Using a drill/screwing

[Otleybee]

I would agree with selecting spax screws. They are by far the best although I still drill small pilot holes to reduce the chance of splitting. With the right tools all laid out on the bench I build about three supers or brood boxes per hour.

 

[Hombre]

I use turbo gold screws from Screwfix. 4mm x 50mm, but others may use different lengths depending on the exact application. I use either a 1.5mm or 2mm drill to pilot; not so much to make the screws go in easily, but to ensure that they go in exactly in the right direction.

http://www.screwfix.com/p/turbogold-countersunk-screws-4-x-50mm-pack-of-200/12110
I have a packet of ten bits like this, but they are about two years old and I can't find the exact item any longer. I've used three. If they get damaged throw them away and use another one, but I have found them to be robust.

http://www.screwfix.com/p/erbauer-bits-set-pozi-2-pack/22441

I glue and cramp, then drill and screw so that I can move the cramps on to the next job without waiting for the glue to dry.

 

[Teemore]

Turbogold/TurboUltra are good - I took advantage of an offer Screwfix had last year to stock up on 40mm screws. They are a handy size to have around.

I'm just about ready for a new set of pozi2 bits - my sister borrowed my cordless drill, drill bits and driver bits at Christmas and managed to chew up several pozi2 bits...... Screwfix are handy for stuff like this but it pays to watch for their offers. For small orders it may well be more cost effective to call in to your local builders merchant.

 

[oliver90owner]

My stock of screws are from about 10mm to 100mm. The intermediate sizes are also stocked in different diameters.

As Hombre, I often pilot for the threaded part of the ssrew and very often for the unthreaded shank. It may depend on whether the screws are being used to pull the component parts together or whether they were clamped tightly in position before fixing. All operational decisions.

I also use a lot of screws 'on the tosh' in pairs - making a far stronger joint (the downside is the appearance, as the screw heads are not exactly flat). But I am not using screws for their appearance. If I were wanting the aesthetics improving, I would obviously counterbore before countersinking and use a plug over the screw head, or use filler to cover the screws.

Why different diameters? If there is a problem with a smaller diameter, a larger (and possibly longer) screw can often be utilised - this is apart from other considerations of material type, etc.

Screws 'on the tosh' are far more effective when screwing into end grain. A 'to the limit' analogy here is perhaps considering fitting bottom bars to frames (OK, only one fixing and it is a nail). Into the end grain of the side bar is retained 'adequately for purpose' and is easy to remove later, when changing wax - across the grain fixes them far more strongly and it would be a right pain to remove a bottom bar, later).

Cheap driver tips are worse than useless, and cheap (as in low quality) screws compound the issue. Good screws will smash the cheap tips and soft screw heads will wear the tips unnecessarily. Good screws (I use Reisser for my demanding tasks, but cheaper screws for lesser loaded situations). Remember it may require much more torque to remove a screw than for insertion. I never buy really cheap and crappy screws. There are some out there that are good value and some that are rubbish. If I cannot drive them fully, directly into a hard wood, and remove them, without damaging the head they are no good to me.

A little more to fixings than might seem the case, but I can remember drilling out damaged screws (poorly hardened heads) and replacing them (screws bought on cost consideration). Time consuming and a right pain. We changed to Reissers and the whole operation proved far cheaper in the long run - no damaged screws, tips lasted longer and much less hassle.

A mains powered electric drill is not the tool for a novice to practise with. I used Bosch and Hitachi battery powered drivers for ten years, or more. The replacement Bosch driver (don't do as much, these days) has proved to be of rubbish quality. Sorry Mr Bosch, but ergonomically poor, and battery life abysmal.

Hope this helps the budding chippies who don't use the 'Birmingham screwdriver technique' (screw hammered in and just tightened the last (very) few turns).

RAB

 

[the naked beekeeper]

Brilliant replies. Thanks everyone. Far more in depth than I had even hoped for.

The main theme seems to be decent screws and decent bits.

I hope maybe other novices can learn from this thread too.

 

[Hombre]

I noticed at a local Tesco Express over the Christmas period, rechargeable electric screw drivers 4.7V £10. The batteries are NiCad and built in, but worth a look. When I last looked they had quite a few left.

I bought two. You can't have too many rotating thingies. I haven't used either of them yet . . . but it should save me swapping between drill and screwdriver bit perhaps.

 

[ROCKIT]

And, it does help if your drill/driver has a progressive start on the switch.
What I mean by that is it will run very slowly when you start to press the trigger and will speed up the harder you press the thing.
Early style battery drills just had a switch style trigger which went at full pelt on the first touch! No good as a screwdriver!

 

[onriver]

lots of alternatives but DeWalt takes the crown

 

[tonybloke]

regarding the packs of 25 dewalt (other brands are available)pozi No 2 bits on offer for about a fiver.
some might consider this good value?
my dad still has his original 'yankee' screwdriver and bits, they must be 40 yrs old, and the screwdriver heads haven't worn at all, despite many years of use. perhaps tool steel was of better quality in the past?
with modern metallurgy, why oh why can't anyone make 1 decent bit that will actually last, for a fiver?

 

[Hivemaker.]

why oh why can't anyone make 1 decent bit that will actually last, for a fiver?

Because they would soon be out of buisness, due to not selling anymore.

Personally, i prefer Snap-on.

 

[oliver90owner]

Early style battery drills just had a switch style trigger which went at full pelt

How long ago? Over 25 years? The tiny under powered, 2.4 and 3.6 volt toys perhaps.

Maybe drills, but drills are not necessarily screwdrivers.... I still have my 20 year old Bodge and Hitachi drivers - may yet make a new battery for them - even on a lead they would be better than these latest cheaper offerings. Main downside is they have keyed chucks when used for drilling.

 

[ROCKIT]

The OP did say he was using his drill on the lowest setting!
For all we know it may be an old Gold coloured Black and Decker mains drill!
The Woolworths set that he has, certainly wasn't bought yesterday.

If we want to be pedantic.

 

[rae]

with modern metallurgy, why oh why can't anyone make 1 decent bit that will actually last, for a fiver?

Bits are consumable wear items. You wouldn't want a super hard bit or it would shatter and /or trash the screws. You also lose them pretty regularly.

DeWalt bits are actually pretty good. Festool Centrotec are better - you don't lose them because you take the whole chuck off the drill when swapping them for some other bit.

 

[REDWOOD]

Try pre drilling and tap the screw into the first bit of wood, make sure your drill is not set on hammer action and bees wax applied to the screw helps

 

[Bee-Key-Pur]

This is what we used in boat building.
You can buy a tool that holds a drill large enough to pre drill a hole for your screw size. The drill fits into a mandrill which also forms a countersink for the screw head. So the one drill operation also allows the screw head to be counter sunk.

However, it doesn’t matter how careful you are, you will break drill bits and as we know, they cost money and you never seem to have a spare replacement to hand.

So this is what we do.
Take a small flat bit drill and grind it down to size, using a bench grinder or angle grinder and cut it down to a profile smaller in width, but the same length as your screw, including the counter sink for the screw head.
When using it, it’s a one drill operation and they never break. I have built hundreds of boats using the same made up drill bits and the same ones are still working fine to this day.