Vessel 220W Ball Grip JIS screw driver

dkruitz

dkruitz

Joined
Aug 6, 2015
Messages
318
Location
Peoria, Illinois
Bike
1995 ST1100
About six months ago I bought my first JIS screwdriver - from Vessel (a premium Japanese brand) and it included an impact driver built into the handle. The tip is a #2 which will do most all the screws on your bike. I couldn't believe the difference in using this screwdriver (especially on carburetor bowl screws) compared to my old Phillips screwdrivers. I wanted to add more to my toolbox and looked at all the types - they even have ones with a bolster that allow you to put a wrench on for added torque. After lots of looking I decided on my next JIS screwdriver (but not my last.)

This week I received a $15 Vessel 220W Ball-grip screwdriver with replaceable tips/shafts in #1, #2 and #3 sizes, along with a flat blade which fits beautifully into jet slots and bowl drain slots. It was here in 2 days via Amazon Prime. The hex shafts allow me to slip a wrench on to add torque for the tough, large screws on the carb rail of the CB750 I'm working on. I really like this driver - if I were to nitpick it, I would like it to be about 2 inches longer for reaching carb bowl screws while on the bike, and if the handle was bigger and heavier it would allow me to spin screws our faster. I guess those comments would be in regards to designing the "perfect" JIS driver for me. Don't get me wrong, it's a good size and has a nice feel. It's small enough to be in your on-bike kit I would think. It comes with 3 shafts, one of which is Pozidrive (improved Phillips) which I just stuffed in the back of my toolbox. In my opinion, it's the best value out there for an all purpose JIS screwdriver - if you don't have one yet, this is a great starting point.

It's recommended: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00E55DL4I/
 
After the excellent experience made while working on the bikes with my Vessel Megadora 900 (PH2 & PH3) screwdrivers I looked for that 220W "Switch-blade" type over here, had to grab it for ~$20,- from eBay though, since its not avail via Amazon here.
And I too plan to throw it into the on-board tool-kit (sans the PZ bit since those screws are only used with cordless power-tools in carpeting and construction)

During this search I also found isolated electrician's JIS screwdrivers... those are the addition to my job-side tool-case (working on a/c and at times the terminal screws in the TOSHIBA units can give one a hard time when using a generic, EU norm PH2 screwdriver...) and $19.99,- for a set (PH2 + slotted) incl P&P sounds like a fair deal.
 
Just add a extension to it, I have some up to 4 inch for doing drywall.
 
Attached is a reprint from "Vintage Japanese Motorcycle Magazine" that fully explains the benefits of using JIS (Japanese Industrial Specification) screwdrivers on the cross-point screws found on our motorcycles.

Michael
 

Attachments

  • JIS Screwdrivers.pdf
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jfheath said:
All you need to know about JIS Drivers. - This is the heavy one with the impact driver mechanism in the handle.

View attachment 230778
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Yup, I couldn’t agree more. The little Vessel 220W has been a great addition to my on-board kit for several years.

The key take-away is that I f you work on Japanese bikes/cars/toasters/....whatever, you truly need a set of JIS drivers. Using a Philips driver is a mistake as it will damage the JIS screw heads and thus, it will eventually strip them.

As for brands, the Japanese “Vessel” brand is definitely top-drawer and is readily available on the web at reasonable cost. Be sure to get the big IMPACTA model with the #3 JIS end. It has a silver handle which incorporates an impact driver function that makes clutch basket screws a doddle (even if some earlier “mechanic” has messed them up quite badly). I also like the knurled shaft on the snazzy blue-green driver handled Vessels with makes spinning in/out long screws, a breeze.
As an alternative to Vessel, Canadian tool vender Paul Jones of London, Ontario also makes a lovely set of JIS drivers, including some with a hex end on the handle for added torque, which he markets at Go Fast Innovations:

https://www.gofastinnovations.com/store1/JIS-Screwdriver-Set-p104013955

The three-driver set above sells for $34.95 shipped (that’s CDN which equals around $3.47 USD I think). Paul has just introduced a cool set of 1/4” shank hex impact driver JIS bits for the princely sum of $24.95 CDN shipped (that’s about $2.12 USD at the present rate of exchange).

They really are about the nicest screwdrivers I’ve ever used, plus they work perfectly well on REAL Phillips screws so you could just toss your Phillips drivers (or give them to someone you don’t like).

I have ordered from Paul several times (including 2 sets of those new impact bits about 15 minutes ago) and he’s honest, fast, efficient, cost effective and a great guy who deserves our patronage IMHO.

