Design of a modern screwdriver
The design of any screwdriver is quite simple. It includes only three elements:
- Tip;
- Kernel;
- Pen.
The main difference between screwdrivers is the different tip shapes. The length of the rod can also change. A long rod allows you to work with distant screws or self-tapping screws, and a short one makes the screwdriver shorter, so it can be used in places where a tool with a regular rod will not fit.
The tip, or otherwise the slot, is the working part of the tool. It is located at the end of the rod. Depending on the type of screwdriver, they may vary.
The handle is necessary for convenient and efficient work with the tool. There are many pens available in different sizes and shapes. There are also handles with indication. Let's figure out what types of screwdrivers exist.
Special screwdrivers types
Unlike traditional Phillips and flathead screwdrivers, the scope of which is very, very wide, tools with a specific tip shape are suitable exclusively for working with certain types of fastener splines.
For example, to repair an iPhone you need a special Pentalobe screwdriver.
Models 4, 4S, 5 and 5S use so-called “five-point anti-vandal screws”.
Their slot shape resembles a star with rounded tops.
In the repair of miniature devices, electronics of mobile phones, players, game consoles, special high-precision screwdrivers are used.
Their tips are sharpened in full accordance with the shape of the slot of small screws.
Special watch screwdrivers occupy a special place among the tools.
They are designed to work with even the smallest watch movements.
An extremely small tip, capable of magnetizing bolts, ensures maximum ease of use.
These screwdrivers are made specifically for precision work.
Among special screwdrivers, universal tools occupy a special place.
They consist of a set of tips (bits) and a handle with a lock.
This way you can use one tool with attachments for most fastener splines.
Another type of special tool is indicator screwdrivers.
They are poorly suited for working with fasteners, and their main function is to determine phase and zero in AC networks.
Advanced models have electronic filling.
They allow you to determine the positive and negative poles of direct current.
They show the network voltage and are used to search for hidden wiring in wall panels.
Dielectric screwdrivers
These are special tools for working with electrical networks and power equipment, the voltage of which does not exceed 1000V.
The handle of such screwdrivers is made of polycarbonate or polyethylene with a polyformaldehyde coating, which ensures safety.
Reversible screwdrivers
This is another type of special tool.
Designed for tightening or unscrewing fasteners without removing the tip from them.
In the handle of such screwdrivers there is a special reversible mechanism that allows you to rotate the working part of the tool in only one direction, for example, to twist.
In this case, the opposite movement of the rod is blocked by a ratchet.
The tip remains in place, and the handle turns.
The reversible tool is convenient because it allows you to work without intercepting it with your hands.
The handle has a special travel switch, each of the two positions of which blocks rotation of the rod in a certain direction.
Let's look at the most popular, sought-after types of special slotted screwdrivers.
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Hex h or hex
The working part of a hex-type screwdriver is made in the form of a hexagon.
The additional edges of the tool provide high torque, 10 times greater than that of cross-head versions.
Hexagonal fasteners are often used in electrical equipment, the elements of which are exposed to dangerous voltage.
Star-shaped
Screwdrivers with a special star-shaped tip are used to work with various electronics.
The cross-section of the tip is made in the shape of a star (six-pointed, five-pointed, eight-pointed).
This increases their torque and adhesion to fasteners and reduces the applied force.
This type of tips reduces the likelihood of “licking” the slot.
As a rule, such special tools are made in the form of a handle with a rod.
On the rod there is a mount for removable tips of various shapes and sizes.
Unique of its kind is the EIGHT-WING slot, made in the form of an eight-pointed star, in the center of which there is a guide hole.
Square
A screwdriver slot whose working part is square in cross-section is known as a square slot.
Another name for this option is SQUARE HEAD.
Less common is SQUARE TEMPER RESISTANT - a square in the center of which there is a hole for the guide.
U-shaped
The tips of special U-shaped screwdrivers in longitudinal section are similar to the letter U of the English alphabet.
Finding them is much more difficult than standard ones, even in specialized stores.
They are made for fasteners, on the head of which there are two holes on the opposite side and at an equal distance from the center.
Tools with a U-shaped tip are the fork type.
Fork
Fork tips of screwdrivers are usually available in versions with two antennae, called U-shaped.
Options with three or more splines are very rare, and a tool for working with such splines is extremely difficult to find, unless on special order.
