The iconic Phillips screw was invented by John P. Thompson before being sold to Henry Phillips who manufactured and sold it. Unlike slot-headed screw designs, which can be turned manually but are not easily used with power tools, cross headed screw designs work great with power tools. 

It is for this reason that Phillips screws have been used so consistently since their invention in the 1930s. However, they have a weakness. Phillips screws have a tendency for their bits to ‘cam out’ frequently. This means that once they have reached a certain depth there is a risk of the screwdriver slipping out of the screw.

The tradeoff though is that Phillips screws tend to have relatively high productivity. Since the drill is easily removed from the screw, a long series of screws can be drilled much faster.

ERoofing carries a range of Phillips screws from trusted brands like SPAX.