james may's screwdriver

[forforkssake]

posted here for traffic (DH's b'day next month) I just watched the reassembler and JM reassembled an old record player. he used what looks like a pump action screwdriver. DH got quite excited about said tool, but i've no idea what it would be called. any ideas?
many thanks

[wasonthelist]

Haven't seen the prog but the ones we used to use at the boatyard were these

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yankee_screwdriver

Rendered obsolete by electric ones.

[SeammistressGuildsNeedle]

It's a manual ratchet screwdriver. My dad has one and very useful it is, very well used. Watched the programme and thought I recognised the screwdriver.

[Badcat666]

Send him a twitter message asking what screwdriver it was and where he got it from as you want to get hubby one!

He might reply as you are asking a manly nerdy question

[wasonthelist]

Seammistress sounds more like a spiral manual ratchet than just a plain ratchet one as per my post (although confess I haven't seen the TV prog).

[PossumInAPearTree]

I opened this half expecting a really dirty thread!

He does respond to twitter quite a bit.

[AnthonyPandy]

I haven't seen the one you're talking about but in the model train episode he mentions a screwdriver (I think) that he got on ebay, and mentions what type it is and why it is special.

[Minstrelsareyum]

Flick screwdriver (Yankee screwdriver) says my DH.

[SeammistressGuildsNeedle]

@wasonthelist you are right it is a spiral rachet screwdriver.
@anthony that one was I think a copper one so it didn't demagnetise the dynamo or something along those lines.

[CockacidalManiac]

I saw that, and instantly wanted one. I hadn't seen one for about 30 years.

[GoodyGoodyGumdrops]

Oh my, this takes me back! I remember using those. We had a spiral ratchet hand drill (didn't know it was called that until I read this thread) and it fascinated me so much that I used to find things to drill

I'm going to have to watch the programme, aren't I?

[ExplodedCloud]

DH doesn't like them. They're not really refined. I would quite like one for the ratchetty thing. My dad has some ancient burgundy handled one. But it is a gadget.
The memory has just come back to me. I'm putting in a bid for that in dad's will

*All comments about wills are light hearted in my family. We are a sentimental bunch.

[childmaintenanceserviceinquiry]

My 80 year old mum loves this show so much I bought her the DVD of Series 1 for Xmas. She didnt even like james may before this.So yes Goody you are going to have to watch the programme!

[ExplodedCloud]

Anthony yes the holdy screw screwdriver. My left hand is so useless now that actually it would be great.

[ExplodedCloud]

And yes. Why would you use it if you have an electric screwdriver? A diddy version would be good.

[magicstar1]

They're great! I got my dad one 26 years ago and he still uses it. You'd be surprised where it can come in handy. We were renovating the house over the past year and it was really useful.

[DiseasesOfTheSheep]

Woah, you can get series 1 on DVD? I missed it, but was oddly transfixed by series 2. It really shouldn't be as compelling viewing as it is.

[AnthonyPandy]

There's a series 1? What? Where?

[childmaintenanceserviceinquiry]

Series 1 was last year and I bought the DVD from Amazon. There is a lawnmower and sorry cant remember what else.

www.amazon.co.uk/James-May-Reassembler-One-DVD/dp/B01KXJQWGS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1484818912&sr=8-1&keywords=may%20reassembler%20dvd&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

[EustaceClarenceScrubb]

Mt granddad used to have one, with a burgundy handle. It made a particularly nice clicking sound. When my parents died we cleared out their house and I found it at the back of the cupboard under the stairs. It now lives in the cupboard under my stairs. Ever so often I will take it out just to hear that clicking sound, it takes me back to my childhood, following my granddad around whilst he did his 'mending' ( with a pencil behind his ear) Absolutely priceless! Sorry for being sentimental, as you were.

[BarbaraofSeville]

Sounds like a mini cordless screwdriver would be more useful. We have something like this and they come with a variety of bits.

[forforkssake]

Mumsnet to the rescue.. thanks everyone...now i won't look like a total tool when i go into B & Q...
Explodedcloud we have much the same attitude to wills... my DH has baggsied my DH's vinyl collection and DS my trunk of preciousness and it's contents.

[forforkssake]

DD, not DH....

[GoodyGoodyGumdrops]

I've just watched it on iplayer. How the hell can watching a gray-haired bloke puttering in his shed and burbling contentedly be so satisfying? And so very watchable! Oh god - I'm getting old, aren't I?!?!

[ExplodedCloud]

I'm convinced JM and DH need to be BFF. They really would be two blokes in a pub nursing an ale discussing motors. Not just combustion engines.