Triangular
Screwdriver tips whose cross-section is made in the form of an equilateral triangle are called Triangle.
Fasteners with this form of slots are found, although rarely, in toys and computer equipment.
For One-way slot
The One-way slot is used in threaded connections intended for tightening only.
Fasteners with such a slot are used in places where additional protection against vandalism is required.
For example, in public transport.
For tightening, use an ordinary flat screwdriver.
To unscrew, say, a One-way slotted screw, you will have to resort to additional measures, for example, cutting a groove for a straight slot.
Sometimes you have to spot weld a metal rod, or even drill out the cap.
Bristol
The tips of special screwdrivers for a Bristol slot in cross section resemble a six-pointed gear.
You can try to unscrew a fastener with such a slot using a flat-head screwdriver of a suitable size, but if unsuccessful, the fastener will have to be drilled out.
Bristol spline tools are popular among service center workers and various electronics workshops.
Torq-Set
The tips of special Torq-Set screwdrivers are designed in the form of four wings.
In cross section they resemble a cruciform version, but the so-called “wings” are not located opposite each other, but are slightly offset from the center.
For Torx slot
Special Torx screwdrivers are mainly used in various service centers and workshops.
This is dictated by the fact that bolts and screws with a six-pointed star slot are a common occurrence in electronics, for example, in mobile phones.
It is not uncommon to make magnetic tips for such screwdrivers, which allows you to comfortably work with small parts and prevent their loss.
For star spline
A star spline differs from a star spline in that in cross section it looks like a star with sharp vertices.
At the same time, the star-shaped slot may have rounded or blunt tops.
Flat
The simplest type of screwdriver. The tip is made in the shape of a flat blade. Depending on the type of fastener, there are screwdrivers with different tip sizes, which are indicated on the screwdriver.
This tool is mainly used to perform simple operations. It is suitable for simple single notch screws and electrical fasteners.
Because the force is applied to the two ends of the slot, the tool may slip out of the screw.
Special types of screwdrivers
Special types of screwdrivers are used for self-tapping screws and screws that have special requirements, for example, the presence of protection against unscrewing or maximum torque when tightening in the head.
These types are mainly used for professional fields , in particular mechanical engineering or the electrical industry. Special types of instruments of this type include:
- Torx with center pin.
- Torq-Set is a device with an asymmetrical cross-section, the feature of which is the strong tightening of the screw. Intended for use exclusively in the aviation industry.
- Tri-Wing is an instrument whose cross-section is shaped like a trefoil. Used in aviation and in the installation of electronic devices.
- Spanner or two-prong screwdriver. Used for installation of elevators, where anti-vandal protection is provided.
Also, different types of tools differ in size and handle materials. Some of them have plastic handles, while others have rubber handles.
Phillips screwdrivers: description, dimensions and characteristics
Phillips-type screwdrivers are among the most popular; they are good because they fit a large number of screws or self-tapping screws. Such products are marked with a cross and the letters PH .
Based on the size of the cross and the number, you can determine the size of the product itself. The smallest cross tools are numbered 000 (at 1.5 mm) and are used when repairing cameras or mobile phones.
Next are the following sizes:
The most used model is the second size with a magnetic tip. And the largest tool in size, the fourth, is used when repairing cars or other large equipment.
The marking also contains information about the thickness of the tool rod. The higher the number, the thicker the rod will be. And the length of the rod is selected depending on the type of work. The smallest screwdrivers with short handles are needed for work in tight spaces, and long ones are used where access to the fastener is difficult.
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To make your future work with a Phillips screwdriver easier, you need to choose it very carefully in terms of size. Make sure that the size of its tip matches the slot of the screw.
If they do not correspond to each other, then you can damage either the material or the instrument itself. In order not to make a mistake, it is better to take screwdrivers of different sizes. The same masters always prefer to use sets for different needs.
What do PH, PZ and PX mean on Phillips screwdrivers?
When purchasing a Phillips screwdriver, many people pay attention to the letter markings. What do they mean?
So, the Ph marking, as already mentioned, denotes all Phillips screwdrivers . The meaning of this mark is short for Phillips, a company that has patents for screws with cross-shaped recesses and screwdrivers for them.
Modern modifications of screwdrivers, marked as Ph, have additional notches , which are fixed in the head of the screw more tightly, as a result of which the screwdriver does not jump out of your hands.
