Dedicated Screwdrivers Vs Bit Screwdrivers Vs 6 in 1: Torque Abilities

[oldschoolcraft]

For a long time I always assumed the reason for dedicated screwdrivers is convenience. Pros don’t want to mess around with changing bits every time they need to turn a screw. Electricians use 6 in 1s because they need to travel light but mechanics in a shop have at least 6 if not 20+ different dedicated screwdrivers, when you add in stuff like torx.

I mostly use bit Screwdrivers because I’m not a pro and am limited on space And the extra few seconds doesn’t bother me. But i started wondering if the bit screwdrivers reduce torque ability. last night I met a torx fastener I couldn’t turn by hand with a bit screwdriver.

Made me think that when you add extensions to sockets, you lose torque. Each time a new extension is added, there’s a slight wobble that gets introduced in that circular turning plane. I’m guessing the same thing happens with bit screwdrivers where some of the torque is lost in contacting the bit to the bit holder. Maybe if I had a dedicated set of torx screwdrivers I could have turned the fastener.?

Also made me think with a 6 in 1, the entire shank is the bit, and maybe you lose less torque since more surface area is connecting to the handle.

So do pros have dedicated screwdrivers to get extra torque? Or is it all about convenience? I figure if we really need torque we can use a Philips head or torx socket on a ratchet.

 

[BlakeTheCarGuy]

Dedicated screwdrivers. Often those 6 in 1 or whatever are cheap and don’t work well. Like the old saying goes never trust a mechanic who can fit all of his screwdrivers in one drawer. I have a drawer full of screwdrivers at work plus in the cart and several million more at home. You can never have too many. I like traditional screwdrivers.

 

[Dave455]

If you have a dedicated screwdriver, the handle is optimum for the tip size. This makes a huge difference. If you use a bit driver the handle is probably overkill for an 1/8” slotted screw, and not big enough for a PH3.

Bit drivers don’t fit in everywhere. Many screws in electrical fittings preclude the use of bit drivers.

Also, bit drivers can be prone to losing bits. This is more of a problem with the better fitting bits. Some industries (aero engines for example) will not want bit drivers used.

Overall, dedicated drivers are to be preferred. But.. there are exceptions. Aside from the space saving (which is very relevant away from base) ratcheting bit drivers can offer a huge advantage in a lot of situations. Also, if you sometimes have to work with crappy screws, a damaged bit is cheaper to replace than a whole driver.

In my ”road box” I include both bit driver and regular drivers, in the common sizes. At base I have a wide selection of both and use the most appropriate.

If I go out carrying minimal tools, then a bit driver will probably be among them, but no other drivers.

 

[DrinkMan]

Dedicated for when the work is important.

6-in-1 for the kitchen drawer for quick projects.

bit drivers for when you put it on your drill motor when doing some projects with wood and the screw is real long.

 

[VolvoRyan]

Made me think that when you add extensions to sockets, you lose torque. Each time a new extension is added, there’s a slight wobble that gets introduced in that circular turning plane. I’m guessing the same thing happens with bit screwdrivers where some of the torque is lost in contacting the bit to the bit holder. Maybe if I had a dedicated set of torx screwdrivers I could have turned the fastener.?

You don't lose torque. At least not at this scale. Newton's third law says that what you "put in" is what the fastener "sees" on the opposite end.

As folks have said above, there's reasons for having both "dedicated" and bits. I tend to only use bits with a "bit ratchet".... otherwise I tend to lose them.

-Ryan

 

[Kuma601]

This would go along with Torque Test Channel and the drive losses with similar past tests, so yes. For casual use it may not be significant as most uses precise torque values on a screw are not necessary for what I'm using them. Snugging up the license plate, gate latch, door striker plate, etc. The other side is I dislike that take-up feel as the bit shifts because it reduces my feel for the fastener. If I'm on it for a tough screw one can get a feel/sense when it is about to cam out or deform. With a regular screwdriver I get a good feel how the fastener is doing when snugging up. By then if at those values I'm using the impact driver but that's the force and speed approach.

I have a few bit drivers for situations that are quick in out snugging up of minimal concern. I tend not to like the bits (soft) and access due to the shaft diameter and their usual short working lengths. I don't own a 6-1 type, flipping stuff around didn't appeal. For my uses a traditional screwdriver are the main ones. The Vessel "Jaws fit" and Felo comfort grips are the primary screwdrivers here.

This makes me wonder, is there a consensus using impact bits over non-impact bits?

