On Tue, 08 May 2012 10:12:16 -0700, Winston
wrote:

Ed Huntress wrote:
On Tue, 08 May 2012 09:02:57 -0700,
wrote:

DoN. Nichols wrote:

(...)

The Yankee screwdrivers (and drills) are intersting tools, and
I've admired them since I first saw one being used by a handyman in
elemetary school working on a door. I think that I was in either the
first grade or the third at that time.

I vaguely recall seeing a miniature version for
sale somewhere. It would've been very useful in
rewiring Data Acquisition probes.

My neighbor built an entire plywood boat with one of those, using
brass screws, back when they screwed boats together rather than gluing
them. I watched him work for hours when I was a kid.

They're very slick. I still have two of them, and used one to assemble
the 1/2" seat decking on my son's luxury sandbox 20 years ago.

But I've never taken one apart, so I can't answer the OP's question.

I noted that one 'net article patiently explained
that the Yankee could be used to drive screws
"(...) just like you do with your drill".

That made me smile.

--Winston

Actually, I have three of them: two Yankee screwdrivers, and one
Yankee drill. The drill has a chrome handle and a set of
straight-flute bits in the handle. The screwdrivers are bigger, and
have wooden handles.

The ones I was referring do actually were Yankee screwdrivers. I use
my drill around the house for making little holes. It's much lighter
and handier than a cordless drill for small jobs.

Until I got my cordless, I used it for drilling pilot holes in the
cedar siding (80 years old, each piece removed, glued where necessary,
and belt-sanded before replacing) on one side of my house.
It did get to my wrist after a while, which is why I got the cordless
drill.

--
Ed Huntress