What can be made from an old screwdriver: 19 cool ideas

Modernization of children's vehicles

And of course, all the best goes to the children. Using a screwdriver, you can modernize many children's vehicles. For example, convert a children's pedal car into an electric car.

Electric car

To make a car with electric drive you will need:

1. Frame made of steel profile pipe. You can make it yourself.
2. The wheels can be used from a rubber garden cart.
3. You can take the body from an old pedal car or come up with some creative solution. For example, soldering from plastic pipes.
4. As an electric drive, it is necessary to use two motors from screwdrivers and a gearbox from the same power tool. Separate housings are made for them, in which the output shaft is mounted on 201 bearings.
5. Battery. You can use a regular automobile 6ST60.

After all the components are prepared, all that remains is to assemble the electric car. This process is simple and can be done by every man who has even a superficial understanding of plumbing.

Electric scooter and electric bicycle

Another use of a screwdriver in creating vehicles is an electric scooter or electric bicycle. The principle of this modernization is based on installing a chain drive between the wheel sprocket and the electric motor sprocket with a screwdriver gearbox. This device is powered by a hand tool battery. This solution does not require large expenses. As a result of the improvement, a vehicle with a speed of 5 to 15 km/h is obtained.

Electric snowmobile

Using a screwdriver you can make not only a vehicle on wheels, but also a real snowmobile. To do this, you need to use an electric car, having carried out a number of appropriate upgrades. It is necessary to improve the electric vehicle frame to install a drive wheel on it. Instead of driven wheels, you need to install skis, and replace the plastic steering wheel of the car with a metal bicycle handlebar. The drive wheel is driven through a chain transmission from a screwdriver.

Assembling such a wonderful technology will not take much time, and most importantly, money. All costs will be paid off by the joy of the child, for whom an electric vehicle will be a real gift.

Electric bicycle assembled with your own hands from a screwdriver

This publication, based on the author’s video from the “electro 2453” channel, examines easy-to-manufacture models of electric bicycles assembled with your own hands using a screwdriver.

They didn’t do anything to the bike, they only removed one wheel and screwed on the nuts and bolts. In this way we secured the rear parts to the wheels. Now you just need to remove the bolts and the electric bike separates. 5 - 10 minutes are enough to return it to its previous appearance. The sprocket is large to reduce the speed. Chain. Bushing and posts. The latter are attached, which allows you to tension the chain.

The spring allows you to reduce the starting current and give idle speed. This is necessary to reduce the load on the commutator and save the brushes. Reducing the inrush current in this way can be applied to other devices. Even for an internal combustion engine. In this case, it reduces the vibration of the screwdriver battery. He lies under his own weight.

A regular handbrake, located at the front of the bike. The exact same lever was placed here. They made a longer cable and a hand brake mechanism. We cut grooves in the rubber bands that followed the contour of the trigger and the rear handle of the screwdriver. We put it back carefully. The video shows how all this manifests itself in action.

How long does the battery last? If a child rides his electric bike all day, then two batteries are enough. What else is enough to satisfy the needs of a little biker. What is the advantage of such a mechanism? The screwdriver does not suffer. At the right time, you can remove it and use it for its intended purpose. When this tool is lying around idle, you are not saving the battery; it is deteriorating. The same thing happens with intensive use. Let it serve better. We fasten it back, put on the retainer. You can go.

On all rollers, screwdrivers operate in drill mode at first speed (at the lowest speed). The question may arise whether this is dangerous for the screwdriver - no, the device is saved from overload by a conventional spring, which softens the torque of the rotation force; the same can be achieved by initially spinning the wheels of the electric bicycle with the pedals. It is important that the spring is not overly stiff; it must be fully compressed at maximum load (when starting from a standstill without preliminary acceleration). It is possible without a spring; in the original version, I just loosely tied the screwdriver handle to the bicycle frame with a harness, placing a sponge to soften the reverse motion.

A hand-pulled bicycle is here. And in another article about an electric bike made from a grinder.

