Folks,
When I was a Middle Schooler, I made a set of screwdrivers in my shop class. We shaped the handles from acrylic stock, rasping, sanding and buffing them. We then heated the blades and plunged them into an undersized hole drilled into the handle.
Now I am a shop teacher and I would like to do a plastics class next year. I would like to do this screwdriver project, but I can’t find a source for the blades. Even the supplier who will sell me the handle stock couldn’t tell me where to get blades. I’m thinking of a couple sizes of slotted, and a couple sizes of phillips, six inches long or so, with flanges at the end to keep the tang from rotating.
If any of you kind souls can think of a source, I would sure appreciate it. I have been unable to narrow my google searching enough to be productive. I will keep searching, but I thought I would try to tap into the collective knowledge here.
Thanks,
Kit
Replies
Travers tool 1 800 221-0270. I don't know for sure, but it's a decent bet. I know they sell sets - i.e. the shanks with 1 handle, (so maybe you can just get shanks) and if you want to go a little further, you can get tool steel blanks and have a class on tempering. Then they can make their own shanks.
"If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between a dog and a man." - Mark Twain
I have no idea where you can get the bare bare blades they use for commercial screwdrivers, but you can get the insert blades used for Xcelite handles. They look very similar and have ears on them, but are much better quality. About $5 each from lots of places. Another option is to contact Stanley or Vermont American. I bet they'd pull a hundred out of a bin in the shop and give them to you free. Assuming any screwdrivers are still made in the USA anymore.
Here's a log cabin story: When I was in high school shop, we had a forge. It was a little thing about the size of a washing machine. It was fired by gas, had a blower on the side and made a heck of a roar when fired up. I took a steel rod, heated it to cherry red and pounded it on the anvil until I got the screwdriver shape I wanted. I then cleaned, filed and polished it. It was heated to cherry red again and plunged into some carbon powder stuff to temper it. I made the handle out of mahogany and pinned it to the shaft with a steel pin. I still have it right here, over 30 years later.
The town I live in now doesn't have any kind of shop in any school.
Al Mollitor, Sharon MA
VP,
If I were in your shoes, and wanted to save money. Look into what Harbor Freight, or the local big box has on sale, pick up a few sets. Smash the handles off, BOOM done.
This is for learning , right?
PS...dont tell the kids.
Jon
Edit: or try to figure out a way to use 2" long replacement bits for screw guns. Those are real cheap, I think $3.00 for 20. You could turn down the non-tip end and braze them to a piece of drill rod.
Jon
Edited 5/26/2004 7:36 pm ET by WorkshopJon
ha hahahaaha my thought exactly!..ok well, crapsman, but the same..
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations.
"ok well, crapsman, but the same"
Sphere,
Craftsman (thinking that's what you meant) actually have handles made of polycarbonate (tough stuff), the cheap, made in china stuff, is pretty much recycled nearly anything. What ever could be shipped back on the boat at the time. I've had many a handle shatter with a light twist.
....And NO I don't buy that crap, some how, it's given to me.
Jon
come to think of it..I only broke 2 sears screwdrivers..in 35 yrs..they are preettyy tuff handles..can't bash em with a hammer too much, they will crack, not shatter
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations.
If I remember correctly, you make a screwdriver with 1 part vodka to about 3 parts orange juice, but that may not be quite the optimal mix for use in a shop class...
There are any number of screwdriver blades available, but the "ears" are probably not long enough to get a good purchase in your handles. You could flatten the ends by heating and pounding but you have to be careful to re-temper the steel if you want maximum utility from the resulting screwdriver.
Vaco interchangeable http://www.mytoolstore.com/klein/90-811.html
Xcelite interchangeable http://www.contacteast.com/product/group.asp?parent_id=606
There are also any number of blades with hex shanks that are also available.
This might be your chance to also teach a forging or blacksmithing class - we made chisels in my school metalworking class, shouldn't be much more difficult to make a screwdriver blade. Maybe just invite a local blacksmith in to flatten the ends of the interchangeable blades and give a lecture on tempering steel by quenching in air, water, or oil.
If you want to get the real deal, there is an outfit that advertises any type of screwdriver bit for your design and specifications - of course you might have to order more than just for your one class...
http://www.tradefind.com/etf/tradeshow/info.jsp?pserno=10758&vpage=1
There is a tool oriented discussion board that you may want to post on for some additional ideas - not as active as Breaktime, however.
http://members5.boardhost.com/insidetools/
Unless you have a local blacksmith or metal worker willing to donate time and materials, I would guess your least expensive route would be as a previous post advised and get some cheap screwdrivers from an outfit such as Harbor Freight and extract the blades...
I did a similar thing in school, but we made flat-bladed screwdrivers out of metal stock. Heated it up, hammered it on an anvil, cleaned it up on a grinder. Just a thought.
http://www.iasco-tesco.com
Industrial Arts Supply Company
5724W.36th. DSt.
Minneapolis, MN 55416-2594
Phone: 888-919-0899
My catalog is 2000-2001 ( retired) and it has screwdriver blades in several sizes. The company is a good source for plastic supplies. I didn't get far on their web site tonight, but I always had good luck with them on the phone.
oldfred
got a medal shop?
I made one in shop, middle school also, but we made the blades, flat head only obviously, round stock heated, beat, repeat until it resembled our curde attempt at a flat head, then cleaned it up on the grinder it was fun, not sure if schools let kids play with hot medal though?
shop class was cool.
shivs in schools. a new headline!..nowadays maybe playschool plastic is safer...
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations.
Thanks for the input and ideas. I had thought about the forging thing, but have decided against it for a couple of reasons, notably that I would also like to do phillips, but also because it's a little to easy for that "screwdriver" to become an awl and start getting poked into things it shouldn't, like the walls, the desks and the classmates. I also have a very small shop and I'm not sure I want to get into all the metal working stuff.
The Klein/Vacombo blades are pretty much what I'm looking for, but they have to be cheaper than $5 each. I may go down to mytoolstore.com and see if they have anything else. They are based here in Vegas, a short drive from my house. I sent away to the industrial arts supply for a catalog.
I knew you guys would come through with some good ideas, even the Harbor Freight one isn't so bad...
If there are any more out there, I'd still love to hear them.
Thanks,
Kit Technique is proof of your seriousness. - Wallace Stevens
I teach woodshop in a private high school; we've been busy with other furniture projects but making a set of screwdrivers is a great idea. However, I would make wood handles - no special tools required and easily replaceable.
I'd used my personal egg-shaped Marples screwdrivers as models. Using a nice hardwood - cherry, walnut, any small scraps you have and begin to shape the handle. If the blanks are large enough, you could rough them out on a bandsaw. This is a project I would plan for well in advance so I could pick up screwdrivers at yard sales - a couple of dollars in my area and I can get a large box of screwdrivers.
My students do make their own mallets as an intro to the lathe. Lots of great mallets from scraps - cherry , hickory, ash - they are very proud of them! Have fun with your project.