Hi!
At age 65, I grew up with slotted and Phillips head screwdrivers & fasteners, and a number of years ago I got indoctrinated in Torx drivers and fasteners.
Now I’ve found a loco has some screws with 6 “edges” (for want of a better word) as compared to a Phillips “4 edges”. Is this called a “star” screw and is the driver called a “star” driver - or what?
Thanks all,
Mobilman44
Probably TORX.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torx
Everyone, Store the link as it shows you many different types of fasteners.
Rich
Mobilman,
Yep, sounds like a Torx screw head.
Tom
Thanks, but I think its something else…
The Torx screws I am familiar with have a “sizeable” opening in the center. This center opening is smaller with the 6 “edges” flared out from it - kind of like a star. Perhaps its a different type of Torx, just as there is with Phillips. I’ve got a good selection of minature Torx drivers and they just don’t fit.
Thanks,
Mobilman44
Does the tool fit “in” the fastener like a Torx or does it fit “outside” the fastener like maybe a socket wrench. Trying to visualize the fastener.
What is the manufacturer of the loco?
In the link I provided, is there a fastener that looks similar?
Rich
What kind of screws are these? Last summer I was building a deck, and I went to the local ‘home center’ store expection to buy those stainless steel deck screws that have a 'square; slot in them. The guy there talking me out of them and said most new construction used a 6 edge slot screw. He expalined that there was mote ‘bite’ for the drill bit(and they cast less, and he got to sell me some new ‘bits’). I drove over 1400 of them into the deck! Of course these were larger screws, but sound similar to what you have.
Jim
Hi once again!
In looking at the provided website, none of the screw types look exactly like mine. The Torx comes the closest, but the center circular hole is relatively smaller on mine. Perhaps it is a Torx, and I just don’t have the correct size.
Not a big deal, for I may just file a slotted driver so as to fit in two opposing openings.
Ha, sometimes the “easiest” things to do seem to give the most difficulty.
Thanks all,
Mobilman44
Sounds like could be that, but very doubtful they would use a male torx that small I have standard torx in 4-40
If your bolt looks like the one on the left it’s a torx if it looks like the tool on the right it’s a male torx head screw. I thik you just have a very tiny standard torx screw
I have been a industrial machine mechanic for many years and I have some sets of Torx the smallest being a number 9. There might be smaller but I have not seen them. I have never seen them in model trains.
Rich
OJ, Vodka, Ice
David B
Could they possibly be polydrive (see wiki web site pic)?
Ah yes, the standard screwdriver.
Milk of magnesia, vodka, ice: Phillips screwdriver.
OJ, moonshine, ice: Torx screwdriver.
Amaretto, vodka, ice: Nut driver.
Preparation H, vodka, ice: Pile driver. [(-D]
EDIT: Budweiser, Skoal ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skoal_tobacco ), ice: NASCAR driver
Andre
I also think it is some other kind than Torx, I own some special ones made for cell-phones.
It sounds like that could be it.
If this is an older loco, or one that has been worked on, there is a small sized screw with a head opening similar to what you use an allen wrench on. These are commonly called a spline wrench, and at first glance, look a lot like the torx, but there are minor differences. The wrenches are made just like the allens, a bent “key” type wrench.
To only add to the confusion, there were 4 and 6 point splines.
Mobilman,
Is there any way you can post a pic of it? Six-sided could be a hex screw but…I’m assuming you’ve seen those before.
Tom
It’s hard to see the image, but it may be a socket for an allen or hex key.
For a good look at screw drive systems, see:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Screw
About three-quarters of the way down there is a sidebar with a lot of drive types illustrated.
Does it have a pin sticking up or a hole going deeper in inside the depression for the tox bit.
If has a pin sticking up it may be a security torx or tamper-resistant torx. If it has a hole, it could be a ttap screw.
TTAP: http://www.ttapdrive.com/
TR torx: http://joecarr.files.wordpress.com/2007/11/funnyscrew.jpg
Hi again!
My one time, state of the art, high end digital camera can’t take a detail picture of the screw. It is a replacement screw, and definitely a newer type. If you can picture a regular torx screw, with a lot more spline and a lot less center hole, that is what I have.
Mobilman44
Any chance it could be a tamper proof screw? They come in some pretty weird configurations but they’re mostly larger sized for things like appliances and electronics. I don’t know if they come in sizes small enough for models and I doubt they would be used on a model, but, hey, it’s a thought.
