How To Destroy Screw Heads

[cabinetman]

A tool used correctly is much more efficient, and produces good results. If one wants to totally demolish a phillips head when driving a screw, there are a few tips I can give. First use the fastest speed your tool has. Second, manage to be off the line of the screw, that is maintain a slight angle to the screw. Third, try to have minimal pressure on the screw bit into the screw head. Fourth, after the screw has seated, leave the bit spinning in the head.

Other tips for disaster: Don't bother to take the time to predrill any holes. Having the screw split the wood is only a minor setback. Having the screw skip off the starting point will allow your bit to nicely plow into the wood and leave a distinct pattern of the bit. Better than that, you could be lucky enough to have the bit skip off the screw and plunge directly into a portion of your hand causing you to bleed all over the work.

Another tip of the day for those who like metal objects falling on their face, is not to predrill for holes above your head. Try to keep the screw on the cool magnetic bit/holder for overhead work, and manage to do it directly above your face. Try to hold several screws in the freehand while doing this so they can also fall into your face.

For the muscle bound grip of steel craftsmen out there, holding heavy parts or ill fitted parts with one hand and driving screws with the other is a real time saver and proves clamps aren't really necessary.

It's not necessary to take the time to figure out what length screw should be used. Make sure it's a little long so it will poke through the other side giving maximum grip. There's holes to fill anyway.

Make sure short screws keeps spinning when fully seated. This assures that they won't go any deeper. Countersinking may be a useless step. Having protruding screw heads are so much easier to find.

For maximum bodily injury, work so that the screw/driver is pointing at your face or body.

These are tips from a been there done that guy that should not be followed.



"I'M NEVER WRONG - BUT I'M NOT ALWAYS RIGHT"

[LinuxRandal]

Cool, I can use these, as I have to go screw up a plumbing access panel today! (maybe I can add screwing THROUGH something )

[Pappy]

"It's not necessary to take the time to figure out what length screw should be used. Make sure it's a little long so it will poke through the other side giving maximum grip. There's holes to fill anyway."

This is also an unnecessary step when working with a brad/finish nailer. Easier to test for the proper length by bracing the back side of the work with your hand.

[TB Roye]

Been there done that too many time. Think one would learn after awhile. A protruding screw tip does wonders for a palm or obital sander.

Tom

[leehljp]

Now to add to that - put the drill driver in "hammer" mode so it hammers it in after it strips the head!

For quick countersink, turn on the hammer mode, let it spin at full speed and use the driver bit! Might not look pretty, but it is functional. Have a set of pliers ready to pull the bit out of the wood!

[gsmittle]

Wow, C'Man, have you been watching my students at work?

Before I switched to a slightly less noisy subject, I swear I saw every one of these every semester.

You forgot: "Make sure the drill is set to reverse, and try to drive the screw for at least an hour, cursing the drill and screw the whole time. After you've burned a small hole in the wood, touch the screw so you get a nice second-degree burn."

g.

[dkhoward]

not really a screw head problem . . . .

hold the big 18volt driver just over head height with a nut driver bit and a long lag screw. Make sure the clutch is locked. stand on the ladder so you have to hold the drill with one hand . . . oh. . also put the drill in high speed mode . . . . squeeze trigger . . . watch the lag screw run into the wood until it binds, causing the heavy drill to twist suddenly impacting the large battery directly into your ear . . . causing almost instant brigth lights, stars and laughter from the audience on the ground as you try not to step backwards off theladder into thin air

[MilDoc]

"Make sure the drill is set to reverse, and try to drive the screw for at least an hour, cursing the drill and screw the whole time. After you've burned a small hole in the wood, touch the screw so you get a nice second-degree burn."

g.

Hey! I resemble that remark! Hate to admit how often I do just that (tho' not fo an hour!)

[TB Roye]

That remindes me. Back when I was working, I was employeed by the Calif. Highway Patrol equiping thier vehicles. We had a small production line to install all the equipment. One station I worked on required us to install the radio head/scanner/siren control bracket to the floor also the butt plate for the shotgun holder. This required us to put screws through the carpet/rubber floor mat. If you drilled or shot the screws using a air tool you would get the carpet or padding under it all caught up in the drill bit or screw and have a big ball of padding to unravell. So to avoid that we would put the drill or air driver into reverse and push the bit or screw untill we hit the metal in the tranmission hump or floor. Then you would quickly put the tool into forward and drill the whole or install the screw with no problems. Another trick we would take the larger end of the whip antenna (78" long) and cut 6'' off, take the brass antenna holder cut the threads of fthe end used to mate it into the antenna ball, sharpen one end of the whip and have the best hole punch you could imagine. The antenna whips were stainless and 1/8" in diameter. Found out Ford GM and Dodge use soft metal in their cars We could take a 14 X 1 1/4" sheet metal screw and drive it through a 3/4" piece of plywood or particle board and into the floor in the trunk with no problem, broke to many drill bit trying to pilot drill holes. We had a supply of military speck sheet metal scrws that you could not strip or brake going through 18ga or thinner metal was easy never tried on 16ga through.

Tom

[gerti]

Oh, and if some of your phillips heads still survive, use brass screws!

[BobSch]

And make sure your Phillips driver is too small for the screw. Or, better yet, just use a straight-bladed driver that's small enough to fit (barely) into the Phillips screw.