Today there is not a single professional or home craftsman who does not use screwdrivers in his work. This is due to the wide range of applications of this tool. The wealth of sizes and shapes allows you to choose it correctly. The workflow is quick and easy. The result is of high quality. which are in demand the most should be studied before using them. This will allow you to choose the best type of instrument.
General characteristics of the tool
Screwdrivers, the types of which are used today, appeared not so long ago. In general, the presented instrument was known to people back in the 18th century. But in those days, the screwdriver was more reminiscent of.In the process of improving the shape of the screw, the type of tool also changed. As soon as the slot appeared on the fastener, the screwdriver moved into the class of a separate improvised tool.
Since then, the design of screwdrivers has improved significantly. Today it consists of several elements. This is a tip (sting), a rod and a handle. The first of these elements is the most important. This is a working part that has a different shape.
The rod is characterized by various widths and lengths. It is chosen depending on the location of the fastener, as well as its size. The handle, on the other hand, allows you to hold the instrument firmly in your hand. This increases the comfort of using the screwdriver.
Tip types
The main types of slotted screwdrivers should be considered first. It is for this part that the right tool is selected.
The oldest form is the flathead screwdriver. The head of the screws for which it is intended has a straight slot. These fasteners are intended for domestic use as they cannot withstand heavy loads.
The most demanded shape is the cross-type tip. It can be used to tighten the fastener. The screw has a recess in the center and two cross slots. Its subspecies is a Phillips screwdriver with guides. There are additional clearances here for improved grip.
A hex screwdriver is a tool that has 10 times the torque of a Phillips version.
The rarest variety is the star screwdriver. Most often, screws of this shape are found on mobile equipment.
Hex and flat head screwdrivers
In the process of choosing a tool, the master may be interested in what kind of screwdrivers are. The types and sizes are very diverse. First of all, you need to consider flat and hex types. They are used both manually and
Flat screwdrivers in the marking have numbers for the tip length. It can be 1-10 mm. Let this form be quite ancient, but it is still used for everyday needs.
Also called imbuses. Most often they have the shape of a rod bent in the form of a letter L. Their difference is only in the size of the section. They are used in the process of repairing electrical equipment, as well as in energized equipment. The markings on these screwdrivers look like HEX. It happens that the hexagons have a star-shaped cross section at the end. They are labeled as Torx. Such improvised means are used only in salons for the repair of phones and other special equipment.
Phillips screwdrivers
The most popular are the cross types. The sizes of screwdrivers are the main feature of their classification. The marking of such products contains the letters RN and a cross.
The smallest varieties are designated 000. They have a tip diameter of only 1.5 mm. Such a tool is applicable for the repair of special digital equipment. Also, very rarely, screwdrivers with sizes 00 (up to 1.9 mm) and 0 (2 mm) are used at home.
Standard kits for household use usually include products with markings from 1 (2-3 mm). But the most popular is the screwdriver number 2 (3-5 mm). It is most often produced with a magnetic sting. In everyday life, product number 3 can also be used. Its size reaches 7 mm.
For repairing cars or large-sized equipment in production conditions, you can use a Phillips-type screwdriver number 4. Its diameter exceeds 7.1 mm.
Varieties of Phillips screwdrivers
Today, craftsmen use various types of Phillips screwdrivers. The product labeling may contain the letters PH, PZ or PX. There is a certain difference between them.
PH is an abbreviation of the name of the Phillips company, which has a patent for the manufacture of Phillips screwdrivers, as well as screws with grooves for them. If the letters PZ are present in the marking, this is a more advanced version of the instrument. The abbreviation stands for Pozidriy. This variety may have additional beams. This tool is widely used in the furniture business, as well as in the installation of aluminum profile structures.
The letters PX in the designation indicate the most modern type of Phillips screwdriver. It is used in the repair of digital technology.
Professional screwdrivers
In addition to household tools, professional improvised tools are also widely used. They have a special shape. This tool is most often not suitable for home craftsmen, since the scope of their application is very narrow. These types of screwdrivers, the names of which are spelled out in the marking, should be considered in more detail.
Products with a center pin are called Torx. The special tool Torg-Set is only used in aviation. Its shape has a cruciform asymmetry. This allows the screws to be very tightly tightened.
