“THE ROTATION”: PARKSIDE sets the London Eye in motion

Welcome to the world’s biggest DIY challenge to date: can a compact 20 V cordless drill-driver really move the London Eye? Discover the full story and find out what makes our powerful cordless drill-driver so special.

What’s the story behind ‘THE ROTATION’?

2,100 tonnes of steel. 120 metres in diameter. And a cordless drill driver that powers it all. Sounds impossible? Good. Otherwise, it would be too boring for us. PARKSIDE is taking on what is perhaps the craziest challenge in the history of power tools: setting the London Eye – one of the world’s most famous Ferris wheels – in motion using a PARKSIDE PERFORMANCE 20V cordless drill driver. A Guinness World Record attempt that challenges everything you think you know about the capabilities of power tools.

What is PARKSIDE ‘THE ROTATION’? An explanation of the world record attempt using a cordless drill.

For barrier-free use: Watch video with audio description

An overview of the mega-project

DIY world record attempt: PARKSIDE PERFORMANCE cordless drill meets the London Eye

No one has ever dared to do that

That’s it for now! We took the plunge – and made history.

Guinness World Records: PARKSIDE PERFORMANCE cordless drill meets the London Eye

Several tonnes – moved by a single tool

The immense weight of the London Eye – set in motion by a single PARKSIDE tool. No crane. No team of engines.

Guinness World Record with PARKSIDE: just how big and heavy is the London Eye?

A small screwdriver, but a HUGE impact

Volts versus metres – and the volts win. The London Eye, with a diameter of 120 metres, is powered by just 20 volts.

Guinness World Record: PARKSIDE world record attempt, ‘THE ROTATION’

One team. One goal. One record.

Over 50 experts worked together to make this stunt possible – every move counted.

PARKSIDE ‘THE ROTATION’ – The story behind the world record

Months of hard work for this moment

It took more than just courage to achieve this. Behind this historic moment lie 12 months of precision, planning and passion.

PARKSIDE Arnold Schwarzenegger Cordless Drill/Screwdriver Limited Special Edition with Autograph

Signed. Limited. Record-breakingly strong.

Arnold Schwarzenegger meets PARKSIDE PERFORMANCE. The limited-edition special edition – featuring Arnold’s signature. Built for everyone who knows what matters most in big projects: power and the right mindset.

The Signature Edition

Image of the 20 V cordless screwdriver drill from PARKSIDE PERFORMANCE

The cordless drill driver

With this 20 V cordless drill/driver, no wall is too tough. Get ready for even better performance – thanks to a maximum torque of 60 Nm.

Image of the PARKSIDE PERFORMANCE tool case

More stylishly preserved

This high-quality aluminium case with a drawer and metal fastenings provides stylish protection for your new favourite tool whilst in transit.

Image of the 5-piece bit set from PARKSIDE PERFORMANCE

Bit by bit towards the goal

The right bit for every screw: you can quickly switch between Phillips and Torx profiles and get on with your project.

Image of the PARKSIDE PERFORMANCE battery and charging unit

Powerful battery + powerful charger

The long-lasting battery, featuring lithium-ion technology, ensures full power. With the right charger, you’ll be ready for action at any time.

How an idea became a record

After achieving the seemingly impossible with THE PULL – pulling the world’s largest passenger aeroplane using a 12 V cordless drill – we asked ourselves: “Is there any limit to what we can do?”

What could be even bigger, even more gigantic, even more impressive? What monumental object could still be set in motion with a top-of-the-range cordless drill?

Our attention turned to London – and there it was: our next mega-project. A 2,100-tonne, rotating disc with a diameter of 120 metres. The London Eye.

There’s hardly a better symbol of pure kinetic energy – complete with a lovely view.
 

PARKSIDE ‘THE ROTATION’: The world record attempt explained

Where the foundation stone was laid

Back at the drawing board. Working alongside a team of engineers and physicists, the power transmission from the PARKSIDE PERFORMANCE 20V cordless drill to the London Eye’s drive shaft was calculated and planned. Every revolution, every torque – everything was thought through down to the last detail.

PARKSIDE ‘THE ROTATION’: How the world record was achieved.

