Driving eye bolts

[metspitzer]

I am going to have to install 8 or 10. 3/8 or 1/2 for a roof tarp. It there a way to drive them with a battery drill. I am thinking about at least drilling the hole a little smaller than the screw.

[dpb]

Drill the pilot hole then just use a screwdriver or similar thru the eye to turn them. W/ a little leverage they're no problem.

[charlie]

there's an adapter that one can get to allow use of a drill for this purpose. it's basically a pipe with a slot cut out.

[mkirsch1]

Definitely drill pilot holes first. You will have problems with getting the eyes to drive, and with splitting wood if you don't.

Your drill may not have enough torque to drive a 3/8" or 1/2" diameter eye bolt even with a pilot hole. However, if you chuck up a heavy J- bolt in your drill, you can hook the eye and maybe turn it in. The J bolt should be as large as possible to fill the eye on the eye bolt for best results.

[Joe]

Just chuck up the biggest Allen wrench in your set in the drill and use it for a driver. The hex can't slip and the right angle should be just right to turn the eyebolt. You're welcome...

Joe

[metspitzer]

Pretty slick idea.

Thanks

[dpb]

Except it won't be in line w/ the shaft of the eyebolt but will be offset going 'round 'n 'round...

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[metspitzer]

That would be a good idea too, but my allen wrenches are a foldable pack.

[dpb]

metspitzer wrote: ...

Good thing 'cause I think you'd find it didn't work well at all in practice...

The j-hook thing might work if you can find a stiff enough material one.

I'd think you could have them in w/ the manual drive thru the eye while you're futzing around here... :)

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[metspitzer]

Yeah, but then I would actually have to be doing something. :)

[PanHandler]

Scroll down about 3/4:

[Jerry - OHIO]

Spread or cut open an extra eye bolt and use 3/8 or 1/2 inch corded drill. I drove 250 bolts in a fence in a little under one hour. Jerry

[metspitzer]

And how would turning them be any different?

[SteveB]

Are you referring to eye bolts or screw eyes? You have written both.

Steve

[Bob]

The biggest Allen wrench I have is about 9 inches long and 3/4 inch around. (Used to remove cataletic converter plug) in the 70's)

Anyway, it won't fit into either my drill or the eye bolts,'

Bob-tx

[Worn Out Retread]

Drill a pilot hole first like you say you are going to do. Then, put a little candle wax on the threads. This will make them go in much easier.

[SteveB]

Eye bolts have machine threads so you have to use a nut with them. They don't screw into wood very well. Screw eyes have screw threads that dig into wood and do not require a nut.

Steve

[Stormin Mormon]

Buy something along these lines, and chuck the thread end into your drill. Problem solved.

You may find that a screw driver through the eye gives you a lot better leverage.

[BobK207]

Use Jerry's suggestion, fastest, easiest to implement AND it will work (although the J bolt idea will work as well)

I've driven 100's of 3/8" screw eyes & eye bolts into wooden laboratory specimens...we used them to attach shackles for lifting by crane.

For 3/8 screw eyes through a shear wall top plate & into end of wall studs we drilled 5/16 pilot. Otherwise we couldn't drive them even with a variable speed 1/2" Milwaukee hole shooter with a side handle.......drill would stall, so we switched to a rather large pilot hole to reduce driving torque.

We later switched to eye bolts because they had longer threaded sections were way cheaper in large quantity than screw eyes but YMMV. Eye bolts worked fine for our application but were harder to engage but the huge cost difference was worth it.

Since you've only got a few to install ...... I'd use screw eyes and install with the large screwdriver or ratchet extension bar.......too easy to get wrapped around the axle with a powerful corded drill by the time you perfect the technique

BTDT

Hint: If you choose the power install technique, turn the screw eye in at least on full turn by hand and the PULL back slightly on the drill motor when driving.....this will keep the "driving hook" engaged & prevent injury.

The J bolt will engage more cleanly than a "spread" screw eye but we used the "spread" screw eye tool for years before switching to a J bolt.

Be careful. No broken fingers on my lab crew but we got close a couple times. :)

chhers Bob

[Doug Brown]

Well god for you! That means that you are special and now you et to move to the head of the class and you also get a gold star in your workbook for today!