The Pz marking marks more advanced modifications of the screwdriver equipped with a cross-shaped blade. Full name Pozidriv. Unlike the first type, this modification is equipped with additional beams, and the tip can be fixed in the fastener head even more reliably.
Products of this type are used in areas such as:
- Furniture assembly.
- Installation of wooden products.
- Installation of plasterboard products.
- Installation of structures based on aluminum profiles.
But screwdrivers labeled as PX are the most modern and improved models. The cross-shaped blade is small, blunt, and is designed to work with mobile phone fasteners.
There are also a number of other cross-shaped tools, which, like other figured products, are used much less frequently than others and have a professional purpose . Among them:
- Phillips Square-Driv.
- Philips Quadrex.
Cross
A tool with a more complex tip, which is a cross slot.
This screwdriver can also be called by another name - Phillips.
- Unlike a flat-head screwdriver, a Phillips screwdriver has greater contact with the threads of a screw or self-tapping screw.
- Due to this, the likelihood of the tip slipping out of the slots is reduced, and screwing in/unscrewing is simplified.
The disadvantage is the possibility of damaging the screw threads.
Components
In an ordinary screwdriver, familiar to everyone since childhood, there are three components: a tip, a rod and a handle.
All of them must be made of high-quality material, since the main criterion of such a tool is strength, which depends on the reliability and durability of each element. Varieties of tips duplicate all types of fastener splines, which are used for various economic and production needs. For a long time, straight spline fasteners were the most widely used fastener. However, in terms of durability, it left much to be desired, as it became deformed after several uses. Gradually it was replaced by another type of cutting on the caps and heads of fasteners. Therefore, the tool with a flat tip faded into the background.
Cross-shaped slots withstand several working cycles due to the uniform distribution of pressure on the plane of the head. Accordingly, their torque is higher, screws and screws fit into the desired surface more easily. Phillips head screwdrivers are the most common type of tool. For the greatest effort there are hexagonal slots and screwdrivers. Other types of tips are less common.
To work productively with screwdrivers, you need to take into account not only the shape of the tip, but also its length. There is a misconception that a tool with a short tip is universal. This is incorrect, because this end applies the greatest force to the point of impact and, as a rule, the spline breaks off (even a Phillips one), or the device itself breaks.
The third quality of a tip is hardness. The fragile tip will break if the pressure is not very strong. The right material and hardening will help achieve this quality. For clear fixation in the slot, the tip must have roughness or notches. Often a special coating is applied to the edge of the screwdriver. For ease of use in uncomfortable, cramped conditions, screwdrivers with a magnetized end have recently appeared.
The axial part of the screwdriver, like the others, must be durable. GOST prescribes its limits from 42 to 52HRC (Rockwell hardness unit on the C scale). At low values the rod will bend, at high values it will burst. Therefore, high-carbon alloy steel is used in manufacturing. It is determined by the marking on the rod chrome - vanadium.
To protect against corrosion, the axial parts are coated with various coatings. There is a tool with a rubber or plastic coating. Most likely, this is a special insulated device of an electrician. The most common devices are those with a base length of 100-200 millimeters. This is optimal for most operations performed with screwdrivers. In tight places, small ones are used, and in hard-to-reach places, elongated or telescopic tools are used.
The diameter of the rod depends on the dimensions of the tip and the applied loads. Its cross-section is most often round. To strengthen it, it is made square or hexagonal. This shape allows you to hook the screwdriver with a wrench to increase the force.
It is important how the axis is secured in the handle. This can only be verified in practice. If the supplier has not paid due attention to this, the rod will quickly become loose and spin in the body. Such damage cannot be restored.
Tool handle
Wood, plastic, and other materials are all suitable for making screwdriver handles. For convenience, they may have rubberized sides. The dimensions of such devices are selected based on working conditions. The diameter is always proportional to them. For small fasteners, a tool with a thinner handle is suitable to avoid stripping the thread or slot.
The shape of the handle should provide a tight, comfortable fit in the hand. But a number of manufacturers, in an effort to distinguish their products from similar ones, forget about this. Market newcomers are especially guilty of this. Rubberized handles are comfortable to hold in your hand, but when exposed to a chemically active environment, they are destroyed. Pistol grips add pressure, but are not very compact.
