Well, all these sort of things have adjustable maximum torque. And on mine the minimum setting is so low I've never used it.
But I think you're worrying far too much. As I've said, I frequently use a mains drill as a screwdriver, and it has much more torque than any normal cordless. This would often be for screwing down floorboards - lots and lots of 2" 10 pozidriv. And breaking a screw is a rarity. The bit 'cams out' before this happens.
I wouldn't have thought that different types of steel would have huge effects. I'm not interested in exact figure. I just want to know if (for example) a 5mm screw will shear at 10nM or a 100nM. OK, different steel screws might well have a shear torque ranging from 15 to 50nM but even that sort of range gives me an idea.
I think 'soft' and 'hard' is just the torque in the high gear and the low gear of their two speed gearboxes isn't it? Why on earth they're called 'soft' and 'hard' I don't know.
As I've just reported in my original thread asking about cordless drivers I've bought a Metabo SBT12 which produces a maximum torque of
53Nm. I've just used it for the first time and I'm impressed. It screwed the 8mm x 100mm Turbogold screws into fence posts (the application I specifically wanted it for) effortlessly - excellent!I don't drill pilot holes purely to save time, I'm not aiming for beauty when screwing fences together. I use screws rather than nails simply because it eases taking them apart if it's ever necessary and because it's stronger, nails pull out (especially if half a ton of horse leans on the other side).
I'm screwing in 8mm hex head coach screws, nothing 'comes out' in this case, you have several alternative options:-
The driver runs out of oomph, the usual case until I got my new Metabo SBT12. I then had to use a spanner to get the screw in the rest of the way.
The cordless clutch/torque setting starts to slip, this is what happens on the stiffest setting on the Metabo. It does get the screw in most of the way before it starts clicking though.
I stop screwing when the screw reaches the right point, generally possible and this is what I'm doing.
The screw shears if/when I don't stop in time. It hasn't happened yet with the new Metabo but it would be nice to know if 53Nm is capable of shearing an 8mm screw.
If it's so important why not contact the screw manufactures tech' dept. and ask them rather than ask a load of (mainly) DIY armatures ?!...
Are you 'winding' us up?
And just how many metallurgist are there contributing to this group ?..
Oh dear....M.T.P.....
Yeh, and you're a T.W.A.T...
Err, joke about armature rather than amateur. You've got to watch what the spoolcheeker does. Well, I have to anyway. If I remember.
But I could ask my niece. Or her husband. Wonder how many others have two metallurgists in the family?
In my experience it is much more easy to over cook 4mm screws by forgetting to reduce the torque setting then it is to break them. In fact the only way in my experience is not drill a masonry hole deep enough and then to get a really good screw/hole/plug combination.
I would reckon that you would never break a 4mm screw on the high speed setting (you'd stall the motor first). A typical pro quality 12v cordless is rated at about 20Nm. The high speed would typically be around 6Nm.
So I guess the ball park to break a 4mm gold screw is the better part of
20 Nm. I would reckon that it is nigh on impossible to get that tightness into softwood only hardwood or a blind masonry hole.China Shenzhen ZHAOWEI Machinery & Electronics Co. Ltd engages in designing , manufacturing and marketing all kinds of electric motors. They are mainly suitable for the following applications: smart home application used in sm art kitchen and laundry, medical instrument for personal care, smart E-tran smission applied in automobile, industry automation applied in telecommunic ation and a great variety of plastic/metal planetary gearbox in different s izes. In order to develop the oversea market, we are current seeking new partne rs around the world to create a bright future together. ZhaoWei is a right choice and excellent partnership with sincere services.
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When I used to do that I snapped a fair few. They were mostly 32mm screwfix black plasterboard screws with Philips no2 heads.
NT
I've lost count of how many I've snapped. Mainlyt te smaller shafts - is it No 4?
But I've snapped car studs of a lot bigger diameter than that
Back in the early 70s, I snapped a 5" no 14 - only using a handbrace. The screws cost 14/- each, too. Shows how much I was upset - I can still remember it.
All drills I've ever seen have an "accelerator pedal". Does your 2.5 litre car always go 150mph without control? You don't pull the lever all the way in when screwing!
Is that what she said last night? ;-)
Some women can't take my 9 inch driver.
We don't need reminding of your cluelessness
It's not me that breaks screws. I know how to use a drill correctly.
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