Open main menu
Home
Random
Recent changes
Special pages
Community portal
Preferences
About Wikipedia
Disclaimers
Incubator escapee wiki
Search
User menu
Talk
Dark mode
Contributions
Create account
Log in
Editing
Screwdriver
(section)
Warning:
You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you
log in
or
create an account
, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.
Anti-spam check. Do
not
fill this in!
==Description== A typical simple screwdriver has a handle and a shaft, ending in a tip the user puts into the screw head before turning the handle. This form of the screwdriver has been replaced in many workplaces and homes with a more modern and versatile tool, a [[power drill]], as they are quicker, easier, and can also drill holes. The shaft is usually made of tough steel to resist bending or twisting. The tip may be hardened to resist wear, treated with a dark tip coating for improved visual contrast between tip and screw—or ridged or treated for additional "grip". Handles are typically wood, metal, or plastic<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/529926/screwdriver |title=Screwdriver | tool |newspaper=Encyclopedia Britannica |access-date=2013-12-18 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131219015814/http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/529926/screwdriver |archive-date=2013-12-19 }}</ref> and usually hexagonal, square, or oval in cross-section to improve grip and prevent the tool from rolling when set down. Some manual screwdrivers have interchangeable tips that fit into a socket on the end of the shaft and are held in mechanically or magnetically. These often have a hollow handle that contains various types and sizes of tips, and a reversible [[ratchet (device)|ratchet]] action that allows multiple full turns without repositioning the tip or the user's hand. A screwdriver is classified by its tip, which is shaped to fit the driving surfaces (slots, grooves, recesses, etc.) on the corresponding screw head. Proper use requires that the screwdriver's tip engage the head of a screw of the same size and type designation as the screwdriver tip. Screwdriver tips are available in a wide variety of types and sizes ([[List of screw drives]]). The two most common are the simple 'blade'-type for slotted screws, and Phillips, generically called "cross-recess", "cross-head", or "cross-point". A wide variety of power screwdrivers ranges from a simple "stick"-type with batteries, a motor, and a tip holder all inline, to powerful "pistol" type VSR (variable-speed reversible) [[cordless drills]] that also function as screwdrivers. This is particularly useful as drilling a pilot hole before driving a screw is a common operation. Special combination drill-driver bits and adapters let an operator rapidly alternate between the two. Variations include [[impact driver]]s, which provide two types of 'hammering' force for improved performance in certain situations, and "right-angle" drivers for use in tight spaces. Many options and enhancements, such as built-in bubble levels, high/low gear selection, magnetic screw holders, adjustable-torque clutches, keyless chucks, "gyroscopic" control, etc., are available.
Edit summary
(Briefly describe your changes)
By publishing changes, you agree to the
Terms of Use
, and you irrevocably agree to release your contribution under the
CC BY-SA 4.0 License
and the
GFDL
. You agree that a hyperlink or URL is sufficient attribution under the Creative Commons license.
Cancel
Editing help
(opens in new window)