A two-shank screwdriver is called a spunner. It is used to create or repair elevators. This form prevents vandalism and inappropriate jokes.
The Tri-Wing section is also designed for aviation. But it is also used for electrical repairs. This screwdriver is shaped like a trefoil.
Model overview
A huge number of manufacturers produce the presented types of tools. There are similar shapes and types of screwdriver bits to hand tools. Only they are more often used in screwdrivers.
In order to choose the right type of instrument, it is necessary to evaluate the frequency of its use. If you need a screwdriver from time to time for household needs, inexpensive models can be purchased. Brands such as Fit, Stayer, Matrix have proven themselves well in the low-price segment.
For frequent use in professional activities, it is necessary to give preference to more expensive varieties. Due to their increased strength, their service life is much longer. Well-known products of this quality are produced by the Arsenal and Kraftool companies.
The most expensive, but very high quality are the Gedoro brand screwdrivers. They are purchased exclusively by professionals. These tools wear out 8 times slower than other models.
Quality requirements
Modern screwdrivers, the types of which were discussed above, must be durable and reliable. There are a number of factors that need to be considered for a tool to last long.
If there is a choice, buy a Japanese or Chinese product, it is better to give preference to the first option. European brands have also proven themselves well. Domestic products can be purchased, but only if there is a GOST or RS marking. Otherwise, you can buy a low-quality fake.
The best products are made from an alloy of chromium and vanadium. Their strength should be in the range of 47 to 52 on the Rockwell scale. In order not to buy a fake, it is necessary to give preference to products of well-known brands.
If the tool is used in a harsh chemical environment, the rubber grip should not be chosen. But for the work of an electrician, this will be an irreplaceable means of protection. The screwdriver should fit comfortably in the hand without overstraining the muscles of the hand. These rules will help you choose the best tool option.
Having considered the existing screwdrivers, the types of which are used by home and professional craftsmen today, you can choose the best product option.
Do you know what types of screwdrivers are and what are they called? In most cases, you can hear the answer - "normal and cross". But two varieties are not all! There are much more of them. Now I will tell you what types of screwdrivers there are with photos and names.
Slotted (Flat) screwdriver - SL
This is the most famous, so-called "simple" or "ordinary" screwdriver. It has the form of a working part in the form of a blade. The correct name is Slotted or Straight Slotted. It is usually used for the most common screws that are found everywhere: sockets, terminals, key loops, various shelves, old cabinets, etc. The SL flat screwdriver is usually the most popular in everyday life also because with its help you can pick something, pry it off, use it as a mini-assembly.
Phillips (Phillips) screwdriver - PH
This type of screwdriver has a conical shape and four faces, due to which it was named "Cross" or "Cross". It has more points of contact than a conventional spline and the working contact is increased. Thus, a Phillips-head screwdriver tightens fasteners much better than a flat-head screwdriver. That is why it is used in electronics and various equipment.
Cruciform with guides - PZ
This type of screwdriver differs from the usual cross-shaped screwdriver by the presence of additional edges, in addition to the usual cross-shaped profile. Thanks to this, it fits more tightly into the fasteners. As a rule, the PZ-screwdriver is used in electrical engineering and when installing furniture, plasterboard or aluminum structures.
In electrics, you can find splines PZ / S, PH / Z, and PZ / FL. These are already highly specialized types of screwdrivers for the strongest tightening of contacts.
Torx screwdriver - TORX
This type of screwdriver is used in mobile phones, tablets, and various electronics. Also TORX screwdrivers are often used in cars. for example Renault. The cross-sectional profile of its working part has the shape of a six-pointed star. It allows you to get even more force than a Phillips screwdriver.
Note: Sometimes you can find a Torx screwdriver with a pin inside (as in the photo above). this is a separate modification, although it can be used to unscrew both conventional and specialized screws.
Hex screwdriver - HEX
The hex screwdriver has a fairly large torque. For example, it differs at least ten times from the same cross. As the name implies, the screwdriver looks like a hexagon. As a rule, HEX screwdrivers are used to repair equipment. They also unscrew fasteners on objects with a sufficiently large weight or voltage.
