More news for the novice end of the bell curve.

I built a couple of platforms today that will support some older Ikea
"cubbyhole" bookcases. They came with what Ikea calls "plinths", but
they were very thin, and I never liked them. Plus, a few weeks ago we
had some minor water damage, which made the already unfavored
"plinths" a little worse.

With my recent discovery of Kreg joinery, I figured this to be a short
afternoon project. I was effectively making two "ladder" assemblies
that would lay flat under the cubbies. I cut the long pieces to
length, and then the ten crosspieces. Each unit would be 13" deep.
(remember that measurement) Forty Kreg holes later (who was it here
that laughed when I said I'd never run through the box of screws I
bought?) I was ready for assembly.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gdguari...ream/lightbox/

But, it turned out that out the drill plus the square-drive bit were
longer than the 11.5" space between the long slats. I probably have a
shorter bit somewhere, but the geometry seems to demand either a long
bit or a drill with a very small diameter chuck.

My solution was an angle attachment I bought for some previous home-
repair debacle. It looks clumsy as hell, and it was until I worked out
a good way to hold the drill and the attachment. But before long it
became a comfortable and efficient method. So much so that this
particular "couple-hour" project actually took a couple of hours.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gdguari...ream/lightbox/

On 10/7/12 1:25 AM, Greg Guarino wrote:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gdguari...ream/lightbox/


You missed out... that gave you a great excuse to spring for one of
these... :-)
http://www.coastaltool.com/a/makita/btd141z.htm


--

-MIKE-

"Playing is not something I do at night, it's my function in life"
--Elvin Jones (1927-2004)
--
http://mikedrums.com

---remove "DOT" ^^^^ to reply

On Oct 7, 2:25*am, Greg Guarino wrote:
More news for the novice end of the bell curve.

Should of course have been "news *from* the novice end..."

I built a couple of platforms today that will support some older Ikea
"cubbyhole" bookcases. They came with what Ikea calls "plinths", but
they were very thin, and I never liked them. Plus, a few weeks ago we
had some minor water damage, which made the already unfavored
"plinths" a little worse.

With my recent discovery of Kreg joinery, I figured this to be a short
afternoon project. I was effectively making two "ladder" assemblies
that would lay flat under the cubbies. I cut the long pieces to
length, and then the ten crosspieces. Each unit would be 13" deep.
(remember that measurement) Forty Kreg holes later (who was it here
that laughed when I said I'd never run through the box of screws I
bought?) *I was ready for assembly.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gdguari...otostream/ligh...

But, it turned out that out the drill plus the square-drive bit were
longer than the 11.5" space between the long slats. I probably have a
shorter bit somewhere, but the geometry seems to demand either a long
bit or a drill with a very small diameter chuck.

My solution was an angle attachment I bought for some previous home-
repair debacle. It looks clumsy as hell, and it was until I worked out
a good way to hold the drill and the attachment. But before long it
became a comfortable and efficient method. So much so that this
particular "couple-hour" project actually took a couple of hours.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gdguari...otostream/ligh...

Flexible screw driver extension works, also: http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=...sion&FORM=IGRE

Sonny

-MIKE- wrote:
On 10/7/12 1:25 AM, Greg Guarino wrote:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gdguari...ream/lightbox/


You missed out... that gave you a great excuse to spring for one of these... :-)
http://www.coastaltool.com/a/makita/btd141z.htm


Yeah ... And It never seems to run out of gas. I've taken to charging the
batteries on both my Makita impact driver and drill once a month whether
they need it or not.

Shhhhh, but not so loud .... Leon might hear and post a video on driving
Kreg screws in close quarters with a Festool.

--
www.ewoodshop.com

Greg Guarino wrote in
:

More news for the novice end of the bell curve.

I built a couple of platforms today that will support some older Ikea
"cubbyhole" bookcases. They came with what Ikea calls "plinths", but
they were very thin, and I never liked them. Plus, a few weeks ago we
had some minor water damage, which made the already unfavored
"plinths" a little worse.

