Advantage of longer screwdrivers, more leverage or...?

[Carl P]

It's very easy to either shear off the screw shank, destroy the screw slot or destroy the screwdriver tip doing this. Don't ask how I know....

Alas, I don't need to ask...

 

[pedder]

Just a quick thought.

Usually long tools are easier to keep straight. So maybe it is vice versa:
The longer the screwdriver is, the lesser you will hold it off the angle
and the more power you can transfer.

Cheers
Pedder

 

[Tortion-Stephen]

Is there not a small degree of 'torsional flex' in the longer shaft? I know on some of the longer machine screwdrivers I've got I can feel a slight 'give' I'm not sure how that could translate other than a slight increase in stored potential energy as the shaft tries to return to equilibrium. Also not convinced you'd feel it on the monster turnscrew which fuelled this discussion!

 

[Jelly]

I prefer Torx or better still, Square screws though, they're much easier to drive as they don't cam out like pozidrive.

I'm with you on that one, the world would be a much better place* if Robertson Screws were in common usage.

Posi-Drive is basically a step backwards from slotted and Phillips head... "You know what would help drive awkward screw? Making it easier for the driver to cam out of the screw head"


*This statement may be hyperbole... Only way to be sure: buy some Robertson Screws (available in solid brass for common furniture sizes) and see for yourself!

 

[bugbear]

Posi-Drive is basically a step backwards from slotted and Phillips head... "You know what would help drive awkward screw? Making it easier for the driver to cam out of the screw head"

Pozi drive is much less prone to cam out than Phillips; I recently replaced some Phillips machine screws with Pozi's so I could tighten them properly.

BugBear

 

[Rorschach]

Posi-Drive is basically a step backwards from slotted and Phillips head... "You know what would help drive awkward screw? Making it easier for the driver to cam out of the screw head"

Pozi drive is much less prone to cam out than Phillips; I recently replaced some Phillips machine screws with Pozi's so I could tighten them properly.

BugBear

Yep, I rarely have problems with Pozi but have a lot more trouble with Phillips.

 

[Jelly]

Posi-Drive is basically a step backwards from slotted and Phillips head... "You know what would help drive awkward screw? Making it easier for the driver to cam out of the screw head"

Pozi drive is much less prone to cam out than Phillips; I recently replaced some Phillips machine screws with Pozi's so I could tighten them properly.

BugBear

My mileage varies somewhat... Which would probably suggest I need to buy some better quality screws and/or drivers (or match poor quality, soft screws to poor quality soft drivers)...

 

[woodpig]

I bought a set of Robertson screwdrivers, a couple of sets of bits and half a dozen boxes of Robertson screws when I was on holiday in Canada about 15 years ago. I haven't bought any Pozidrive since. "Robbies" are very popular in the USA and Canada. Once you've tried them nothing else compares.

 

[Downwindtracker2]

Robertson screws and screw drivers are very popular in Canada, not so much in the States. The design is older than Philips.

Long handled screw drivers work like stethoscopes on machinery. Handy for locating that noisy bearing.

 

[DTR]

Pozi drive is much less prone to cam out than Phillips;

I'm led to believe this is by design? Before electric drivers had torque clutches, Philips were designed to cam-out before ruining the screw. Pozi were designed not to cam out as they should be driven with the benefit of a torque clutch.

Having said that, it's easy enough to destroy either one :?

 

[bugbear]

I bought a set of Robertson screwdrivers, a couple of sets of bits and half a dozen boxes of Robertson screws when I was on holiday in Canada about 15 years ago. I haven't bought any Pozidrive since. "Robbies" are very popular in the USA and Canada. Once you've tried them nothing else compares.

Future furniture restorers will curse your name, as they survey your screws, and their screwdrivers...

BugBear

 

[Rorschach]

Pozi drive is much less prone to cam out than Phillips;

I'm led to believe this is by design? Before electric drivers had torque clutches, Philips were designed to cam-out before ruining the screw. Pozi were designed not to cam out as they should be driven with the benefit of a torque clutch.

Having said that, it's easy enough to destroy either one :?

If that was their design then it might work well when driving a new, well made screw into a properly piloted hole with a good driver bit. Fast forward a decade and it comes time to remove a poorly made screw put into a small or non-existent pilot hole and many years of paint, rust, swelling etc and what you have is a recipe for frustration and trouble.

A couple of weeks back I did some DIY that involved removing screws that had been in about 15 years, some were pozi, some were phillips, the pozi were much easier to remove by far.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I bought a set of Robertson screwdrivers, a couple of sets of bits and half a dozen boxes of Robertson screws when I was on holiday in Canada about 15 years ago. I haven't bought any Pozidrive since. "Robbies" are very popular in the USA and Canada. Once you've tried them nothing else compares.

My b.i.l. worked as a joiner in NZ up to about 10 years ago (a bit of time perspective) and he told me they never used anything else.

 

[AndyT]

BB, I think a future restorer would do what I did when I came to dismantle a Canadian made garden chair - lash out a whole pound at my nearest tool shop and buy a square drive screwdriving tip, to go in an electric or hand powered screwdriver!

 

[woodpig]

If that was their design then it might work well when driving a new, well made screw into a properly piloted hole with a good driver bit. Fast forward a decade and it comes time to remove a poorly made screw put into a small or non-existent pilot hole and many years of paint, rust, swelling etc and what you have is a recipe for frustration and trouble.

A couple of weeks back I did some DIY that involved removing screws that had been in about 15 years, some were pozi, some were phillips, the pozi were much easier to remove by far.

I had to take out the Philips screws holding our old shower unit together with mole grips. I only just managed it, the hammer and chisel were primed ...

 

[Rorschach]

If that was their design then it might work well when driving a new, well made screw into a properly piloted hole with a good driver bit. Fast forward a decade and it comes time to remove a poorly made screw put into a small or non-existent pilot hole and many years of paint, rust, swelling etc and what you have is a recipe for frustration and trouble.

A couple of weeks back I did some DIY that involved removing screws that had been in about 15 years, some were pozi, some were phillips, the pozi were much easier to remove by far.

I had to take out the Philips screws holding our old shower unit together with mole grips. I only just managed it, the hammer and chisel were primed ...

Funnily enough one of the jobs I did was removing parts of a shower. The impact driver was needed to remove the screws, both screws and drivers were knackered at the end but I did manage to get them out without damage to the tiles or shower. Replacement screws were pozi.

 

[Racers]

I had to take out the Philips screws holding our old shower unit together with mole grips. I only just managed it, the hammer and chisel were primed ...

Didn't you have a Philips screwdriver?

:wink:

Pete

 

[bugbear]

I had to take out the Philips screws holding our old shower unit together with mole grips. I only just managed it, the hammer and chisel were primed ...

Didn't you have a Philips screwdriver?

:wink:

Pete

Phillip wanted it back.

BugBear

 

[monkeybiter]

I keep flat screwdrivers for three reasons;
When Posi or Phillips screws are a pain to remove, gentle tapping a flat driver while rocking back and forth first in one 'slot' of the screw then 90' around in the other will usually clear paint/deepen the pattern enough to remove and dispose of.
Long flat screwdrivers can be made into special profile turning tools with minimal work [shock horror!] and can cost as little as £1.
Old stuff that needs repairing where the screws are bloody awful slotted things.

I find the easiest way to deliver max manual torque [for me anyway] and avoid chewing the head is to push against the end of the screwdriver with one hand, [down it's axis] while gripping the handle of the driver at right angles 'from the side' with the other, separating the 'don't-cam-out' force from the 'turn-you-bugger' force.

 

[Limey Lurker]

There are some posts in this thread that have gone missing.