Other
Spanner is a specialized two-pin screwdriver. Spanner is usually used more as a key for various anti-vandal cabinets, structures, etc.
Torq or Torq-Set - Asymmetrical cross-section screwdriver for very strong screw tightening. A highly specialized tool for the aircraft industry.
Tri-Wing - A type of screwdriver with a trefoil working section. Again, a highly specialized tool for the aircraft and electronics industries.
A screwdriver is perhaps one of the few tools that are in every home or apartment. It is a versatile tool that is practically indispensable. Today, there are many different types of screwdrivers, and we will try to talk about all of them in this article. To cover all types of screwdrivers, it is not enough to give only their names and describe them. You should also know about what materials screwdrivers are made of, and which ones, in this case, will be better. Well, first things first, in this article.
Types of screwdrivers
Phillips screwdrivers
One of the most popular types of screwdrivers is the Phillips screwdriver. It is she who is used and suitable for screwing and unscrewing self-tapping screws and screws, standard sizes, and to which special requirements are not imposed. As a rule, such a screwdriver is marked with two letters - PH, as well as a cross.
Also, it is worth distinguishing between Phillips screwdrivers by size. So, the smallest size of a Phillips screwdriver has an index number 000. This screwdriver is most often used in electronics where very small screws are used - for example, in mobile phones or tablet computers, and so on. After, Phillips screwdrivers have large sizes, which are marked:
- № 00 and # 0;
- № 1 and # 2;
- № 3 and # 4.
The most commonly used screwdriver is number two. Typically, a Phillips screwdriver has a magnetic tip to avoid losing screws or screws. A large No. 4 screwdriver is used, as a rule, for repairing large equipment - cars, motorcycles, and so on.
Also, a type of Phillips screwdriver is the PZ screwdriver. It has practically the same "cross" look, but somewhat smoothed. This is done in order to improve adhesion to the part that will be screwed in or out. As a rule, it finds distribution in such an activity as the production of furniture, as well as during the installation of other structures made of wood or aluminum profiles.
Flat screwdrivers
Calculate such a screwdriver for a flat type of slot. The purpose of this screwdriver is to tighten screws, as well as screws. Unlike a Phillips screwdriver, visually, a flathead screwdriver can be recognized by its flattened “-” tip. According to history, this is one of the first types of screwdrivers that appeared and were distributed in everyday life. This screwdriver is marked according to the width of the tip. Typically, the slot width is approximately 1 mm to 10 mm.
The very same size of the "tip" of a flat screwdriver is determined, marked with two numbers - for example, 0.5x4. This means that the tip of the screwdriver is 0.5 mm thick and 4 mm wide. Naturally, it is necessary to select the appropriate screwdriver for each slot. But, as a rule, in practice it turns out that one screwdriver becomes almost universal, although this, of course, is not correct. But, here you can make some adjustments.
For example, if you have a head with a fastener diameter of 6 mm and a slot width of about 0.8 mm, then you can take a screwdriver with a tip of no more than 6 mm, but not less than 5 mm. In this case, the thickness of the screwdriver tip should be 0.7 mm. That is, it will provide convenience and high quality screwing. We also note that recently, flat screwdrivers with notches have become widespread, which are applied to the plane of the tip. This increases the friction between the screwdriver and the slot in the fastener.
Hex screwdrivers
It is not difficult to guess that such a screwdriver is intended for use in fasteners with a hexagonal slot. This kind of screwdriver also has another name - inbus. As a rule, these are rods somewhat bent in an L-shaped form, which have different sizes of a hexagonal section.
This tool differs in that it has a very high torque, which is several times higher than that of a conventional Phillips screwdriver. The scope of use of such a screwdriver is very wide - it is used in the repair of electronics, as well as for unscrewing fasteners on objects that are energized. The hex screwdriver is marked "HEX". However, square screwdrivers have exactly the same markings.
Hexagonal screwdriver, popularly has a more familiar name - "hexagon". It is used almost everywhere - both in construction and repair, as well as in the automotive industry, bicycle construction, furniture production, and so on. This is a familiar tool that, along with Phillips or flathead screwdrivers, is included in the multi-key set. In this case, you cannot use a key of the wrong size - it either simply will not fit into the head of the part, or it will be too small and this can "lick" the thread of the part.
