Why torx screws are better

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These cookies do not store any personal information. While this reliability has its benefits, it also means that overloading a Torx bit will lead into failure of either the bit or the screw shank. Sometimes it is the screw that snaps, sometimes the bit; both are less than desirable events. You can avoid the risk by either being very careful or by using the driver clutch to limit the maximum torque beforehand.

Conclusion: Which overload behaviour is better, is somewhat of a matter of opinion — there is no clear winner here.

The choice of Torx vs. Phillips may have a substantial impact on screw driving ergonomics. Although screws are these days mostly driven with a cordless driver, which has relieved the operators from the tedium of manual driving, it is still up to the operator to hold both the screw and the driver steady during the driving.

Driving a Torx screw is as easy as it gets : the operator just has to hold the driver lightly in contact with the screw head, and the bit and socket will take care of the rest. A Phillips screw , by contrast, requires a more substantial effort : during all of the driving, you have to push the driver axially against the screw to avoid cam-out. This presents and extra strain on the operators hand, which may become a serious issue, particularly when large numbers of screws must be driven overhead or in other difficult positions.

The choice between Torx and Phillips may also be influenced by availability of the appropriate screw with the drive you want. The Torx seems to be slowly gaining in popularity, however, so the situation may well change some time in the future. Considering that the star-shaped head has already taken 50 years to get to this point, I would not expect a total change of seas during this decade. Phillips and Torx drive screws sometimes differ in price, which may affect your choice between the drive types.

On average, screws with a Phillips head seem to be more affordable than Torx drive ones. A part of this difference may be due to genuine manufacturing concerns, such as a Phillips drive being actually easier to punch into a screw blank than a Torx drive.

However, I was unable to find a consistent price premium for the Torx in a quick head-to-head comparison of screw models that are otherwise the same, but come with a different drive. Rather, it seems that Torx drive screws are available mainly from premium or name brand manufacturers, while low-cost unbranded screws are mostly Phillips. Further, on average, Torx drives appear to be more popular in large screws and in screws for demanding applications than in small or general-purpose screws.

So, although Torx screws appear to be more expensive, this seems to be down to other properties than the drive. Conclusion: In terms of price, Phillips has a lead, but mainly through availability of low-cost options. Technically, the Torx is superior to the Phillips in the main task of a screw drive: transmitting torque.

However, as we saw, this is not the only evaluation criterion for a screw drive: overload behavior, price and availability play a part too. The higher maximum torque capacity of a Torx drive may itself also become a serious disadvantage, if it leads you to drive the screw head through the board or snap the screw or the bit.

The merits of the Phillips and Torx drives are to a large extend down to application, working style and personal preference. Hence, this intends to put up an additional pressure or strain upon the operators. Therefore, the ergonomics is stated as inferior, for Phillips, compared to Torx screws. The pricing for Phillips screws is less in comparison to Torx screws. It is because the Phillips screws are readily available and are not that efficient as Torx screws.

Therefore, it is very much evident that you need to pick the one that suits you the best for your application. And, not the one that you think is cheaper! The manufacturing concern is the biggest reason for this difference. Phillips screws are quite easier in terms of punching into the screw blank.

It is not the same with Torx drive, as it demands precision punching to get the angles and shape right. Moreover, Torx screws are more like a brand and are used for long-lasting applications.

Hence, this impression is also an impactful factor for the prices. Here is a brief video to explain to you the differences between Phillips screws and Torx screws!

Check out this YouTube video for better clarity. Each of these screw drives demands the use of a different type of driver. Nevertheless, all of them are proficient in terms of serving different applications. To know about them, you must go through this article that describes the six types in detail. Allen keys are also known as hex keys and do have a hexagonal cross-section.