TOPIC:

I find that most screws are NOT reluctant to come out if one sets the screwdriver and gives it a good whack with the hammer before attempting the lefty loosey exercise. This seats the tip of the driver well in the head and breaks thread stiction. For loctited screws, heat them up. Torch is OK if you are careful but a good heatgun is safer, albeit a bit slower. Except in the case of using penetrating oil where the heat gun speeds the ation up significantly.

-Duck

Sounds like an impact driver .

I think you need to make an addendum to your tip: make sure you use a "Craftsman" brand screwdriver, because they will replace it free when your hammer finally breaks the handle...

Just nitpicking. I wished I had known about impact drivers before I started taking apart my engine.

As tempting as it to stick my 3/8" impact gun on a stubborn motorcycle fastener, I reach for the impact driver instead..seems the impact driver was designed for the motorcycle world When I was growning up I would do the exercise Duck layed out, with the screwdriver and hammer bit..ruined a lot of screwdriver handles lol. I am a firm believer of using QUALITY tools. I'm not saying Snap-on, but your run of the mill tools that you can pick up at wally world won't cut it. I really like the Craftsman professional series, about as close to what the tool trucks sell as you can get. Personally I have a mixture of Cornwell, Mac, Matco, and Snap-on in my box, along with a few SK and Proto tools.

I have a mixture of Mac, Matco, Snap-on, Craftsman, and Stanley tools in my box, along with a few SK and Proto tools. My main socket set is a Stanley set bought from Wal-Mart and believe it or not I've had it going on 5 years now. I've only broken 2 sockets, both were because of my own stupiditity. I'll be the first to admit they aren't quite up to par when compared to Snap-On, but I believe they compare to Craftsman pretty close.

I had to pull out my impact driver for use on two of my neighbors bikes today. Impact drivers rule!

You don't hit it that hard! It's only a little ole screw.
I use the small rubber coated deadblow hammer, about 2lb.
All you want to do is break the stiction and make sure the tip is seated.
Snap-On screwdrivers preferred here.
Well worth the $.
tip on 10 year old #2 phillips looks like new and I use it ao lot!

-Duck

My first set of tools were from Proto, way back when I went to a trade school in the early '80's. Since then, I have bought many tools from Matco, Craftsman, and Mac, but I tend to stay away from the name of Snap-On, due to it's outrageous prices. I also stay away from the "no-name" brands, as they will tend to round of nuts, bolts, and screw heads. Sometimes it seems the fasteners are harder than these type of wrenches. I was tought to use the right tool for the right job, and a screwdriver should never be used as a hammer, or a gardening tool!!! I am a firm believer in, "If you need a tool, make a list and buy it . . . eventually." This is within reason, but hey, we are guys, and there's a lot of tools out there that we don't have in our tool boxes, right? We could always use more. Just recently bought a Craftsman Compression Tester Set, and a Craftsman Cooling Pressure Testing Kit, because I didn't have one on two seperate occasions. Damn! We are so easily pleased with a gift certificate from Craftsman as a Christmas Present!!! "You go ahead and shop Babe, I'm going to be over here for a bit."

That reminds me, I need to buy a good torque wrench too. Guess where I'm headed in the near future?

IMO the snap-on screwdrivers are worth the $.
Prefer proto for wrenches and sockets.
Almost all my tools were acquired used.
Have S-K, proto, snap=on, klein, craftsman,
and even some el-cheapos which are mainly used
when I have to modify a tool.

Back to hammer on screwdriver. It beats the hell out of
dealing with a headless screw. You can use a hex drive
bit if you're prone to whacking the hell out of things.
You'll find you don't have to though. It just takes a
few good taps.

IMO it's not unreasonable and not 'the wrong job' as the
purpose of the tool is getting screws in and out.

Read up on stiction and friction. You'll learn how the
combination of lubricant(to deal with friction) and axial
impact, to deal with stiction help in getting the screw out.
You might learn a lot about earthquakes in the process.

Don't forget to check your torque wrench. They do get out of
calibration and sometimes fail completely. If 10 foot lbs feels
like 15, it's a good idea to stop and figure out what's wrong.

-Duck

IMO it's not unreasonable and not 'the wrong job' as the
purpose of the tool is getting screws in and out.

This wasn't a bash on you using a tool for another reason, just something I was taught early on.

Sears would be a good bet.
I know the guy who makes the internal parts for their 'better' torque wrenches.
His shop is on the other side of the parking lot from where I am presently sitting.
Yep, made in the USA.

-Duck

If you use a torque wrench on a regular basis, you should get it calibrated once a year. Sure, it might cost a bit, but could save you a lot of money in the long run.

I do agree with Duck about Snap-on screwdrivers, they are the best that I have found, I also have a set of Cornwell screwdrivers that come in at a very close second.