Hi All,
I had occasion to remove the slot head screws from a vice. The first three came out easily enough with a hand type impact screwdriver. The fourth though .... bent the impact bit into a helix.
I read somewhere about gripping a short screwdriver or bit between the vice jaws to stop it camming out while turning. I didn't have anything to hand which was an accurate fit to the screw slot so I decided to try making one.
First go, unhardened EN24T - result too soft and in danger of twisting. Next try, hardened but not tempered - way too brittle - result snapping of screwdriver tip. I didn't want to throw it away, so I tempered the stub and then reshaped the tip freehand on a bench grinder. Result - success!
I had occasion to remove the slot head screws from a vice. The first three came out easily enough with a hand type impact screwdriver. The fourth though .... bent the impact bit into a helix.
I read somewhere about gripping a short screwdriver or bit between the vice jaws to stop it camming out while turning. I didn't have anything to hand which was an accurate fit to the screw slot so I decided to try making one.
First go, unhardened EN24T - result too soft and in danger of twisting. Next try, hardened but not tempered - way too brittle - result snapping of screwdriver tip. I didn't want to throw it away, so I tempered the stub and then reshaped the tip freehand on a bench grinder. Result - success!