Question about cabinet makers turnscrews

[John Dingman]

I have seen a couple suppliers for the Standard Slotted cabinet maker's turn screws. Does anyone know of a supplier for a phillips version of the turn screws. I saw a set in Andy Rae's Tool Cabinet in the tool box book, and I have a set like his slotted ones. Where can I find some with the phillips head? I have looked for an email address for Andy Rae to see where he got them. There is a possibility he made them. But I am coming up blank. Thanks for your help!

John

[Bob Smalser]

I think they're all a poor choice.

There's so many different sizes of slots you really would do well to buy a set of gunsmith screwdrivers with a good set of tips. They also have the advantage of being hollow ground to fit straight slots better.

"Magnatips" from brownells.com with have served me well for over 30 years, and adapters exist to use them in a sweep brace, 1/4" drive ratchet or Yankee as well as a drill driver for production work. And they also fit the Big Box cheapo bits useful to grind your own to fit the odd slot you don't have a bit for. Bet I have 50 bits.

Nothing ruins the look of a piece more than misaligned and buggered screws. Get a centering pilot bit, too for hinges.

It's a one-time, lifetime purchase.

[Shawn Swafford]

John, I agree with Bob on the Brownells screw drivers. They are a really good setup. The smaller box in my picture is the thin tip set that is used for working on European and other fine guns that have thin slots in the screw heads. Brownells also makes a real nice set of fixed screwdrivers that come in a set of around 20. I have these also but the magnatip bit set gets the most use.

[Matthew Dworman]

Hi John,
I too had been looking for a set and recently found one on ebay:
http://images.andale.com/f2/112/108/18115648/1104541528401_IMG_4626.jpg
I have not been able to find a supplier of this set anywhere, but you way want to contact Garrett Wade as they offer the slotted set - maybe they can special order the phillips head set?
Matt

[James Mittlefehldt]

John, Lee Valley has what I would call a deluxe line of screw drivers though I think they call them heavy duty. They are not cabinet makers screw drivers as you asked about, but they are ergonomically designed to fit hands comfortably and they look great. They of course are not cheap either, but I suspect you would only have to buy them once. That is of course unless your relatives and assorted housemates borrow them and fail to put them back and then they sort of evaporate into thin air.

I have never seen those Brownell screw drivers, but they look interesting. I have bought an adaptor and use drill screw driver bits in my hand brace and it is amazing how fast you can put a screw into something and how easy to.

[John Dingman]

Hi John,
I too had been looking for a set and recently found one on ebay:
http://images.andale.com/f2/112/108/18115648/1104541528401_IMG_4626.jpg
I have not been able to find a supplier of this set anywhere, but you way want to contact Garrett Wade as they offer the slotted set - maybe they can special order the phillips head set?
MattMatt,

That's exactly what I was looking for! I'll give Garrett Wade a try and see what I come up with.

Thanks!
John

[Wendell Wilkerson]

"Magnatips" from brownells.com with have served me well for over 30 years, and adapters exist to use them in a sweep brace, 1/4" drive ratchet or Yankee as well as a drill driver for production work.


Bob,

Do you have a source for adapters to fit a brace and to fit a Yankee screwdriver? I bought something from McFeeley's that let's me use the cheapo bits from the Borg in a Yankee screwdrive, but I haven't been able to find something similar for a brace.

Wendell

[Bob Smalser]

Bob,

Do you have a source for adapters to fit a brace and to fit a Yankee screwdriver? I bought something from McFeeley's that let's me use the cheapo bits from the Borg in a Yankee screwdrive, but I haven't been able to find something similar for a brace.

Wendell

Lee Valley has one that works but it's poor quality.

Jamestown Distributers has them too and I'm betting theu are better because I intend to order one next time around.

[Michael Perata]

Matt

Garrett Wade's set in\s not available with Phillips heads. I asked already.

[Matthew Springer]

I like my Lee Valley set. I thin kthey cal them the lifetime set. They're not wood handles or anything fancy, but they work and are nigh invulnerable.

You do realize, of course, it is mathematically provable that it is impossible to have enough screwdrivers....

or was that clamps.....

[Kurt Loup]

Jamestown Distributers has them too and I'm betting theu are better because I intend to order one next time around.

Bob,

I have the one from Jamestown. Works fine for me. I can't compare it against any others though.

Kurt

[Derek Cohen]

Highland Hardware sell slotted screw ends for the Stanley Yankee screwdrivers. I have some for my #135, #130 and #131.

I also keep a #135 fitted with a hex adapter that I machined to fit (take one hex-ended extension and chuck it in a drill press to use as a metal lathe to grind the hex to a round). This gives me a wide selection of screwdriver types from which to choose.

Of course I am not satisfied just to have the above, but also have a slotted set similar to (but not) Garrett Wade turnscrews pictured earlier. So I am also looking for a set of Philips to complete the set. I really enjoy using these. They feel very solid in the hand.

Regards from Perth

Derek