Which screwdriver would you use?

Phillips...all the way.

It really depends on the job in hand (different screws are good for different tasks) but on the whole, I find the Phillips best, with a Standard Flathead a close second.

I guess phillips because thats what I have on my little power screwdriver thing right now and I don't know where the other bits are.

Phillips... although I'm about the worst possible person you could hope to ask on any matters relating to DIY.

I've never heard of a Robertson... I hate Torx, but I think that's the point (I think they are used for security - to keep people out). Phillips seems the most universal, though flathead is good in some situations (though, I forget which ones).

Torx for sure. They never strip. Although for building decks, the Robertson wins hands down.

I think the Robertson is the superior design. Good torque, hard to strip, screw stays in the driver easily...

I prefer a standard flathead first; Phillips second. When screws are too soft, I've stripped too many heads with Phillips; it seems much more likely to do that. Otherwise I'd have Philliips at the top of the list.

irene?? I figured this was a sardonic Zang survey!

Everyone keeps mentioning stripping - what is that? Damaging the screw when the screwdriver slips?

Yes, it means the screw becomes worn down to the point where the screwdriver no longer has any grip or effect.

Torx, virtually no slipping as ther'e much more points of contac

Sounds like you should change your screws rather than your screwdriver if that happens! Should rely on good old Sheffield steel - no stripping there I'll warrant!

Phillips!

It usually is because of the quality, or lack thereof, of the screw. It mostly happens when you use a screwdriver that is just slightly too large for the job.

No... you have to be naked while you're using the screwdriver, thereby traumatizing the screw and making it need years of therapy.

No I think you got it... is there a different word for it in Britspeak?

I never seem to have just the right size screwdriver handy.

Whichever one was handy. The only ones I don't own or Torx and Robertson, but I have several Phillips, Flathead and Allen screwdrivers at hand.

Torx are actually the best for grip, becoming more popular. Worst is flathead, never heard of a Robertson. Allens are good but the wrenches tend to strip out.

Most everything in the U.S. is made in some third world country these days. Screws and nails are cheap, bend, strip out. And the socket wrenches and other tools also break within a few trys. You have to spend alot and get good American tools but I rarely see decent screws and such anymore.

How peculiar? Irene made a survey about screwing!

I only have one so I'm screwed if it won't work properly.

This survey is nicely presented,
but usually the screw depends alot on the type of job.

Out of all these I prefer screwing philips head screws,

I think we just use better quality screws

I haven't done much DIY in a while - bar stuff on a proper building site with good quality tools etc. - so I'm not sure if quality has decreased here too. Not that I'm aware of though.

Does this have some sort of sexual connection that I'm unaware of, or am I actually supposed to know something about tools?

I have my moments...

> How peculiar? Irene made a survey about screwing!



Hey! I found that picture last night after much searching but I had too much work to do on the computer. I might have this job finished by tonight and maybe I can slip in a scan in between the work... You don't need to remind me as I have the picture right in front of me!

You know... there is one screwdriver missing... The one you make with vodka and orange juice!

Phillips...though I'm not sure why.

I knew there was something missing........now that's my favorite type of screwdriver!!!!!

Love the images. Phillips is my choice. I'm usually screwed either way.

OK So don't laugh.... It's not really like Ziggy but inspired by. I cut it myself and I was trying to make it look crooked but since it curls - it looked OK. From then on, I realized I never needed to go to a hairdresser since you can't tell if I have a good haircut or not!!

> I've never heard of a Robertson... I hate Torx, but I think that's
> the point (I think they are used for security - to keep people out).
> Phillips seems the most universal, though flathead is good in some
> situations (though, I forget which ones).

Robertsons were invented because flatheads could be dangerous as they often slip. They also permit you to free one hand because the screw's hole tapers a little and the screwdriver gets wedged itself into it.

> Torx for sure. They never strip. Although for building decks, the
> Robertson wins hands down.

I like torx for metal but Robertsons for wood...

> I prefer a standard flathead first; Phillips second. When screws are
> too soft, I've stripped too many heads with Phillips; it seems much
> more likely to do that. Otherwise I'd have Philliips at the top of
> the list.

Flatheads slip too much - I find them frustrating.