With my recent discovery of Kreg joinery, I figured this to be a short
afternoon project. I was effectively making two "ladder" assemblies
that would lay flat under the cubbies. I cut the long pieces to
length, and then the ten crosspieces. Each unit would be 13" deep.
(remember that measurement) Forty Kreg holes later (who was it here
that laughed when I said I'd never run through the box of screws I
bought?) I was ready for assembly.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gdguari...ostream/lightb
ox/

But, it turned out that out the drill plus the square-drive bit were
longer than the 11.5" space between the long slats. I probably have a
shorter bit somewhere, but the geometry seems to demand either a long
bit or a drill with a very small diameter chuck.

My solution was an angle attachment I bought for some previous home-
repair debacle. It looks clumsy as hell, and it was until I worked out
a good way to hold the drill and the attachment. But before long it
became a comfortable and efficient method. So much so that this
particular "couple-hour" project actually took a couple of hours.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gdguari...ostream/lightb
ox/

I have a very clunky right angle attachment that I have never worked out
the tricks for. What exactly is yours? My googling doesn't come up with
anything like you are showing ...

--
Best regards
Han
email address is invalid

Greg Guarino wrote in news:83c07c72-2558-422b-bd10-
:

[...]
But, it turned out that out the drill plus the square-drive bit were
longer than the 11.5" space between the long slats. I probably have a
shorter bit somewhere, but the geometry seems to demand either a long
bit or a drill with a very small diameter chuck.

I solved a similar problem a few years ago by buying this right-angle drill:
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00911576000P

The drill has good torque and it's not very heavy -- but the battery life sucks.

On 07 Oct 2012 13:34:02 GMT, Han wrote:
I have a very clunky right angle attachment that I have never worked out
the tricks for. What exactly is yours? My googling doesn't come up with
anything like you are showing ...

I use this for driving screws in tight areas.
http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/pag...411,43417&ap=2

But, it turned out that out the drill plus the square-drive bit were
longer than the 11.5" space between the long slats. I probably have a
shorter bit somewhere, but the geometry seems to demand either a long
bit or a drill with a very small diameter chuck.
Greg Guarino

I solved a similar problem a few years ago by buying this right-angle drill:
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00911576000P
The drill has good torque and it's not very heavy -- but the battery life sucks.
Doug Miller

And I picked up this to solve my screw issues...
http://www.amazon.com/Milwaukee-48-3...gle+attachment
`Casper

On Oct 7, 10:13*am, Casper wrote:

And I picked up this to solve my screw issues...http://www.amazon.com/Milwaukee-48-3...r-Screwdriver/...
`Casper

That is in fact the one I used, minus the removable "wing" attachment.
In my limited experience, I've found that it is sometimes useful and
sometimes an impediment. In this application, it was the latter.

On Oct 7, 9:34*am, Han wrote:
Greg Guarino wrote :









More news for the novice end of the bell curve.

I built a couple of platforms today that will support some older Ikea
"cubbyhole" bookcases. They came with what Ikea calls "plinths", but
they were very thin, and I never liked them. Plus, a few weeks ago we
had some minor water damage, which made the already unfavored
"plinths" a little worse.

With my recent discovery of Kreg joinery, I figured this to be a short
afternoon project. I was effectively making two "ladder" assemblies
that would lay flat under the cubbies. I cut the long pieces to
length, and then the ten crosspieces. Each unit would be 13" deep.
(remember that measurement) Forty Kreg holes later (who was it here
that laughed when I said I'd never run through the box of screws I
bought?) *I was ready for assembly.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gdguari...ostream/lightb
ox/

But, it turned out that out the drill plus the square-drive bit were
longer than the 11.5" space between the long slats. I probably have a
shorter bit somewhere, but the geometry seems to demand either a long
bit or a drill with a very small diameter chuck.

My solution was an angle attachment I bought for some previous home-
repair debacle. It looks clumsy as hell, and it was until I worked out
a good way to hold the drill and the attachment. But before long it
became a comfortable and efficient method. So much so that this
particular "couple-hour" project actually took a couple of hours.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gdguari...ostream/lightb
ox/

I have a very clunky right angle attachment that I have never worked out
the tricks for. *What exactly is yours? *My googling doesn't come up with
anything like you are showing ...

--
Best regards
Han
email address is invalid

Someone else posted the link:

http://www.amazon.com/Milwaukee-48-3...gle+attachment

You'll notice that the one in my photos is missing a piece, an
"angel's wing" shaped attachment that helps you grip the head and keep
it from twisting. It's made such that it can be attached at different
"rotations", or removed entirely. For this job, I found it was better
to leave it off.