 

[larry_g]

Made me think that when you add extensions to sockets, you lose torque. Each time a new extension is added, there’s a slight wobble that gets introduced in that circular turning plane. I’m guessing the same thing happens with bit screwdrivers where some of the torque is lost in contacting the bit to the bit holder. Maybe if I had a dedicated set of torx screwdrivers I could have turned the fastener.?

For the engineers in the crowd

The question is on torque. Let's say I have a 20' rod that draws two steel boxes together. There is a nut on each end. one nut I anchor by welding to one of the boxes and the other I torque to 100 ft lbs. In another situation I have a 1' rod that draws two steel boxes together. There is a nut...

www.garagejournal.com

If you want to follow the idea of lost torque read the thread above and then follow the links that I posted in there.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[Komet]

I've got a 6 in 1 in the living room, one bit driver in the tool cart with a full array of bits for that one time you encounter a Robertson down here in the states and whatnot, and also a selection of dedicated screwdrivers in Phillips and regular on the cart and the shop wall. The feel is the best with the dedicated handle, I'm not sure if you can even get the jawsfit Vessel Phillips tip as a bit insert, which is my preferred screwdriver for stubborn scenarios.

Prying and scraping nasty stuff with a bit driver might jam gunk in the end, I'd rather have something fixed that's easier to clean.

Torx stuff I prefer to start with an L-key these days, unless it's larger stuff in an engine bay, then I use the bit sockets.

 

[CoogarXR]

I prefer individual drivers just because I like having the correct tool nearby for a one-handed grab. For instance, I might need to switch from Philips to torx, I'd rather just grab the other driver laying there, than have to stop what I'm doing and switch bits.

That's in my shop though. On the road, I use a lot of bit drivers. But I actually prefer shank swap drivers rather than bits, so they are narrower and can fit in recesses better. Bit drivers are usually too fat to do anything but surface fasteners.

 

[KnurledNut]

Bits have more drive options: fixed handle, stubby handle, ratcheting handle, T-handle, bit ratchet, bit adaptors, drill/impact, etc.
I've really come to appreciate 6" bits.

 

[isb cornbinder]

My Dad died in 1989 and the task of cleaning out is shop fell to me. Dad had a thing for screwdrivers. There must have be over 200. I sorted through a big RUBBERMAID container and made up a few sets. When I got back to the West Coast, I gave the remaining screwdrivers to a charity..

 

[crewchief888]

i have SO ratcheting bit drivers in my stuff in the basement, wife has another one with her stuff upstairs.
none in the garage at all, dedicated screwdrivers in my service truck, and a SO long handled T handle set in my truck as well.

 

[subroc]

Everyone's work flow is different.

I am a huge fan of 6-in-1, bits for magnetic screwdrivers or bit holders and 1/4-inch hex mini ratchets as well as cordless screwdrivers, impacts, including driving them with drills. Truth is when I got my Chapman set decades ago I saw the usefulness of replaceable bits. I believe the idea and concept is among the great inventions in mechanical repair and certainly for bench work.

That said, I would rather use a proper dedicated right sized screwdriver instead of a bit holder every time.

 

[sixfootfive]

I don't use my tools professionally.

A few years ago I had a need for a couple of torx drivers. I thought I would save some money and space by buying a 9 in 1 torx driver, and you know what? That thing is heavy with all the bits stored in the handle. I found it tiring to use. It probably is a good solution for some things, but I decided then that I prefer dedicated drivers.

 

[merkyworks]

I’m in the dedicated driver crowd for sure, 6-in-1 are a no go for me. However I have been intrigued by PB Swiss interchangeable blade driver set.

 

[tamaraw]

For a long time I always assumed the reason for dedicated screwdrivers is convenience.

Not exactly. Fixed drivers are more solid with less play which is useful for fine back and forth adjustments and the handle will typically be sized appropriately for the torque required. A fixed design also lends itself well to heavier duty features like tang-through for hammering or large hex shanks for a wrench. Fixed drivers can also be less bulky than bit drivers which becomes more pronounced as you get to smaller sizes (ex: electronics repair). A good quality fixed driver will also generally have a more durable forged tip than a bit which is designed to be somewhat disposable.

Pros don’t want to mess around with changing bits every time they need to turn a screw.

Perhaps true, but in some applications it could go the other way where it is easier to have bits than 500 different infrequently used drivers.

Electricians use 6 in 1s because they need to travel light but mechanics in a shop have at least 6 if not 20+ different dedicated screwdrivers, when you add in stuff like torx.

Unlike most other drive types, the design of torx makes the tool end twist or wear sooner than the fastener side. Dedicated torx screwdrivers can also be pretty limited because the force a fastener is rated to can easily exceed the grip that you can get on the handle. Add to that the large spread of torx sizes, many of which may not be used in a particular field, and it may make more sense to have torx bits rather than just dedicated drivers.