Cool ideas and lifehacks for using a screwdriver at home

In addition to the listed mechanisms, a screwdriver can also be used to implement other ideas on the farm. This hand-held power tool will help you automate the opening of an entrance gate, make a winch for a car, or make scissors for cutting metal. If you attach an attachment for cutting tin to it, you can turn an ordinary rubber boat into a motor boat, and modernize the process of drilling holes for ice fishing. In addition, everyone knows that a screwdriver is used as a drive for a mixer, meat grinder or juicer.

After reading the article, the reader gained knowledge about the unconventional use of a screwdriver. Now he can use this hand tool to create carpentry equipment, improve children's vehicles and other useful things in the home.

Carpentry workshop equipment

A few more interesting suggestions on how to make equipment for home carpentry using a regular screwdriver.

Wood lathe

When making wood products, it is difficult to do without a lathe. You can build it yourself. A flat wooden workbench is ideal for the bed. A screwdriver can be used as a headstock and rotation drive. You need to place the tool in a wooden bed made from a block in the shape of a screwdriver and secure it with a clamp. The block can be secured with a clamp, and if the machine is constantly used, screwed with self-tapping screws. A tooth mandrel must be inserted into the chuck. The tailstock is made of two bars with an adjusting screw, which is sharpened to a cone. It is installed opposite the fixed screwdriver so that the axis of the tool coincides with the axis of the tailstock adjusting screw. The back support structure is secured with a clamp. If you plan to process large parts, then the fastening should be more reliable. The tool rest can also be made from a block, securing it to the workbench with a clamp. A primitive lathe for the home workshop is ready.

Bench Drilling Machine

Another equally important piece of equipment is a drill. It can also be made from a screwdriver. To do this you will need a used screwdriver. From it you need to take a motor with a gearbox and a cartridge. Now you need to make two clamps from textolite, which will perform the function of fixing the drilling head of the machine. To achieve maximum alignment of all holes on the clamps, it is better to process them together, in one installation. Then you will be able to avoid distortions.

Bushings with internal threads are used as limiting posts. They must be the same size, corresponding to the distance between the clamps. After this, another clamp is made from textolite and two bosses from caprolon. They are drilled off-center, resulting in two eccentric bushings. The clamp is installed on the rod and the backlash is selected using eccentrics. After this, install a wooden lever on a spring so that the drilling head returns to its original position. To supply power, you must use a transformer with a power of more than 150 watts and an output voltage similar to the screwdriver you are using. After this, you need to install a diode bridge and a capacitor, and install the drilling head on the frame.

Manual router from a screwdriver: step-by-step instructions

It can be converted into a hand router. To do this, you do not need to purchase expensive materials. Everything you need can be found in the workshop or garage, practically under your feet. To make a manual router from a screwdriver, you will need pieces of thick plywood or chipboard, a clamp for attaching the tool, fasteners in the form of bolts and self-tapping screws, plumbing tools and a feather drill for wood. In the latter case, you can use a drill bit.

Assembling a homemade router is quite easy. To do this you need:

• From pieces of the selected material, cut out a base, a vertical stand on which a screwdriver will be attached using a clamp, a stop and a gusset to impart rigidity to the structure. The dimensions of the parts are chosen arbitrarily, in relation to the dimensions of the power tool.
• Using a pen drill, drill a Ø 40 mm hole in the base for free access of the cutting tool to the processing area.
• Make a clamp according to the diameter of the hand tool.
• Using a clamp, secure the screwdriver to a vertical stand so that its chuck is a few millimeters from the base.
• Install the stiffener.
• Secure the screwdriver with the stop on the vertical stand.
• Install the cutter into the tool chuck.

The screwdriver cutter is ready for use. Such a machine cannot become a full-fledged replacement for a manual milling cutter due to its low power and low spindle speed, but it will solve the problem of milling small parts in a home workshop.

Circular Saw

In addition, for your carpentry workshop you can make a circular saw from a screwdriver. To do this, you need to make a working surface using a sheet of chipboard or thick plywood. You need to make a cut in the tabletop to allow the circular saw to exit. The screwdriver must be securely fastened to the underside of the work surface using metal or wooden clamps. In the same way it is necessary to mount the shaft

It is important that the saw blade extends above the working surface of the table by no more than a third of its diameter

Saw from a screwdriver

TOKARKA. The story demonstrates the process of making a compact automatic mechanical saw from a screwdriver. Using this machine you can cut the same materials as a simple hacksaw, but with high precision and much faster. If the workpiece is large enough, while it is being cut, you can do your work without paying any attention to the machine.

