Screws provide more strength and holding power than nails. Additionally, if something needs to be disassembled, screws can easily be removed.
Like nails, screws are available with different coatings to deter rust. They are manufactured with four basic heads and different kinds of slots. Flathead screws are almost always countersunk into the material being fastened so the head of the screw is flush with (or lower than) the surface. Oval-head screws are partially countersunk, with about half the screw head above the surface. Roundhead screws are not countersunk; the entire screw head lies above the surface. Fillister-head screws are raised above the surface on a flat base to keep the screwdriver from damaging the surface as the screw is tightened.
At the time, the lathes that produced screws were incapable of producing the tapered threading visible on a modern screw. Without tapering, the thread could not continue until the tip of the screw. This meant that a hole needed to be drilled before a screw could be installed. In the 1840’s, several American manufacturers received patents for machines that could produce a tapered thread. This technological innovation helped the United States become the most important screw manufacturer in the world.
Overall, a very engaging read. Make sure to check out Rybczynski's book to learn more about the history of hand tools and machinery.
Little Known Facts about the History of the Screw
What do you know about the history of the screw? I knew little until this week when I read Witold Rybczynski’s 2000 book One Good Turn, A Natural History of the Screwdriver and the Screw.
I stumbled upon this book while researching our recent post on drive styles. The book details Rybczynski’s search for the greatest workman’s tool of the past millennium.
Instead of doing a simple review, I’ve compiled a list of the top 8 facts I learned about the history of the screwdriver and the screw. Enjoy!
Many of the workman’s tools we use today were invented during the Roman Age or even before.
Rybczynski explores the histories of several other tools such as the saw, the plane, the chisel, and the level. He discovers that all of these tools were invented during the Roman age if not before. The chisel, for example, dates from the Bronze Age.For more information,you can click www.din571.com
