Construction screws
#21
Thanks for the suggestions. It happened again today. I only needed about a dozen 3"screws for a temporary form and I left my 5# bin of #2 phillips on another job. G.C. gave me about eight 3" and box of 2-1/2"; both torx. The tip for the 2-1/2" was too big for the 3"! Two men, 15 min.s, to find a tip to drive about $1.00 worth of screws. No, nails wouldn't work, and at over $1.00/min. per man you might understand my aggravation.
Sign at N.E. Vocational School Cabinetmaking Shop 1976, "Free knowledge given daily... Bring your own container"
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#22
Put a pack of torx drivers on your Christmas list. T20 & T25 will catch most, but get a T15, T30 & T40 just to be sure.

Thank us later. And welcome to the 21st century.
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#23
(11-10-2023, 12:54 PM)DieselDennis Wrote: Put a pack of torx drivers on your Christmas list.  T20 & T25 will catch most, but get a T15, T30 & T40 just to be sure.

Thank us later.  And welcome to the 21st century.

I've got them all over the place. Probably a set on my dresser if I dug deep enough.

Will Phillips and Slotted ever go away? Phillips are great for drywall because it pops out when the screw is set but that's really the only application I can think of where it out performs Torx
Neil Summers Home Inspections




" What would Fred do?"

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#24
(11-10-2023, 01:56 PM)Snipe Hunter Wrote: I've got them all over the place. Probably a set on my dresser if I dug deep enough.

Will Phillips and Slotted ever go away? Phillips are great for drywall because it pops out when the screw is set but that's really the only application I can think of where it out performs Torx

Wouldn't a torx head do the same thing in a dimpler bit?
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#25
Not as well. Since the Torx bits have more and sharper points, the bit will wear out fairly quickly.
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#26
(11-11-2023, 05:30 AM)KC Wrote: Wouldn't a torx head do the same thing in a dimpler bit?

No. The tapered point on the Phillips driver allows it to disengage from the screw head without much of a sink in the drywall. A Torx wouldn't spin out of the screw head because it isn't tapered. Maybe someone here should invent a tapered Torx bit. I'm too busy whining about not making money to fool with stuff like that.
Neil Summers Home Inspections




" What would Fred do?"

... CLETUS











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#27
Drywallers use a "reduced point" #2 phillips. They also wouldn't let anyone see them using a dimpler. I have a few in my tool box, but I've never let anyone see me use one.
No

I use square drive for sub-flooring and decking. That's all that's offered to use in this  https://www.strongtie.com/quikdrivesyste...ing-system
The extension really speeds things up and helps save my back, but it's not required. Without it, the tool is equally fast to drive screws in PVC trim to a consistent depth to receive plugs.
Sign at N.E. Vocational School Cabinetmaking Shop 1976, "Free knowledge given daily... Bring your own container"
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#28
(11-18-2023, 12:47 AM)MstrCarpenter Wrote: Drywallers use a "reduced point" #2 phillips. They also wouldn't let anyone see them using a dimpler. I have a few in my tool box, but I've never let anyone see me use one.
No

I use square drive for sub-flooring and decking. That's all that's offered to use in this  https://www.strongtie.com/quikdrivesyste...ing-system
The extension really speeds things up and helps save my back, but it's not required. Without it, the tool is equally fast to drive screws in PVC trim to a consistent depth to receive plugs.

Are you talking about drywall guys that use a specific drywall screw drill/setter/gun that has the built in collar thingy?  Because that sure looks similar to me.
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#29
Sorry for the delay K.C., I didn't notice a reply to my last post. But yes; drywallers use a "screw-gun". They have a built-in spring loaded clutch, more accurately described as two shallow gears that get slammed together to engage. They also have an adjustable depth gauge to set the screw depth. As that depth is achieved the gears disengage; the phillips tip is still fully seated in the head of the screw but no longer turning. A "reduced point" is just easier/faster to remove. Most of the time my DeWalt drywall gun trigger is locked on, full speed. Just jab the screw into the drywall and keep pushing 'til the gears disengage. With a little practice I can drive a screw about every two seconds. Again that's with a DeWalt hanging drywall. For other applications with longer screws I reach for the Milwaukee. It's quite a bit slower than the DeWalt and functions the same but has more torque. Now "jabbing" a 3" screw doesn't work well so the only trick to using the depth gauge is to start the screw at a slow speed, then once the screw is started, go full speed and keep pushing. If there's more than a few dozen, it's the best way to set Cortex screws.
Sign at N.E. Vocational School Cabinetmaking Shop 1976, "Free knowledge given daily... Bring your own container"
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#30
Here is an interesting video that tests different wood screws including drywall. Turns out they are stronger and much less brittle than you would think.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3mBvRs5Rmk
Telling a man he has too many tools,
is like telling a woman she has too many shoes.
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