A Comprehensive Review of the Smart-Bit Screw Depth Setter

Are you tired of using drill bits that are unreliable and leave marks on your decking? Then the Smart Bit Depth Setter from Starborn will be the perfect addition to any toolbox. It is a driving tool that sets screws to the perfect, consistent depth every single time.

The Smart-Bit Screw Depth Setter is also adjustable. That makes it possible for this adjustable screw depth setter to work with a wide range of screw sizes and types. It also has many other features that make it the perfect tool when installing a deck or drywall around your home.

It works well with bits from both Torx and Phillips. It is also designed for use with many different fasteners from Starborn, as well as other fastener products. This nifty little screw depth setter is designed to make the process of fastening decks, drywall, and other general screw setting applications faster and easier.

The best thing about this tool is that beauty comes with consistency. You will gain a lot from any home improvement job where each screw can be perfectly set the first time around. It ends up looking amazing and, when it comes to drywall, makes the work of doing joints and seams even better.

Furthermore, this drill bit holder will save you plenty of time when you are installing more than a few deck screws. There are many such tools currently on the market, but this screw setter is the only one that is designed specifically for deck and drywall screws. The Starborn Smart-Bit Deck Screw Depth Setter completely revolutionizes the way you can work on pressure treated and composite decking projects.

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Product Description

The Smart-Bit Deck Screw Depth Setter is an ingenious drill accessory that lets you define a consistent screw depth. You can use it to drive square-head and Phillips-head screws of various sizes into treated wooden decking materials like red cedar and yellow pine. It can also work well with drywall and some low-density PVC trims.

This tool is constructed out of strong metal, rather than the typical plastic parts. It uses innovative patent-pending technology to let you set the preferred screw depth. This deck screw depth setter also has a free spinning stop collar that is fitted with a rubber O-ring. This is an important feature that keeps the tool from messing up the surface that you are working on.

The O-ring might be first to fall to wear and tear, but you will get plenty of use out of it before then. This tool is designed for use with fasteners from Starborn.

For the best results, it is recommended that you use this screw setter with a standard non-impact drill driver. And even better? This tool is very affordable, making it the perfect choice for any DIY or professional home improvement projects.

Product Features

This amazing screw setter uses smart technology to help you achieve the perfect fastening holes for your home projects every time. It has a range of different features that puts it heads and shoulders above other similar products on the market. These include the following:

1. Locking Ring

After you set the preferred depth, the locking ring secures the tool’s target depth setting. This ensures that the auto-stop screw depth setter achieves the perfect depth every single time. All you have to do is just set the depth and forget it!

2. Adjustment Ring

This allows you to adjust the depth for many different screws in a wide variety of types and sizes. It also allows for you to choose the drilling depth that you need for your job. Furthermore, this awesome feature makes the Smart-Bit Deck Screw suitable for many different applications, from various types of decking material to keeping drywall in place.

3. Auto-Stop Mechanism

Once the set target depth is achieved, the Auto-Stop mechanism inside this smart bit deck screw setter disconnects the driver bit. This action stops the screw from driving in deeper than the set depth. Amazingly, it does all this without stripping the screw recess.

4. Free Spinning Stop Collar

The free spinning stop collar on this drywall screw depth setter is equipped with a rubber O-ring. This helps prevent the tool from damaging whatever surface you are working on once the screw setter reaches the target depth.

Other key features included in each package are as follows:

  • A body constructed completely from steel

  • The ability to accept one-inch Phillips or Torx bits

  • A package that includes one #2 Phillips bit, one T-20 Torx bit, two T-20 Torx bits, and one T-25 Torx bit.

How to Use the Smart-Bit Screw Depth Setter

Before doing anything with this screw setter, it is important to understand how it works. The Smart-Bit Deck Screw Setter is compatible with any one-inch bit, but it can also work with the #2 Phillips bit, and the T-20 and T-25 Torx bits. You can also set any of these bits into a fastener of your choice, which is a pretty handy feature!

To use it, start off by loosening the locking ring. Then you should move the adjustment ring to the desired position in order to set the fastener depth. Ensure that the adjustment ring engages with at least two full threads in the screw depth setter tool. Then, you must secure the locking ring with the adjustment ring.

Before using it on your project, make sure to test the depth on a spare piece of wood or other material. Once you get the desired configuration right, this tool will stay in place without drifting prematurely to a different depth.

Then, using a standard drill, drill in a straight and stable position. When the Auto-Stop mechanism fully engages, you will know that the screw is set correctly. This mechanism will make a very distinct “pop” sound when the Auto-Stop mechanism engages. When in use to set screws, you can hold onto the collar to improve the accuracy of your bit.

Furthermore, the O-ring is made out of rubber, preventing the tool from scuffing your decking material once it engages.

For maximum holding power, make sure to drive each face fastener until its head is flush with the surface of your working board. This is also a mark of good craftsmanship because it is not as easy as it sounds. This is especially true if you are driving screws into wet or pressure-treated decking material.

You will have to be even more careful when driving stainless steel trim head screws into cellular-PVC trim. This is because it requires a lot of skill to ensure that the screws do not go in too deeply, and that takes much more time to accomplish.

If you have one screw gun set up with the Smart-Bit Screw Depth Setter, you will need another gun just in case you want to remove a screw. Another thing to keep in mind is that this screw setter should not be used with an impact driver. This is because the impact motion tends to make the locking nut come loose after a while. They might also fail to set the screw to the correct depth. Because of this, standard drills are recommended for use with this auto-stop screw depth setter.

To replace the bit, disconnect your driver tool and retract it fully. You can then remove the old bit using a pair of pliers and insert a new one. Finish the process of by retracting the tool fully and inserting the bit in all the way.

Pros

  •    The screw setter helps you set screws flush with your working surface, preventing snags or the wood from splintering
  •    The Auto-Stop mechanism ensures that every screw is set at the preferred depth perfectly every time
  •    The O-ring is made out of rubber, protecting your working surface from unpleasant scuff marks whenever the tool reaches the preferred depth
  •    It is also wide enough to let wood shavings come to the top, which keeps the tool from getting clogged
  •    The free spinning collar will stop spinning if too much pressure is applied to the drill; this also protects your working surface from scuffs and other undesirable marks
  •    It does not strip the head of your screw, no matter which driver you use
  •    The bit goes through any decking material very easily
  •    It is very affordable
  •    It is easy to install and use
  •    It is compatible with a wide range of screw types and sizes

Cons

  •    This tool can set screws only up to ¼ inches below the surface of your decking material
  •    It requires a bit of technical know-how when working with certain types of materials

Conclusion

There are products available on the market that a designed to help you measure the depth of a drill hole. Some of them are good, but most are just gimmicks that do not work.

However, the Smart-Bit Screw Depth Setter is in a class of its own. It really does help you sink screws at a perfect and consistent depth every single time. Because of this, you will always end up with beautiful, long-lasting results.