On Oct 7, 8:58*am, wrote:
Flexible screw driver extension works, also: *http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=...er+extension&q...

Sonny

I have one of those also, and it has been very handy. But the fixed
angle of the one I used makes it easier to keep some pressure on the
bit. For this application, that made it the more convenient choice, at
least for me.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gdguari...ream/lightbox/


How do you get by with so few screwdrivers?

Greg Guarino wrote in
:

On Oct 7, 9:34*am, Han wrote:
Greg Guarino wrote
innews:83c07c72-2558-422b-bd10-5
:









More news for the novice end of the bell curve.

I built a couple of platforms today that will support some older
Ikea "cubbyhole" bookcases. They came with what Ikea calls
"plinths", but they were very thin, and I never liked them. Plus, a
few weeks ago we had some minor water damage, which made the
already unfavored "plinths" a little worse.

With my recent discovery of Kreg joinery, I figured this to be a
short afternoon project. I was effectively making two "ladder"
assemblies that would lay flat under the cubbies. I cut the long
pieces to length, and then the ten crosspieces. Each unit would be
13" deep. (remember that measurement) Forty Kreg holes later (who
was it here that laughed when I said I'd never run through the box
of screws I bought?) *I was ready for assembly.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gdguari...otostream/ligh
tb
ox/

But, it turned out that out the drill plus the square-drive bit
were longer than the 11.5" space between the long slats. I probably
have a shorter bit somewhere, but the geometry seems to demand
either a long bit or a drill with a very small diameter chuck.

My solution was an angle attachment I bought for some previous
home- repair debacle. It looks clumsy as hell, and it was until I
worked out a good way to hold the drill and the attachment. But
before long it became a comfortable and efficient method. So much
so that this particular "couple-hour" project actually took a
couple of hours.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gdguari...otostream/ligh
tb
ox/

I have a very clunky right angle attachment that I have never worked
out the tricks for. *What exactly is yours? *My googling doesn't come
up
with
anything like you are showing ...

--
Best regards
Han
email address is invalid

Someone else posted the link:

http://www.amazon.com/Milwaukee-48-3...Screwdriver/dp
/B0000224AW/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1349619097&sr=8-4&keywords=milwaukee
+right+angle+attachment

You'll notice that the one in my photos is missing a piece, an
"angel's wing" shaped attachment that helps you grip the head and keep
it from twisting. It's made such that it can be attached at different
"rotations", or removed entirely. For this job, I found it was better
to leave it off.

Thanks, Greg!!!

--
Best regards
Han
email address is invalid

On Oct 7, 11:02*am, Zz Yzx wrote:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gdguari...otostream/ligh...

How do you get by with so few screwdrivers?

The better question might be, "Why do you need any screwdrivers at
all?". Since the advent of cordless drills, my screwdrivers have lain
fallow a good part of the time. But not to worry, I have a bunch more
in my various portable tool kits as well.

On 10/7/2012 8:22 AM, Swingman wrote:
-MIKE- wrote:
On 10/7/12 1:25 AM, Greg Guarino wrote:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gdguari...ream/lightbox/


You missed out... that gave you a great excuse to spring for one of these... :-)
http://www.coastaltool.com/a/makita/btd141z.htm


Yeah ... And It never seems to run out of gas. I've taken to charging the
batteries on both my Makita impact driver and drill once a month whether
they need it or not.

Shhhhh, but not so loud .... Leon might hear and post a video on driving
Kreg screws in close quarters with a Festool.




Ha Ha ha!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lcb1121...in/photostream

On Sun, 07 Oct 2012 08:22:12 -0500, Swingman wrote:

-MIKE- wrote:
On 10/7/12 1:25 AM, Greg Guarino wrote:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gdguari...ream/lightbox/


You missed out... that gave you a great excuse to spring for one of these... :-)
http://www.coastaltool.com/a/makita/btd141z.htm


Yeah ... And It never seems to run out of gas. I've taken to charging the
batteries on both my Makita impact driver and drill once a month whether
they need it or not.

