Phillips head screws

[johnboy]

Invented by John P. Thompson and promoted by Henry F. Phillips, may they both rot in whatever hell is appropriate. I friggen HATE the damm things! That is all.

[Thumper]

The worse thing is, they're a HUGE improvement over slotted screws!

FYI, I learned a LONG time ago, a QUALITY screwdriver is worth it's weight in gold. When I was building custom cars, I had to deal with literally thousands of screws and eventually purchased a very pricey Snap-On screwdriver that's about a foot long (w/replaceable bits). I never had a clue how much difference a quality screwdriver made. I nicknamed it "Killer" and there was a constant flow of people approaching me every day asking to borrow "Killer" to tackle an uncooperative screw. One day, Killer never made it's way back home and I couldn't remember who had borrowed it last (nobody confessed). I bought another one and engraved "Killer II" into the handle. That was in 1975 and to this day, I still have that screwdriver in my toolbox.

[BarryBobPosthole]

I don't dignify using the guy's name. I just call them plusses and minusses.

BKB

[Thumper]

A bit of useless trivia I learned while in the business ... the Phillips screw was first developed for the automobile manufacturing industry and the first to adopt it's use was Cadillac. The other makers soon followed.

[Chicken Dinner]

Ha! I've got my own automotive screw story from just today. I picked up a soft top for my new Jeep off of Craigslist. Based on my review of the parts sheet, the only thing that was missing was left and right "bow mount brackets" that attached the top to the roll bar via 8 hex head screws. The guy had the hex head screws so I just ordered the brackets online for $10 each no problem. I looked them over when they got here, but didn't take them out of the bag as there was an even and odd part number which normally means left and right. You guessed it, I get the hard top off and install all the other crap and when I go to mount the brackets I have two right hand sides. Crap. Closest dealer doesn't have hem, but one about 20 minutes away does. 40 minutes later I'm back in business, grab my 8 hex head screws and they're the wrong size! Fuck! Closest dealer doesn't have them, next closest dealer doesn't have them, but dealer 30 minutes away does and they're freaking $10. Each! What a racket. Oh well, top is on now and I didn't strip any of my $10 hex head screws. Not sure why I shared my Bucky/Thump story other than I wondered if you hate Phillips head screws enough to pay $10 bucks for something better.

[BarryBobPosthole]

CD, an old boss of mine used to tell all the time, if I didn't mind the Seven P's I'd get the Six R's.

The Seven P's are: Prior Proper Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance

The Six R's are: Rammed in the Rosy Rectum by the Rigid Rod of Reality.

I think it fits in this instance.

BKB

[johnboy]

They work fine once but if you have to remove and reinstall a few times the cheap metal they make stuff out of now just don't hold up. Especially if it takes a lot of torque to drive them. Thump is also right that you need a good screwdriver or they round off.

Better screw head is the Robertson (square, BBP) from Canada!

Least I didn't pay $10 each for them. :D

[Chicken Dinner]

I can't argue with that. On the upside I did get a little sun riding back and forth getting parts with no top on the Jeep at all.

[HideHunter]

I use a power driver a lot and I've sworn I'll never buy anything but a square or star head again.. Know what you mean about a good screwdriver though, Thump. I have one and a set of bits from Brownell's for gun work.. Well worth the investment.

[BarryBobPosthole]

My manual screwdrivers are all Stanleys but for some odds and end. My power screwdriver is a Dewalt and it'll damn sure yank your elbow almost out of socket if you aren't careful. They have about the best bateries I've found for those knds of tools.
i had a Makita that i loved until it grew legs and runnoft.

BKB

[Big Muddy]

Ditto what Hide said....star or square drives are the cat's nuts....eezy-peezy.

Ditto what Phole said....Dewalt's will unscrew your wrist joint, if you aren't careful.