Thread: Phillips Screws

Could be decent batch of screw to Chris

No, the screws are a mixture of what I had and what I have bought, some even previously used. It is definitely the driver bits, they would want to be good at the price!

Are you saying that there is real, discernable quality in a Festool item, even if you have to pay through the nose to get it?
Maybe this should be repeated on the Festool topic.
I keep wanting the Festool stuff, but shy off because of the price. Maybe I should get the best.

There is such a difference that I am astounded by it. I have never had a Phillips driver bit that held the screws so securely and it has already driven about 300 screws and hasn't shown any wear at all. As I said previously, I have always preferred and used square drive because of the camming issue.

Sounds good., might try them if they aren't too expensive.

Mini, you're not just subconsciously pushing harder so you don't wear the wings off that expensive driver bit?

Interesting finding, though, where did you get the bit & emmachisit?

My best fitting bit is actually out of a impact driver set (the type you hit with a hammer to "break" loose tight screws/bolts). I turn to it if I have a screw head I absolutely cannot afford to strip out.


Cheers....................Sean

has a section on dressing Phillips bits. Perhaps they're just like plane blades, don't expect Phillips bits to work right 'out of the box'. (Festool excluded).

I have found over the years that different screwdrivers have slightly different profiles. I have my favourite straight and phillips screwdrivers for each size that have it right in terms of profile vs size.

It seems so many screwdrivers have it wrong in terms of their profile. Straight screwdrivers that are too thick for their width and phillips screwdrivers where the profile only allows minimal contact and easily cams out.

The fit of a screwdriver in a screw head has everything to do with the quality of the bit or screwdriver manufacturer. The manufacturing process uses standardised bits to press the screw drives (slots) with tollerances in the 1000th range.

Cheap bits rarely fit as snuggly as the expensive ones because the manufacturing tollerances and material quality differences in bit making are far greater.

Screw head manufacture = zero tollerance
Screwdriver/bit manufacture = lots of tollerance between the various makers

There are lots of companies that make bits that fit as well as Festool. I find Proxxon bits very good. The real test is often how good they remove a screw rather than drive a new screw in.

By the way, the Phillips drive is designed with rounded inner corners to enable cam out. The standard over here in Germany is Pozidriv. Get in behind these babies with a good bit and you'll never use Phillips again...

Damien

Originally Posted by scooter

Mini, you're not just subconsciously pushing harder so you don't wear the wings off that expensive driver bit?

Interesting finding, though, where did you get the bit & emmachisit?

Cheers....................Sean

It was in a set I bought from CT and it cost to bloody much being Festool. Here we are....

http://www.festool.com.au/mediandowe...3260_z_01a.jpg

I think it was about $30 as I bought one of their depth settable counter sinks as well. I may complain about the price, but it was really worth it in retrospect. Damien, I have used Pz stuff and it is better, why we don't have more of it I don't know. I noticed CT have (had) high quality driver bits, I can't see them in the latest cattle dog though. I rang CT and they put me onto this mob, the guy at CT reckoned he buys from here and they are the best driving bits available and don't wear out, there is no online pricing though..

http://www.europeantools.com.au/

By the way, the Phillips drive is designed with rounded inner corners to enable cam out. The standard over here in Germany is Pozidriv. Get in behind these babies with a good bit and you'll never use Phillips again...

Damien

Damien is spot on here...
Many new screwdrivers and bits are posidrive... (yes here is aus) very different from a true phillips head.
It needs to fit real snug... or else you will just jump from groove to groove even with the slightest off centre drilling.

You get what you pay for. (mostly)

Okay,
So what is the difference between Pozi's and phillips?

Denn

Originally Posted by dennford

Okay,
So what is the difference between Pozi's and phillips?

Denn

Phillips: Symetrical cross with rounded inner corners to enable camming.
Pozidriv: Symetrical cross with flat edges plus a smaller symetrical cross set at a 45° offset to the main cross.

The most common heads are No.2 as with Phillips. I think screw diametres under 3mm use a No.1. 6mm and above use a No.3

You have to take a good look sometimes to see the smaller cross and confirm it is PZ so you choose the right screwdriver...

Damien

thanks Damien,
I shall have a good look tomorrow.

DennS