The powertrain – assembled piece by piece

A specially developed gear mechanism was designed specifically to transmit the rotational force of the impact driver to the London Eye’s drive mechanism. The idea was that the gearbox should multiply the torque so that the enormous load could actually be set in motion.

PARKSIDE ‘THE ROTATION’: A cordless drill driver powers the London Eye.

The big moment: as the platform was hoisted onto the London Eye…

The gearbox was fitted to the London Eye’s drive mechanism and inspected by the official Guinness World Records team. The tension is mounting. Critical eyes scrutinised every detail of the structure, which had been erected to the highest safety standards and with millimetre-level precision. Then the PARKSIDE PERFORMANCE 20 V cordless drill was put into position.

PARKSIDE “THE ROTATION”: This is how far the cordless drill had to move the London Eye.

Drill? Ready.

With the audience, camera crews and official Guinness World Records adjudicators all watching, the decisive moment was now imminent. The drill was switched on. Power surged through the gear mechanism – and the London Eye...... began to turn! But would the record be broken? For that to happen, it would have to move at least 1.5 metres. One thing was certain: the world was watching.

Right at the heart of it: our experts report

Official Guinness World Record: PARKSIDE PERFORMANCE cordless drill moves the London Eye

A record for the history books

Never before has anyone dared to take on a challenge like this. Too big. Too difficult. Too crazy. But we love a big challenge. Accompanied by an official Guinness World Records adjudicator and documented under the strictest guidelines, we rose to the challenge. Then came the moment of truth. As the power of the 20 V cordless drill was transmitted via the gear mechanism to the London Eye, the boldest and craziest idea of the year became reality. The London Eye spins – far enough to set a Guinness World Record! All powered by a PARKSIDE PERFORMANCE 20 V cordless drill. A moment that showed us all what is possible when engineering, courage and the power of tools come together.

An excellent 20 V cordless drill/driver with world-record-breaking PERFORMANCE

Impressive performance to meet high standards

One thing is certain: this cordless drill/driver is more than up to any DIY project. On the contrary: the PARKSIDE PERFORMANCE 20 V cordless drill/driver is suitable even for the most demanding tasks – as the London Eye can attest.

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FAQ’s

How is something like that possible? What forces are at work here? The biggest challenges raise questions, and you’ll find the answers here.

Technical precision was required to set the London Eye in motion with the power of the PARKSIDE 20 V cordless drill. First, the observation wheel's existing hydraulic system was switched to neutral so that it wouldn't brake. The tourist attraction was then driven by a hydraulic winch that moved the wheel with a force of up to 20 tons and compensated for any additional loads, such as strong winds. The role of the PARKSIDE 20 V cordless drill: driving a hydraulic pump that built up pressure and passed it on to the winch's motor.
Six guide rollers kept the system stable. To secure everything safely, the winch was mounted directly to the main drive's base platform using special steel profiles. To ensure that the world's largest cantilevered observation wheel was operated solely by the cordless drill, it was precisely balanced before the attempt.

The preparation and technical implementation of “THE ROTATION” were carried out in collaboration with TU Darmstadt.

Yes! To achieve this, the cordless drill drives wheels that move the Ferris wheel’s mechanism. The aim of the project was to move the 135-metre-high Ferris wheel a distance of 50 centimetres, in order to set the Guinness World Record for the greatest distance travelled on a Ferris wheel using a cordless drill.

The London Eye weighs 2,100 tonnes and is 135 metres high, making it the second-tallest Ferris wheel in Europe. It was set in motion by a drill driving gears that move the Ferris wheel’s mechanism.

To mark PARKSIDE’s 30th anniversary, we want to once again impressively demonstrate the ultimate proof of performance. Following the success of THE PULL, we wanted to raise the bar even higher for the anniversary. The aim was to set the Guinness World Record for the greatest distance travelled using a cordless drill on a Ferris wheel.

The official press release

Find all the information and background details on ‘THE ROTATION’ here.

To the press release

THE PULL:
PARKSIDE moves the A380

PARKSIDE has the power to pull the world's largest passenger aircraft, the A380. Experience the world record. Experience now