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by Peter Brett - June 2009
German design at its peak!
I like reviewing Wera products. They make my job easy. I don’t think I have ever come across one that wasn’t thoughtfully well designed and completely fit for purpose - and very well made too. I think anyone who regularly uses spanners who could come up with a meaningful complaint about the new ZYKLOP range could legitimately be accused of being a pedant or a nitpicker - or maybe he is more used to the giant spanners used on oil rigs where sheer grunt is most prized in a wrench. The ZYKLOP range is presented in a finely made metal box with rubberized plastic latches, non-slip and non-scratch feet, and an interior made of dense foam custom-fitted to each particular socket, handle or driver in the set. It simply oozes quality, and I think they are so well presented they are hard to resist.But presentation isn’t going to cut it if the tools were rubbish so I may be boring a few readers if I go into detail about some of the tools inside and explain some of their finer points.
Firstly there is the namesake ZYLOP itself. At the top of the Wera ratchet wrench is the single green eye of the legendary Cyclops. Not a real eye of course but the multi-purpose button that controls the clockwise or anti-clockwise ratchet action and the socket ejection mechanism. The ratchet head can be adjusted to swivel over the 180 degrees and fixed at 0, 15 and 90 degree angles on each side to enable the socket head to be presented at exactly the desired angle for efficient work. The handle itself is the distinctive ergonomic green and black Wera Kraftform design that has proved its worth in a range of other applications. On the shaft of the wrench is a rotating plastic sleeve enabling the wrench to be used easily as a screwdriver or for quickly driving sockets before turning thewrench at an angle to tighten the nut securely. The Wera Rapidaptor system is used with a socket end to hold the standard hex -ended tools, so Torx , Phillips, PosiDrive and slotted screwdriving bits can all be fitted.
By spending a lot of time ensuring that the main part of the tool, the ratchet, is beautifully designed and made for sophisticated and multi-purpose use, Wera is, in my opinion, 90% there. Because, of course, the ratchet can be used with other makes of standard size sockets. But with Wera, the whole package is thoughtfully designed. A cheapskate might decide to use cheap sockets, but for a great deal more functionality and value the Wera sockets complete the package in a way that makes one wonder why these things haven’t been brought together before.
For example, the simple socket design may look conventional, but on closer examination have a number of valuable features. The top of the socket is milled for finger grip for those occasions when it is easier to tighten a nut with the fingers before fitting the ratchet head for the final torque tighten. The socket is locked onto the ratchet by simply pushing it on, but needs to be released by pushing the ZYKLOP eye. No more sockets stuck on bolts in inaccessible places.
The ratchets also have a backlash angle of only 5 degrees (6 degrees on the 1/2 inch ratchet), so quick and precise work is achieved easily.
Owning a ZYKLOP ratchet takes away the need to own 5 or 6 separate ratchets, as it covers all the features you could possibly need. This saves space, weight, and most importantly, money.
The sockets have also been designed to suit both “manual” and “machine” socket regulations. In other words they can be used with non-impact power drivers as well as with manual drivers like the ZYKLOP. Users therefore do not need to have two sets of sockets - one for manual use and one for machine use.
The next bit of clever design is in the extensions. Here the user has the option to lock the sockets to the extensions by pushing down a simple button marked green for release and red for locked near the end of the extension. Again this obviates sockets stuck on bolts in inaccessible places, but also provides an option for easy release should the user want to change to another configuration for tightening or loosening the bolt. Like the ratchet, the extensions have a plastic sleeve fitted over the shaft to allow it to slip easily through the fingers when working at speed on a bolt.
Another extension, the “wobble extension”, has chamfered socket ends that allows the socket, when fitted, to be operated at an angle of between 0 and about 15 degrees. This feature allows enough flexibility and security for angled driving of bolts without having to resort to the universal joint.
The metal case is designed to look good as I mentioned above. But even here good design is in evidence. The external green plastic inserts act like feet and protectors, ensuring that the case will have a secure footing on the bench or worktable. They are also a bit buffer-like to protect the metal case.
Inside the case, the dense foam liner conceals other design features. Even when the case is open the components are gripped tightly in their individual spaces by the surrounding foam. The foam itself has two layers, grey on top and Wera green underneath, so that a quick glance will show up which pieces are missing from the set and where they need to be replaced. Simple idea, but saves time fussing about. And the lid has laser etched reminders of the tools contained in the set.
For the retailers, the ZYKLOP range is extensive, with many different sets to suit different applications in 1/4 inch, 3/8 inch and 1/2 inch drive. All components can also be bought individually so that users can customise sets or replace lost components.
What retailers will be able to assure their customers is that they are getting a super high quality product that will last for years and will also be an ongoing pleasure to use in demanding applications. When I showed my sample around a few end users there was not one single adverse comment - merely admiration, - and dare I say it - Lust!
For more information call Christine
01444 440188
01444 440188
Airstream Communications