Turning a screw–or trying to turn it–used to be a simple procedure. The screw had a groove or slot in the head and the person wanting to turn it selected a straight tool that consisted of a handle with a metal rod extending from it. The rod had a flat tip that fit into the groove.
The trouble was, and still is with many old screws and screwdrivers, that the screw often wouldn’t turn. The straight screwdriver was hard to twist, and the groove in the screw could quickly become damaged and sometimes useless.
Fortunately, both screws and screwdrivers have improved. Straight screwdrivers with flat tips are still available, but there has been a virtual revolution in screwdriving technology in recent years. Do-it-yourselfers can save time and frustration by taking advantage of this revolution.
Most modern screws have either Phillips or square-drive (Robertson) recesses in their heads, which make them more durable and easier to turn. Phillips screws have an X-shaped recess; square-drive screws have a square recess. Phillips screws are the more common of the two, but people who have used both types often prefer square-drive screws because they give a better grip to the screwdriver. (A mail-order source of square-drive screws of all types and sizes is McFeely’s, Lynchburg, Va., 800-443-7937).
Many modern screws also have straight shafts so that only one “pilot hole” or starting hole needs to be drilled for them–a far cry from old-style “wood screws” with their tapered shape, which require a special drill bit or drilling of several sizes of holes to seat a screw properly.
Pilot holes are important both to ease driving the screw and help prevent splitting the wood. An old trick, which makes screwdriving even easier, is to coat the threads of the screw with wax before driving it into the wood.
Screwdriving tools also have undergone big changes. A state-of-the-art screwdriver is likely to have a hinged handle that lets the driver be bent to a pistol-grip shape to give better torque when turning.
The driver also has interchangeable bits, so that screws of different types and sizes can be turned with the same driver. Extra bits can often be stored in the handle. The driver has a magnetic tip, which helps steady screws before they are started. Finally, the driver has ratchet action, requiring much less wrist and arm movement to turn a screw.
Even old-style straight screwdrivers with flat tips have been improved. Some new models have tiny serrations at the tip to improve the grip in the screw’s groove, and the handles are frequently larger and more comfortable.
Power screwdrivers also can help save time and effort when working with screws. Cordless “drill-drivers,” which can be used either for drilling holes or driving and removing screws, are becoming increasingly popular and more powerful.
Special cordless power screwdrivers, in straight or pistol-grip shapes, also are available. A few are equipped with built-in lights.