Torx screwdrivers
A screwdriver that came to us from the West. Indeed, in the countries of the former USSR there was no such type of screwdriver, which is distinguished by a tip in the shape of a six-pointed star. But, today this type of screwdriver, and at the same time the fasteners, is very common, and is used in many areas of production and industry. So, fasteners for this type of screwdriver are present in foreign cars, in mobile phones and other electronics, and so on. Like all types of screwdrivers, it comes in standard sizes ranging from small (4mm) to large.
Special screwdrivers
In this section, we will describe it this way - there are many other types of fasteners that require special types of screwdrivers. This is due to various reasons - in some situations, it is simply necessary to use this type of fastening, and at the same time use a special type of screwdriver. In other cases, it is such a whim of the manufacturer. For example, in Mercedes cars, the spare wheel holder is attached with a special screwdriver, which has the Mercedes brand name, in the shape of a three-pointed star.
photo source in the article site https://f.ua
In general, in this regard, there are quite a few varieties of screwdrivers that, physically, it is impossible to list everything. We have mentioned the most basic types, and we know about them. Now it's time to find out about the materials from which screwdrivers are made.
Screwdriver materials
It is clear that we are not talking about Chinese-made screwdrivers, which are made from some unknown source, but certainly not from high-quality metal. Normal screwdrivers are made of high quality steel or alloys, which are very durable. Also, blued steel or chromium-molybdenum alloy is often used. In addition to the metal used as a base for screwdrivers, the handle is also very important. If it is made of a dielectric material, such a screwdriver can be used in live networks. However, most of them are only suitable for operation under a voltage of no more than 1 kV.
The screwdriver is an indispensable tool for every self-respecting owner. It is in almost every home, and you do not need to be a specialist or a craftsman to be able to use it. People began to use this tool extensively in the 18th century, and since then, the screwdriver has undergone significant evolutionary changes. In addition to the fact that new types of splines have appeared, changes have also affected the handles, which are able to reach the target even in hard-to-reach places.
Basic Provisions
Like several centuries ago, a screwdriver consists of three main elements: a handle, a shaft and a tip. The handle for all screwdrivers is practically the same, the main properties that it should have are: ease of holding in the hand, strength of the material and necessarily impassable electricity. As for the rod, it can be of different lengths, depending on the inaccessibility of the fastening element, which must be twisted or unscrewed. The tip has many variations depending on the type of fastener to which the tool will be applied. The following types of handpieces are distinguished:
Markings
Each attachment has its own marking, which is applied to the instrument in the form of a Latin letter or a combination of several letters and numbers. So, tips have the following designations:
- Flat - SL (Slotted). It is marked with numbers indicating the tip length 1-10 mm.
- Cruciform - PH (Phillips). They have the following numbers indicating the tip diameter: 000 (1.5 mm), 00 (1.9 mm), 0 (2 mm), 1 (2-3 mm), 2 (3-5 mm), 3 (up to 7 mm), 4 (from 7.1 mm).
- Advanced cross - PZ (Pozidriy) PX (Phillips Square-Driv and Philips Quadrex).
- Six-pointed - TORX. They are designated by the letters E4-E44.
- Hexagonal - HEX (Hexagonal).
- Square - Robertson.
- Triangular - Tri-Wing.
When deciding what type of tool to use, you must also consider the size of the fastener.
Some types of special tips for screwdrivers have an empty circular groove in the middle of the slots, such screwdrivers are called "vandal-proof", since they have a narrow range of applications and are not available for every person in the arsenal of tools.
Varieties of handles
The handles of screwdrivers have also undergone significant changes during the evolution of household and professional tools. They have become more comfortable, more powerful and stronger. And some have added complex elements with rotary mechanisms. In addition to the traditional types, there are the following:
Depending on the type of work, the inaccessibility of the fastener, as well as the type of fastener itself, various types of nozzles and sizes of screwdriver rods are used. From the miniature rod length, measured in millimeters, to the longest, several tens of centimeters. From the usual flat head to the hexagonal ratchet. And there is also a screwdriver with a flexible shaft for penetrating into hard-to-reach places.
