Electric Screwdriver - Wooden Fence

[airbus330]

Worth mentioning that its worth buying quality screws. Turbo Gold, sold by Screwfix, very sharp and they self cut the hole. I rarely need a pilot hole unless it is for furniture. Secondly buy the correct, quality, driver bits. I use Hitachi drivers which have proved very reliable over the years.

[staffordian]

However the most difficult screws I have to remove are not modern cross head types but the old single slot woodscrews. Adjusting the side gate by moving the hinge recently produced the usual problem that one of the old-fashioned screw heads had rusted over 20 years and was a devil to to get out. I'm not sure an impact driver would have got a purchase on the head. Luckily I had a Dremel style drill with a rotary abrasive disc which could be used to cut a deeper groove and a brace and bit which did the trick.

Regards

Howard

I find a decent manual screwdriver is often best on stubborn screws, as power drivers offer less control and are therefore more likely to simply chew up the slot or crosshead.

I have a set which have a hole through the handle, which allows a second screwdriver to be inserted at ninety degrees and thereby allows both more control and more torque to be applied to the screwdriver. This, in conjunction with pressing as hard as possible on the screw head will often work when other methods have failed.

Staffordian

[quelquod]

I find a decent manual screwdriver is often best on stubborn screws, as power drivers offer less control and are therefore more likely to simply chew up the slot or crosshead.

I agree although the better combis do have a lot of torque together with very controllable delivery.
Often a screw into wood will corrode slightly (or even a lot) and I was taught to position a screwdriver and give it a good sharp blow with a hammer first to break the threads’ grip in the wood. Works well for me.

[staffordian]

...and give it a good sharp blow with a hammer first to break the threads’ grip in the wood. Works well for me.

yes, definitely works, and often a slight turn clockwise after the use of the Birmingham screwdriver helps too