Hey you gunsmiths out there
I'm trying to get a little hoard of gunsmithing tools together and I was told I needed to get a set of hollow ground type screwdrivers. Why is it that these don't bugger up screw heads as opposed to a regular screw driver? Any suggestions for a good kit from anybody or any other suggested 'basic' tools? Thanks for any help!
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Traditional screwdrivers are ground on a taper(kinda like a chisel). Hollow ground screwdrivers are completely straight on the end which allows them to go further into the screw and it distributes the torsion much better. They are a must if you want to work on guns and keep them looking nice. The best place to get them is from Brownells.
There are many sets available to suit your needs.
http://www.brownells.com/0 -
walther86,
It is the parallel and perpendicular fit as well as the width of the slot that prevents marring and damaging screw heads. You can't work on expensive firearms either for yourself or clients and expect anyone to accept damage to screw heads.
Courtesy of Forster products:
Fig. 1 Choose screwdrivers designed specifically for the mounting of scope sights and other common gunsmithing requirements. Gunsmiths' screwdrivers will be properly dimensioned to handle those unique tasks. Nothing is more frustrating than a bruised scope mount, a distorted screw, or the white metal showing through the finish of an expensive scope which has been subjected to a damaging mounting job. (Note: Our screwdrivers are not the double wedge type, swedged on a punch press as shown in figures 2, 3 and 4.)
Fig. 2 & 3. A design such as this will chamfer the work or cam out of the slot if the screw is difficult to remove.
Fig. 4 The double wedge type transmits its torque to the top of the screw slot. With such a small area contacting the screwdriver, the screw will be scored or one of the sections of the screw head will break off if heavy pressure is applied. This wedge shape also tends to back the driver out of the screw slot.
Fig. 5 Fig. 5 illustrates what happens when too narrow and thin a blade is used.
Fig. 6 The Forster screwdriver in fig. 6 is ideal. The torque is applied at the bottom of the slot where the screw is strongest. The blade fills the slot. The blade is the same width as the shank as shown in fig. 1. It has the same radius so it will not chamfer the work or mark the screw.
Best.0 -
A friend of mine used to buy cheap flathead drivers - ya know the counter top brand, in a bucket, 79 cents each kind. When he would be working on an exotic bike (he did wheel work for a few tdf riders) he'd grind drivers to fit each need. 0 -
Besides the Brownells, have a set of Chapmans that has been in my range bag for YEARS. Bits, extension, handle, and a rachet. Metal of bits is soft, made to be shaped for perfect fit. 0 -
Dont use hollow ground bits!.....It keeps the price of good guns down![:D] 0 -
Thanks for the information guys. Now hopefully I won't have to replace any more buggered up screws! 0 -
Besides needing to be hollow ground, screwdrivers need round handles.
Wobbling a screwdriver because it has loosely retained bits or the screwdriver is short or there are flats on the handle, is hard to avoid.
You'd do well to learn to hollow grind a screwdriver for a particular job and round & polish its' sides so you don't scratch the finish off a counterbored screw hole.0 -
In addition to what everyone has said, good gunsmith screwdrivers are very hard with proper heat treating and good steel. This is so they will not bend and distort and screw up the head of a hard to remove screw. Everyone has seen a screw head that is buggered up or the metal around it gouged and scratched. With this in mind stay away from the wheller engineering made by midway. They are advertised as hard but are not. I bought one when they first came out and wish I haden't. I have a bunch of them I need to send back. 0 -
i bought the wheeler engineering 89 piece kit from midway last year.what a great set every bit you can think of.i have taken screws out that have been buggered by other people and my self before i had the set.you wont be disapointed. 0
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