Non-standard applications
It so happens that you need to screw something in a hard-to-reach place, where only the screwdriver shaft can go. And there is no special tool at hand that can hold the fastener. Then you have to go to such a trick as magnetizing the tip. Then the bolt or screw will easily adhere to the tip, allowing it to be delivered and screwed anywhere. The following steps will show you how to magnetize a screwdriver at home:
- With a magnet. A powerful magnet is suitable for this, preferably neodymium. The stronger the magnet, the better the magnetizing effect. You can buy the necessary magnet in the market or at a hardware store. If you have old computer hard drives at home, you can use the magnets in it. For proper magnetization, it is necessary to clean the surface of the rod from contamination and dry the surface after processing. Then you need to take the magnet and draw it along the tool shaft from the handle to the tip, you need to do this several times, then turn the tool a quarter of a turn and do the same with each side. You only need to drag the magnet in one direction. If, after the end of the procedure, the tool is not able to hold the fasteners, then the whole process must be repeated again. In case of repeated failure, it is worth replacing the magnet with a more powerful one. A tool made of good steel is capable of holding magnetic domains for up to several months. If the instrument needs to be demagnetized, then the same procedure can be carried out, but in the direction from the tip to the handle, or by knocking the instrument against the floor or wall, which will contribute to the destruction of the magnetic domains.
- Using a battery. For this method, you will need an electrical wire of a small cross-section with a length of at least one meter and ends stripped on both sides. A single insulated 2.5 square wire is best suited. The ends of the wire are stripped, and the rest of the not stripped part is wound on the screwdriver shaft, thus forming a kind of magnetic field. Then a battery or crown with a capacity of 6 to 9 volts (no less and no more) is taken, to which the stripped ends of the wire are connected. There is no difference where to connect the negative and positive contacts. It is important to know that it usually takes about half to one minute for the instrument to be completely magnetized. After this time, the battery must be disconnected from the wires, free the tool and check it on the fastener. If the magnetization was unsuccessful, you can try to increase the number of skeins by placing them in two layers on top of each other. Increasing battery power can also help, but fear of electric shock or sparks should be used, so all manipulations should be carried out with dielectric gloves.
- There are also several options for magnetizing the instrument that would rather be considered hobbyists. You can magnetize the instrument with a silk scarf or synthetic rag. If you rub the tip thoroughly with a similar cloth for a long time, then for a certain period of time, the screwdriver will be able to hold a small bolt or screw. If you don't have anything at hand to magnetize the tool, you can use a hammer or a heavy wrench. To do this, position the instrument with the tip towards the north and hit the tip for a long time. Thus, the magnetic domains line up in the direction of the Earth's magnetic field.
During all the manipulations, it is necessary to adhere to certain rules so that neither the human body nor the instrument itself is damaged. When using a neodymium magnet, it should be remembered that it has a very powerful force of attraction and is capable of pinching a part of the skin. All actions must be carried out in special dielectric gloves.
Restoring a Phillips screwdriver
Since this type of screwdriver is the most common, and its slots do not have a sufficient area of contact with the walls of the fastener, it happens that over time the slots of the tool are erased, and it is no longer possible to achieve the desired effect. Then the question arises of how to restore the instrument so that it serves as before.
Of course, after the purchase, it will no longer work to achieve the state in which the instrument was, but with a little effort, you can achieve a tangible effect. Usually, the slots of the screwdriver are erased in such a way that only a thin extension of the rod remains from them, which, resting against the bottom of the fastener, does not allow the remaining slots to catch on the walls of the slots in the bolt or screw. In this case, the splines must be sharpened.
First you need to cut off the excess part of the rod before the start of the remaining splines. This can be done using a grinder. Then you can use the same grinder to cut new grooves, which will serve as slot dividers. This must be done carefully, with a tool firmly fixed in a vice, wearing a protective mask or goggles. Having slightly cut the grooves with a grinder, then everything must be done with a triangular file with medium dusting.
The file is inserted into the groove so that its lower corner is in the cut groove, and the wall is adjacent to the future slot. With progressive movements, the file is driven back and forth until the required depth is reached. Then you need to go to the next slot and repeat the procedure.
To check, you can use any self-tapping screw, if some side of the tip does not fully fit into the groove of the fastener, then this slot needs to be improved.
