Anti-Scratch screwdriver

[Revin]

Does anyone know of a anti scratch Flathead screwdriver?

Like made of plastic or delerin, or some sort of hard material other than the standard metal screwdriver.

I will be using it like a standard driver. It would need to be strong enough for tightening a metal screw.

Let me know, what you know.....

THX
Revin

 

[wolf_from_wv]

What are you trying to tighten?

They make "plastic" screwdrivers for adjusting radio circuits...

 

[Air21]

Can you maybe change the fastener? Hex or Phillips? I doubt you'll find non-marring flat heads, rather they go the opposite direction and go from standard to demolition.

 

[Revin]

the part I am trying to tighten is a military unit that just has screws used for mounting. When I put them on a vibration fixture for testing sometimes the reg. screwdriver may slip off and mar or scratch the painted finish.
For some reason the customer does not want to buy a scratched unit for $***,***.00
And the touch people cannot seem to fix deep gouges.

I have one of those plastic" screwdrivers for adjusting radio circuits" it would not hold up and bends with tightening.

I have seen chisels that are made of some thick plastic and seem like they are thick enough not to bend. I could whittle them down to screwdriver size, but that may compromise their strength.

 

[dragonballz]

Are you tightening the hardware only once? Can you use masking tape or a microfiber cloth to cover up the painted surfaces? Remove the protection once the equipment is mounted

 

[Air21]

Or Loctite?

 

[jptbay]

Why don't you use another fastener that doesn't have a crappy flat slot drive? I would be ashamed to have those in any quality equipment.

 

[P51Boilermaker]

Never used these and don't know if they'd fit your application but they claim to not scratch watch cases. Another option: make a brass flathead. I couldn't find a brass screwdriver so you'd have to make one. Or try painters tape on the head of your screwdriver. Can you post some pictures of where the screw is used at?

http://www.esslinger.com/horotec-4-...0mm-w-non-marring-beryllium-flat-head-blades/

 

[rlitman]

Never used these and don't know if they'd fit your application but they claim to not scratch watch cases. Another option: make a brass flathead. I couldn't find a brass screwdriver so you'd have to make one. Or try painters tape on the head of your screwdriver. Can you post some pictures of where the screw is used at?

http://www.esslinger.com/horotec-4-...0mm-w-non-marring-beryllium-flat-head-blades/

BeCu may not scratch stainless, but it will scratch paint just as well as steel will.

I'd suggest using a screwdriver that cannot slip off. Is the screw recessed, or sticking out?
Can you mount a tube around the tip that keeps the screwdriver centered on the screw?

 

[P51Boilermaker]

If it's just the paint you're worried about then I'd paint it after you assemble it. Really the only way to avoid any tool marks completely. I do aircraft restoration and it's hard to assemble things that are finished and painted. Maybe a small model brush or airbrush?

 

[Revin]

well may have to try painter tape. I love the idea of a tube around the head! Will look into that.
It is a rounded over head screw. the place where it is leaves less than 1/8" of space between it and the main body of the unit.
It is mainly a box that we can connect two cables in the back and it will be permanently mounted in the planes on a rack of sorts.

 

[derosa]

What about putting a burr on a standard screwdriver so it digs into the screw head. There are woodworking videos on how to do this for brass screws.

 

[bob15]

A hollow-ground screwdriver would give the best fit and least chance of the driver coming out.

http://chapmanmfg.com/collections/slotted-flathead-sets

 

[balrog]

You did not notate the size of the slotted fastener. Modifying one of these might work for you.

http://www.greenlee.com/catalog/Professional-Hand-Tools/Drivers/Screw-holding-Drivers

Another suggestion is to fabricate a guard out of a block of delrin or similar material. Considering the cost of your product, the time to build one for the test fixture would be negligible.

 

[Air21]

Maybe a bit in something like a nylon foot microstrip cage?

 

[pepi]

Why don't you use another fastener that doesn't have a crappy flat slot drive? I would be ashamed to have those in any quality equipment.

Exactly!

 

[1950mercury]

Blah blah blah ba blah ba blah

 

[Dingleburry]

maybe try non sparking or EX rated tools?

 

[southalabama]

Proper screwdriver size. Perhaps grind to fit.

Then as Elmer Fudd says be very very careful.

Grind your own plastic down. Will likely need to continue to grind as it wears.

Best solution as stated above. Another type fastener.

 

[Tejaas]

What about heatshrink?

Throw a length of it over the entire screwdriver blade and shrink it down...?



~Tejaas~

 

[four.cycle]

try painters tape on the head of your screwdriver

I'm not sure I'm understanding what you're working on, but:

I've used plain old masking tape over the drive end of a slotted screwdriver for stuff like this.
Be sure the screwdriver (wrapped with a couple layers of masking tape) fits the slot in the screw properly.

And Elmer Fudd actually would have said "Be vewwy vewwy careful."

 

[Airframer]

Grace USA will custom grind screwdrivers to fit particular screws for you. Maybe try them out.

 

[Tejaas]

It sounds like you would be best served with something like a 1/4" drive carburetor adjustment socket which has a tube around the driver. They are designed to keep a flat screwdriver tip from slipping off the carb adjustment screw while an engine is running and vibrating which is pretty much the same situational dynamic you are talking about.

Great idea... a captive screwdriver.

Many years ago i made my own with captive fastener ferrules, metalset, and heatshrink for certain applications - such as the tiny screws on Winchester connectors commonly found under the TADS/PNVS shrouds on AH-64D's.







~Tejaas~

 

[66HertzClone]

Have you looked at the tips of the PB Swiss flathead screwdrivers? That might be just what you are looking for.

 

[bmwpowere36m3]

If its simply for testing, then use torx or hex screws where their is a smaller chance of slippage.

That said, how tight are these screws? Shouldn't be that much slippage and damage... with new screws and good tips/drivers. Otherwise a flat head is the wrong fastener choice.

 

[d.mcfarland]

Rubber band between the screw and the screwdriver? Isn't that an old trick?

 

[Maui]

Why don't you simply use Allen head machine screws instead?

 

[Sal Bandini]

the part I am trying to tighten is a military unit that just has screws used for mounting. When I put them on a vibration fixture for testing sometimes the reg. screwdriver may slip off and mar or scratch the painted finish.
For some reason the customer does not want to buy a scratched unit for $***,***.00
And the touch people cannot seem to fix deep gouges.

I have one of those plastic" screwdrivers for adjusting radio circuits" it would not hold up and bends with tightening.

I have seen chisels that are made of some thick plastic and seem like they are thick enough not to bend. I could whittle them down to screwdriver size, but that may compromise their strength.

Doesn't your customer know that test samples can and will take a beating? They shouldn't expect pristine or even warrantied products.