Long Shaft Pozidriv

I always assumed the standard American screws used for most parts of computer cases were Philips type heads. Am I mistaken? Perhaps some of the more recent screws are metric rather than American, but does this make a difference to the screw head pattern?

With Wera you might need to buy a Pz1/Pz2/Ph2/Slotted set, but no Pz0

Try searching Amazon for "long reach screwdriver"

There are sets that have Phillips PH0, PH1 and PH2 There are sets that have pozi PZ1 and PZ2 (a quick check I didn't find a PZ0)

You can magnetise a screwdriver yourself by just stroking a magnet on the shaft. I have a couple of magnets from an old hard disk for this purpose.

That is very interesting!

I have always used Pozidriv because it gives a better fit but the screws don't have the extra marks you find on Pozidriv screws so you have me wondering :-)

Anybody throw any light on this?

That takes me back. I think you can also point it to the North and bang it with a hammer!

Motherboard screws are 6-32 thread, 3/16" long, PH2 pan head

"Computer case screws primarily use #6-32 UNC (coarse thread) for cases, PSUs, and 3.5" HDDs, and M3 (fine thread) for motherboards, 2.5" SSDs, and optical drives. Common lengths are 6mm (1/4") or 5mm. Fans typically use specialized long, self-tapping screws."

Most of the adverts for these [#6-32] say 'Philips head'...

I am not sure pozidriv was ever a machine screw format...oh. It was and is.

Note that pozidriv (constant thickness tangs) screwdrivers are held to be unsuitable for the tapered slots of a Philips head screw

YMMV

I am told that the "jackscrews" which are used to fix D type connectors (like VGA plugs) in place are in fact 4-40 UNC

The threads in disk drives for the fixing screws are also some sort of UNC - I am sure the same thread is used for most of the jackposts for fixing motherboards in place

Somewhere on this planet is a bucket full of UNC screws with Pozi heads

AFAIK the Merkins never used BA thread systems

I have an older version of this set:

Mine are branded 'Forge Steel' and I bought them on the day the Cambridge SF branch opened (~2008 or whenever it was). They've been very dependable ever since.

theo

Does the screwdriver need to pass through a small hole? If not, couldn't you use a long bit-holder with an appropriate hex bit at the end. These are often magnetic. If the bit holder is not long enough, extensions are available with a male hex shaft at one end and a female hex socket at the other.

As others have said, the screws in question probably have Philips rather than Pozi heads, but if my suggestion works you can use any bits you like.

Not through holes but often in a tight space with components all around.

I actually sat down earlier with a selection of screwdrivers and motherboard screws and am struggling to feel any difference between Phillips and Pozidrive, if anything Pozidrive seems to hold the screw better, really odd!

Wera do them. Multiple suppliers. Look for 'Wera Kraftform Plus'.

Does that mean that they are not quite either type!

nib

I find that a PH2 screwdriver fits all computer case screws no matter how small. Philips screwdrivers always feel a bit insecure, as they tend to cam out under turning forces. But whatever works, I suppose.

I've seen some that were "plusminus" (AKA modulo) ...

Possibly Japanese Philips, sorry, 'plus', they don't like to call them by the name of a competitor...

The Japanese swear their Philips is the same as ours, but it isn't. For a Japanese screw with too much thread lock on, it absolutely has to be their Philips driver. Particularly for lens screws.

I think Pozidriv is pretty exclusively a British thing. like Whitworth.

No. Both types originate from the same American companies.

From my experience, US cross-heads have parallel 'flutes' (if that's the correct term), and are usually referred to as Phillips. Posidriv also have parallel flutes, with the extra marks. However, European Phillips have tapered flutes, and a Phillips screwdriver tends to disengage from a Pozidriv head.

The US have ( or had when I was visiting on business) several head types. I got the impression, while they used the term Phillips and Posidriv they weren’t ’favoured ‘ terms. I recall Supadriv(e) being used, and Freeson (?) . There was another one, not x head, which was like a square Allen head. JIS of course which, although from Japan, was common due to being used in electronics. JIS can be confused with Pozidriv, although it has ‘lines’ rather than ‘notches’. The screw driver is less pointed than the Phillips but lacks the extra drive ridges of the Pozi.