Vessel Impact Ball torsion screwdriver bits are a unique upgrade to add to your tool kit.
These bits have a torsion zone – similar to that of other 1/4″ hex impact-rated screwdriver bits – plus a ball that’s said to improve shock absorption.
I’ve bought quite a few Vessel Impact Ball bits, and like them a lot. This post will focus on a couple of different starter set options.
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Are these bits better than other impact screwdriver bits? I think so, or at least I like to use them for a lot of tasks where I want better quality and accurate screw fit and engagement.
They are impact rated, meaning they can be used in impact drivers, and can also be used in cordless drills and hand tools.
Vessel makes these bits in different lengths. Some of the sets below have shorter bits, and others longer ones.
Also, you should be aware that Vessel makes different 1/4″ hex shank screwdriver bits depending on the region. This isn’t a big concern with insert-style bit lengths, but bits designed for sale in Japan won’t fit some USA impact drivers. If you’re shopping for power bits, make sure you’re buying the versions meant to be sold in the USA. I’ll show you some examples at the end.
Here are some good starting points:
The Mini Assortment
This set gives you a 10pc bit assortment, with a mix of Phillips, slotted, square, and Torx, plus a nice bit holder and pretty cool case.
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Price: ~$18
The Mid-Size Starter Set
This set comes with 30 bits, a bit holder, and another neat case. You get a lot of sizes, including Phillips, square, hex, Torx, and Pozidriv.
I bought this set too, and have had zero regrets.
Price: ~$28
The Mega Set
If you want more, that’s what you’ll get with this 52pc set. It comes with a selection of power screwdrivers bits, plus square drive adapters, nutdrivers, and some larger hex bit sizes.
Price: ~$46
The Mini Sampler Set
Vessel also has some smaller bit sets that come bundled with a handy magnetizing and demagnetizing holder.
I’ve linked to the Torx set below (I just ordered one for myself), and you can shop around for some of the others.
These sets give you a taste of Vessel quality for less than $10.
Price: ~$8
For Phillips #2 Fans
They also make bulk packs for specific sizes.
Price: ~$15
I think these are good starting points, especially the Vessel 10pc and 30pc assortments, but there are other options.
USA and EU vs Japanese Standard Bit Shapes
I learned the hard way that not every 1/4″ hex bit fits every cordless screwdriver or impact driver with a 1/4″ hex chuck.
Power bits intended for sale in the USA and EU typically have a shorter chuck-side bit end than bits intended to be sold in Japan. I’ve run into compatibility issues where Japanese bits will fit cordless drills and some hand tools but not many USA model impact drivers or cordless screwdrivers.
I’ve posted about these bits before – see also Vessel Impact Ball Screwdriver Bits are Unique, Precise, and Tough. Surprisingly, their pricing has improved quite a bit since then.
Bill
“This focus will focus on….”
Stuart
Thank you! *fixed*
Mike
Off topic, but it’s nice to see writers that will fix their errors. I see so many mistakes on newspaper sites that absolutely ignore stuff like this. I think the first people laid off are the copy editors.
Scott F
Never knew Japan vs US/EU 1/4″ bit ends differ. I’m surprised by that, any idea where/why it originated and never fell to one standard?
With such a high quantity of product sold between the drivers themselves and then all of the various attachments and bits, it adds a blip into the supply chain that I would not have expected. Probably too far gone now.
Ben
According to the Wizard of Knowledge (Chat GPT), US and EU bits are standardized on ANSI B107 / ISO 1173 (the ISO standard was published in 2001), and specifies a 9mm nominal length for insertion – mainly used with drills and magnetic bit retainers. Impact drivers became more popular in Japan in the 80s and 90s, and didn’t really take off in the West til the 2000s, so the Japanese standards remained in place basically by historical inertia.
As an aside, I’ve noticed this with some Japanese-made Makita #2 Phillips bits I purchased recently. I had to partly grind off the end of the shank to get it to be compatible with my impact driver. Have not tried any Hitachi or Hikoki bits.
Itcd
I’ll add that that flip-bits seem popular there, or at least companies sure do offer a huge variety of flip-bits. Giving another few mm before the cutout gives more room for a properly-formed head on each end.
eddiesky
Thanks for this! Ordered the 52pc set as it also has PZ1, PZ2 and PZ3 bits (I assembled much IKEA furniture as side gig). And I use a Panasonic driver so should all work/fit bits.
