Increasingly, builders are using screws
instead of nails to fasten subflooring and
deck boards. Unlike nails, screws won't
work themselves loose when the framing
lumber shrinks, so floors won't
squeak. Screws are also the fastener of
choice for drywall, because the heads
won't pop through the finish surface as
easily as nail heads will.
A screw gun is a good tool for these
applications — the depth stop and slip
clutch prevent overdriving — but it has
its drawbacks. For one, even though a
screw gun bit is magnetic, you have to
place each screw individually on the bit
before driving it. Also, when you are
driving screws into a floor, you have a
long reach and