Take a look at these... they are amazing...
Phillips II High Performance Screws - Home
ACR drivers might or might not work better at times, have not tried the screws. For the most part still a question of the end user over the tip in my opinion. On quick
release tips and or screw guides... different topic for me.
Depends on the type of screw and application.
Hex Screw/
Bolt,
Machine Screw, Wood Screw, set screw
etc? Security in ensuring they cannot remove or not?
If just talking about a black oxide coated bugle headed drywall screw, sure
Torx, Robertson or Square drive question. Years ago in making scenery, I used to use the phillips drive screws for parts of scenery those striking the set “should take apart.” And square or Robertson screws for those striking the set (once assured there was no square drive bits on
hand), were those screws that should not be taken apart.
Torx drive drywall type screws were not out back than and I only rarely use them these days say for
scaffold plank screws in “Drillcon” form.
Overall in opinion, I still for the most part prefer a phillips drive screw. Something like 25 years of me using a drywall screw since introduced to me as a concept as opposed to
nail or wood screw along with cordless drills as opposed to
manual means and in time I have developed a certain amount of tension I hold to the screw in ensuring it properly drives without stripping until driven home at which
point the
power tool twists without need of a clutch or with a clutch setting when softer materials. Works well as with my preference of pistol
grip instead of
T-Handle power tools. Heck, even works well in technique with a DeWalt right angle cordless toll that’s totally off balance.
Benefits, one can more often with effort with a phillips drive remove the screw once painted, plastered or dirtied up. This at times is difficult and takes a more experienced
hand, fresh tip, a knife or if needed a drill out can often be done. All it takes is one stuck pebble of sand perhaps amongst other materials - a
bit of paint or what ever and you ain’t never going to take that square drive or
torx screw out.
Disadvantage, those that don’t know how to properly drive a phillips screw or using screw drivers with stripped tips, even in choosing the #1 tip in not thinking about it, often strip the screw in driving it. This much less the pressure on the tip used to remove it in general can even in black oxide coated alloy steel or 18-8 stainless screws in general strip the screw...
Often a question of proper training and use than the screw itself. Square drive and
Torx screws don’t require proper pressure on the screw to fully and properly drive them for the most part. You don’t need to be as well trained in listening the - are you “drilling that screw home” or driving it home? This by way of at times perhaps adjusting your angle and pressure and or changing your tip. That square drive tip has a lot of use in it no matter the tension especially on its tip before it gets far enough to strip a screw or tip. Once it’s gone however, might be quite a few screws that cannot be removed later by it - all a training or understanding the full concept and principles of what you are doing type of thing.
Sure, square drive you don’t need to push persay as hard to drive or remove the screw, on the other
hand it does need to be fully seated and at times with the same amateurs having problems with phillips screws, they without proper training might not have that
driver fully seated. This will strip the screw.
After that, often for me say with machine screws is a huge complaint - you don’t
stock phillips!!! “I need Phillips to replace a stripped screw we had to extract!” Most often and normally given I
stock the most well stocked fastener walls in the shop, people needing them come to see me for replacement fasteners and for a common fastener, yep it’s slotted I
stock. Sorry, my fiefdom and my choice in fastener for
machine screw. You want other types of screw, go visit another department/fiefdom and see if a) you can find what you are looking for, and b) if they have it in
stock. Otherwise get over it is my view. While I do
stock phillips in many types of screw, overall for my purposes, I would rather depend upon the proper torque a slotted screw can provide over that of a phillips screw. It’s a
machine screw and we drive them by
hand thus easy rapid install with
power tool most often isn’t necessary.
Sheetmetal screws be them thread forming, thread cutting, self drilling
etc. any number of types I
stock and in them I do prefer square drive for the most part if not slotted washer head hex drive. Tapcons - concrete screws are not well done if phillips unless in really soft material, this as with most real thick steel threading screws.
Hex head
bolt verses
socket head cap screw that uses an Allen key instead of wreanch? Depends on the situation and grade of
bolt. Alloy steel often stronger than Grade 8 in normal
bolt strength. Grade 5 stocked for common use with Grade 8 or alloy for
truss or structural use.
On the other
hand recently did a upgrade
fob for some light board which got encased within a box on a leash so it wouldn’t walk. Did some special security screws for that, this beyond other types of security screws in use be them
Torx or Hex or other. Only one in the shop that has a full security screw
bit and key kit in all forms... it limits the ability to access to lots of stuff.
All depends on the situation, application, use and skill
level just as with what thread to use NC or NF if threaded into material and
thickness which on what material to use. Love for my
ground screws for instance to use a 5/16" hex head 10-32 size thread forming green zinc plated slotted hex head 10-32
ground screw standard to the electrical industry along with a few zinc external tooth lock washers and a 18-8 grade stainless steel 3/8" hex top lock
nut.
Nut driving into the softer screw and with lock washers in use means it ain’t coming apart. Normally the
nut is of lesser grade than the
bolt but not in the case of a
ground screw where it’s useful that green color. Also as benefit, given the 5/16" drive hex of the
ground screw in addition to the slotted drive for it, this verses the 3/8" drive of the
nut assures no matter the standard tools in use especially if
nut drivers, one can properly tension such a screw without needing duplicates to tools.
Pain in the rear when especially when a small size hex
socket head screw strips out, pain when any screw strips out. Overall in my opinion, depends on the screw - this with lots of experience in cutting into any type of screw a slotted head with a die grinder so as to later attempt to remove it at best.
Phillips and slotted screws often a question of pressure on the screw and tip often not properly done, other screws a question resistance to torque given its fully seated. Seen lots of square drive, hex and
torx tips that get stripped out and can no longer
driver a screw due to not being fully seated. This much less screws driven by them or by crap in the hole that don’t allow the screw to get removed.
For me it all depends on the situation and training of the user. This and or... sorry my fiefdom stocks slotted screws for the most part, deal with them or find another supplier for fasteners often to replace what’s stripped. This much less I
stock replacement tools and tips often not asked for before long gone or broken in not asking for in driving such phillips or square drive screws.
Final big thing for me is Phillips verses PoziDrive tips for me. Really really hate PoziDrive screws, even over the weekend I was putting in some drawer glides and what was provided was the other than a phillips tip angle to the
driver which easily strips out when using a phillips tip. Years upon years of using phillips drivers on
Martin and other Euro gear be it
Soco plug or Bud Box and one day a young lady without any persay time under the belt noted the eight notches to such screws in use which instantly changed how we do things in less stripping screws once we made readily available PoziDrive screwdrivers. Really really hate PoziDrive screws. Not better than phillips, strip out more readily and while they look similar it’s totally a different tip angle and
driver. That’s a screw with a more pressure than turning force of a
driver question than phillips in stripping out more easily thing. Now just to convince the Euro’s and French that PoziDrive sucks.. This as opposed to a Robertson verses Phillips debate... that would accomplish much more. How many multi-tools come with slotted, Phillips and PoziDrive plus Robertson drivers on them???? Phillips and slotted in my opinion for normal use - just a question of proper tool use in using them. Sorry you square drivers... no real need for such a
bit type other than for an alternate tip or at times say into metal. Square drive TapCons... sure I think.