Before assembling the sawing machine, the master watched a huge number of videos on the topic on Youtube, but did not find a single assembly video. The entire design is the author’s development, since I have not seen a single mechanical saw with a vertical flywheel, only a lateral one.

Judge for yourself about the dimensions and weight: the device can be carried with one hand. And absolutely everyone who has disassembled a cordless screwdriver at least once in their life will recognize a couple of details. Absolutely every do-it-yourselfer who has some work experience can cope with the manufacture of the device. Compared to a cutting tool such as a grinder, the thing works quietly. Secondly, it does not scatter dust throughout the room, and the cut is quite narrow, which saves material. There are absolutely no problems with cutting tough metals or plastics. Anyone who has worked as an angle grinder will understand perfectly well. The device can be used in field conditions, where there is no power supply, if it is powered from a battery, any suitable one. For example, a car or from a battery for a screwdriver. If you remove the vice from the machine, you can saw through fairly large objects. I think I’ve told you enough about what the thing is for and how to use it. Let's start manufacturing.

This thing is called a “furniture guide”; you can buy it at various furniture hardware stores or construction supermarkets. For further work, it must be carefully disassembled into parts. The middle retractable part rode on balls that were inserted into a plastic separator; they will also be useful to us. Due to the fact that the guide is not new, it was a little rusty and I decided to clean it a little, so that it would be pleasant to work with and would look better. I glued two metal parts together using epoxy resin. All holes through which it could leak were carefully sealed with tape. I put fiberglass fabric inside, although it would have been possible to put regular cotton fabric.

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To ensure that the inner and outer steel parts were well centered with each other, I inserted pieces of a plastic separator with balls into the edges and they were precisely aligned. To increase the fluidity of the epoxy resin, I heated it with a hot air gun. This is a DC electric motor, used in cordless screwdrivers. It has an operating voltage of 12 volts and several amperes of current. The shaft rotates at a speed of 550 rpm. It is not fast, but it has a lot of torque. The part is also from a cordless screwdriver, it is called a gearbox. It has two stages of gear shifting, that is, minimum speed and maximum torque are required.

Two jokes - a connecting rod and a couple of needle bearings were purchased in one of the online stores. You can also easily find it in various service centers. This is what a planetary type gearbox looks like from the inside, its second stage looks exactly like this one. The reduction in speed is achieved due to the difference in gear ratio from the gear on the engine shaft to the spindle of the gearbox itself. The cover that covered the first stage of the gearbox was easily removed with a twist and the engine was secured with two M4 screws. And I put everything back in. I decided to conduct a small test of the compatibility of the motor and gearbox. Everything works perfectly.

The saw uses a computer power supply. Now the engine is connected to 5 volts and 14 amps. In order to separate the plastic cap, I unscrewed two self-tapping screws that held the steel washer. The hefty spring is part of the system for separating the spindle from the gearbox. She's not needed. Under the steel ring, on which the spring pressed, there are holes, in which there are a couple of steel balls. The easiest way to stop them from popping out is to pour epoxy resin underneath them. But so that it does not flow too deep and far, slightly frozen. Next from 5 minutes

boat motor

How nice it is to take a boat ride in warm summer weather. The only problem is that I don’t want to pick up the oars. Ingenuity comes to the rescue.

What if you adapt a motor from a screwdriver to a boat using available tools?

It’s easier to use the following materials for this “idea”:

1. Screw (rabbit):
2. Long metal pin;
3. Battery powered screwdriver.

The essence of the idea is as follows. A hole with a diameter equal to a metal pin is drilled in the propeller (in this situation, the propeller). The screw is installed on the stud and securely fastened. The long pin itself is inserted into a screwdriver, which turns the pin together with the screw. The boat engine is ready!

All that remains is to come up with some kind of metal structure that will allow you to securely attach the screwdriver to the boat itself. But this is too simple a task to discuss. And every amateur will be able to show his inventive abilities in this matter.

