I am trying to remove some frozen screws but have only two inches of space to work with, and can't get enough torque holding the stubby screwdriver with only my fingertips. Is there such a tool as a screwdriver head attached perpendicularly to a little tommy bar? Thanks Liam
Not sure what you mean by a "tommy bar". Several companies make offset screwdrivers. The simplest form is a bent metal bar, with the end in the form of an appropriate drive tip. More complex, and easier to use, is similar to a ratcheting box-end wrench. It takes 1/4" (6.25 mm) screwdriver insert bits.
Two other things that might be of help to you:
Penetrating oil. You can use a hair dryer or heat gun to warm the screws, which also helps to loosen the rust (differential expansion). Tapping (vibration) sometimes helps.
A product called Screw Grab. It is a fine very hard abrasive in a liquid carrier. It helps to keep the screw driver bit from torquing out of the head of the screw.
Bruce, These are helpful suggestions. I hadn't heard of Screw Grab or offset screwdrivers.
By little tommy bar, I meant a straight bar, maybe three inches long, though normally they're bigger, like the bar that goes through the hole in the socket of a lug wrench. Liam
Bruce & Lois Nels> Not sure what you mean by a "tommy bar". Several companies make offset
OK, I think I know what you mean by a tommy bar. The bar has a sliding drive part on it to fit into sockets? However, the one I have for use with
1/4" drive is about 6" long, for a 3/4" drive about 18" long.
If you are in North America, most hardware stores, Lowes, Canadian Tire, Ace Hardware, Home Hardware, Home Depot, Sears will have the offset screwdrivers in various formats. Alternatively, some places sell screwdriver bits to fit standard ratchets (the bit is embedded in what looks like a socket). If all else fails, try a ratcheting box end 1/4" wrench and a suitable 1/4" hex screwdriver bit.
The screwgrab is a bit harder to find. It was all over the place a couple of years ago, but I guess it did not move as well as the manufacturer and corporate buyers expected.
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