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Chapman's makes a set of Gunsmith screwdrivers that's worked very well for me - they're parallel ground (Hollow ground) so there is no taper at all - that keeps the top of the round head screws from getting burred-up, and lets the screwdriver make full contact across the slot of the screw head rather than just on the outer corners. They come in a variety of thicknesses and widths to fit almost any screw. Turner's outdoors, Cabella's, maybe Bass Pro Shops, or if all else fails - your local gunsmith could point you to them. My set is about 30 years old and I don't know who carries them anymore. - Good Luck

I use a Belkin standard computer tool kit --it works very well and is available at most major retailers (target, staples, officemax, best buy, walmart, etc.) or you can order it online as well.

JJ

A shot of Vodka to a glass of Orange Juice always works for me.

bloke wrote:Rather than those expensive "hobby" screwdrivers (Xcelite, etc.), I usually will take a decent (Craftsman?) old/used pawn shop (medium or large) screwdriver with a big, comfortable handle and grind the tip down to accommodate a commonly-applied special use.

A++

I'm reminded of my (rather short, and abandoned) undergraduate Engineering education: before graduation, every student was required to visit the shop and make a screwdriver (under careful supervision) from scratch.

On the other hand, if someone is asking about the proper screwdriver, what are the chances that he has the proper tools to *modify* a not-quite-right screwdriver?

cktuba wrote:Screwdriver recommendations???

Now you're talkin'!

For those screws that hold rotor stop arms onto rotary valves... I simply grind a regular Craftsman screwdriver down so it's much thinner and fits well into the slot. Even it you get a screwdriver that properly fits the slot... DO NOT exert much force on those screws. The threads are very small and are likely to break off if overtightened. When I put them back in, I like to use a little grease or 'never-seize' on the threads.

goodgigs wrote:Ah the old "sonic screwdriver”! What could be more appropriate for working on musical instruments than a sonic screwdriver?
So I'm having one of those senior moments...........Is it from Dr. Who or Hitchhikers Guide?

The good dr.'s screwdriver.

hitchhikers is an e-book....

rocksanddirt wrote:

goodgigs wrote:Ah the old "sonic screwdriver”! What could be more appropriate for working on musical instruments than a sonic screwdriver?
So I'm having one of those senior moments...........Is it from Dr. Who or Hitchhikers Guide?

The good dr.'s screwdriver.

hitchhikers is an e-book....

Hitchhikers' Guide to the Universe was first and firemmost a radio serial.

dgpretzel wrote:Thank you for your comments, even the, shall we say, "divergent" ones. That's one of the cool things about this forum-- the nontypical senses of humor that lead to free associations and unusual directions.

Anyway, I'd do the screwdriver mod thing... if I had a shop... if I had a grinder.

So, I guess I'll do the expensive hobby screwdriver or gun shop thing, and come up with one that fits.

Regards,

DG

Actually, if you have a sheet of sandpaper, a flat, hard surface, and some patience, you can thin the end of a regular (cheap) screwdriver to exactly the thickness you need -- no grinder or shop necessary.

A shot of Vodka to a glass of Orange Juice always works for me.

Add milk of magnesia if you need a Philip's screwdriver.

sloan wrote:On the other hand, if someone is asking about the proper screwdriver, what are the chances that he has the proper tools to *modify* a not-quite-right screwdriver?

Then buy a handful of them at the pawn shop, and start grinding. Keep at it until it turns out right. At least the OP knows how he wants it to fit.

The only requirement is to keep the grinding wheel going slow and the touch light. If you see the steel change color, throw it away and try again. Overheating during grinding will ruin the temper and the screwdriver will be soft.

Rick "you have to start somewhere" Denney

sinfonian wrote:A shot of Vodka to a glass of Orange Juice always works for me.

I prefer to add one small squeeze of lemon juice in case the bartender used cheap vodka.

Rick Denney wrote:

sloan wrote:On the other hand, if someone is asking about the proper screwdriver, what are the chances that he has the proper tools to *modify* a not-quite-right screwdriver?

Then buy a handful of them at the pawn shop, and start grinding. Keep at it until it turns out right. At least the OP knows how he wants it to fit.

The only requirement is to keep the grinding wheel going slow and the touch light. If you see the steel change color, throw it away and try again. Overheating during grinding will ruin the temper and the screwdriver will be soft.

Rick "you have to start somewhere" Denney

Don't throw them away - pawn them.

dgpretzel wrote:if I had a grinder.

Cheap, easy to find, easy to work with...if you don't already have one, it's worth it to get one. I've paid for mine just in lawnmower blade sharpening...

dgpretzel wrote:if I had a grinder.

I'd grind it in the morning...I'd grind it in the evening, all over this land.
...Yeah.

I'm sorry, Woody Guthrie

MileMarkerZero wrote:

dgpretzel wrote:if I had a grinder.

Cheap, easy to find, easy to work with...if you don't already have one, it's worth it to get one. I've paid for mine just in lawnmower blade sharpening...

Suppose I can't find just the right Dremel tool - how can I make one (say...could I modify my electric screwdriver?)

In case your wife demands that you return her sewing machine tools.
Sears stocks a huge assortment of small precision screwdrivers. A few dollars each.

DavidK wrote:In case your wife demands that you return her sewing machine tools.
Sears stocks a huge assortment of small precision screwdrivers. A few dollars each.

If the Sears salesman dupes you into buying the wrong screwdriver, can you file a Sears sucker suit?

MileMarkerZero wrote:

dgpretzel wrote:if I had a grinder.

Cheap, easy to find, easy to work with...if you don't already have one, it's worth it to get one. I've paid for mine just in lawnmower blade sharpening...

Even cheaper, easier to find, easier to work with, and it won't go too fast and ruin the temper of the steel.

But sharpen a lawn mower blade with a Dremel tool? That would be like using a toothbrush to mop a floor. I can barely make headway on the blades for my Kubota tractor with a 3/4-HP 8" grinding wheel.

Rick "who is, admittedly, not easy on mower blades" Denney

Rick Denney wrote:

MileMarkerZero wrote:

dgpretzel wrote:if I had a grinder.

Cheap, easy to find, easy to work with...if you don't already have one, it's worth it to get one. I've paid for mine just in lawnmower blade sharpening...

Even cheaper, easier to find, easier to work with, and it won't go too fast and ruin the temper of the steel.

But sharpen a lawn mower blade with a Dremel tool? That would be like using a toothbrush to mop a floor. I can barely make headway on the blades for my Kubota tractor with a 3/4-HP 8" grinding wheel.

Rick "who is, admittedly, not easy on mower blades" Denney

But he's a whiz at HTML