We lower the screw on the hairpin into the water and turn on the screwdriver. All that remains is to slowly swim and enjoy the beauties of nature that you see around. There is only one thing - realistically evaluate the capabilities of the batteries and “don’t swim behind the buoys.”

Preparing the electric drive for a bicycle

First of all, you need to remove the clamping chuck from the remains of the screwdriver. This is extremely simple to do, and therefore there is no point in describing this action. Then a thrust nut is screwed onto the shaft. It serves to ensure that the installed sprocket does not touch the body. By the way, it makes sense to immediately change the position of the power regulator to “drill”.

PHOTO: YouTube.com An internal thrust nut is installed on the shaft

Next, you need to put the sprocket on the engine drive shaft and secure it with a second nut, which can be removed from the chuck. But if everything is left in this form, the fixing nut will loosen when moving. Therefore, first it is thoroughly pulled, after which a screw with a reverse thread is screwed into the internal thread of the shaft. This system will ensure that the sprocket is fully secured and eliminates the risk of the outer nut coming loose while driving.

PHOTO: YouTube.com The second nut is fixed with a screw with a reverse thread for reliability

Fastening the engine to the bracket

Now it remains to understand how the electric motor will be attached to the bracket that will be installed on the bicycle. Everything here is extremely simple. For this, a regular plumbing clamp designed for sewer plastic pipes with a diameter of 50 mm will be used. The pin with the anchor should be unscrewed from it, and the clamp itself should be placed on the motor housing. The photo example below shows how this is done.

PHOTO: YouTube.com A plumbing clamp is perfect for attaching to a bracket

At this point, the work on preparing the electric motor is completed, you can proceed to the manufacture of the bracket.

Do-it-yourself drilling machine from a drill: step-by-step instructions with a detailed description

Using an electric drill is the most logical solution when making a drilling machine with your own hands

Scope of application of homemade drilling machines

The thought of creating a drilling machine with their own hands arises among people who love to tinker, but at the same time are not involved in the manufacture of any objects on a professional basis, either using metal or other materials (wood, plastic, etc.).

This is due to the fact that home-made equipment will not be able to fully replace industrially produced analogues in full, both in functionality and performance, but will only facilitate the performance of simple repairs and other work.

In addition, radio amateurs and people involved in the independent production of printed circuit boards can also set themselves a similar task, because Having a drilling machine greatly simplifies their work, and purchasing factory-made equipment is unprofitable.

Homemade design using a washing machine motor

How to make a drill press using a drill

Using an electric drill is probably the easiest option for making a homemade drilling machine, because... in this case, the issue of fixing the drill is resolved (a drill chuck is used), and an electric drive is also provided. The main problem in this case that needs to be solved is the manufacture of a frame and a mechanism for moving the drill in a vertical plane. All work can be divided into several stages that determine the nature of their implementation: preparatory, execution of work and final.

The metal stand for securing the drill is easy to manufacture and convenient to use.

Preparatory stage

During this period of work it is necessary:

1. Decide on the materials and components that are available and that can be used to manufacture the machine: wood or metal, spare parts from cars, motorcycles or household devices, electrical wires and switching devices, as well as protective equipment.
2. Depending on the selected materials, the necessary tools are prepared. This can be a grinder and a welding machine (inverter), a circular or circular saw, as well as carpentry tools and fasteners.
3. A drawing (sketch) of the structure being created is developed, with the main dimensions being: the mounting location of the drill used and the size of the drill movement.

Wood structure is not strong enough, but can be fully used for making printed circuit boards

Execution of work

Having decided on the materials and tools, as well as having prepared them and developed a drawing, you can begin manufacturing. Below are step-by-step instructions for making such equipment using a metal sheet and profile. ​

Final stage

At this stage of work, the following activities are performed:

• the assembled metal structure is painted;
• moving units are lubricated;
• For ease of use, a plug socket can be installed on the stove to plug in an electric drill with a connected electric cable that serves to connect it to the network.

Manufacturing option using a car jack

How to make a vice for a drilling machine

Having made a drilling machine, for ease of use you need to make a vice.

