Rotator ratchet wrench - GIF

[Jon]

Rotator ratchet wrench. What's the gimmick here? So little torque that it's barely better than turning by hand?




Previously:

Outside air conditioner wrench - GIF
Gas-powered impact wrench for railroad work - videos, photos
Hand-cranked torque multiplier lug nut wrench - GIF
1907 Wizard adjustable ratchet wrench
Adjustable ratcheting socket tool - video
Hammer + ratchet in one - photo

[Frank S]

There are a lot of times when I am working on something the access is so limited that an regular ratchet wrench does not have room to advance from one tooth to the next I can reach the nut or bolt with 1 possibly 2 fingers but hardly ever a thumb and another finger even if I can get a thumb and finger on the fastener it doesn't matter what position I get in or which hand I try to use the thumb is on the wrong side of the hand So I grab a 1/4" air ratchet hardly any torque but slim enough to get into the tight areas.
The featured rotary handle ratchet wrench runs on the same principle of an air ratchet but it looks cumbersome and bulky when compared to an air ratchet plus you have no control of the position of the ratchet head notice how it wobbles when the operator twists the handle.
as a useful tool I would give it a half thumbs down vote. only half a thumb down because there may be times when there is no air supply available and that would be the only thing which will fit in the space. but down because the lack of being able to control the head

[Chadboye]

I had one and it's more of a pain than it is useful. And it's a knuckle buster when trying to crank down a bolt the traditional way cus the handle twists if your pressure isn't perfectly centered against the handle. Think I ended up giving it away lol

[Rikk]

So I grab a 1/4" air ratchet hardly any torque but slim enough to get into the tight areas.

I bought one from a addiction enabler on a white and red truck about 25 years ago and I never knew it would get as much use as it has. Exactly the same situation you've described.

You forgot to add, not enough torque to get your hand wedged when the fastener gets tight. Kind of like an old Milwaukee drill does sometimes.

[WyoGreen]

A friend had one, and I found it so useful that I searched until I found one for myself. Sometimes a regular ratchet can't get enough swing and an air ratchet with attached hose is too long. This is the only ratchet that can do the job.

[Tooler2]

I think I have one somewhere, I try to avoid that kind of work now. It worked ok if you have room to get a click or two from the ratchet, once the nut was loose it would indeed turn it. I got a lot of use from a B&D 1/4 drive cordless ratchet about 30 years ago. I bought Snap On 9/16 and 5/8'' sockets to extend it's range. With today's battery tech. it would be great.

[Rikk]

Speaking of tool trucks, a friend has a couple of fine toothed 3/8 ratchets that are the bees knees. They would be perfect for this type of thing as they need significantly less movement to engage the next tooth. I've been thinking about buying one, but I can't justify the cost vs. occasional use when there are motorcycle parts to be purchased.

[Elizabeth Greene]

There's an idea here for a person that wants to build a line of specialized tools. Call them DamnIdiot tools, for when some DamnIdiot doesn't leave clearance for you to work on it