I didn't need to the whole of last winter. The lithiums kept their
charge extremely well. My Ryobi LIons didn't, though. And the old HF
nicads were dead every month. I got $25 for the set, about $4 less
than I paid. g I love Craigslist.


Shhhhh, but not so loud .... Leon might hear and post a video on driving
Kreg screws in close quarters with a Festool.

Yes, shhhhh!

--
You never hear anyone say, 'Yeah, but it's a dry cold.'
-- Charles A. Budreau

On Sun, 7 Oct 2012 08:01:14 -0700 (PDT), Greg Guarino
wrote:

On Oct 7, 8:58*am, wrote:
Flexible screw driver extension works, also: *http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=...er+extension&q...

Sonny

I have one of those also, and it has been very handy. But the fixed
angle of the one I used makes it easier to keep some pressure on the
bit. For this application, that made it the more convenient choice, at
least for me.

That's one of the beauties of square drive screws. One doesn't _have_
to keep much pressure on the bit.

--
Energy and persistence alter all things.
--Benjamin Franklin

"Greg Guarino" wrote in message
...

More news for the novice end of the bell curve.

I built a couple of platforms today that will support some older Ikea
"cubbyhole" bookcases. They came with what Ikea calls "plinths", but
they were very thin, and I never liked them. Plus, a few weeks ago we
had some minor water damage, which made the already unfavored
"plinths" a little worse.

With my recent discovery of Kreg joinery, I figured this to be a short
afternoon project. I was effectively making two "ladder" assemblies
that would lay flat under the cubbies. I cut the long pieces to
length, and then the ten crosspieces. Each unit would be 13" deep.
(remember that measurement) Forty Kreg holes later (who was it here
that laughed when I said I'd never run through the box of screws I
bought?) I was ready for assembly.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gdguari...ream/lightbox/

But, it turned out that out the drill plus the square-drive bit were
longer than the 11.5" space between the long slats. I probably have a
shorter bit somewhere, but the geometry seems to demand either a long
bit or a drill with a very small diameter chuck.

My solution was an angle attachment I bought for some previous home-
repair debacle. It looks clumsy as hell, and it was until I worked out
a good way to hold the drill and the attachment. But before long it
became a comfortable and efficient method. So much so that this
particular "couple-hour" project actually took a couple of hours.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gdguari...ream/lightbox/

I have needed my angle attachment many times. Sure got me out of a problem
job. WW

But, it turned out that out the drill plus the square-drive bit were
longer than the 11.5" space between the long slats. I probably have a
shorter bit somewhere, but the geometry seems to demand either a long
bit or a drill with a very small diameter chuck.

But then again, you could (horrors!) screw then in by hand.

On Oct 7, 7:35*pm, " wrote:
But, it turned out that out the drill plus the square-drive bit were
longer than the 11.5" space between the long slats. I probably have a
shorter bit somewhere, but the geometry seems to demand either a long
bit or a drill with a very small diameter chuck.

But then again, you could (horrors!) screw then in by hand.

I suppose, but there were 40 of them. Does anyone screw in pocket
screws by hand?

On 10/7/2012 6:35 PM, wrote:

But, it turned out that out the drill plus the square-drive bit were
longer than the 11.5" space between the long slats. I probably have a
shorter bit somewhere, but the geometry seems to demand either a long
bit or a drill with a very small diameter chuck.

But then again, you could (horrors!) screw then in by hand.



Ok talk like that is going to get you shunned from this group. LOL

On 10/7/2012 7:27 PM, Greg Guarino wrote:
On Oct 7, 7:35 pm, " wrote:
But, it turned out that out the drill plus the square-drive bit were
longer than the 11.5" space between the long slats. I probably have a
shorter bit somewhere, but the geometry seems to demand either a long
bit or a drill with a very small diameter chuck.

But then again, you could (horrors!) screw then in by hand.

I suppose, but there were 40 of them. Does anyone screw in pocket
screws by hand?



Only when that is the only way. I have actually used a 1/4" socket and
1/4" ratchet to turn the driver bit.

On Sun, 7 Oct 2012 17:27:58 -0700 (PDT), Greg Guarino
wrote:

On Oct 7, 7:35*pm, " wrote:
But, it turned out that out the drill plus the square-drive bit were
longer than the 11.5" space between the long slats. I probably have a
shorter bit somewhere, but the geometry seems to demand either a long
bit or a drill with a very small diameter chuck.