To do this, you will again need metalworking tools, welding equipment and a grinder, as well as materials such as:

• sheet steel 8 and 15 mm thick;
• metal corner 40×40×2.5 mm;
• a screw or pin with a diameter of 10−12 mm with a large thread pitch;
• steel circle with a diameter of 10 mm or rods from car struts (shock absorbers).

Manufacturing work is carried out as follows.

Epilogue

This is how you can assemble an electric bicycle without any expense. Of course, additional work is needed here, but the foundation is already there. It's quite fun to see people's reactions when they see such an interesting vehicle. Of course, it’s unclear what’s moving along the road. In fact, if you work on the bike for a couple more days, it will not be inferior to expensive factory products in almost any way. Considering that all the work is done “on the knee” in one day, without financial investments, we can say with confidence that the idea is very good.

We hope that the material presented today will be useful to the dear reader. If you still have questions about what you read, you can ask them in the discussions below. The HouseChief editors will be happy to answer each of them as quickly as possible. There you can comment on the article and express your opinion about the rework. Tips for improvement, as well as pointing out the wizard's mistakes, are welcome. And we have one request. Please don't forget to rate what you read.

Every opinion, both positive and negative, is very important to us. Happy cycling!

Use in the garden

We are part of nature. How harmoniously each of us feels in the garden, dacha or personal plot. An evenly mowed lawn and weeded beds delight our eyes. But it’s very difficult to achieve such a result manually. An aching back and grass-cut fingers can be eliminated from your life if you use ingenuity and, using the most primitive tools, construct a garden trimmer, or a lawn mower, as we are more accustomed to calling this tool.

Making such a trimmer is very easy. To do this you need:

1. Screwdriver with battery;
2. Body polishing disc;
3. Two stationery blades;
4. Two screws.

Creating a tool literally takes a couple of minutes. Two office blades are screwed onto the body polishing disc. Only they are not screwed tightly, but so that they “dangle” easily. This connection option allows the blades not to break, but to fold when they come into contact with an obstacle. The disk itself with the blades already attached is installed in the screwdriver, naturally with the cutting tool facing down. The tool is ready to use!

This amateur trimmer will allow you to mow grass in hard-to-reach, narrow places, between rows or where there are partitions. Of course, an undoubted “plus” is the saving of time and effort that you spend on weeding by hand. There seem to be only two disadvantages - you still have to bend down and cut the grass in this position, and then collect it manually.

It also has its own specifics. With such a tool you need to “fight” tall grass in a special way. Cut the top first and then the base, as long grass can get tangled at the base of the disc. Then it needs to be removed manually.

Don't throw away your old screwdriver

For example, the battery of a screwdriver has become unusable, but all other parts have become useless. Don't throw away the unit. It is in such cases that craftsmen make wind generators based on household devices, which, in this case, is an ordinary well-known screwdriver.

Look at fig. 1, which shows a cross-section of an ordinary screwdriver. How can he be forced to start a new life from a completely different perspective? For the first part of its service to man, it took electricity to help with construction and repairs, and now it can be adapted to provide electricity using the wind.

We disconnect everything unnecessary and remove the rotor part of the unit. Here is the engine shown in Fig. 2. Consider that this is a future windmill-invigorator, which will give you free electric current if you rotate it. The wind will spin. We clamp the motor shaft and strengthen it with a bracket (see Fig. 3 and 4). We drill four holes on the end gear and bolt to it a round steel plate for attaching the PVC pipe blades.

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We show the entire unit assembled and strengthened without blades. This is what the design of a homemade wind generator looks like, built on the basis of an electric motor from a screwdriver (see Fig. 5). In exactly the same way, you can assemble a wind generator based on an electric motor from a broken drill.

So, we collected it. Now we need to reliably cover the entire mechanism from precipitation. There is a humorous saying: “The need for invention is cunning.” No wonder I remembered a popular saying that accurately conveys the resourcefulness of the technical mind of our craftsmen. To cover the mechanism of a homemade wind generator, some people used, you won’t believe it, an ordinary coffee can! (see Fig. 6). At the same time, a sealant was used to strengthen the lid and bottom of the jar on both sides, and the jar itself was wrapped with electrical tape.

