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Hello All,

Every so often I'll come up with solutions to trivial problems, and I've taken to calling them "minor triumphs". The satisfaction is usually far greater than the actual utility of the solution, but it's those small satisfactions that get me out to the shop at 7:30 every morning!

The latest: I really like Sloane machine tuners for my classical guitars, though their latest model with the ball bearings has become rather heavy at 184 gms. And, I really like the slotted head brass mounting screws supplied with them. But those screws are both small and short, and being solid brass are not magnetic. Ok, for you techno-weenies in the group, brass is slightly magnetic, but not nearly enough to make the screws stay stuck to the end of a steel screwdriver.

Enter the Vaco screwdriver. Their slogan used to be "Holds the screw, and drives it too". I've had one for standard size slotted screws ever since hector was a pup. It would hold the screw well enough to get it started in the pilot hole, but drive it too? Maybe not.

I got the Vaco out to try it with the Sloane screws, and sure enough their slots were too narrow. I figured that if it was still being made, they might also make a small one. Off to Amazon, and sure enough there is a 6" long model. It turns out that for a couple of bucks more you get a set of three different sizes:

https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dtools&am...

Good enlargeable photos at the link.

The set of three sizes arrives in the mailbox on Sunday---lets hear it for Amazon Prime! The smallest one looks to be ideal, but there is a problem. The Vaco design works by splitting the screwdriver shaft into two parts, and then sliding a little gizmo down the shaft to force them apart, and wedge the end of the shaft tightly in the slot of the screw.

On the 6" model the little gizmo doesn't retract far enough for the two halves to return all the way to zero, and the tip of the screwdriver remains slightly wedged apart, and---you guessed it---is too thick to go into that itty-bitty slot in the Sloane screw. 

The minor triumph part: The wedging gizmo slides right off the screwdriver shaft, and I chuck it up in the drill press and by the crudest possible turning method file the plastic down to a smaller diameter. For good measure I saw about an eighth of an inch off the end of the plastic portion of the gizmo, so that it won't bottom out. Problem solved!

So now I can mount the Sloane screws firmly held on the end of a screwdriver, and get the screw well started, without risking having a small conventional screwdriver slip out of the slot and scar the beautifully polished surface of the bronze machine head plate.

By the by, I don't drill pilot holes. I just center punch the wood of the guitar's head through the holes in the machine head plate using one of the spring loaded center punches. The screw taps its own tight fitting hole in the relatively soft neck wood.

Trivial? Not to a naturally clumsy oaf like myself (:->)...

Cheers,

Brian

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Good story, Brian, and a good tip (no pun intended) on the screwdriver set!  Yes, it surely IS the smallest of victories that seem the sweetest.  Thanks for sharing this one!

PS: now I wish they'd invent something similar for phillips-head screws!

Hi Mike,

The tiny phillips head screws supplied with the inexpensive Gotohs are brass plated steel---I've not seen solid brass phillips screws, but I suppose someone supplies them with the better quality machines.  I put a rare earth magnet near the tip of a small phillips screwdriver, and that holds the steel ones fine.

Years ago there was a phillips screwdriver with a little spring steel clip that could be slid down the shaft, and induced to slip under the head of the screw. I would browse around the web to see if they are still available.

Cheers,

Brian

I've got one similar to what you're describing (with the little sliding spring) but it's for a slot head. I've always nosed-around (albeit benignly) for something like it that would accommodate a small phillips head as well.

Perhaps you've given me a boost to increase my search efforts! 

PS: the one I have, pictured, is a "Great Neck" brand

Hello Mike,

That's the one all right. I seem to recall that they made one for Phillips too.

Cheers,

Brian

I use a screw sticker with a plunger and 5 little fingers that come out of the other end and grab the screw head.  It won't start a wood or sheet metal screw that requires any torque but it is great for starting a screw in places where it's hard to hold but is already threaded.

Unfortunately, I can't remember the vendor-I bought it at a model builder's convention.  I thought the vendor was Jane's Tools but the web site doesn't have anything like it that I can find, although there's lots there for tool junkies.

Stewmac have this bit in the "Guitar Tech Screwdriver Set".

Without a doubt the best two bucks we ever spent - doing up the cross slots screws on pickups, especially on the surrounds around  shiny nickel/gold  covered pickups is no longer a crap shoot.  Similarly, tuner cross slot screws.  Highly recommended.   And if your screwdriver tips don't have enough magnetism to securely hold a screw in place just put a high strength neodymium button or similar magnet on the shaft for a temp boost.

Rusty.

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