Ideal Ratch-A-Nut
By Gordon DeWitte
Part of the fun of doing TM posts is the discovery of tools I’d never seen or used. The Ideal 9-in-1 Ratch-A-Nut Screwdriver is one such beast. It’s a ratcheting screwdriver with 1/4″ and 3/16″ slotted bits, #1 and #2 Phillips bits, 1/4″, 5/16″, and 7/16″ nutdrivers on one end, plus a ratcheting wire nut wrench on the back end that can handle a variety of wire connectors. The typical price runs around $19, but True Value has it for a bit over $9.
Ratch-A-Nut [Manufacturer's Site]
Street Pricing [Google Products]
Ratch-A-Nut Via Amazon [What’s This?]
October 28th, 2009 at 12:21 pm
I have the twist-a-nut version of this screwdriver, which is the same just does not have the ratcheting action. I find this screwdriver very handy and like using it to tighten wire nuts especially when it is colder and the fingers are numb. I think I paid around $17 on ebay for mine.
October 28th, 2009 at 2:36 pm
Ideal also make a bit (part no 30-902) for tightening wire nuts.
October 28th, 2009 at 10:14 pm
The twist-a-nut and ratch-a-nut are the same, except the ratcheting mechanism makes it almost twice as heavy as the the former one. Both are good depending on what you like.
October 29th, 2009 at 11:08 am
Ideal Ratch-A-Nut is really an Ideal one to use. I bought it recently to use it in the process of home improvement. It helped me to fix the new ceiling tightly and very easily. The previous tool which I had was very tough and was difficult tighten the screws really like this product.
October 30th, 2009 at 5:44 am
I also have the non-ratching version and keep it in the case with my wire nuts. It does an excellent job tighting wire nuts.
October 30th, 2009 at 6:07 pm
This is all well and good, but what about the #2 Robertson square drive for all the screws your are going to run into in all electric wiring jobs.
October 30th, 2009 at 11:33 pm
I love this screw driver! I found it in non tool related area at Home Depot and never ever seen it again!!
I’m satellite guy and it come with 7/16 ratchet so its very handy.
Very good quality all around!!!
I don’t have use for the Wire Nut driver thought.
November 1st, 2009 at 11:56 pm
re: scwetherbee:
If you’re going to do much wiring you’re gonna need more than one driver anyway…along with a set of linemans, dykes, strippers, needle noses, etc. etc.
November 2nd, 2009 at 3:29 pm
And it’s real easy to find the bits to make it do what you want it to. I put square bits in mine, but to me the no. 1’s are more useful, because they fit the combination heads on most of the devices I use.