John Doe wrote in news:lp2qb6$357$2@dont-
email.me:

I'm talking about a typical ratcheting screwdriver like one that has
a hex bit holder on the end. I've done some research/shopping, I've
seen many different brands. Talking about the ratcheting screwdrivers
priced from $8-$30.

How much force can be applied when turning it in the working
direction, without doing any damage whatsoever?

How long would it last if it were spun in the reverse direction? The
direction that makes it click.

Is there going to be much difference between $8 and $30 models in
those respects?

I intend to put them to the test. So I'm just wondering if it's in
the ballpark to think that they can take all the force most of our
hands put on them when using them to drive nuts or screws. And also
that turning them in the reverse direction so they spin/click freely
does no harm no matter how long you were to do that.

Thanks.

I've seen a few break. On the ones I have, it's usually a band clamp
that's holding a ball bearing on the bit holder that comes off first.
After that the tool becomes annoying to use and for my purposes, useless.

Sometimes ratcheting tools won't catch, or the ratcheting mechanism only
turns back a little bit. Running such a tool backwards excessively is a
good way to see the first failure mode.

As for your price range, there's no guarantee of better quality at the $30
end of the scale vs the $8 end. You're well within the range of "other
considerations" driving up price. Sometimes it's the brand name, the store
selling the tool, or even just the color. There's likely to be a quality
difference, but it's not certain.

Puckdropper
--
Make it to fit, don't make it fit.