A useful device is a hole in the handle where a cord or belt is threaded for attaching to a belt.
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Hexagon
A hex or HEX screwdriver has a tip with six edges. This solution increases the torque by 10 times, compared with a simple Phillips screwdriver.
There are three models of HEX screwdrivers:
- Interior;
- External;
- Vibration-proof.
All types of hex screws are equally effective.
Square
A rare type of screwdriver that is most often found in the USA. The reason is that they are used to repair old American cars.
The tip of such a tool can have the shape of several squares connected to each other.
Cross-shaped with guides
This type differs from the cross ones in that the tip has the shape of two crosses. One is basic, and the second is an order of magnitude smaller. This shape allows the screw to go deeper into the grooves than a Phillips screwdriver and achieve greater stability of the tool.
Unfortunately, the modified tip shape does not eliminate this type from the disadvantage of Phillips screwdrivers.
Star-shaped
Torx screwdrivers have much more torque than other types. A tool with such a tip will not slip or damage the screw grooves.
Due to the special shape of the tip, such a tool has an increased service life.
Such screwdrivers can be used when repairing cars of German brands.
How to choose a screwdriver (step-by-step instructions)
The choice of tool depends on what work needs to be done. When choosing a screwdriver, you should pay attention to its characteristics:
- Alloy. It is important that the alloy from which the screwdriver shaft is made is durable and of high quality. Chrome vanadium alloy is considered the most optimal.
- Strength of the rod. This parameter must be indicated on the shaft or handle of the screwdriver. The optimal strength parameter is 47-52. Tools with other values tend to bend or crack.
- Equipment. For convenient work, it is important that the handle of the tool is made of high-quality material that will not slip out of your hands. Also, magnetic coating on the tip will help when working with small screws.
Manufacturers
Among the masters, Swiss and German instruments occupy a special place.
They are reliable, durable, have high quality workmanship and a good margin of safety.
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Today, some domestic manufacturers are trying to keep up with their foreign counterparts, offering really good screwdrivers and their sets with a quality guarantee.
As for instruments from China, it should be remembered that the years of “Chinese junk” are long behind us.
Products from modern China are offered in two versions: cheap disposable and high-quality at an affordable price.
Among the Chinese instruments you can find high-quality and inexpensive specimens, and this is due to the low cost of production.
For rare minor home repairs, a simple Chinese tool is also suitable.
But its reliability is always in question.
It happens that on the very first day of use the tip splits into two parts right in the slot.
A more common occurrence is the handle turning, when it rotates freely in both directions, but the rod remains in place.
In any case, the specialists themselves know which tool they need from which manufacturer.
And beginners will choose good options for themselves, based on their future experience and the recommendations of more “advanced” comrades.
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Almost every home has such a universal working tool as a screwdriver. Its versatility is ensured by a large number of tips that can be used for various needs.
What types of screwdrivers are there, what features they have and what their sizes are, we will look at below. We will pay special attention to cross-shaped products.
Safety precautions when working with a screwdriver
Using the tool for other purposes or in disregard of safety precautions may result in personal injury. In order to avoid unwanted consequences when using a screwdriver, you should adhere to the following rules:
- Before you begin, you need to decide on the type of screwdriver. Use only the type of tool that matches the fastener.
- It is prohibited to use a screwdriver for purposes other than its intended purpose. If the tip is damaged, the tool cannot be used.
- When working under voltage, the handle and rod must be insulated and free from any mechanical damage. During operation, it is prohibited to touch the screwdriver shaft, even if it is insulated.
- During operation, the screwdriver should be positioned along the fastener.
Main types of screwdrivers
For a long time, two types of screwdrivers were used to loosen and tighten fasteners. They are still in use in all spheres of human activity. But, besides them, other types of tools have appeared that make work easier. Their classification is related to the structure of the sting.
The main advantage of this device is its ability to be used for many tasks. A slotted screwdriver, the dimensions of which correspond to the size of the fastener, can be used anywhere. With this tool you can open a lock, configure elements of an electronic circuit, and use it in debugging mechanical devices.
When unscrewing, you do not need to press hard on the tool. The tip itself is fixed in the slot and does not jump out if the gap between them is minimal. A well-fitted handle provides good torque, which can be enhanced with a hex rod using a wrench.
The only drawback is that it works in one plane due to the original design of the tool. If you slightly distort the force applied, the screwdriver will slip out of the groove.