But then again, you could (horrors!) screw then in by hand.

I suppose, but there were 40 of them. Does anyone screw in pocket
screws by hand?

In MDF yes I do!

Larry Jaques wrote:
On Sun, 07 Oct 2012 08:22:12 -0500, Swingman wrote:

-MIKE- wrote:
On 10/7/12 1:25 AM, Greg Guarino wrote:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gdguari...ream/lightbox/


You missed out... that gave you a great excuse to spring for one of
these... :-) http://www.coastaltool.com/a/makita/btd141z.htm


Yeah ... And It never seems to run out of gas. I've taken to
charging the batteries on both my Makita impact driver and drill
once a month whether they need it or not.

I didn't need to the whole of last winter. The lithiums kept their
charge extremely well. My Ryobi LIons didn't, though. And the old HF
nicads were dead every month. I got $25 for the set, about $4 less
than I paid. g I love Craigslist.



NiCads and, I think, Lithiums don't like to be over-charged. In fact, HF
says not to leave the battery in their (bare-bones) charger more than seven
hours.

The fix for this is to obtain a time-limited switch. I got mine from Amazon
for ten bucks.
http://www.amazon.com/Belkin-Conserv...ds=power+timer

and set it for six hours.

Plug the charger into this gizmo, insert the battery, and push the button.
So far, my HF batteries have lasted WAY longer than previously.

Doug Miller wrote:
Greg Guarino wrote in
news:83c07c72-2558-422b-bd10-
:

[...]
But, it turned out that out the drill plus the square-drive bit were
longer than the 11.5" space between the long slats. I probably have a
shorter bit somewhere, but the geometry seems to demand either a long
bit or a drill with a very small diameter chuck.

I solved a similar problem a few years ago by buying this right-angle
drill: http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00911576000P

The drill has good torque and it's not very heavy -- but the battery
life sucks.

Here's a right-angle attachement for a 3/8" drill ($20)
http://www.harborfreight.com/3-8-eig...uck-92188.html

And a right-angle drill ($18 less battery)
http://www.harborfreight.com/18-volt...ill-67043.html

On 10/7/2012 2:27 PM, Larry Jaques wrote:
On Sun, 7 Oct 2012 08:01:14 -0700 (PDT), Greg Guarino
wrote:

On Oct 7, 8:58 am, wrote:
Flexible screw driver extension works, also: http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=...er+extension&q...

Sonny

I have one of those also, and it has been very handy. But the fixed
angle of the one I used makes it easier to keep some pressure on the
bit. For this application, that made it the more convenient choice, at
least for me.

That's one of the beauties of square drive screws. One doesn't _have_
to keep much pressure on the bit.

Not much, true, but you do have to keep the bit in the screw head. I
think that's easier to do by pushing on the "butt" end of the adapter,
rather than gripping the narrow cylinder of the flex shaft. Easier to
keep it lined up properly too.

On 10/7/2012 5:27 PM, Greg Guarino wrote:

But then again, you could (horrors!) screw then in by hand.

I suppose, but there were 40 of them. Does anyone screw in pocket
screws by hand?


You will learn that pocket hole screws bottom out very quickly
and can spin quite easily. Depending on the wood, finishing with
a ratchet driver is a better choice.

Plywood doesn't always grab the screws like you would expect.

The driver just spins them a little too hard at times.

On 10/8/12 10:15 AM, Pat Barber wrote:
On 10/7/2012 5:27 PM, Greg Guarino wrote:

But then again, you could (horrors!) screw then in by hand.

I suppose, but there were 40 of them. Does anyone screw in pocket
screws by hand?


You will learn that pocket hole screws bottom out very quickly
and can spin quite easily. Depending on the wood, finishing with
a ratchet driver is a better choice.

Plywood doesn't always grab the screws like you would expect.

The driver just spins them a little too hard at times.

I always try to use a driver with a torque release. I get the proper
setting on some test holes or the first couple holes of the project,
then I hand tighten because I'm anal. :-)

One of the reasons I love Kreg pocket hole screws (and most generics)
is because they design the threads so well for the material you are
fastening. They even have a new thread designed for particle board.