Jared
I’m a big fan of Vessel screwdrivers, but I haven’t tried the bits – I should. I can’t imagine the “ball” does anything except limit torque in that zone, but I bet they’re precise and durable like the screwdrivers.
fred
Vessel makes some very good tools – including somewhat oddball items like these:
https://www.amazon.com/Official-Socket-Adapter-Bolster-No-USB45BSQ2S10/dp/B0DV6DB5FZ
https://www.vessel.co.jp/product/timbering_holder/486581/
frobo
Ooh, I kind of like that second one.
Curt
Love my Vessel ball-end ratcheting screwdrivers.
I love the approach here with the grinder flange nut speed change tool, although if I find myself needing to change wheels that often I’d probably run two or more grinders side by side. In a production environment where I might be burning through cutoff wheels quickly, I could definitely see it getting used. Or for someone with a hand injury that would make a regular flange nut wrench challenging to use.
But holy smokes, that first link with the 1/4” hex to 1/4” square drive – I’d use that a ton with an M12 Fuel impact driver on its lowest setting to spin small bolts down before hand tightening – without having to swap sockets back and forth…that’s going in the cart.
fred
Other 1/4hex to 1/4 (3/8 and 1/2) square driver bits are cheaper – but the Vessel has a bolster to add a wrench for extra leverage using hand drivers. – but yo pay a premium compared to others like this Dewalt:
https://www.amazon.com/DEWALT-DW2541-4-Inch-Socket-Adapter/dp/B0000225P4
its_jake
hahahaha i love the translation “timber ring” for arbor nut
eddiesky
“It can be attached to an electric impact and easily removed a hard and firm disk nut.”
Stuart
I ordered the first one a few days ago. Seems like a neat good-to-have feature.
Wayne R.
I picked up the Mini set in JIS/Phillips hybrid last year. All the Vessel stuff I have I like a lot, wish I knew about them earlier…and yes, that ball ratchet driver is fantastic.
Blocky
First vessel product image shows a PH1 in the SL6 position. Whoops.
Fred
I purchase Japanese bits all the time from companies like Vessel and Anex etc. I just grind the hex bit shorter till its the USA/EU Standard then I slightly round the endges of the grinded end and apply some cold blueing to avoid future rusting.
There are many types and stypes of bits made with Japan Standard that you just can not get in North America.
Bill
Fred, do you have a preferred brand of cold blueing solution? Have you used it in other applications?
MM
I don’t want to speak for Fred, but my favorite cold blue is Brownell’s Oxpho-Blue, which I often use for tools & other projects. I also like Precision Brand Tool Black, which leaves a matte black finish.
fred
There are bits from Anex that feature “electric isolation” – not just insulation. The driver tip is separated, and electrically isolated from the drive shaft. Part #’s include AZM1100, AZM-1598, AZM-2100, AZM-2698, AZM-3150 and AMM-5698
https://www.ebay.com/itm/166859977714
Stuart
The ceramic ball ones are fun. https://www.amazon.com/VESSEL-Tang-Thru-Screwdriver-No-250-Japan/dp/B00KGS4S90/?tag=toolguyd-20
Fred
Birchwood Casey. Clean with acetone use bluing. Put any oil on it to soak in for 24 hours then wipe off and your done
ermine9
Thanks for this well-timed post! I forgot that last week I was looking to buy a set
Mike
These look pretty great! Are they hard to pull out of those packs? I sometimes have to use pliers to get bits out of the kit I have.
Stuart
I haven’t had any problems. They’re secure without being stuck.
Chris
I have the ‘mid-size’ set mentioned in this article (and I do like them quite a bit, no pun intended). They do slide out well enough, but my fat fingers have a hard time grabbing the right one regardless.
