What Are Some General Safety Tips To Know When Using Screwdrivers?

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 What is the use of screw driver?

Screwdriver, tool, usually hand-operated, for turning screws with slotted heads. For screws with one straight diametral slot
cut across the head, standard screwdrivers with flat blade tips and in a variety of sizes are used.
 How are screws used?
Screws are used to hold things together as they pull or push the object. Screws may also be used for lifting heavy objects
and to tighten things, like the vice in the image to the right. Because of the screw's ridges, a screwdriver is used to drive
a screw into wood as it is turned in a circular motion.
What are some general safety tips to know when using screwdrivers?
Screwdrivers are made in various shapes and sizes and for many uses. Use the correct
screwdriver for the job.

 Always match the screwdriver to the screw head, both in terms of size and type.
 Choose contoured handles that fit the shank tightly, with a flange to keep the hand
from slipping off the tool.
 Use a slot screwdriver with a blade tip width that is the same as the width of slotted
screw head.
 For cross head screws, use the correct size and type of screwdriver: a Phillips
screwdriver may slip out of a screw head designed for use with the slightly, flatter-
tipped Pozidriv screwdriver.
 Use a vise or clamp to hold the stock if the piece is small or moves easily.
 Wear safety glasses or a face shield (with safety glasses or goggles) that is
appropriate for the hazards of the work you are doing.
 Keep the screwdriver handle clean. A greasy handle could cause an injury or damage
from unexpected slippage.
 Shut off electricity before beginning work on electrical equipment (lock out, de-
energize and tag out).
 If work must be carried out on "live" equipment, use screwdrivers that have insulated
handles designed for electrical work and a non-conducting shaft.  Remember, most
plastic handles are designed for grip and comfort.
 Use non-magnetic tools when working near strong magnets (e.g., in some
laboratories).
 Use a screw-holding screwdriver (with screw-holding clips or magnetic blades) to get
screws started in awkward, hard-to-reach areas. Square-tipped screwdrivers (e.g.,
Robertson) that hold screws with recessed square holes are also useful in such
situations.
 Use an offset screwdriver in close quarters where a conventional screwdriver cannot
be used.

Offset Screwdriver

 Use a screwdriver that incorporates the following features when continuous work is
needed:
o A pistol grip to provide for a straighter wrist and better leverage.
o A "Yankee drill" mechanism (spiral ratchet screwdriver or push screwdriver)
which rotates the blade when the tool is pushed forward.
o A ratchet device to drive hard-to-move screws efficiently.
 Or use a powered screwdriver.

Yankee Drill Mechanism with a Pistol Grip

 File a rounded tip square making sure the edges are straight. A dull or rounded tip can
slip out of the slot and cause hand injury or damage to materials.
 Store screwdrivers in a rack or partitioned pouch so that the proper screwdriver can
be selected quickly.
What should I avoid doing?

 Do not lean or push on a screwdriver with any more force than necessary to keep
contact with the screw. A screw properly piloted and fitted will draw itself into the
right position when turned. Keep the shank directly over the screw being driven.
 Do not hold the stock in one hand while using the screwdriver with the other. If the
screwdriver slips out of the slot, you may cut your hand.
 Do not hammer screws which cannot be turned.
 Do not grind the tip to fit all sizes of screw heads.
 Do not try to use screwdrivers on screw heads for which they are not designed (e.g.,
straight blade screwdrivers on Phillips, clutch head, Torx or multi-flutted spline screw
heads).
 Do not use defective screwdrivers (i.e., ones with rounded or damaged edges or tips;
split or broken handle; or bent shaft).
 Do not use a screwdriver for prying, punching, chiseling, scoring, scraping or stirring
paint.
 Do not use pliers on the handle of a screwdriver for extra turning power. A wrench
should only be used on the square screwdriver shank designed for that purpose.
 Do not expose a screwdriver blade to excessive heat. Heat can affect the temper of the
metal and weaken the tool.
 Do not use a screwdriver to check if an electrical circuit is live. Use a suitable meter
or other circuit testing device.
 Do not carry screwdrivers in your pockets.

 What is the function of Phillips screwdriver?


