These tools are used for driving screws. They come in both simple and powered form. A common tool has a handle and a shaft, ending in a tip the user puts the screw into the handle before turning the handle.
The tool’s shank is made of tough steel, and the tip is hardened to minimize wear. The handle is made of wood, metal, or plastic. If a screw driver cannot be reached with a straight-shank tool; an offset tool is used.
Types
Screw drive is a shape or groove made on the head of the screws which allows a tool to apply torque on it, while it is a tool to drive screws in clockwise or anticlockwise direction.
The types of tools are divided according to the design of the screw head.
Flat Head
Flat Heads are considered to be one of the oldest types of drivers. It has a flat shape shaft tip with a single slot which engages with the slotted screw head only. It can be manual or power driven but not came-out. Cam-out effect is a process by which the driver tends to slip off from the surface of the screw head, when the torque applied on the surface of the screw exceeds a certain limit, which usually causes the damage to the screw head.
Philips drivers
Philips drivers were invented in the 19th century by Henry Philips with an aim to introduce the power driven drivers in the industries. Their tips look like cross signs when seen from the frontend. They range from the tiny precision drivers used in computers all the way to larger ones used in woodwork. The advantage of Philips driver is its ability to self-center, saving time while inserting it into a screw.
Torx drivers
Torx drivers are used by automotive engineers. The driver has a star-shaped tip with 6 round lobes. A Torx driver has a low radial force due to spherical geometry of the lobes, which improves the life of the screw and the driver a bit.
Square shaped drivers
Square shaped driver has a recessed square socket shape on its tip. This recessed socket square shape is resistant to slipping so that you can apply a high turning force. The driver lacks a tip. It is then best for unbolting hard nuts or screws without worrying that your driver would bend its tip.
Pozidriv drivers
Next in the list is Pozidriv driver. The Pozidriv driver is essentially made to solve the camming-out and the slipping problems. It is considered an advanced version of the Philips driver.
Bolster drivers
The bolster drivers are rarely used. The driver is good for working in tight spaces and can also handle torque without a problem. These drivers are considered to be more durable than the above mentioned ones and often reinforced to handle more pressure and torque.
Frearson drivers
Frearson driver has a tip angled at 45 degrees. This allows the user to apply a lot more force to loosen a tight screw with ease. These drivers are often designed to handle high pressure and will not damage easily.
Japanese Industrial drivers
The Japanese Industrial driver is suitable for opening the JIS-compatible screws. The best part is that such drivers are highly durable and will not damage easily. As such, you will always like the value of money you get with the drivers.
Hex drivers
Hex driver has six straight lobes, like a hexagon. These are used to fasten bolts rather than screws. No slipping or cam- out effect takes place while driving this hence most of the power driver tools can be fitted with hex arrangement bits and thus makes the production fast and with less error.
Choosing the right driver
A screwdriver set is an essential tool you must have in your toolbox. Therefore, it is important to choose the correct driver that can make your work easy. You can find various brands and different types of drivers in the market; but what decides on what power driver suits you best is your job and the type of work you intend to do.
First we need to choose the bit size that fills the screw head entirely. A bit that is too big or too small will not seat properly, and you’ll end up with a stripped screw. By selecting the correct driver bit, pre-drilling a pilot hole, and applying the correct speed and pressure to your drill, you will avoid stripped screws, broken bits, and damaged work surfaces.
Safety tips for using drivers
- Match the driver to the screw head, both in terms of size & shape.
- Keep the driver handle clean. A greasy handle could cause an accidental injury from the slippage.
- Shut off electricity before beginning work on electrical equipment.
- Never hold the job in your hand while working. Always lay it on a workbench or place it in a vice.
- Don’t use a driver as a punch, wedge or pinch bar.
- Never hammer with the driver handle, nor use the driver as a pry, punch, or lever.
Difference between drills and drivers
The major difference between the electric driver and the drill is the size of their motor and battery voltage. Cordless drills have larger and more powerful motors, are used for heavy tasks, and need more battery voltage to function. Other differences include versatility, size, torque and power.
The major difference between a drill and an electric driver is the chuck and the bit. Electric drivers have no chuck; they have a socket that can only fit driver bits.
The versatility of a drill is much more than a driver. Although an electric driver is much better than a manual driver; it is still a one-faceted tool.
Conclusion
In this article, we discussed screwdrivers which are an essential and must have tool in your toolbox. Finally, the different types of drivers were discussed and at last the differences and similarities between drills and drivers were analysed.
