An actual post related to flying

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
oups.com...
So, back to aviation- let's hear your responses!

My favorite tool, above all else, is...my pocket Leatherman. The kind
that attaches to your keys.

This danged little tool, by virtue of being handy, has risen above all
others, beyond my $1500 Jet planer and my wonderfully versatile
cordless drill(s).

It doesn't do any one thing particularly well, but I find myself using
it all day long at the hotel, tightening door knob screws, scraping
paint off carpet, jimmying stuck drawers -- it's remarkable. I
actually bought Mary one, and she uses hers every day, too.

It's the best $25 I've ever spent.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"


Swiss Army Knife, for all the reasons Jay likes his Leatherman.

My personal choice is the officer's Spartan or Sport model made by
Victorinox. It is smaller, lighter and cheaper than the Leatherman and has
a great can opener and a really good corkscrew. IMHO both the can opener
and the corkscrew are superior to most dedicated tools. My wife likes the
next larger size with scissors but I find it too big for my pants pocket,
she carries it in a purse.

The addition of a small vise grip and a roll of duck(t) tape is IMHO a
complete emergency tool kit, but they do not fit well in any of my pockets.

My pilot survival kit consists of Swiss Army Knife, matches, compass,
whistle, and signal mirror. I keep a dedicated set in both my headset bag
and my parachute. I also carry a pack with other required items but like to
keep the basics on my person.

Being a Canadian, I am also a big fan of the Roberson square screw and think
they are superior to the Phillips in every way. IIRC there is some real
historical chauvinism that resulted in the use of the Phillips design in the
USA and the rejection of the superior Robertson.

just my .02, YMMV

In a previous article, "Private" said:
they are superior to the Phillips in every way. IIRC there is some real
historical chauvinism that resulted in the use of the Phillips design in the
USA and the rejection of the superior Robertson.

"historical chauvinism" is sometimes spelt "high licensing fees".


--
Paul Tomblin http://blog.xcski.com/
"Go go Gadget kernel compile!" - Chris "Saundo" Saunderson

"Paul Tomblin" wrote in message
...
In a previous article, "Private" said:
they are superior to the Phillips in every way. IIRC there is some real
historical chauvinism that resulted in the use of the Phillips design in
the
USA and the rejection of the superior Robertson.

"historical chauvinism" is sometimes spelt "high licensing fees".


IIRC this was part of the problem in this case. I suspect that any patent
would have expired by now, but perhaps there is a surviving copyright.

Happy landings,

"Private" wrote in message
news:urkGh.1219037$R63.505948@pd7urf1no...

"Paul Tomblin" wrote in message
...
In a previous article, "Private" said:
they are superior to the Phillips in every way. IIRC there is some real
historical chauvinism that resulted in the use of the Phillips design in
the
USA and the rejection of the superior Robertson.

"historical chauvinism" is sometimes spelt "high licensing fees".


IIRC this was part of the problem in this case. I suspect that any patent
would have expired by now, but perhaps there is a surviving copyright.

Happy landings,


From Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robertson_screwdriver
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P.L._Robertson

I note that Robertson was having the same kind of legal problems protecting
his invention as the Wrights were having at the same time. Today we realize
that he would perhaps have been smarter to give away the license to use the
screws and to retain the license for the drivers.

Also of interest and on topic
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Good_Turn

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phillips_Head

Happy landings,

"Private" wrote

I note that Robertson was having the same kind of legal problems
protecting his invention as the Wrights were having at the same time.
Today we realize that he would perhaps have been smarter to give away the
license to use the screws and to retain the license for the drivers.

It may be of interest that square drive screws are becoming much more
popular in construction work.

I have used square drive finish screws. Neatest thing since sliced bread,
where it is needed, as in having a 12d finish nail sized hole, but the
ability to pull something together, and hold much better than a nail.

Also, deck screws with a square drive are around. It may be that if there
is still a royalty for using Robertson screws, they got around it in an
innovative way. These screws I am talking about can be driven by a Phillips
head driver (very poorly, though) but have the inside of the Phillips slots
enlarged so that a square drive will fit in it. If you keep a reasonable
amount of pressure on them, they WILL not slip.

