Shopsmith Forums

I wonder how many of you use Phillips headed screws and how many of you use Square headed(Robertson). Does anyone have a real preference for one or the other and if so why?

My personal choice is the Robertson due to the fact that there is less slippage and doesn't rip the crap out of the screw if you accidentally reduce tension while driving the screw. But, hey I am Canadian and that was what I started with so don't fault me for being a little biased.

No contest - once you try square drive, you don't ever want to use a phillips again.

I have come to prefer the square drive especially for the difficult applications. Problem: I have so many new phillips head screws on the shelves.

It seems to me that the smaller Robertson types cam out easier than their Phillips counterparts. Might be my technique, though.
My first experience with square drive screws was with pocket screws (Kreg) and I really like them at that size.

Years ago I sent off for a sample kit of square drive screws with a driver bit. I tried a few of them and thought what junk, and tossed them back in a corner. Then I kept seeing guys on TV raving about how good they were so I dug them out and started looking closely at them. I noticed that the bit was barely entering the square hole. I kept checking and all of them were like that so I tried lightly grinding the driver bit and then fell in love with them... I have been using them for most stuff ever since. I just received a bad driver bit.
A year or so ago I bought 3 boxes of the spline drive screws and they were awful... They were coated screws and it appears that the coating is too thick down in the screw socket for the bit to go deep enough to grip well...
One of the things I like about the square drive screws is that I can usually stick one on the bit and reach into a tough spot and drive them one handed since the screw will normally stay on the bit OK.


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For pre-drilled holes, I don't think it makes much difference whether phillips or square drive. But if I were building a deck or such, and simply driving screws without pre drilling, I'd choose square drive. I mostly use coarse thread dry wall screws these days and pre-drill the holes and countersink for the heads, so the phillips work fine for me. Getting decent bits to drive the screws seems to be more of a problem than the screws themselves. I like the bits made by DeWalt.

Gene Howe wrote:It seems to me that the smaller Robertson types cam out easier than their Phillips counterparts. Might be my technique, though.
My first experience with square drive screws was with pocket screws (Kreg) and I really like them at that size.

Square drive all the way! I have usedMcFeeley's for over 25 years and have never had one cam out even the #6 screws. Most of what I have used are the "quadrex" I believe which are designed to allow you touse a phillipsdriver in a bind. Great screws and great company.

Jack

I agree with most of the above, especially Art (penview). I have found when having a good Phillips bit, you can hold the screws on the bit when carrying it to the wood. A well fitting square drive will hold screws just as well, but multiple sizes of square drive screws are relatively hard to find. They have to be ordered from afar.

To my eyes, if screw heads are gong to show, there is nothing prettier than oriented Phillips heads. Square drives look as if someone has stripped out the head. (IMHO)

#2 size of both Phillips and square bits are my favorite.

I use McFeely.com exclusively. They are terrific and quality is superb. While building a drive gate recently I was forced to buy a couple boxes from a local box store.
'What Junk"

I have received a few fun bonus's from McFeelys. Shipping close to or free and some great extra goodies for free. Okay we all know there is no such thing ass free. However if useful goodies come with quality supplies the cost per unit is reduced.

Note, if my comments make no sense today. Blame it on pain meds related my my unsuccessful shoulder surgery this morning. Jim

Hey, Jim!:) Your comments make good sense. Here's wishing you a speedy and successful recovery.