The result was this simple design (see Fig. 7). It remains to strengthen 4 blades cut from a PVC pipe, and a homemade wind generator based on household devices (drill, screwdriver or washing machine) is ready for work. If you want your homemade wind generator to be more efficient, use a gearbox from a wrench as a basis; it is much more powerful and produces more than 5 kW/hour.

Assembling an electric bicycle from an old screwdriver

When all the parts are prepared, you can proceed directly to assembly. But first you need to prepare the bike itself.

Some details are removed from it, namely:

• pedals (they are no longer needed);
• trunk (will be moved forward);
• chain (you still have to work with it).

Now the bike is ready, and you can get started. The bracket is fastened to the “ears” on which the trunk was fixed. In this case, the foot should rest against the frame.

PHOTO: YouTube.com The bracket is already in place, all that remains is to install the engine

Installing the electric motor on the bracket

Everything is simple here. Through the slot, using a suitable bolt, the electric motor is mounted on the platform. There is no need to tighten the connection at this stage.

PHOTO: YouTube.comThe engine is in place, but the connection has not been pulled yet

Adjusting the chain length

The chain removed from the bicycle will have to be adjusted to length by removing excess links. Ultimately, it should sag a little to allow for modifications.

PHOTO: YouTube.com The chain needs to be adjusted to length by removing excess links

Adjusting chain tension

The bracket is movable, so you need to lift it up, move the stop tab and fix all the connections in the desired position.

PHOTO: YouTube.com The chain is tensioned, the connections are fixed, now comes the fun part

Installation of electrical equipment

The electric motor activation button must be installed on the steering wheel, which means you will have to extend the wires. To do this, you can use a regular soldering iron. The cores themselves should be corrugated for protection.

PHOTO: YouTube.com The wires need to be extended to be able to install the button on the bicycle handlebars

PHOTO: YouTube.com The button is conveniently fixed on the steering wheel

At the same time, a power wire is also output, which will go to the battery.

Battery installation and connection

It's time to install the trunk. It is necessary to accommodate the battery. It is easy to install it above the front wheel; just screw in the 4 fixing screws. Almost all bicycles provide such reinstallation.

PHOTO: YouTube.com The trunk, removed from the rear, is installed above the front wheel

A car battery is placed on the installed trunk, to which the wires from the button are connected. The battery itself is securely fixed with brackets so that it does not slip while driving.

PHOTO: YouTube.com The battery is in place, assembly is complete, it’s time to hit the road

Screwdriver as a generator

A screwdriver can be used as a generator. It's very easy to do. You need to remove the battery, attach wires to the terminals using alligator clips and connect them to the consumer. Be sure to first check the polarity with a multimeter. You need to insert and clamp a hex key into the chuck to assemble the furniture. By rotating the spindle, a current will be generated that will be supplied to the consumer. However, it is worth noting that the voltage generated by this electric machine is only enough to charge a mobile phone or operate a small LED lamp.

Engraver assembly

A cordless or corded model of an electric screwdriver can be turned into an engraver, which is also called a dremel, drill, mini-drill, or straight grinder. To do this, you just need to buy an attachment in the store and grind any bit for it.

A homemade chuck will allow you to use a variety of accessories designed for Dremels.

The following video demonstrates the process of creating a flexible shaft engraver.

Bracket for attaching an electric motor to a bicycle

To make this part you will need a metal plate and a section of channel. It is not difficult to find such parts in a garage or at any metal receiving site.

PHOTO: YouTube.com These are the steel parts needed to make the bracket

These parts need to be welded together, and then a slot is made in the plate using a grinder. It will serve to secure the electric motor with a bolt. A regular hole will not work here; the mount must be movable so that the alignment of the drive and driven sprockets can be adjusted. If you don’t set it, the chain will fly off without allowing you to travel even a meter.

PHOTO: YouTube.com The parts are welded, the groove is cut, a couple of little things remain

Pressure foot, and what is it for?

Making a bracket support tab is a purely individual process for each model and brand of bicycle. A photographic example will show a similar detail so that the reader can understand what it looks like. And it will serve to adjust the chain tension. The thrust tab is attached to the bolt and nut, the connection remains movable until fully tightened.

PHOTO: YouTube.com A curved steel strip serves as a stop tab for adjusting chain tension