Accessories

Airline Line Mechanics Dream
At an Airline to remain nameless while I was working there, everyone had these. We use them on the line where there is no air for air tools other than a nitrogen bottle. The tool does an excellent job in removing and installing nuts and bolts. It seems to get them just a tight enough for torquing, but not over tightened. If you desire to use German Torque (Good'n'Tight), then run the unit til it stops, and pull your own torgue. This is one of the best tools that I have added to my tool box in a VERY long time. The tool is well built, and appears to be heavy duty. I highly recommend it for all mechanics. A power tool that has no Power Cord, or dragging a bulky air hose to those tight places where you really prefer not to be. The tool is covenant to grab, and comfortable to use.

However, no product is without negatives and I would not be fair not to mention them. I have found 2.

1.) Takes longer to charge that I would prefer, but 1 charge lasts all week (never ran all the way down on me, and I am a heavy user of it).

2.) A little Bulky. In some REAL tight places, it is tough to get the exact right angle... However, I find it works in over 99% of the places I have desired to use it, and is a real time saver.

Overall rating from me would be a 9.8 on a scale of 1 to 10. I love the item, and never want to be with out it. One of the best optional tools that I have added to my tool box, and I would highly rate this for all Aircraft Mechanics in the Hanger or on the line. I am sure that other Non-Aircraft Mechanics would find great uses for this unit as well.

Good - But I Feel Like I'm Going to Break It
I really like the concept of this tool. I'm fine with the limited power and needing to start or end in manual mode. However, when starting or stopping a bolt in manual mode, I feel as though I'm going to break this thing and I'm not a very large guy. The handle flexes a little which is very disconcerting when you are trying to start a potentially stuck bolt. I frequently resort to using my old sturdy ratchet sets to start with and switch to this if the bolt is long and I'm feeling lazy. It's difficult to tell how much torque you are using to tighten a bolt since the handle flexes. So, be careful with situations where you really need to know that something is tightened properly. Wait for a sale or a really good package deal with this one. I wouldn't recommend paying over $40 for it. It's just not powerful or sturdy enough to warrant that much money. I was able to find it packaged with a Skil 2336-02 iXO Lithium-Ion Cordless Screwdriver for $50. I had a coupon for $10 off, so I can't really complain. Just be careful with what you plan to do with this and you'll be fine.

JB Whiting, IN
Unbelievable power!!! Handy tool. Now I just have to steal it back from my wife.

Piece of Junk!!!
Let me first say that I do not have a problem with Skil. I own several of their tools and use them all the time with no problems. Yet I found this product to be a waste of money.

I purchased this "power wrench" at Wal-ly Mart-inez for just over $60 with tax a couple weeks ago because I was installing 2 pedestal sinks in tight spaces and thought this would be great for screwing in the lag bolts into the wall stud (piloted hole of course). Right at the top of the box it states 400 in/lbs. of torque, that would knock them right in. I noticed it had a Li-Ion battery as well which was just icing on the cake. I have had a handy little mini Skil driver in my electrical pouch that charged in 15-30 minutes and has worked great for me. So with that in mind I justified what I thought was a good deal for the features.

When I finally got to installing the sinks I pulled out the "power wrench" and noticed the thing was dead and not going to work, so I figured I would wait 30 minutes and let it charge. I waited and waited and waited and the red charging light was still on after an hour. I thought something was wrong with the unit so I looked in the manual and low and behold A 3-5 HOUR CHARGE TIME!!!! You have got to be kidding me. They don't mention anything on the package about that.

I figured this thing must pack a punch so it needed some extra charge time for the big battery, so needless to say I waited the extra couple of hours for it to finish charging. When it finally fully charged everything else was set to go. I was driving a 2" long 5/16" lag screw into a 2x6 behind sheetrock with a 1/4" pilot hole. The "power wrench" got about 1/2 - 3/4 of the way before it couldn't "power wrench" anymore. I then had to manually drive the lag screw home. I knew something was wrong. This thing has 400 in/lbs. of torque. I again looked in the manual and this thing has 400 in/lbs. of MANUAL torque. I went back to the box which I initially saw and of course there is a little asterisk next to the Powerful - 400 in/lbs of torque, and in tiny little print on the bottom back of the box is the asterisk with the words "in manual ratchet mode." Come to find out through online searches this thing only has 75 in/lbs of torque in auto mode. Isn't this why I bought the damn thing was for auto and not manual because I already have great manual ratchets. I don't think that driving 5/16" lag screws into piloted holes is a Heavy Duty task but it was for the "power wrench."

I feel very duped by Skil with this purchase. While the idea of the tool is great I don't think this "power wrench" is even worth half of what I paid for it. I would have paid the price or more than I did for a corded unit with more torque. At a time where I see cordless power tools getting better and better the "power wrench" is definitely a sign of regression.

Keep in mind that when you buy this tool what you are essentially buying is an Electric Manual Ratchet.

Why don't they make a corded version of this with more torque???? Maybe in a 3/8" or 1/2" socket size. Oh well.....


UPDATE July 12, 2008:

I owned this piece of junk for not even a month and it crapped out on me. Fully charged I push the button and nothing. Called Skil service and they were great like always, but I had to ship it and pay for it to get this piece of junk fixed. Actually, they just sent me another reconditioned unit. So I guess a lot of them crap out. People, this thing is really junk. Don't buy it unless you get it for like 20 bucks. I'd hate to see anybody else get ripped off by paying 60+ bucks for it.

I loved it, so I bought 4, Two months later 2 are already dead
I bought two of these on special at Home Depot and I thought they were great. I thought I had "lost" them and so I bought two more before the special expired. That was in the last week of February and now just a little more than two months after purchasing these, two have just stopped working in the last week. They have a full charge and the charger light is green, but when the button is pushed...nothing. They were not abused or treated badly in any way. I kept them charged. I know they have a one year warranty (I have to send it to them at my cost), but I had never expected to use it. And the fact that two of the four died makes me wonder if it's not an isolated problem.
And it's really too bad, because before they died I would have rated these as one of the best tools I have ever owned. They are far superior to a portable drill for so many jobs. I hope Skil replaces the problem ones quickly.