Lately, I have been doing alot of drilling and using wood screws with each project. This may sound so amatuerish to everyone, but, since I am one, well, it sounds normal to me. Every time that I put a screw into wood, I always strip the head and leave them half in something. I don't even have an extractor set, and some of them tend to be in tight spots in between the frame of the garage for example, so I had to put the screw in at an angle. I always drill pilot holes one measurement smaller so the screws will "bite" into the wood, which I was always taught. No matter what they all look like a real shoddy job. What am I doing wrong? Besides more experience, what do I need??? Please help this poor shmuck!
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Are you using screws with a phillips head? Those have a tendency to strip if enough pressure isn't used.
I like the square head and torx bits, and although they are more expensive, they don't strip.
What type of screws are you using? Hopefully not drywall screws. Deck screws tend to hold up better. Make sure you put firm pressure on the back side of the drill as you drive the screws .
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I agree, in essence Phillips and flat drive screws are fundamentally flawed, flats have very little surface for the screw driver blade to bite on and Phillips have a taper that encourages the driver to lift out of the screw. I too favor torx and square drive.
Something that will help you is to have a bar of soap with you, just rub the screw on the soap a little before driving it in, the soap will act as a lubricant and make your life much easier.
If your using a drill to drive the screws in make sure you keep constant firm pressure on the drill.Little about a lot and a lot about a little.
Every day is a learning day.
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Originally posted by pushkins View PostI agree, in essence Phillips and flat drive screws are fundamentally flawed, flats have very little surface for the screw driver blade to bite on and Phillips have a taper that encourages the driver to lift out of the screw. I too favor torx and square drive.
Something that will help you is to have a bar of soap with you, just rub the screw on the soap a little before driving it in, the soap will act as a lubricant and make your life much easier.
If your using a drill to drive the screws in make sure you keep constant firm pressure on the drill.
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If it's for a quick fix and NOT exterior then the drywall screws will do just fine, they are not ideal. Drywall screws have very little strength so don't use them where that is needed, they are designed and intended for use in drywall. If you ever try to install drywall screws into hard wood like aged oak or even old pine studs (old homes) the screws will more often then not snap.Little about a lot and a lot about a little.
Every day is a learning day.
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Originally posted by pushkins View PostIf it's for a quick fix and NOT exterior then the drywall screws will do just fine, they are not ideal. Drywall screws have very little strength so don't use them where that is needed, they are designed and intended for use in drywall. If you ever try to install drywall screws into hard wood like aged oak or even old pine studs (old homes) the screws will more often then not snap.
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I would recommend square drive exterior screws, square drive because they are hard to strip and the driver never backs out, and exterior simply because you can use them in and outside (kinda 2 for 1 deal). They are strong and have considerable shear strength. Seldom require pre drilling, they might be a little expensive for a DIYer at $28/box but a box is going to last a home DIYer a long time.
As a note: never use drywall screws to hold up cabinetry, drywall screws have very little (to none) shear strength and all weight on upper cabinets is stress on screws in a"shear" plane.Little about a lot and a lot about a little.
Every day is a learning day.
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Screw stripping...
Not to mention...use a new, or 'fresh' screw driver tip. The screw driver tips often get slightly rounded on the edges. When that happens, the tips roll out of the screw slots much easier and that in turn rounds the edges of the screw slots. A complete surface contact is what's needed. For slotted screws, the proper sized flat screw driver blade with sharp edges will fill the slot side to side and be the full length of the slot, too. If the blade is thinner than the screw slot, then only the leading edges of the screwdriver are contacting the screw. Sounds like a lot of over-kill drivel, but filling the screw slots completely, phillips or flat, will help a lot. And consider the many different shapes and sizes of phillips. Fit the screw driver tip to the screw and check it closely. A Reid Prince looks an awful lot like a #2 at a quick glance.
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Originally posted by pushkins View PostI would recommend square drive exterior screws, square drive because they are hard to strip and the driver never backs out, and exterior simply because you can use them in and outside (kinda 2 for 1 deal). They are strong and have considerable shear strength. Seldom require pre drilling, they might be a little expensive for a DIYer at $28/box but a box is going to last a home DIYer a long time.
As a note: never use drywall screws to hold up cabinetry, drywall screws have very little (to none) shear strength and all weight on upper cabinets is stress on screws in a"shear" plane.
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