Who Screws the Screws?

[g1]

A Phillips bit will fit in a Pozidriv screw but slips out before it's fully tight.

Phillips on the left, Posidriv on the right
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Interesting. I'd always assumed that they were the same except for the extra smaller ribs. If that were the case, the phillips still shouldn't slip out of the pozidriv.
But your close up photo shows that the main ribs of the phillips are tapered (toward the tip), where the pozidriv are not.

[Enzo]

They are all so similar, most of the time, at least for light work, the "wrong" driver will work. And threads are threads, so a 3mm one type will replace a 3mm of another. SOmetimes I find a rounded out head on a screw, and one of my "wrong" drivers will grip it better.

[g1]

SOmetimes I find a rounded out head on a screw, and one of my "wrong" drivers will grip it better.

My 'go to' for that is usually a Robertson (red, green, or yellow) and a hammer.

[Mick Bailey]

US thread sizes are relatively uncommon over here in the UK and a regular thing is to force a metric screw into a threaded hole and it gets jammed. If the screw is poor quality it can either break or the slot deform. Another gripe is screws that strip on their way out. Chinese Vox amps sometimes do this, even when taking utmost care. Another gripe is where someone has put together a guitar and not drilled pilot holes for the screws and chewed up the heads so they won't come out. Or worse, broken off and they bring the guitar to me to sort out.

I just did a pickup repair where the coil is partly exposed (Nocaster). The owner had caught the winding when fitting it. I fixed it, re-potted it and supplied new screws. He'd originally fitted it with the screws angled outward and I advised him to plug and re-drill the holes correctly. He didn't do this and managed to destroy one of the screw heads so it would neither screw in or out. So, he taped up the pickup and used a Dremel to cut through the tape and winding in an attempt to remove the screw. Then pulled off the tape along with more wire. Along with that, the flatwork got bent away from the pole pieces. Steel screws, Dremels and pickups are an unhealthy combination anyhow.

[Helmholtz]

With somewhat worn screwheads a (well fitting) screwdriver with a diamond coated tip can help to avoid slippage and further damage.
That's what I prefer to use on vintage instruments.

When lots of torque are required angled screwdrivers can be helpful.

[eschertron]

Orange cross head screws are probably Pozidriv therefore a Pozidriv bit should be used not a Phillips. A Phillips bit will fit in a Pozidriv screw but slips out before it's fully tight.

Phillips on the left, Posidriv on the right
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Someone once regaled me with the story on posidriv screws, something about manufacturers and suppliers angling for exclusivity with the automakers, I think. That's why there are so many types of screw head designs.

But I turned 60 over the weekend, and now can't remember anything anybody has ever told me. sigh.

[g1]

When lots of torque are required angled screwdrivers can be helpful.

Or a ratchet with a bit holder socket. Then you can push down on the head with one hand while applying turning pressure with the other.

[Looselectronics]

Schooled! You guys are awesome. I had no idea screwing was such a varied and interest topic filled with tools of so many shapes and sizes.

I tried again with a shorter L-shaped two-way driver with a different bit made of a better material that fit more snuggly. That gave me the additional torque I needed to loosen the stubborn screws, though I damaged the heads and my wrist in the process. All that just to find the guts of the pedal are SMD wrapped in a PITA. I guess I'll just buy a new one after all...

[Chuck H]

Schooled! You guys are awesome. I had no idea screwing was such a varied and interest topic filled with tools of so many shapes and sizes.

I tried again with a shorter L-shaped two-way driver with a different bit made of a better material that fit more snuggly. That gave me the additional torque I needed to loosen the stubborn screws, though I damaged the heads and my wrist in the process. All that just to find the guts of the pedal are SMD wrapped in a PITA. I guess I'll just buy a new one after all...

Well I can't give a guy a "thumbsdown" for posting this. But the idea would have been that this is a bummer.

[SoulFetish]

With somewhat worn screwheads a (well fitting) screwdriver with a diamond coated tip can help to avoid slippage and further damage.
That's what I prefer to use on vintage instruments.

When lots of torque are required angled screwdrivers can be helpful.

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That top screwdriver look like a Wera. Kraftform Stainless, right?
I've heard some great reports on their quality from trusted friends. I've been looking at getting a set of Hex Plus from them.

[Helmholtz]

That top screwdriver look like a Wera.

Yes, German brand Wera with diamond coated tip.

[Bloomfield]

Just saw that Lee Valley has diamond-coated bits https://www.leevalley.com/en-ca/shop...16-diamond-tip

Made in Germany, so likely Wera brand as they do carry some of their tools. Too bad, I was just there yesterday and I could have picked up a couple.

That being said, a dedicated screwdriver would be nicer. The Wera handles are really good for being able to transmit a lot of torque easily.

[Mick Bailey]

I have some Kamasa diamond coated bits in Phillips and JIS. Really good performance and have been as durable as the Wera ones.

[Jazz P Bass]

Here is a good history on the 'Phillips' screwdriver: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-mDqKtivuI

[pdf64]

The Wera diamond coated posidrive bits were my choice for hex drivers (manual and electric) a while ago, but I came to the view that they still wore out and so worked out rather expensive. I tried a 25 box of regular DeWalt posi bits for half the price of a single Wera bit and found that each bit seemed to give almost as good a life and performance as Wera, I'm not even halfway through them yet. As soon as one gets even slightly rounded I can just replace it, whereas I was trying to carry on using the Wera bits long after they should have been replaced, due to their cost.