Gyroscopically stabilized CD player on the International Space Station

[Nelsie]

@d_r

The drill-driver in the video is an off-the-shelf Makita.

I stand (or float) corrected.

[vrplumber]

[Wanderfound]

@SteampunkBanana

Ah, but then you’re married to one version of iTunes on a laptop, how do astronauts play their own personal music?

With a guitar…

Space Oddity

[Purplecat]

@Nelsie

I seem to recall that powertools designed for freefall use are built with counterweights that spin in the opposite direction to the drive motor, just so the astronaut doesn’t get spun around by the torque when they’re trying to tighten a screw.

[d_r]

I only know because I thought I recognized the drill and looked it up to be sure. (My brother-in-law had one that I used to rebuild a gate. It was stolen by workmen which says something about the quality of the tool.) Here is a relevant story, with a fun video: http://www.howardbrothers.com/2014/06/27/makita-tools-space-station/

[incarnedine_v]

yeah there’s a handy article about it: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/hubble/servicing/series/cats.html
Mostly the difference in tools is modified grips that makes them easier to use with gloves and no liquid lubricants. Guess there’s just not enough torque in power tools to make you cartoon spin in microgravity stupid reality takes all the fun out of space.

Oh and bet you anything if you stick headphones in to one of the diskmen this will be playing: