Our team has had trouble with screws and we usually can’t screw them properly and sometimes run out of them. We were thinking of buying new screws but it is a hassle buying it from vex as it takes a long time and your need specific screwdrivers. Does anybody know where we can get all sizes screws (preferably Phillips heads) other than the official vex website?
This website has any screw you will need for Vex. I highly recommend the color coded Torx screws, they are very nice for being able to easily see and sort screws by length. You can also pick up the right size drivers from there.
I highly recommend Robosource for pretty much everything they carry.
If you don’t want to use robosource, you can just go to your local hardware store (Home Depot, Lowes, Ace, etc) and see what they have there.
McMaster Carr also has a decent selection:
If you do go through places not meant for vex, make sure that they are the legal lengths and whatnot.
To address the root cause…
The vex torx screws are fine. If you’re having trouble with those then it’s bad usage.
- Do NOT use a driver off-axis (not inline with the head).
- If you have a driver slip, adjust your grip/pressure/angle/etc. Do not simple keep slipping.
- Inspect your driver(s). If they are worn, throw them out as they will strip all your screws.
If you’ve stripped the allen head screws… those are easier to strip, but the advice still applies. If you have all allens… then bite the bullet and do a mass replacement, throwing out ALL allen screws and drivers.
I beg to differ. While these are very good practices, and should be followed whenever possible, you aren’t going to break or strip a screwhead if you use a driver off-axis. if the driver is off axis and your using a lock nut, hold the screw in with the screwhead, and use a wrench to tighten the lock nut. I’ve used this method with both allen and torx screws, and the only time I’ve stripped a screw is when I severely overtightened something.
Point 3 is definitely valid, work drivers suck.
This is a case of what can sometimes work for attentive users in select circumstances compared with what needs to work all the time for all users in all circumstances.
And to shout out to the OP… many experienced teams have tons of screws, often new in the bag, leftover. If you post what you need: lengths, quantities (either in number or weight, you might find people willing to send you some. Paying postage would help…