Finagle: I set out to use the low speed and various high-ish torque settings (lower at first then higher) but then when I got frustrated I started playing around with some different clutch/speed combinations with no better results.
And yes, I wish I had bought straight head screws but I don’t want to give up on the Philips screws yet because I bought a lot of them in all the different lengths that I need.
moldmonkey: I don’t think there was a clicking sound other than the bit clicking against screw-head because the screw was stuck (unmovable).
And if you guys think YOU’RE baffled, imagine how I feel.
Right now I’m too frustrated to think about it anymore because it doesn’t make any sense to me. As I mentioned before–it’s not like this is my first time around screws or power drills. I’m getting my new Makita hammer-drill / driver tomorrow. Gonna take a few deep breaths, concentrate, and start all over and see how things go then.
(If I’m getting it right, the screws are starting out fine and the driver is bogging down as the screw gets deeper - lube will help with that. Wax (candles, crayons, annoying bee nests), soap, oil, whatever ya got that won’t screw-up the look of your finished project - if that actually matters here.)
The Makita is an excellent tool. If it doesn’t drive the screws, then the problem is with the screws. Phillips head screws aren’t worth the powder to blow them to hell. Throw them away or return them and get some real screws. Square head, torx head, just about any other head design will allow your new tool to exert all of its force without camming out. In hardwood, wax always helps.
The local big box stores seem to carry a good supply of square recess screws. Robertson is/was the name of the inventor, a Canadian I believe. I used to order screws from McFeely on line at good prices.
Carpenters almost universally drive screws with a 1/4" impact driver now. I have not used a drill in anything but an emergency to drive a screw in ten years. You can get good kits with a light hammer drill and an impact driver.
Using a long bit - 6 inch is typical - will allow you to better control alignment with the screw so the drive bit does not cam out.
A drive sleeve helps hold longer screws and decreases cam out also.
