A T-Handle driver is essentially a screwdriver (or nut driver or Allen wrench) with a “T”-shaped handle instead of a round one. They’re awesome for both driving power and control. But they’re generally limited to niche professional applications.
The reason is that a typical T-Handle combines the T and the individual driver in a single tool. In other words, for a 10-piece Allen wrench set, you’ll have 10 T-handles. That’s a lot to buy, store and organize—and it doesn’t count all the Phillips, slot, and nut-driver heads you can run into.
DeWalt’s team of ace designers takes a new, and I think awesome, approach to the T-Handle taking it from a niche tool to my go-to whenever I drive fasteners by hand.
What DeWalt did (and Stanley FatMax did in Canada) with their innovative DWHT70265 31-piece ratcheting T-handle set is uncouple the T from the individual driver.
What this means is that you now have ONE handle and boatloads of drivers for all kinds of projects. It’s less expensive than buying individual T-handle sets and takes up less space in your shop. Since DeWalt sent the DWHT70265 kit to the MyFixitUpLife Command Center we’ve found that the T-handle format makes hand-fastening much easier and faster.
Despite the fact that all-pro DeWalt team will cringe when they hear me say this, the hero function of this tool so far is assembling flat-pack (IKEA) furniture. I despise this job and before this innovation there was no tool that I’ve owned that made it even close to pleasurable. This benefit alone is worth the purchase price of the tool.
But because the tool also accepts Phillips head and slot head drivers I can use it to install a lock-set or deadbolt (a cordless drill-driver is way too much power for setting these screws; hand-tighten so the lock hardware threads and “throws” properly.) And because the longer drivers extend a full 5 3/8 inches from the base of the T I can sneak it past the door lever or knob and not mar the finish.
It’s also ideal for set-screws—think towel bars, toilet paper holders and old school door knobs. Whether it’s a flat-head screwdriver tip or Allen key, I can access those always hard-to-reach fasteners.
And if you assemble stuff, say a tile saw or a toilet seat, it’s great. Or if you work on your kid’s (or your own) bike, the handle also accepts ¼-inch shank adapters (adapter not included) for your 3/8-inch and ¼-inch drive sockets converting the tool into a wrench. You can even use it to change the blade on your circular saw if you’ve lost the original wrench. It’s great for tool tune-ups too: I used it for tweaking a circular saw’s hard-to-reach set screws back into square and it was the perfect tool. I could reach the little Allen key and turn it, no fuss, no muss.
The tool’s ratcheting is smooth, the adjustment to tighten or loosen is easy. On some fasteners where I don’t need lots of torque, I like to hold the T still and free-wheel the driver bit between my thumb and index finger. This works better than a typical screwdriver or Allen wrench. But when you need mondo torque, you can slot the driver in the side of the T and go to town without putting undue pressure on the ratchet mechanism.
My only complaint is that the kit box—while helpful for reducing the risk of losing small drivers—is confusing. It’s rugged enough and compact, which is cool, but the inner workings of releasing a driver is somewhat baffling. But in the grand scheme, that is so NOT a big deal.
GO-No-Go. This is a big GO! It’s a tool kit we have found very worth owning that makes tough projects (even if your project is finding a Father’s Day, housewarming or holiday gift) go easier and faster.
Now that’s getting a handle on things.