Crosshead screwdriver
This type of tool appeared to replace a flat screwdriver. This design of the slot, unlike its competitor, ensures tighter wrapping and its preservation under greater effort and several cycles.
The main type of cross-shaped fasteners and tools now is the Philips design. This has nothing to do with the world famous electronics manufacturer. It’s just that the inventor of the slot had that last name. The cross-shaped structure of the slot allows you to tighten the screw with a slight inclination without damaging the surface of the head and without reducing the applied force.
But this design also has its drawbacks:
- The use of such screwdrivers encounters high mechanical loads when pressed, which leads to tip wear.
- Strong axial force tires the worker during a significant number of operations.
- It is not possible to produce a very small tool due to the nature of the spline design. The consequence of this is limited application.
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This slot is called Pozidriv and is distinguished by stronger fixation in the slot and less ability to work at an angle. Such screwdrivers have their own area of application:
- Furniture manufacturing.
- Installation of plasterboard products.
- Installation of partitions made of aluminum profiles.
To work with double Phillips screwdrivers, self-tapping screws of the appropriate profile are produced, usually golden in color.
Possible breakdowns
Despite the simple design of screwdrivers, they are prone to breakage.
If used or stored incorrectly, the handle, tip or shaft of the screwdriver may break.
If the handle is faulty, it can be replaced with another suitable one. If it is impossible to replace the handle, the screwdriver is discarded. A common problem is a dull tip.
- This can happen if the tool is misused or used regularly. You can sharpen the slot with a grinder.
- There are a large number of screwdrivers in the world that are designed for different types of work.
- Depending on the shape of the tip, they are used for screwing in/unscrewing self-tapping screws, screws, etc.
Before you start work, you should choose the right tool. If you select the equipment incorrectly, the fasteners may be damaged.
When using a screwdriver, you must adhere to safety precautions. This guarantees safe and high-quality work.
Screwdriver materials
It is clear that we are not talking about Chinese-made screwdrivers, which are made from something unknown, but certainly not from high-quality metal. Normal screwdrivers are made from high quality steel or alloys that are very durable. Also, blued steel or chromium-molybdenum alloy are often used. In addition to the metal, which is used as a base for screwdrivers, the handle is also a very important component. If it is made of dielectric material, such a screwdriver can be used in live networks. However, most of them are only suitable for operation at voltages of no more than 1 kV.
Thus, now you know almost everything about screwdrivers. More detailed information can be found in the sections of standardization according to GOST. After all, most modern screwdrivers continue to be produced according to this standard, adopted several decades ago. When buying a screwdriver, pay attention to this quality mark, or to the ISO standard marking, which corresponds to the European standard.
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Question: What is screwed in with a screwdriver, 5 letters, starts with Ш, ends with P
5 letter word: The first letter is Ш, the second letter is U, the third letter is Р, the fourth letter is У, the fifth letter is П
Full answer to the crossword puzzle: SCREW
A little bit of history
First, a little history. It is difficult to say when and where the first screw appeared. The first mentions of screws date back to the 16th century; it can be assumed that the screwdriver appeared at about the same time. The original shape of the screw head was a rectangle or square. We must not forget that everything was made by hand forging. However, this shape limited the ability to tighten the screw too much, especially in hard-to-reach places.
Then the hexagon was invented, which led to the introduction of a wrench with six settings in a 360° range. Socket wrenches appeared, providing vertical access to the screw head and the ability to conveniently tighten it with the application of any necessary force.
And, one day, a thought flashed through a person’s mind: “Why, in fact, is there a key? Why can’t you cut a groove in the head and work the screw with a flat-ended rod?” - this is how a slot appeared, and after it a screwdriver. Why the tool was called a screwdriver and not a “screwdriver” (after all, the screw is first tightened) remains a mystery.
Splines
Many years passed, many slots were torn off and screwdrivers were broken before users received the tool so necessary in everyday life and production. The design of the screwdriver - the length and diameter of the rod, the shape and size of the handle - began to provide convenient and high-quality work in specific conditions, with specific technological requirements.
At the moment, there are several types of screwdrivers, which is determined by the necessary correspondence between the slotted part of the screwdriver and the slot on the screw (screw, self-tapping screw). Therefore, it is important to immediately clarify this issue.