MT_Noob
Vessel does make some great stuff indeed. For more clarification on the US vs Japanese style bits and various bit sizes and compatibility I like the youtube channel BZEUG he does some great reviews of Japanese and German quality tools. He even has a playlist of videos about bits about bits and drivers if you want to go down a video binge rabbit hole. I am sure many fans of this site may already know about his channel, if not then you may find it interesting. Apologies in advance if referring to other content makers sites is frowned upon.
fred
Vessel also makes what they call a “car battery screwdriver”
https://www.ebay.com/itm/297215128688
and a bit for reaming chamfering the ends of threaded rod
https://www.ebay.com/itm/305892337900
I’m not sure how well these sell – even in Japan
Frank D.
Curious but skeptical mind:
How exactly does the ball help improve with impact absorption?
Stuart
Frankly, I don’t understand their claims well enough to explain them.
I’ve never seen an impact bit fail at the torsion zone. Maybe these increase the stiffness by breaking up the torsion length, allowing for more energy absorption.
Frank D
That’s the thing, right? Other name brand bits call the skinnier zone, the torsion zone – at least that’s how I think it goes between milwaukee, bosch, makita, … Then all the ball does is create a much stiffer / stronger area that leaves the rest of the regular bit weaker … Maybe the bits are stronger and more durable because they don’t have a skinnier area on the bit??
Stuart
With bits that have a single torsion zone, max flexure will be at the middle. The ball should increase torsional stiffness at this point. This is going to modify the stress distribution and create 2 torsion zones, each with max flexure at their middles.
We’ve seen bits with dual torsion zones before.
Dewalt: Max Impact has a dual torsion zone which gives it a longer life than Flextorq.
The torsion zone is a sink for excessive rotational energy. The ball splits one torsion zone into two, at the location of highest stress.
How does having a ball or other higher stiffness section at the middle of the torsion zone improve stress resistance compared to simply thickening the entire torsion zone? I suppose having variable stiffness still helps the torsion zone protect the bit tip and fastener head. Thus the ball modifies the stress concentrations without greatly reducing the purpose and efficacy of the torsion zone?
I think I have a bunch of new testing to do.
MM
In my opinion the “dual torsion zone” is mostly snake oil marketing. Torsion zones do work. It’s just a fancy name for a torsion spring. In this case we have two torsion zones separated by that ball. If we wanted to model these kinds of bits as a free-body physics problem we could reduce an ordinary one to:
A mass (the “shank” of the bit) -> torsion spring -> another mass (the tip)
And this ball-tip vessel would be:
A mass (shank) -> torsion spring -> mass (ball) -> torsion spring -> mass (tip)
Now, in my thought process: the masses are very small relative to the stiffness of the torsion zones. especially the mass of the ball. If we were to actually calculate the math, which I admit I can’t be bothered to do at the moment, the mass terms are negligible and the only appreciable affect here is the torsion zones. Torsion zones are just torsion springs, and when springs are in series you add them up. Two short torsion zones should work about the same as one long one. Now if that ball section were much larger such that it had appreciable inertia then things might be different.
The other thing that sticks out to me is the fairly small radius where the ball meets the torsion zones. Small radii are stress concentrations. They’ve even drawn that right on the marketing image. That red line right next to the ball shows the highest stress.
If I had to guess, these “ball” tips would actually perform no better, if not slightly worse than an identical tip without the ball. I think it’s a marketing decision to make unique looking tips.
Stuart
The ball would be considered a stiffer spring, as its position is not constrained in the same way as the bit tip or chuck end.
MM
@Stuart
Sure, you could model the ball as a stiffer spring instead of a mass. But I don’t think that changes the conclusion that its affect is negligible in the whole. That ball would be a ludicrously stiff spring given its short length and large diameter.
RS
I don’t know what it would take for me to give up my diamond tip Wera bits (probably for them to ever wear out), but I’d live to see some lab testing in a bits shootout to confirm/deny my loyalty.
Robert
These are crap compared to Wera and Felo.
Robert
The Torx sizes fit loose. I’ve broken at least five bits doing normal stuff. The cases couldn’t keep bits from falling g out. The stubby set cones with a crappy insert bit holder instead of one made for ball detent bits that they wobble around in. The size markings require a magnifying glass which is cumbersome when the big set cones with a bajillion hex bits in sae and metric . Worst part about the bits is that despite going through the expensive trouble of shaving down the hex stock…they leave a tiny bit at the tip. So the the 2”/50mm and longer bits don’t fit down tight shafts.