I look forward to seeing more and different kinds of hardware showing up
with square drives. I'll switch every one out that I can find!
--
Jim in NC

"Morgans" wrote in message
...

"Private" wrote

snip
Also, deck screws with a square drive are around. It may be that if there
is still a royalty for using Robertson screws, they got around it in an
innovative way. These screws I am talking about can be driven by a
Phillips head driver (very poorly, though) but have the inside of the
Phillips slots enlarged so that a square drive will fit in it. If you
keep a reasonable amount of pressure on them, they WILL not slip.

I look forward to seeing more and different kinds of hardware showing up
with square drives. I'll switch every one out that I can find!
--
Jim in NC

I have not seen this type of decking screws but have been using some
European screws for assembling cabinet boxes that have this type of head.
IIRC they are called 'Conformat' and AFAIK are really designed for particle
board but are great for plywood. They have great clamping force but are not
pointed and do not tend to split the plys when screwed into the endgrain,
they do require a $pecial $tepped drill bit. They have a very sharp but
coarse pitch thread with a large flat landing at the root of the thread,
something like this --^----^----^----^----^-- These screws can also be
driven with either a big Philips or a #2 Robertson.

On Sat, 3 Mar 2007 19:42:48 +0000 (UTC),
(Paul Tomblin) wrote:

In a previous article, "Private" said:
they are superior to the Phillips in every way. IIRC there is some real
historical chauvinism that resulted in the use of the Phillips design in the
USA and the rejection of the superior Robertson.

"historical chauvinism" is sometimes spelt "high licensing fees".

Have we covered Pozidrive versus Phillips? (Too many mgs to scan.)

Tektronix used Pozidrives exclusively when I was there.

Don

In a previous article, "Private" said:
Being a Canadian, I am also a big fan of the Roberson square screw and think
they are superior to the Phillips in every way. IIRC there is some real
historical chauvinism that resulted in the use of the Phillips design in the
USA and the rejection of the superior Robertson.

Look at the Wikipedia article
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robertson_screwdriver
According to it, Henry Ford wanted to use Robertson screws on Fords, but
Robertson had been screwed (sorry) by a previous licensee and refused to
license any other screw manufacturer to make them. Ford decided that he
wouldn't trust a single sourced screw, so went to something else. And
thus, Robertson missed his chance to have Robertson screws become very
common in the US.

--
Paul Tomblin http://blog.xcski.com/
"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety" - Ben Franklin

On Mar 3, 2:16 pm, (Paul Tomblin) wrote:
In a previous article, "Private" said:

Being a Canadian, I am also a big fan of the Roberson square screw and think
they are superior to the Phillips in every way. IIRC there is some real
historical chauvinism that resulted in the use of the Phillips design in the
USA and the rejection of the superior Robertson.

Look at the Wikipedia articlehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robertson_screwdriver
According to it, Henry Ford wanted to use Robertson screws on Fords, but
Robertson had been screwed (sorry) by a previous licensee and refused to
license any other screw manufacturer to make them. Ford decided that he
wouldn't trust a single sourced screw, so went to something else. And
thus, Robertson missed his chance to have Robertson screws become very
common in the US.

I heard it a bit differently. Ford was used to getting his way and
when he ran into Robertson's stubbornness he actively blocked the sale
of those screws in the U.S. I can't see furniture manufacturers, for
one, not wanting to use them. Even antique Canadian furniture is full
of them. I've driven thousands of them into wooden boats I've built,
and we get Robertson "decking" screws here that are good for a
thousand uses and are sold by the pound. I imagine they're available
in the US by now.
Softer screws still get the Roberson socket torn out of them.
They're not perfect. Torx screws have the best driving system but they
don't sit on the driver so well, not having any sort of taper to wedge
them on so you can poke them into some inaccessible spot. Robertsons
do that very well.

Dan

I will second the vote for the Swiss Army Knife as a favorite tool.
Mine is the Victorinox "Electrician" model. It's simpler than most
S.A. knives and has aluminum handles - but goes with me everywhere and
gets used multiple times every day.

David Johnson