I have an intermittent fault on a Moulinex electric iron, so I need to dism antle it to investigate. Unfortunately the two screws which secure the cove r where the cable enters have a strange head which makes it impossible for me to remove the cover. The head is slotted but with a raised portion in th e centre of the slot. A bit like a security Torx but slotted not hexagon. H as anybody come across this type before and where do I get an appropriate s crewdriver?
TIA Pete
Should find what you need in here:
Could you just file out the centre of slot screwdriver to suit?
mark
Is it torq-set screw head?
Security bit sets can be found a toolstation, screwfix and Ebay
Often you will want the set with long shanks and sometimes you will also have to grind/file the the shank to a smaller diameter.
Examples on Ebay (which may or may not have the bit you want)
The major issue with those security bits is their lack of length. Manufacturers are getting crafty about using very deeply recessed fixing screws which defeat such short security driver bits.
The set shown on that page, going by the package dimensions, seem to be using the exact same 25mm bit length as my own set of 32 bits plus 'extension adapter' (hence the description "Security Bit Set 33Pcs"). The only difference is mine utilises the more durable rubbery plastic halves retained, quite effectively, by friction fit to the bits as a means of keeping the 33 pieces contained. Other than that, the bits and extension piece look identical (with precisely the same shortcoming - literally!).
I have a 2KW fan heater I'd like to repair which, inconsiderately, has the security headed screws[1] recessed into a one inch deep hole just wide enough to accept the security bit but not wide enough for the extension shank.
[1] Tri-bladed in this case - the flat bladed with centre pip is no problem, I ground a notch in the end of a long shanked flat bladed screwdrive just for dealing with that tpye of security screw head - and it still works fine with ordinary slotted screw heads.
I found these screwheads used in industry on Fire Alarm devices, to stop meddlers playing with the Alarm Stations.
In article , mark writes
I have the special bits but they appear to be made of shitmetal and break easily so making one from an old screwdriver would probably give a better result. Being lazy I would probably cut out the middle section out with a thin cutting disk in an angle grinder.
NT
I had a similar problem with the kettle base I messed with. Ground the hex of the bit far enough to let the business end reach the screw.
I think they do this to stop little Johnny or Jilly taking them out and getting slightly scorched. Brian
TIA Pete
This are common on electrical appliances. You need a "fork screwdriver". You can make your own out of a standrad screwdriver using a junior hacksaw or you can make one out of a bit of samall bore steel tube of the right size ground down on the bench grider to a screwdriver shape
file a slot in a standard one
You can get a 75mm security bit set
Thanks all. I now know that what I want is called a "spanner security screwdriver" and I've found a set of long bits on Ebay hopefully for less than a fiver (cheaper than Toolstation) and as they are only for use once in a blue moon, they should be OK.
Cheers to all Pete
I do that. The trouble is I can never find the same screwdriver, so my collection of slotted security screwdrivers keeps increasing ! Simon.
Yey! Now _that's_ more like it! :-)
Hopefully, not. I doubt whether a fileable screw driver blade would be strong enough. Far better if he has to _grind_ the notch. :-)
Hopefully, out of necessity rather than laziness. :-)
Yeah, but I would still have to grind the hexagonal stem to get the business end to engage the screws which I had to deal with.
Excellent! Thanks for that.
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