I have found that it's pretty difficult to over tighten one of their
fasteners, unless you're using a big-ass drill. I think those little
12volt compact drivers are the best tool for pocket screws.


--

-MIKE-

"Playing is not something I do at night, it's my function in life"
--Elvin Jones (1927-2004)
--
http://mikedrums.com

---remove "DOT" ^^^^ to reply

On Mon, 08 Oct 2012 11:02:32 -0400, Greg Guarino
wrote:

On 10/7/2012 2:27 PM, Larry Jaques wrote:
On Sun, 7 Oct 2012 08:01:14 -0700 (PDT), Greg Guarino
wrote:

On Oct 7, 8:58 am, wrote:
Flexible screw driver extension works, also: http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=...er+extension&q...

Sonny

I have one of those also, and it has been very handy. But the fixed
angle of the one I used makes it easier to keep some pressure on the
bit. For this application, that made it the more convenient choice, at
least for me.

That's one of the beauties of square drive screws. One doesn't _have_
to keep much pressure on the bit.

Not much, true, but you do have to keep the bit in the screw head. I
think that's easier to do by pushing on the "butt" end of the adapter,
rather than gripping the narrow cylinder of the flex shaft. Easier to
keep it lined up properly too.

With either powerdrive (phillips) or square (robertson) screws, I
hardly have to press to keep the bit in the screw. If you do, you are
buying the wrong bits, the wrong screws, or both. The 1-2# weight of
the impact (or screw-) driver is enough to keep it in the socket.

--
Energy and persistence alter all things.
--Benjamin Franklin

On 10/8/12 11:23 AM, Larry Jaques wrote:
With either powerdrive (phillips) or square (robertson) screws, I
hardly have to press to keep the bit in the screw. If you do, you are
buying the wrong bits, the wrong screws, or both. The 1-2# weight of
the impact (or screw-) driver is enough to keep it in the socket.


For the 15% percent of the time you are driving a screw straight down. :-p


--

-MIKE-

"Playing is not something I do at night, it's my function in life"
--Elvin Jones (1927-2004)
--
http://mikedrums.com

---remove "DOT" ^^^^ to reply

On 10/8/2012 12:23 PM, Larry Jaques wrote:
On Mon, 08 Oct 2012 11:02:32 -0400, Greg Guarino
wrote:

On 10/7/2012 2:27 PM, Larry Jaques wrote:
On Sun, 7 Oct 2012 08:01:14 -0700 (PDT), Greg Guarino
wrote:

On Oct 7, 8:58 am, wrote:
Flexible screw driver extension works, also: http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=...er+extension&q...

Sonny

I have one of those also, and it has been very handy. But the fixed
angle of the one I used makes it easier to keep some pressure on the
bit. For this application, that made it the more convenient choice, at
least for me.

That's one of the beauties of square drive screws. One doesn't _have_
to keep much pressure on the bit.

Not much, true, but you do have to keep the bit in the screw head. I
think that's easier to do by pushing on the "butt" end of the adapter,
rather than gripping the narrow cylinder of the flex shaft. Easier to
keep it lined up properly too.

With either powerdrive (phillips) or square (robertson) screws, I
hardly have to press to keep the bit in the screw. If you do, you are
buying the wrong bits, the wrong screws, or both. The 1-2# weight of
the impact (or screw-) driver is enough to keep it in the socket.

Variable trajectory gravity hasn't come to my neighborhood yet.

On 10/8/2012 11:15 AM, Pat Barber wrote:
On 10/7/2012 5:27 PM, Greg Guarino wrote:

But then again, you could (horrors!) screw then in by hand.

I suppose, but there were 40 of them. Does anyone screw in pocket
screws by hand?


You will learn that pocket hole screws bottom out very quickly
and can spin quite easily. Depending on the wood, finishing with
a ratchet driver is a better choice.

Plywood doesn't always grab the screws like you would expect.

The driver just spins them a little too hard at times.

I'll keep that in mind, thanks. Despite my relative inexperience with
real woodworking, I have developed a pretty good touch for driving
screws with a drill. I didn't encounter any trouble with either the 40
pocket holes or the 20 or so screws I used to attach the decorative
molding I used for the front panel.

I should add that, as recommended here, I tried the Kreg pocket screws
out for a non-pocket application. They really do grab nicely. In this
case it was the coarse variety.