But i started wondering if the bit screwdrivers reduce torque ability.

No.

last night I met a torx fastener I couldn’t turn by hand with a bit screwdriver.

As mentioned above, typical torx. But if you have a bit, you can easily use a bit socket with a longer lever or power tools.

Made me think that when you add extensions to sockets, you lose torque.

That's mostly down to the flex in a long beam.

Each time a new extension is added, there’s a slight wobble that gets introduced in that circular turning plane. I’m guessing the same thing happens with bit screwdrivers where some of the torque is lost in contacting the bit to the bit holder.

Using hand tools, the number of connections made is not that as important in regards to torque (especially if you are only talking about one or two connections) since the slack is taken up under constant tension. It would be an issue with impact tools because those work differently and rely on a bunch of small hammering impulses.

Maybe if I had a dedicated set of torx screwdrivers I could have turned the fastener.?

With the same size handle as whatever bit driver you were using? Certainly not. With a t-handle torx driver or a bit socket with a longer tool? Probably, yes.

Also made me think with a 6 in 1, the entire shank is the bit, and maybe you lose less torque since more surface area is connecting to the handle.

You are not losing an appreciable amount of torque either way.

So do pros have dedicated screwdrivers to get extra torque?

No, not how that works.

Or is it all about convenience?

No, see other comments above. "Convenience" could go either way depending upon the application. There are other reasons to use a fixed driver.

I figure if we really need torque we can use a Philips head or torx socket on a ratchet.

Yep, or a t-handle. For male-drive tooling, t-handles can be nice because they help you keep the tool straight-on to the fastener as you apply force vs a ratchet that might tilt off-center.

At the end of the day, dedicated drivers and bits are two different tools, each with their own strengths.

A major strength of bits that it seems you aren't taking advantage of is their ability to be used in many different tools; fixed/ratcheting handles, wrenches, bit holding sockets for square drive tools, or electric screwdrivers/drills/impact drivers. Bits are also useful for designs where the tool is likely to get damaged or wear out since they are pretty cheap/easy to replace. They can also be considerably shorter than a dedicated driver for situations with very low clearance.

 

[oldschoolcraft]

Using hand tools, the number of connections made is not that as important in regards to torque (especially if you are only talking about one or two connections) since the slack is taken up under constant tension. It would be an issue with impact tools because those work differently and rely on a bunch of small hammering impulses.

That’s genius! The coolest thing I’ve learned all week

Makes so much sense, a small hammering impulse might barely get the stack of tools to lock out before the next impulse.

 

[N8sToolz]

If you e ever lost a bit off the end of your driver down an intake of an engine you'll curse the design for the rest of your life.

I prefer the dedicated drivers almost every time. Gets frustrating when they don't stay in the end of the driver and the other problem is the shank of the driver itself.can be too larger to get into some situations. Locking collars fix one problems and make the other worse.

 

[Chrome Vanadium Cody]

Lots of good points about the attributes of both options in this thread. One thing I'll add is I like how dedicated drivers are often available with a hex bolster (or full hex/square shank) that you can put a wrench on for extra torque.

I mainly use multibit in two scenarios: 1. when I'm working on something outside like a fence and 2. When I'm going to be working inside a car that's on a lift and would have to get someone to lower me down/pass me another tool if I run into an unexpected fastener.

 

[Oh_Snap]

If you e ever lost a bit off the end of your driver down an intake of an engine you'll curse the design for the rest of your life.

I prefer the dedicated drivers almost every time. Gets frustrating when they don't stay in the end of the driver and the other problem is the shank of the driver itself.can be too larger to get into some situations. Locking collars fix one problems and make the other worse.

You pretty much hit the nail on the head.

Replaceable bit screwdrivers have their purpose for convenience, but you're not going to be taking off socket head cap screws on a Ferrari intake plenum with a bit that will drop down inside the engine.

 

[F-22]

Dedicated screwdrivers have no wobble and are also useful for prying stuff and have a slimmer shank. Just way better feel to me. I have a Wera bit driver which is supposed to be quite decent but I really never reach for it over my simple cheap Vessel Crystaline screwdrivers.

I’m in the dedicated driver crowd for sure, 6-in-1 are a no go for me. However I have been intrigued by PB Swiss interchangeable blade driver set.

Those might be very good. I think the blades kind of wedge themselves in so there's minimal slop in this design. Besides the same convenience as a regular screwdriver. If I didn't have the Wera in my "EDC" bag, I'd get this set. The handle is ~5€ and every blade is also 5€. ~35€ for the most used ones, or ~55€ for this full set with the pouch.