Stripping Screw Heads

DrRod · Jul 29, 2013

This is one of those general irritant things but . . .

When I use my drill to screw in screws, it almost always results in stripping the slots out of the screw heads. I'd like to blame the cheap screws from the big box stores but maybe its the design of the drill mounted screw drivers or the speed of the drill or must my poor technique. Does anyone have a suggestion on how to limit this irksome outcome?

Thanks

seymojo536 · Jul 29, 2013

Quit using phillips head screws.

PILOON · Jul 29, 2013

Quality Robertson (square head) is the way to go!

deerseeker001 · Jul 29, 2013

square head is the way to go.

Gary Fowler · Jul 29, 2013

Square drive or Torx drive screw heads are the only way to go with screws. The only time I buy Phillips head drive is if neither the Robertson or Torx is not available and then only with the shorter screws. Not only do the screw heads strip out but the Phillips head drivers wear out rather fast also and contribute to the stripping of the screw head due to improper fit. Phillips head are much improvement over the single flat screw and the Robertson and Torx are double the improvement of the Phillips over the flat.

JerryG · Jul 29, 2013

If your drill has torque settings, turn it down until it is just enough to put the screw in. That has cut down the number of stripped heads for me.

ustmd · Jul 29, 2013

When I changed from a drill to a 1/4" impact driver, I found that I stripped far fewer screws and found driving screws a lot easier. Now that I have been using one for 4 years, I will never go back.

Soundguy · Jul 29, 2013

JerryG said:
If your drill has torque settings, turn it down until it is just enough to put the screw in. That has cut down the number of stripped heads for me.

ditto!!!

aczlan · Jul 29, 2013

ustmd said:
When I changed from a drill to a 1/4" impact driver, I found that I stripped far fewer screws and found driving screws a lot easier. Now that I have been using one for 4 years, I will never go back.

I agree. I was given a set with a drill and a impact driver. The drill has been used ~15 times in ~2 years, the impact driver? Hundreds of times.

Aaron Z