On 10/7/2012 10:53 AM, Greg Guarino wrote:
On Oct 7, 10:13 am, Casper wrote:

And I picked up this to solve my screw issues...http://www.amazon.com/Milwaukee-48-3...r-Screwdriver/...
`Casper

That is in fact the one I used, minus the removable "wing" attachment.
In my limited experience, I've found that it is sometimes useful and
sometimes an impediment. In this application, it was the latter.

I stupidly bought a Bosch angle drill, http://tinyurl.com/9n7bqjm.
I would have rather had the Milwaukee attachment you guys are using. The
Bosch is big and heavy, and I didn't need another big and heavy drill, I
simply needed a nice, compact attachment like you have. Now I have yet
another drill with yet more batteries. Not trashing the Bosch, it's a
fine, but unneeded tool in my case. Also, from the pic, it looks like
yours will fit in a tighter space than the Bosch angle drill. When I
was buying, I saw a Milwaukee attachment but it was bigger and heavier
than yours, or I would have went with that one.

PS, your "beehive" pic looks more like a hornets nest to me.

PS2, You don't have hardly any screwdrivers showing, I have close to a
million, they proliferate like rabbits. I don't recall ever buying a
screwdriver, yet...

PS3, Flex shafts suck, the ones I've used twist into a knot, usually
wrapped around a finger or hand as soon as they face moderate resistance.
--
Jack
Add Life to your Days not Days to your Life.
http://jbstein.com

On 10/8/2012 11:02 AM, Greg Guarino wrote:
On 10/7/2012 2:27 PM, Larry Jaques wrote:

That's one of the beauties of square drive screws. One doesn't _have_
to keep much pressure on the bit.

Not much, true, but you do have to keep the bit in the screw head. I
think that's easier to do by pushing on the "butt" end of the adapter,
rather than gripping the narrow cylinder of the flex shaft. Easier to
keep it lined up properly too.

I like Philips over square heads, but I like torx over Philips. Only
problem with torx is, like the square drive, it must match the driver.
Philips gives you some slack. Still, if I were the screw god, I would
change all screw heads on earth to torx.

--
Jack
Add Life to your Days not Days to your Life.
http://jbstein.com

On 10/9/2012 2:12 PM, Jack wrote:
On 10/7/2012 10:53 AM, Greg Guarino wrote:
On Oct 7, 10:13 am, Casper wrote:

And I picked up this to solve my screw
issues...http://www.amazon.com/Milwaukee-48-3...r-Screwdriver/...

`Casper

That is in fact the one I used, minus the removable "wing" attachment.
In my limited experience, I've found that it is sometimes useful and
sometimes an impediment. In this application, it was the latter.

I stupidly bought a Bosch angle drill, http://tinyurl.com/9n7bqjm.
I would have rather had the Milwaukee attachment you guys are using. The
Bosch is big and heavy, and I didn't need another big and heavy drill, I
simply needed a nice, compact attachment like you have.

That's one of the reasons I chose the attachment. Through various
accidents of history I have seven drills already.

Now I have yet
another drill with yet more batteries. Not trashing the Bosch, it's a
fine, but unneeded tool in my case. Also, from the pic, it looks like
yours will fit in a tighter space than the Bosch angle drill.

Perhaps, but it is a two-handed operation. There are always trade-offs.

When I
was buying, I saw a Milwaukee attachment but it was bigger and heavier
than yours, or I would have went with that one.

PS, your "beehive" pic looks more like a hornets nest to me.

I may revise the title. It won't be the first time someone has
"corrected" me on Flickr.

PS2, You don't have hardly any screwdrivers showing, I have close to a
million, they proliferate like rabbits. I don't recall ever buying a
screwdriver, yet...

Strangely, you're the second person to mention that the 25 or so visible
screwdrivers on that board seems an insufficient number. I probably have
at least another 25 in my three portable toolkits, not counting mini
sizes. And in fact, I hardly use any of them. Oh, the multi-driver in my
electrical kit sees some use, and I do have the odd paint can to open,
but otherwise, driving screws with a drill is quite convenient.

PS3, Flex shafts suck, the ones I've used twist into a knot, usually
wrapped around a finger or hand as soon as they face moderate resistance.

