Build Yourself a Powerful Rechargeable Electric Screwdriver

There is one tool that every geek, maker, and hacker needs, and that’s a screwdriver. But manually turning screws is terrible on your wrists, and nobody wants carpal tunnel syndrome. You could buy one of those flimsy electric screwdrivers in the checkout line at Home Depot, but it’s just going to fall apart. A better option is to follow Electronoobs’ new guide and build your very own!

This has two buttons, one for clockwise rotation and one for counterclockwise, and looks and works exactly the same as a generic electric screwdriver. But, the DC motor is paired with a high-torque gearbox, so you’ll get plenty of grunt for those stubborn screws. It’s powered by a common 18650 lithium-ion battery and has a TP4056 module for recharging the battery without taking it out of the screwdriver.

To build your own, you’ll need those components along with a bearing, a drill bit shaft, a boost converter, an MX1508 H-bridge motor driver, two push buttons, and four resistors. The circuit is straightforward to wire, with the boost converter pumping up the voltage between the TP4056 board and the H-bridge. After the electronics are all wired up, you can 3D print the provided enclosure to house everything. The finished product will be a handy electric screwdriver that will save your wrists a lot of pain.