard plastic alternatives. To manage bit storage, I designed a laser-cut wooden insert with hexagonal slots that nests inside the handle with magnets underneath, keeping bits organized and accessible.

This project was a primary vehicle for developing my subtractive manufacturing skills, requiring precise tolerance work across the manual lathe, mill, and waterjet. And given that was my foray into subtractive manufacturing, I was forced into make simplifying design choices wherever possible and this simplicity fueled creativity with one highlighted feature being that the central shafts spans the entire length so to reverse the ratchet direction you can simply take the bit out and place it on the other end of the tool.