I actually got mine to remove the nuts that held on my toilet tank. The
space was tight and the bolts were long and a little corroded. Even
after loosening them the first turn, it was hard to turn them off by
hand. And ratcheting them off 30 degrees at a time for the fifty or so
turns that would be necessary was an unattractive proposition. The flex
shaft (which is also in the photo) and a deep socket made short work of
it. I never even bent down to look at the bottom of the tank, it was
easy enough to do by feel. I've also used the shaft for other purposes.

On 10/9/2012 1:12 PM, Jack wrote:
On 10/8/2012 11:02 AM, Greg Guarino wrote:
On 10/7/2012 2:27 PM, Larry Jaques wrote:

That's one of the beauties of square drive screws. One doesn't _have_
to keep much pressure on the bit.

Not much, true, but you do have to keep the bit in the screw head. I
think that's easier to do by pushing on the "butt" end of the adapter,
rather than gripping the narrow cylinder of the flex shaft. Easier to
keep it lined up properly too.

I like Philips over square heads, but I like torx over Philips. Only
problem with torx is, like the square drive, it must match the driver.
Philips gives you some slack. Still, if I were the screw god, I would
change all screw heads on earth to torx.



I worked with Torx back in the spring and wish all of my square drive
were Torx. You can keep the Philips head. ;~)

On Tue, 09 Oct 2012 13:05:36 -0400, Greg Guarino
wrote:

On 10/8/2012 11:15 AM, Pat Barber wrote:
On 10/7/2012 5:27 PM, Greg Guarino wrote:

But then again, you could (horrors!) screw then in by hand.

I suppose, but there were 40 of them. Does anyone screw in pocket
screws by hand?


You will learn that pocket hole screws bottom out very quickly
and can spin quite easily. Depending on the wood, finishing with
a ratchet driver is a better choice.

Plywood doesn't always grab the screws like you would expect.

The driver just spins them a little too hard at times.

I'll keep that in mind, thanks. Despite my relative inexperience with
real woodworking, I have developed a pretty good touch for driving
screws with a drill.

Except for the fact that you said you need to hold lots and lots of
pressure on them while driving?


I didn't encounter any trouble with either the 40
pocket holes or the 20 or so screws I used to attach the decorative
molding I used for the front panel.

This is good.


I should add that, as recommended here, I tried the Kreg pocket screws
out for a non-pocket application. They really do grab nicely. In this
case it was the coarse variety.

Don't Kregs have a type-17 tip, with the milled self-start? That's
the ticket for quick starts and never a split board.
http://www.zerofast.com/screw.htm

--
Energy and persistence alter all things.
--Benjamin Franklin

On Tue, 09 Oct 2012 18:15:48 -0500, Leon lcb11211@swbelldotnet wrote:

On 10/9/2012 1:12 PM, Jack wrote:
On 10/8/2012 11:02 AM, Greg Guarino wrote:
On 10/7/2012 2:27 PM, Larry Jaques wrote:

That's one of the beauties of square drive screws. One doesn't _have_
to keep much pressure on the bit.

Not much, true, but you do have to keep the bit in the screw head. I
think that's easier to do by pushing on the "butt" end of the adapter,
rather than gripping the narrow cylinder of the flex shaft. Easier to
keep it lined up properly too.

I like Philips over square heads, but I like torx over Philips. Only
problem with torx is, like the square drive, it must match the driver.
Philips gives you some slack. Still, if I were the screw god, I would
change all screw heads on earth to torx.



I worked with Torx back in the spring and wish all of my square drive
were Torx. You can keep the Philips head. ;~)

I'm with you, except when I have to fork over for Torx screws. ;-)

" wrote in
:

On Tue, 09 Oct 2012 18:15:48 -0500, Leon lcb11211@swbelldotnet wrote:

I worked with Torx back in the spring and wish all of my square drive
were Torx. You can keep the Philips head. ;~)

I'm with you, except when I have to fork over for Torx screws. ;-)


We had some Torx-head composite decking screws that were useless. They
were cheaply made (but I'm sure not cheaply priced), and made it extremely
easy to spin out the head. At least Phillips gives you a fighting chance
to remove the screw if the head gets buggered up.

Puckdropper
--
Make it to fit, don't make it fit.