Check ‘em out!

Pete
 
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MaxPete said:
Yup, I couldn’t agree more. The little Vessel 220W has been a great addition to my on-board kit for several years.

The key take-away is that I f you work on Japanese bikes/cars/toasters/....whatever, you truly need a set of JIS drivers. Using a Philips driver is a mistake as it will damage the JIS screw heads and thus, it will eventually strip them.

As for brands, the Japanese “Vessel” brand is definitely top-drawer as noted above (I like the knurled shaft with makes spinning in/out long screws a breeze), but Canadian tool vender Paul Jones of London, Ontario also makes a lovely set of JIS drivers, including some with a hex end on the handle for added torque, which he markets at Go Fast Innovations:

https://www.gofastinnovations.com/store1/JIS-Screwdriver-Set-p104013955

Paul has just introduced a cool set of 1/4” shank hex driver JIS bits for the princely sum of $24.95 CDN shipped (that’s about $2.12 USD at the present rate of exchange). I have ordered from Paul several times and he’s fast, efficient, cost effective and a great guy who deserves our patronage IMHO.

Check ‘em out!

Pete
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Thank you for the link.
I'm going to check him out.
 
Zaphod said:
I’ve just spent more money on another set of Vessel JIS screwdrivers.
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I feel your pain. I just ordered the OP's recommendation. I have a set of three Vessels and this handy bit:

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(Objects in this post may be smaller than they appear)
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Very handy for close quarter combat with JIS screws.
 
Vessel make quality tools but the screwdriver with the impact built into it (IMPACTA) does not work that well as compared to a typical steel hand impact tool. Th IMPACTA does not have enough mass weight to really work well to break loose tight screws. I have tried it directly comparing a conventional Vessel hand impact and a Vessel IMPACTA screwdriver with the impact mechanism built in. The hand impact wins hands down. The JIS screwdrivers Vessel makes are the best I have found and I have three complete sets in my various tool boxes.
 
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I just ordered the impacta #2. I didnt even know this existed. I have a heavy dedicated impact driver, but rarely use it. This should work well for tight screws that just need a light "crack" and if I run into a really stubborn one, I still have the stronger impact. Plus, I needed a good JIS driver anyhow.
 
bdalameda said:
...the screwdriver with the impact built into it (IMPACTA) does not work that well as compared to a typical steel hand impact tool.
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Apropos of impact tools - not to disagree in any way with bdalameda's comment, but I have found that impact tools of any kind are much more effective if I use a dead-blow hammer on them, rather than a conventional metal, plastic, or rubber mallet. A dead-blow hammer is a hollow hard plastic mallet that is filled with small lead shot - it does not 'bounce back' when you whack something with it, which among other things means that much less force needs to be applied to get the same effect.

Michael
 
Ok, here’s a trick question. Which one of the tips below is the $14 Vessel Impact driver and which is the $1.69 Harbor Freight driver?

CED84EBE-5398-444D-AA81-5A31FEB2B261.jpeg
 
Nashcat said:
Ok, here’s a trick question. Which one of the tips below is the $14 Vessel Impact driver and which is the $1.69 Harbor Freight driver?

CED84EBE-5398-444D-AA81-5A31FEB2B261.jpeg
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I'll try...sure to be wrong. Vessel on the right, HF on the left.
 
So, I guess the take away is that HF is as good or almost as good as the Vessel?
 
It totally depends on the shape and fit into the screw head. If the drive fits the JIS head specs it will work much better than the standard SAE phillips screwdriver.
 
In response to CYYJ - I always use a dead blow when using a hand impact driver. The reason that the IMPACTA drive does not work as well as a standard Hand Impact driver is that it is lighter and the longer thin shank blade of the driver is far more flexible. When struck by a hammer or dead blow mallet, the IMPACTA driver will absorb a lot of the torque by twisting where as the larger and stiffer hand impact driver will transmit the shock and twist torque directly to the head of the screw and break it loose. Don't get me wrong the IMPACTA is better than a conventional screwdriver but nowhere close to having the ability to remove really tight or stuck screws that a hand impact driver will. It's simple physics. I tried the IMPACTA on many applications and have found that a standard hand impact is much more effective and will remove screws that the IMPACTA won't touch. The IMPACTA is still a nice tool but for some things the hand impact driver is better and I don't consider it a replacement for a regular hand impact driver in many cases.

Dan
 
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