Quote Originally Posted by mklotz View Post
I hate slotted screws. IMNSHO, Phillips heads aren't much better; they cam out easily and ruin the screw slots.

There are lots of reasons why Henry Ford should be moldering in hell but one of the biggest is his promotion of Phillips instead of Robertson screws.

Robertsons have a square socket similar to the hex socket on SHCS machine screws. The square driver bit is captured in the socket so driver slip out is impossible. With a magnetized driver bit the screw can be "mounted" on the driver and started with one hand.

Wherever possible, I use Robertson screws. Of course it's not possible to escape Phillips and slotted. In addition to your suggestion there are commercial versions available...

https://www.amazon.com/s?i=aps&k=scr...ch-alias%3Daps

Nevertheless, for homebrews where you have freedom of design choice, think seriously about using Robertson.


BTW, your frustration level with slotted screws can be reduced a lot with a set of gunsmith screwdrivers. My set is made by Chapman and contains a dozen properly ground inserts to fit slotted screws as well as tips for hex and Phillips.
Marv, I absolutely love Chapman screw drivers, but I'd like to point out that real gunsmiths hollow grind their screwdrivers to fit perfectly. Not that I am one, mind you. Wheeler makes a set of gunsmith's screw drivers, and a gunsmith's screwdriver torque wrench, which I have acquired recently, that are almost as nice as the Chapman sets. I hope one day soon to buy a Chapman master set. The set my dad gave me 30 or 40 years ago apparently filled up with water in storage at some point, and is somewhat messed up.

Bill