Why I love my screwdriver.

[just4747]

So you can just drop some solder connecting the end of the bent prong to the outside of the housing and that will allow a transfer of power to operate? Or do you have to solder something between the two parts other than solder itself? Like another small piece of metal..

[Lurker]

I had problems soldering to the metal housing. I'm not sure what the RS switches are made of but it seems kinda plasticy. It took me 3 times to get one right. I ended up solering a piece of thin multistrand wire to the prong. Then I soldered it to the housing, but I left extra wire which I put inbetween the switch and the adapter fitting. I also ran the extra wire back to the prong so I would have two routes if one failed. Yeah, I'm not really that slick with this stuff but it works great so far. It is nice to now you can do it.

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention you can file the inside adapter hole to make room for you extra stuff. Ha

[just4747]

Here's some more macro shots of the switch. You can see the small bit of solder/metal connecting the two parts...pretty simple. And if you read this Trog, don't get mad that we took apart the switch, in fact I needed to play around with it cause it had gotten loose in the threads somehow, but I tightened it up with some pliers, good as new!











And my newest case I use when I carry one or two devices and a bottle of liquid out somewhere





Lurker, did that little circular plastic piece over the prong that the battery touches come off of your switch too? Don't think it needs to be there but it was stopping the battery from touching anywhere else besides that one prong..

[Lurker]

I took the plastic piece off the old switch and put it on my new switch. Also don't think it is needed.

[trog100]

he he he.. i am making a rule not to post in this place any more.. u guys are causing me to break it..

the little piece of plastic.. its there to realign the electrons so as to produce a more efficient atomizer burn.. which is why the screwdriver switch is better than the radio shack 1 dollar switch.. he he

its real purpose is to stop the positive prong from touching the negative prong when its bent over and the battery exerts pressure on it..

without it your screwdriver will be permanent switched on... its important the two prongs dont touch each other..

trog

[just4747]

Yeah but by the looks of it, aren't the two prongs still always touching each other? And the plastic disc is sorta just on top of the one bent to the housing?

Edit: Ohh I think I see how it is, nvm!

[just4747]

Okay Lurker...finally got to check out the switch piece a little more, I don't get it, the housing is definitely more plastic than metal like you said, so what good does soldering a wire from the prong to that housing do? When I tried real quick, it seemed like the solder wouldn't even keep the wire on the housing, as the solder would completely "ignore" the plastic (or whatever) housing and not create a bond between it and the wire.
It seems soooo easy to melt any part of that housing if you took a soldering pen/gun to it..I can just picture it warping quickly.

I actually had to ask Trog if he could send me a real replacement switch or two because the button on mine is becoming harder and harder to make activate the SD...it's very loose in it's housing, definitely not normal.

[trog100]

Okay Lurker...finally got to check out the switch piece a little more, I don't get it, the housing is definitely more plastic than metal like you said, so what good does soldering a wire from the prong to that housing do? When I tried real quick, it seemed like the solder wouldn't even keep the wire on the housing, as the solder would completely "ignore" the plastic (or whatever) housing and not create a bond between it and the wire.
It seems soooo easy to melt any part of that housing if you took a soldering pen/gun to it..I can just picture it warping quickly.

I actually had to ask Trog if he could send me a real replacement switch or two because the button on mine is becoming harder and harder to make activate the SD...it's very loose in it's housing, definitely not normal.

it takes skill to make that solder bridge that big gap across the plastic part of the switch housing.. u dont solder to the plastic.. u have to make the solder jump across from metal bit to metal bit.. he he.. it also a bit hit and miss which is why the one u have looks a bit untidy..

having to mod every piece is what takes the time to make a screwdriver.. but to make anything in small quantities its the only way..

it would have been easier to have sent it back to base.. but playing with things can be fun..

we are now giving each switch a more thorough testing.. the odd one isnt quite as good as it should be.. we only use the best ones now..

trog

[just4747]

Yeah I see, it definitely looks tedious to make 'em well. The only thing is, the ones from Radio Shack have something closer to plastic in place of that metal part that the prong gets soldered to, so I don't see how Lurker even did it because how can anything transfer through the wire to plastic instead of metal? Definitely waiting on his response..

Trog, will you be able to get that out to me when you get a chance so I don't have to be without my precious powerhouse for a long time?? The button's definitely getting worse every time I use it Luckily I can easily replace it now since I took it out for fun a few times. (And no I didn't cause the button itself to be come loose in the housing, it was like that, hehe).

[trog100]

Yeah I see, it definitely looks tedious to make 'em well. The only thing is, the ones from Radio Shack have something closer to plastic in place of that metal part that the prong gets soldered to, so I don't see how Lurker even did it because how can anything transfer through the wire to plastic instead of metal? Definitely waiting on his response..

Trog, will you be able to get that out to me when you get a chance so I don't have to be without my precious powerhouse for a long time?? The button's definitely getting worse every time I use it Luckily I can easily replace it now since I took it out for fun a few times. (And no I didn't cause the button itself to be come loose in the housing, it was like that, hehe).

i will ship u one out today.. we are a bit short of stock.. so it will be just the one..

the tandy ones need a small piece of wire to bridge that gap between the bent prong and the metal part of the switch.. they can be made to work..

the other thing that might wear out or bust in time with the screwdriver is the brass threads where the atomizer screws in.. that one is definitely a return to base to be fixed option..

trog