Sometimes you have to color outside of the lines to get the job done, same goes with the tools we use. Though we don't condone all improper uses of a tool, we can trust Eric the Car Guy to give us a few solid pointers. With over a million YouTube subscribers, Eric is an ASE Certified Master Technician, so he knows his stuff.
Needless to say, we're proud to be associated with Eric!
I had an automotive instructor that will probably want to crucify me for this article because of ‘improper use of a tool’. However, when working on things, you sometimes have to color outside of the lines to get the job done.
Here are 5 examples of coloring outside the lines with a screwdriver:
Pry Bar
Using a flat head screwdriver as a pry bar is not the best option, but sometimes necessary when the opening you need to get into is too small for a pry bar, but your flat head screwdriver works great. Be careful though, with enough force you can bend up a perfectly good screwdriver. Use this one at your discretion.
Gasket Scraper
Using a flat head screwdriver as a gasket scraper is, once again, not ideal, but sometimes when in tight areas, a flat head screwdriver is just the thing to get that last little bit of gasket off.
You need to use even more caution with this one. Some gasket surfaces need to be perfect. Meaning, if you scratch them up with your screwdriver, you’ve messed up big time. So be very careful if you decide to try this tip.
Chisel
Using a flat head screwdriver as a chisel is something we may have all at least attempted at some point. The dangers to watch out for with this one are how hard you need to hit the screwdriver.
It’s not difficult to shove the business end of the screwdriver right up into the handle performing this practice. Be cautious, or just use the proper tool, a chisel.
Punch
As long as the material is soft or malleable enough, you can use a Phillips head screwdriver as a punch. I’ve done this with sheet metal and it can work, but once again, if you use the proper tool you’ll have much better results.
Scribe
You can use a flat head or Phillips screwdriver for this job. The danger is less with this one, but you still need to be careful not to damage your tools. But if you need to quickly mark a surface and you don’t have a marker handy, you can use a
screwdriver.
Don't Screw Up
It really is best to use the right tool for the job, but there are times when you have to make do. In those times you might employ some of what I’ve written about here, although I’d recommend against it.
The idea is always to use the right tool for the job, but if you’ve ever worked on anything, you know that situations are not always ‘ideal’.
Be Safe, Have Fun, Stay Dirty
ETCG
