This Old House Magazine: Taming of the Screw By Jordan Reed, Photos by David Prince
From This Old House Magazine
When young Tom Silva and his brothers started their building careers 35 years ago, nearly everything was fastened with nails. Screws, while far stronger, took too much time and effort to twist into wood. "We'd never use screws on a subfloor or drywall," he says. "Nailing was much faster." Besides, all they needed to drive nails was a hammer. To turn screws, they used either screwdrivers, which soon left hands and forearms screaming for mercy, or a cumbersome U-shaped crank called a bit brace—a tool with an antediluvian pedigree and all the speed of a Galapagos tortoise. But with the arrival about 15 years ago of Phillips-head bits for power drills, screwdriving became as commonplace on job sites as hammering. These days, Tom's array of power drivers ranges from a jack-of-all-trades 9-volt cordless drill to a self-feeding screwgun that sinks screws in drywall as fast as he can pull the trigger. But Tom still carries a four-way manual screwdriver with him for delicate work, such as attaching door hardware, and for spots where a power tool won't fit. "And once in a great while, I'll even break out the bit brace," he says. "Just for old times' sake."
___________________________________________
Auto-feed screwguns automatically reload the bit after each fastener is sunk, allowing a renovator to whiz through projects. This battery-powered, 2,300-rpm screwgun can shoot over 600 screws into drywall before the power pack runs down.
___________________________________________
For emergencies and routine chores, every homeowner needs to keep a couple of manual screwdrivers on hand: one with a straight bit (right) for slot-head screws and one with a Phillips bit (left) for most others. Their ergonomic handles allow a more powerful grip for improved torque (turning power) and reduced slipping.
___________________________________________
Operating at up to 4,000 rpm, this corded screwgun—meant strictly for installing drywall—takes one screw at a time, and has a magnetic tip affording one-handed application and an adjustable nosepiece to stop overdriving.
___________________________________________
You never have to release your grip on the handle of a ratcheting screwdriver, so there's less chance that the bit will slip out of the screw head. In its pistol-grip position, the six-bit, hinge-handled model, left, delivers higher torque while keeping the wrist comfortably straight. Fifteen bits hide in the handle of its neighbor, right, enough to match most screw heads.
___________________________________________
A screwgun fitted with a 22-inch auto-feed extension, such as this 3,500-rpm version, saves wear and tear on knees and backs when fastening subflooring or decking to joists, or drywall to the ceiling.
_________________________________________
One good turn deserves another
Tom Silva's Screwdriving Tips 1. Drill first. "The best way to put a screw into wood is to drill a pilot hole first," Tom says. Because of this hole, which should be a hair smaller than the screw shaft, "the screw drives easier, holds better, and is less likely to split the wood." 2. Lather up. If working with a manual screwdriver, Tom lubricates screw shafts with soap or paraffin wax to help twist them in. "You need all the help you can get driving a screw with your wrist or arm," he says. "And you're less likely to damage or strip the work if the screw is lubed." 3. Engage the clutch. Tom recommends that power-driving novices take advantage of the drill's clutch, an adjustable feature that stops the chuck from spinning if the bit encounters too much resistance. "This reduces the possibility of stripping the head," says Tom, "which is a particular problem with smaller screws."
| |
)
)
)
)
)
)