Phillips screw heads allow a tighter fit than a flat head screw, which is why most factories and handymen use
them. The screws tend to be lightweight and relatively small. The trick is to match your screwdriver to the type
and size of screws you're using.
 How would you describe a screwdriver?
A screwdriver is a tool, manual or powered, used for screwing (installing) and unscrewing (removing) screws. A typical
simple screwdriver has a handle and a shaft, ending in a tip the user puts into the screw head before turning the handle. ...
The shaft is usually made of tough steel to resist bending or twisting.

 Phillips screwdriver uses

Phillips screw heads allow a tighter fit than a flat head screw, which is why most factories and handymen use them. The
screws tend to be lightweight and relatively small. The trick is to match your screwdriver to the type and size of screws
you're using. Your choice of screw depends on the type of job you're doing.

PHILLIPS DRIVE
Of course Phillips drive screws are far more common, and are what the rest of the world outside of the boat building fraternity uses
when reaching for a common cross headed screw to fasten drywall, build a deck, or put together some furniture. They can be had in
any hardware store, along with the screwdrivers and bits to drive them with.
Philips screws have a much rounder tip, and a finer angle on the "V" crosses. This makes quickly inserting a driver faster, but does
result in a less secure fitment with less surface area of the driver bit in contact with the screw.

Phillips head screws were designed as a direct solution to problems with slotted screws. They had more precise alignment of the
driver, which avoided slippage and they were much easier to drive with power tools.

The design is often criticized for it's tendency to strip or cam out, even when low amounts of torque is applied. Clever people making
clever excuses for the drive called it a "feature", allowing assembly of more delicate parts without overtightening the fasteners. If it
was a feature, then the original inventor John P. Thompson surely didn't know about it because it was never mentioned in the
original design patents.


 Reed and Prince/Frearson bits look like Phillips but are more pointy.

 THE FREARSON DRIVE


 The Frearson screw drive, also known as a Reed & Prince (R&P) may look similar to a Phillips, but the shape is different
in a beneficial way to the wood boat builder. The Frearson has a sharper tip and large V-shaped angle. The recess in the
fitting is a perfectly formed, sharp cross and that allows for a higher amount of torque to be applied before stripping out.
They're common in the marine industry, and boat builders wanting to apply larger amounts of torque on screws in
hardwood timbers tend to prefer using them with power tools. Frearsons have a much greater amount of resistance to
"camming out" or stripping when torque is applied.
 The drive dates all the way back to 1873 when it was invented by British engineer, John Frearson and it's still a favorite of
boat builders today. Many classic boats, including Chris Crafts and Gar Wood for example are fastened with Frearson
wood screws. Frearson drive are also commonly referred to as Reed & Prince drives, or R&P, as they were well known
during their time being manufactured by Reed & Prince Manufacturing Company of Worcester (prounced wooster of
course!), Massachusetts.

 Standard torx
Torx (pronounced /tɔːrks/) is a trademark for a type of screw drive characterized by a 6-point star-shaped pattern, developed in
1967[1] by Camcar Textron.[2] A popular generic name for the drive is star, as in star screwdriver or star bits. The official generic
name, standardized by the International Organization for Standardization as ISO 10664, is hexalobular internal.[3] This is
sometimes abbreviated in databases and catalogs as 6lobe (starting with the numeral 6, not the capital letter G). Torx Plus, Torx
Paralobe and Torx ttap are improved head profiles.
Torx screws are commonly found on automobiles, motorcycles, bicycle brake systems (disc brakes), hard disk
drives, computer systems and consumer electronics. Initially, they were sometimes used in applications requiring tamper
resistance, since the drive systems and screwdrivers were not widely available; as drivers became more common, tamper-
resistant variants, as described below, were developed.[4] Torx screws are also becoming increasingly popular in construction
industries.
Torx Screwdrivers
Torx screwdrivers have distinctive 6-point star shaped head which mate perfectly with appropriately sized screw heads. The unique Torx design means that there
is less likelihood that the screw head will be stripped or the screwdriver damaged. Torx screwdrivers can last up to ten times longer than regular screwdrivers due
to the resilience of the design.

Combination Pliers

These multipurpose tools have three separate sections in the jaws. From the tip, the first part is a serrated
gripping surface. A round serrated section behind this makes gripping tubes and other thick round objects
easier.

Finally, the section closest to the fulcrum contains a cutting surface. Often mistaken for linesman pliers, the
latter lacks a rounded center section in the jaws

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