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If you can use a drill with a screwdriver bit to drive a screw, then most of the time, use it. Here's when you might be smarter to use a screwdriver: The screw is going into a pre-tapped (threaded) hole in metal, or plastic, or any soft material. Always at least start such screws by hand -- so that you can avoid cross-threading them. Putting screws into ...

Twist in the proper direction Are you turning the right way? Remember, "Righty tighty, Lefty loosy" (which never made sense to me). Most screws are right-handed threads, so you'll turn them anti(counter)-clockwise to remove them. In some situations left-hand thread screws are used (usually to prevent screws from loosening due to rotational forces), so ...

Michael said many good things in that response. Read it. As an addendum.... In most cases, if it feels loose, then use a larger driver. A screwdriver should fit snuggly in the recess of the screw you are driving, without taking force to inset the bit into the screw. If it does not, then you are using the wrong one. It should have a shape that matches. Do ...

Stripping a screw is indeed a terrible thing to do. It is best to avoid the problem of stripped screws by not stripping them in the first place, but you should also be prepared to deal with a stripped or rusted screw in the event that you have to deal with one. Your first step should be to look at the screw's head and find several screws that you might ...

Screws are sometimes "locked" using a type of "glue" to keep them from coming loose, especially in settings where there is vibration (such as spinning disks). There are different levels of this locking material, some that are meant to be loosened and some that are intended to be permanent. If this is what is holding your screws in, it is highly likely to be ...

Some times tightening the screw helps un stick it.I don't mean turning it a full quarter tighten but use some force. If you hear it click/budge a bit- Spray WD-40 on it then untighten it, spray WD-40(only a short spray-don't drown it), repeat over and over and the distance will get larger and larger and eventually you will be able to unscrew with ease. By ...

There are several types of screw heads that look like Phillips screws but aren't quite the same--Reed & Prince, JIS, Pozidrive, etc. The JIS screw head is likely to be found in electronic equipment. List of Screw Drives

For really stuck screws, you can use a manual impact driver. Attach a bit that fits snugly in the screw slot Set the driver to spin in the proper direction (this process varies from tool to tool, but most commonly, you'll compress the driver and twist). Place the driver on the screw, and hold the driver as straight as possible (keep you hands away from ...

Abrasive paste as sold in car repair shops to use when grinding in valves in cylinder heads is great for screw heads that are 'worn'. Place a small dab on the screwdriver head before trying to unscrew the item. The friction from the abrasive in the paste will help the screwdriver 'grab' the worn screw slot..

I think the bits as basically very low quality. When you go to your favorite store, simply buy one of the contractor grade of bits like DeWalt, Kolbalt, Irwin, Vermont American etc. Be careful what kind of jobs you tackle with your light duty screwdriver. I'm sure it does not have the power to drive longer screws into hard woods like decking etc. You have to ...

Think of it this way; is it easier to replace a broken bit or remove a screw with a stripped out head? It is always easier to replace the bit. It sounds like you may need to work on your technique a little. Bits shatter like you are describing from the shock received from coming to a quick stop at the end of its travel. It is best to ease the screw in the ...

As @shirlock homes has stated it sounds like a low quality bit. I am unsure of the durability of the coated bits you mentioned as it is often a marketing ploy. Some manufacturers coat a low quality bit in an exotic sounding material. What you get is a cheap bit with a very thin layer coating it. If you haven't noticed the major "Pro" lines don't make these ...

If its metal on metal you can try heating the area or cooling it with ice. Metal expands and contracts with temperature change (works great on spark plugs too!). For screw heads starting to strip, a piece of bicycle inner tube or rubberband between the head and driver bit helps it from stripping further.

Currently the most common type of screw used on small electronic and household equipment seems to be Phillips head (named for the inventor, Henry F. Phillips). These come in a variety of sizes. The most common size is a #2 head, but many items use the smaller #1, and even the #0 size. There are even smaller sizes available in specialty sets for very small ...