Most often, the diameter of the handle with which the screwdriver is equipped is in the range from 10 to 40 mm, however, there are deviations from these dimensions in one direction or another. Simple mechanics play a decisive role here: the diameter of the handle and the torque generated by the screwdriver are in direct proportion. That is why screwdrivers designed for fine work and small parts (for example, for watchmakers) have thin handles, and vice versa.
The most common shapes of screwdriver blades, depending on the configuration of the slots on the parts, are shown in the figure.
A) Slotted screwdrivers. This is the simplest screwdriver with the most common name: "minus" or "minus".
The marking accepted in the technical literature for such screwdrivers is as follows: SL, ("Slotted") - slotted. For example, marking SL 5.5- means that the screwdriver has a blade width of 5.5 mm), and the marking SL 0.5x4- the thickness of the blade (slot) is 0.5 mm, and the width is 4 mm.
B) Phillips screwdrivers, Phillips screwdrivers. They are called plus, plus or self-pushing.
PH("Phillips"). This designation comes from the name of the American company Phillips Screw Company, which patented it in 1933. It can be seen with the naked eye that the contact area of the working surfaces of the screwdriver and the part is almost 2 times larger than that of screwdrivers of the type SL.
C) A variety of screwdrivers PH- Phillips screwdriver with additional guides. These screwdrivers are often referred to as "posidrive" or "non-self-ejecting".
Common technical markings: PZ("Pozidriv"). Such screwdrivers are not self-pushed out of the slot on the parts, similar to how it happens with screwdrivers of the type NS... Since these screwdrivers have a large slot depth, they are most often used where the screws have large heads, for example, in the furniture industry. And it is this type of screwdriver that is designed so that they have such a large torque that cannot be achieved with screwdrivers. PH("Phillips").
D) Star screwdriver. Why it is called that is evident from the picture.
Technical designation: Torx... It is patented by the American company @Camcar Textron [email protected] Screwdrivers of this type are overwhelmingly used in electronic instrumentation and the automotive industry. In some cases, such screwdrivers can serve as an alternative to the type NS
E) A screwdriver called "sprocket with pin". This is a further development of the previous type of screwdriver. Torx.
F) Screwdriver - "hex".
Technical markings: Hex... These screwdrivers are more like wrenches and are used to tighten screws with similar hexagonal sockets. They are called so - imbus keys (the name comes from the German Innensechskantschraube Bauer und Schaurte - a screw with an internal hexagon from Bauer and Schaurth).
Wrenches of this type have approximately 10 times the torque that can be achieved with the simplest flat-bladed screwdrivers such as NS. The size of such screwdrivers, or keys, or rather the numbers that are assigned to them, is simply the distance in millimeters between the opposite corners of the hexagon.
G) A rare type of screwdriver is the “square screwdriver”. This is just a variety, it is necessary to say, rather rarely used, screwdrivers of the type Hex.
H) Another exotic screwdriver is the trefoil screwdriver.
Technical designation of such screwdrivers: Tri-Wing. They have a non-standard slot, therefore, products fastened with screws with such a slot are very difficult to disassemble on their own.
I) Rare "Phillips asymmetric screwdriver".
In the technical literature, denoted as Torq... The most important property is a powerful tightening, which is practically unattainable in other types of screwdrivers. In everyday life, these types of screwdrivers are almost never used, but are widely used in high-tech industries, such as, for example, aerospace. Those. where increased requirements are imposed on the fastening of parts.
K) And finally, a two-pin screwdriver called "Spanner". The most common use is in elevator mechanisms, as well as in household appliances, for fastening the bodies of devices that are under warranty.
Slot dimensions
It is quite natural that the screwdrivers are of the same type, i.e. their slots have different sizes. For example, straight screwdrivers (slots) - different depths and widths.
Slots of other shapes - can have dimensions, which are set each by its own number according to a certain standard. V Table 1 the correspondence between the designations of Phillips screwdrivers and the sizes of fasteners is given.
Table 1
There is also a dependence of the diameters and lengths of the rods on the number of the screwdriver. This dependence can be summarized in the following table.
Table 2.
|
Screwdriver number |
Rod diameter, mm |
Rod length, mm |