Drywall screwdrivers

[Frederick Williams]

I have been looking at screwdrivers, and some are called "drywall screwdrivers". What does "drywall" mean?

[Dave Starling]

Its likely to be an Americanism because the traditional wet trade of render, bonding and skimming are not used aren't used in their stick built houses. If you watch any of the US DIY shows you'll also hear sheetrock mentioned. We call it plasterboard. Many newbuilds are now done finished in plasterboard, joints are taped and then its just painted.

Dave.

[The Medway Handyman]

Dry wall is the process of fixing plasterboard to internal stud walls & ceilings. No 'wet' plaster is used, hence 'dry wall' - allthough it is often skimmed.

A drywall screwdriver is specifically designed for fixing the plasterboard, it has a depth stop & a clutch which countersinks the screws to a constant & predetermined depth.

Specialists tool.

[Andy Dingley]

They drive "drywall screws" into "drywall"

Drywall, aka sheetrock, is plasterboard.

Drywall screws have a trumpet-shaped head, a bit like a countersink. They're self-countersinking (by compression) into soft materials.

The screwdrivers have a depth stop, so that they can quickly drive these bugle-head screws to the right depth, They may also have belt- feed mechanisms. Many are Phillips head, not Pozi, so watch that they match your particular screws. They don't work well with conical countersinks though.

[David WE Roberts]

a normal electric screwdriver into a drywall screwdriver and/or roofing screwdriver.

Bought 2, one is still working but the other is suffering from 'torque slip'. Probably O.K. for plasterboard screws but not man enough for screwing roofing bolts through a tin roof.

Cheers

Dave R

[dom]

Like he says.

I have mixed experience with them. In ideal conditions, they're fast. The moment you have to work in awkward corners, the slightest bit off- centre or take a funny grip, they tend not to drive screws cleanly home.

For all those spots, I find a compact Li-ion cordless with a good torque clutch, though slower to drive, gets it right more of the time

- so is better overall.

[Frederick Williams]

What would you recommend for that?

[David WE Roberts]

Two suggestions:

(1) Buy two or three of the adapters - I have two and one started playing up whilst the other is still fine. They are remarkably cheap.

(2) Buy a mid-range cordless drill/screwdriver with a good trigger control and wind the bolts in slowly until the washer just starts to squish. You will need something like a 1/4" drive 8mm socket and a 'hex to 1/4" converter' where you put the hex end in the chuck and the socket on the other end. You then have a powered socket set :-) I got a set of 3 converters at the local hardware store, for 1/4", 3/8" and

1/2" sockets. Cost me £3.99.

Oh, and if you are screwing down a tin roof with self drilling screws it still works out quicker and easier to drill a pilot hole first with another cordless drill.

Cheers

Dave R

[Frederick Williams]

I cannot find such things. Can you recommend a make and model?

[Tim Watts]

I thought the yanks called it "sheetrock"? I've heard it called drywall by contractors here a few times.

[David WE Roberts]

Your idea of 'mid range' may not be the same as mine. :-) I've just bought

has been praised (and not) in a couple of other threads. It costs £100. However the big boys toys cost quite a bit more.

So far I am very pleased with it as it out performs my cheaper B&D 12V drills in performance, recharging time, and has 3 batteries included.

Some others prefer the Makita with the Makita badge on.

HTH

Dave R

[Grimly Curmudgeon]

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold. I remember Tim Watts saying something like:

Usually called 'slabbing' here.

[Frederick Williams]

which has been praised (and not) in a couple of other threads.

The reason I have difficulty finding these things (by "finding" I mean finding on the Internet) is that I'm not familiar with the jargon. Does "combi drill" always mean combined drill and screwdriver?

[David WE Roberts]

> which has been praised (and not) in a couple of other threads.

I would think so - however this particular item is a screwdriver, drill, and hammer drill so 'combi' may sometimes be used for the '3 functions' ones, perhaps?

Probably a good idea to wander into your nearest large B&Q and survey their stock and how they are described on the packaging. Then go and search for the same/similar on t'Internet :-)

HTH

Dave R

[Frederick Williams]

Good thinking batman!

[Frederick Williams]

which has been praised (and not) in a couple of other threads.

That's ok, thanks.

[The Medway Handyman]

> which has been praised (and not) in a couple of other threads.

Nope! If we are talking cordless you have a 'drill driver' which will drive screws & drill holes in wood or metal - but it won't drill holes in bricks etc very well. A 'combi drill' will drive screws, drill holes and have a hammer action for drilling masonry etc.

HTH

[John Rumm]

> which has been praised (and not) in a couple of other threads.

No, it tends to mean a cordless drill with hammer action, and probably a screwdriver mode (i.e. user settable torque limiter). A "Drill/Driver" will be a cordless without hammer - but again normally with aforementioned torque limiter. Electric or powered screwdriver will often be used for smaller lower powered tools with a hex mount and no chuck.

[pcb1962]

Not sure where 'here' is for you, I thought it was usually called 'dry lining' in the UK.

[Grimly Curmudgeon]

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold. I remember pcb1962 saying something like:

The headers contain a clue.