> Torx are actually the best for grip, becoming more popular. Worst
> is flathead, never heard of a Robertson. Allens are good but the
> wrenches tend to strip out.

You've never seen a square head? That's what I called them before I discovered that screwdrivers had names!
"Hand me the star shaped one!" etc...

> This survey is nicely presented,
> but usually the screw depends alot on the type of job.
>
> Out of all these I prefer screwing philips head screws,
>

I was thinking of wood but got sidetracked in qual into adding more types of screwdrivers that are more suited for metals and etc...

> You know... there is one screwdriver missing... The one you make
> with vodka and orange juice!

I prefer those when Harvey is banging on the wall!

Pozi-drive is my fave.

That's a picture of you? You've disaged 20 years since the photo in your profile.

We were talking about influences in our lives and no... My grandma wasn't one of them but Bowie and his weird hair so I showed Iseult!

I'm only 15 in the picture so I disaged 28 years!!

Uh oh... Orkut must be acting up. I linked a photo of me and what I see there is a photo of Jessica that I had deleted to put mine instead. Weird place! I better go check it out...

Oh well. nice look. I still go for the locks myself. I was born in 63 and still get thought of as 28. I thought you had me beat. I had a friend pull off 56 to 24 one day though.

Who's Jessica?

What picture are you seeing? A young girl with an old woman or a young woman in a wedding dress?
Jess is our daughter.

Is it short in the back?

No - it's really long. Are you laughing yet?

You got married at 15?

Phillips.

No, not at you. I would, however, at anyone else.

Of course not! Where did you get that? I married at 20 and turned 21 two weeks later.

> No, not at you. I would, however, at anyone else.

What is the picture that you see because what I see is not what I posted...

You said you were only 15 in the picture - but it looks like a wedding photo - signing the register...?

You married at 20? Got me well beat!

Dang!! That's not the picture I posted! That's my daughter's wedding picture! I changed it in my Orkut album by removing hers and posting mine. When I first posted it in SC, it was the right picture but when I came back; it was Jess' picture. Then I went back to Orkut but there was a message saying that the site is under construction and to come later... So it's not me. I never looked as good as she does!

Perhaps that is a wedding dress and a register.

Now I see a different picture

Your daughter is really beautiful! But I can see where she gets it from

Obviously depends on the screw - but I'm a fan of the standard flat head.

phillips, i guess. the only screwin' i do with any frequency doesn't require a screwdriver, though. (hardy-har-har i'm sure i'm not the first one to make a sexual reference)

I see a picture of a female with black hair in white dress.

Orkut played a trick on me... That's not the picture I wanted to post.

> Now I see a different picture
>
> Your daughter is really beautiful! But I can see where she gets it
> from

Yeah... My sister.

> I see a picture of a female with black hair in white dress.

It is dark isn't it but her hair is supposed to be light brown... We'll have to wait for Orkut to get back on line so I can post the proper picture....

It's pretty small, it's hard to see.
What's Orkut?

Phillips, are not flat screws gradually becoming a thing of the past?

I understand what you are saying re-tool quality, I live in Jamaica and tools are crap mostly , I travel to the US and buy brand name tools Craftsman make pretty good stuff now, I like snap-on (cant afford too much) or Husky.

Two screws I have grown fond of are :

Tapcon concrete screws and (cant remember the name) but you get them from Lowes, they look like standard sheetrock screws, phillips head varying lengths but are brown in color, they are aerospace grade and they DO not rust , you use them for laying down decking around a pool maybe.


Regards D

see my reply to Cereal Killer,

Regards D

Guess that was quite an effective haircut.

How do you expect me to know this , I am a woman? Sir can you tell me which one to use I want to know dam it"

I seem to have the very same problem with the right size, I go through every screwdriver if I have to.

My name happens to be Jessica that is me! my middle name is Deanna

Well ok then. My wife's name was Deanna.

Some stupid gathering place - I only joined so I could post pictures here!

I love tapcons! Great for hanging shelving on sheetrock.

> Guess that was quite an effective haircut.

Every time I mention plasterboard I have to translate it into American (drywall) and then Canadian (sheetrock)...drives me barmy!

I've heard people around here refer to it as both drywall and sheetrock. I think Sheetrock might be a brand name that came into common usage. I'll have to ask my carpenter brother to see if he knows for sure. I know what you mean by plasterboard, too, though.

