Are Robertson screws catching on yet in the U.S.?
‘Square-drive’ screws aren’t quite the same thing. . . Genuine Robertson screws have a bit of taper to the socket. I generally try to buy screws supplied by The Original Robertson Screw Company, which work far better than cheap-o ‘square-drive’ Chinese screws.
I wish I could go back to the 1910s and b1tch-slap Henry Ford. The Philips screw is really only good for specialty applications, like drywall screws. A century later and I still have to fumble with the ridiculous cruciform format for this and that. It’s designed to cam out!
Anyways, I don’t know if any of you Yankees have tried the Chinese square-cr4p screws and been dissatisfied. If so, you need to get your hands on some Original Robertson screws. ‘The biggest little invention’ of the 20th century.
Replies
I commonly use McFeelys' version of the Robbies. They work great.
The square-drive screws by Kreg are very good too.
The screws I like best are GRK torx drive though.
Robertson's are Canada's greatest gift to construction. Well that, and some engineered wood. And they are finally, in the guise of square drive, catching on a little more in New England anyway. Still tough to find bits for them. Some of the screws I buy come with square bits packed inside, which is a nice touch. And lots of store folks look at you funny when you ask for them. No one I know who's tried square drive uses Phillips for anything again, except drywall.Now if we could just get the tapered triangle screw in production and use - there's a screw that is much harder to cam out and sticks to the bit like it was glued on.Gavin Pitchford
"Sail fast - live slow" (build even slower)
"Robertson's are Canada's greatest gift to construction."
Actually it's a well known fact that the check-out girls at Slegg lumber are Canada's greatest gift to construction.
Second to the check out girls of course-
All that pine they send down is useful too.
Nice looking but some of the most miserable personality girls I have ever come across. At least in 2 of their stores.roger
Well better looking than their framing lumber. My orders are always full of wane edge studs. I used to wonder if I had offended someone there - but the piles in their yard look just as bad as the stuff they send me. So I guess that's some consolation; we are all getting the same garbage.
tapered triangle screw
Have not seen that."Put your creed in your deed." Emerson
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
It currently ranks as a tamper-proof screw 'cause almost nobody has a triangular bit to unscrew the damned things. It's used to assemble stuff the manufacturer doesn't want you to repair so ya hafta buy a new one. All the Disney-toys that MacDo's 'gives away' to suck your children in are assembled with those things.
Dinosaur
How now, Mighty Sauron, that thou art not broughtlow by this? For thine evil pales before that whichfoolish men call Justice....
The tapered round socket is the best. Less time wasted aligning the bit.
I will echo what "basswood" says. I really like working with the GRK torks screws.... I use it for all my decks that I build and anything that needs any structural integrity what so ever.
Ebe
Ok, I have to laugh. I found the Robertson Inc site and what's displayed right under their logo? "with Manufacturing Facilities in North America and China"
So I guess it's still tough to get away from Chinese screws :)
That said, what applications are you using them for that you like them so much? Have a source that sells them online?
And I ran across these Lox screws while searching for a Robertson dealer. Kind of interesting. http://toolmonger.com/category/manufacturers/lox/
have you seen the robertson driver that is like those little "bumpers" for drywall screws, that set the screw to the proper depth?
not at the big box yet, but available at specialty hardware stores.
perfect for subflooring or fence boards.
Dimplers not Bumpers.
I though they were to show how slow your screwgun really is.