Snapped screwdriver blades

[Owain]

"Paul Mc Cann" wrote | > > You screw them up tight and the job's done. With slots, you | > > aught to match the way they look so that the slots all run | > > the same way. No-one ever does that, few ever did. | > I do and always have done. On a Victorian house like mine - and | > on any other than new - I'd say exposed crosspoint screws look | > positively cheap. | > Slotted brass screws with the slots lined up look the business. | Pub and church work ! | But do you align them vertically or horizontally.

I think they look nicest at 45 degrees.

I can't decide though whether door hinges should be done

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identical on each leaf of the hinge, or

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mirror image on the leafs

| I had thought I was anal about this 'till I read about people who | strive to get their countersink just the precise depth so that | the screwhead neither bruises the wood nor projects minutely

Isn't that what 'countersink' means? Anything else would be 'recessed' or 'wrong'.

Owain

[Lurch]

On Thu, 17 Jun 2004 11:55:21 +0100, Tony Bryer strung together this:

I said that in another thread and got slated for it, be careful!

[Dave Plowman]

Ideal security too, then.

[Badger]

Never mind, some of us need tools to suit what we're working on, I use a cordless with Spax screws where it suits, screwturns however are very useful for cabinet hinges and the like, as well as firearms, the last set I bought was by an American firearms tools co.

Niel.

[Dave Plowman]

A drill attachment device (of the appropriate screw size) which countersunk to exactly the correct depth would be very welcome. Perhaps such a thing exists?

[Grimly Curmudgeon]

It was somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold. I remember Tony Bryer saying something like:

When I were a lad, working for an alarm company, one supervisor insisted the bellbox cover screws were all done up with slots aligned vertically. This was on boxes which were going out on jobs, to be fitted by alarm fitters who wouldn't give a toss about the screwslots.

That man wasn't quite right in the head.

[Grimly Curmudgeon]

It was somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold. I remember Dave Plowman saying something like:

Finished off with a blob of weld. Lovely.

[Pete C]

Hi,

I put the head of the countersunk screw in the hole (the opposite way round to normal), and look at the gap between the edge of the screw head and hole to gauge whether it's deep enough. If the first hole is done with the right countersink then it's easy to compare the rest with that one.

A hand countersink is often better to get the final depth, as it gives more control than one in a drill.

cheers, Pete.

[Rick Hughes]

I will admit that when I install items I make sure all screw heads line up .... it's just attention to detail.

Rick

[Jerry Built]

That's it, I've just done this on a lot of replacement doors. It was commented on! Also, slotted rather than cross-head screws anywhere "on show".

J.B.

[Tony Bryer]

Surely screws should be tightened enough and no more. If all the slots line up then you've either got wonderful judgement as to where to start them or some are too tight or loose. IMHO anyway

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Ahh. Using a torque screwdriver in wood. Now that's a thought.

[Paul Mc Cann]

Am I missing something here (Sense of humour perhaps?) I've always utilised the torque settings when driving wood screws.

[RichardS]

Don't think we're talking battery operated here.... manual models, perhaps.

In the last couple of days I've found myself going over the exercise that you mentioned a few posts ago - namely folks that aim to countersink the precise amount and end up with the heads aligned. If they can pull it off consistently, then that's a pretty impressive technique they've built up, and guess what's going to be obsessing me now every time I drive a screw into (real) wood....

Thinking through, how'd they do it? Well, I wonder if it goes something like this....

1. Size of countersink. After a while, judgement will take over and it will become second nature to guess correctly. Before that happens, I'd need to countersink a bit, then check with about-turned screw for hole size.

1. Orientation of screw heads. This one takes quite a bit more practise. I suppose you need to work with a consistent brand of screws, and take note of the orientation of the slot when you commence screwing, making sure that you apply consistent pressure to start with. Eventually, you shoudl hit upon the correct orientation/pressure combination.

I have a psychologist friend, and I'm sure I've heard him state that only men are autistic, and that a sizeable proportion of the male population has autistic traits to some degree. I begin to wonder whether he's right...

-- Richard Sampson

email me at richard at olifant d-ot co do-t uk

[Paul Mc Cann]

Autistic ? You don't mean anal do you ? ;-)

To your point, I had always imagined it was a matter of trial and error. Light countersink, try it out, bit more countersink etc.

[Tony Bryer]

Not if we're talking screws in hinges.

[Paul Mc Cann]

But presumably the hinge is already countersunk

[Tony Bryer]

My point: you're not going to make the countersink in a hinge a bit deeper so as to ensure the slots line up. So to get the slots to line up you're probably overtightening one or more screws.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Judging by the number of doors I've seen fitted by 'pros' with only two screws per hinge - or the supplied 'brass' slot ones replaced with 1" Pozidrive, I doubt it's that critical.

[Paul Mc Cann]

The recommende procedure (to me) was to tighten to the desired amount then back off slightly if necessary.