That's interesting But you're pretty close to Canada aren't you? So the words could easily both be used even if one one favoured in the US and one in Canada.

Yep, if I had a good arm I could just about throw a rock and hit Zang in the head... not that I'd ever do that.

Now there's an idea, I can patch my walls up with pancake batter. My place isn't bad, just some settling cracks, but I'm a perfectionist, so if I ever paint my walls nice and colorful (apple/mint, tangerine, lt. violet, canary yellow), I'll have to learn how to repair drywall cracks first. I'd probably start small, with the bathroom. Lot of work though for a rented apartment.

I'd like to see that. Not so much the Zang hitting, but the rock throwing would be cool

There's something I've not done - but would you not just plaster over them?

Alas.... bomb them!

Hee hee! Yeah, I didn't mean to pick on Zang (at least, not too much) but I thought it illustrated my close proximity to the Canadian border. Actually I'm about 60 miles (100 km?) from the border, but I could drive in my car for about an hour and then be literally close enough to throw a rock at him. Or maybe just a marshmallow. Yes, then I'd be close enough to hit him with a marshmallow, and that would be much nicer.

> Now there's an idea, I can patch my walls up with pancake batter.

Oh, then cockroaches and rodents would love to live with you!

But you could probably throw a rock further than a marshmallow...

Yes, but if I drove up there I could stand five feet away and hit him with a marshmallow. Then I'd have to give him a hug and suggest we go out for some great food in Chinatown. Now you're giving me ideas....

Nothing wrong with giving someone a good idea!

On another subject, all this talk of measurements has made me curious about something... Do you English folks use the metric system completely these days? I'm thinking you still use inches and feet, but roadsigns are in kilometres?... I really don't recall.

For short measurements, most younger people would use cm and metres but for long distances, we'd use miles (although road signs show both). Weight is the same - a lot of small things in metric, but people always in imperial.

How very interesting, and how about the boy named Sue by Johny Cash

Allens are easier on your hands.

I recall that song. I changed my gender about a decade ago, now I go out as whatever gender I'm in the mood for, being somewhat of a dual personality.

The walls are slightly buckled and chipped, not just cracked, so I imagine I'd have to gouge, plaster, sand, and prime to get a smooth painting surface again.

Or just replace the drywall completely, depending on how much needs doing. It can be a little messy (dusty) but it's simple enough. Plastering well over the top is supposed to be an awful lot harder though.

No. Irene Tapcon is the brand name for a concrete screw.......... normally they are blue in color with a a double thread design, I buy them in boxes of 100, it comes with a concrete drill bit...the best thing about them is , you drill the hole and then just screw the screw into the hole, no plug required, the thread design "cuts" into the masonry/concrete.

Picture this you have a kitchen cupboard to put up, you position the cabinet drill the hole and screw, its great because you dont have to mark holes or take down the cupboard to put plugs in etc.

each screw once anchored an inch into concrete can hold about 200lbs in weight before breaking. It is sometimes better than rawlbolts as you dont have to drill such a big hole.

Did I tell you I loved these screws?

I have four, one and a half inch tapcon screws holding up the condensor for my 18,000 btu AC unit ouside.....going 5 years now.


Regards David

A dual personality? I no longer have this problem, and I prefer to stay female all the time and it has been over 4 years since my transition and I wish that I had photos to show you how beautiful I am? I have come a long ways and it has been very difficult for me and I have a new Church that I go to on sunday. I do not have a camera for my computer , and I will get a CD photo made one of these days and download it into SC.

It's every corner and every door frame in every room, and again, not my place. I have been here seven years and expect to be be here more though. I think the building settled unevenly.

It was extreme when i started, though by design. Things like computer programming or dancing would bring out the male/Spock or dancing/Lorelai Gilmore side of me as a whole package. Now it's just more like moods, and I grew tired of having to have any image at all. If I'm going out, in a good mood, I dress in a way that gets plenty of whistles or compliments. Around the apartment building I find i can hang out with neighbors in a dumpy t-shirt and 5:00 shadow without issue. The latter used to be a source of depression and not leaving the house at all.

I look forward to seeing a photo. Surely you have some friend with a digital camera who can email you a photo?