I sometimes work on equipment with lots of small Phillips screws, and dropping one down inside would be a major headache. Do you know of any #2 Phillips, 1/4" hex drive bits that have some real holding power?

Usually it's the bit holder/driver that provides the magnetic force, not the bit itself. I'm curious to see what you find...

Well Amazon has all sorts of cool tools these days, I just searched "magnetic #2 phillips bits" and got tons of results.

Hope this helps.

I’m not real picky about whether it’s the bit or the holder. And yeah, been to Amazon and bought a couple that said magnetic. And they are, but just barely. I was hoping someone here is using something they really like.

Magnetize a Screwdriver
https://www.bobvila.com/articles/how-to-magnetize-a-screwdriver/

In addition to magnetic bits or nut drivers, I'd get a magnetic cup to hold the screws once they're removed. You can find them reasonably priced at Harbor Freight.

I have always preferred the Spring loaded-clamp type that holds the screw by its head. I have a couple of older craftsman units that work well. Klein and Greenlee both offer a version of the Craftsman. I found a closed listing on the bay with the Craftsman version. It does have the part number
You might search for Phillips screw starter. There are some that lock on with spring loading the slots

Klein /Greenlee

Craftsman Version

Those "rare Earth magnets" are what's needed in those things, but I haven't seen them either.

weird but if you place your srewdriver shaft against the alternator pulley while running it will magnetize it.

Something like that Klein may be the ticket. Can it be fitted to a loosened screw to withdraw it? Sounds tedious, but a lot less so than fishing out a dropped screw.

This ring magnet would be a nice fit over my #2 bit and doesn't have a real big OD.

That magnet is a great idea, but the one you linked is only 0.02" inside diameter, might be too small?

I have some Dewalts that are 0.195" forward of the hex.

Hmm, I was thinking the magnet would choke up on the bit, not be at the end. It's 1/4" thick, might be doable.

I feel your pain about fishing out dropped screws.

Notice in the picture the Blue “magnetic paper holder” at far left.
This has a very small “super magnet” you see attached to the Phillips bit in the Red handled extendable screwdriver, which is less than 1/4.

Attaching the small super magnet to the long shank screwdriver set at right also greatly increases holding of screws.

You will have to search for the Blue paper holder, but similar small diameter super magnets are in other consumer objects.

Note also the silver telescoping “magnetic extendable wand” attached to the tweezer handle.

I've tried sticking a high-strength magnet to the shaft, but found it wants to jerk the scerwdriver to any nearby steel, jarring the screw off the bit. The ring magnet may want to do this too, but I think I could place it on the shaft such that the magnet is in contact with the screw when the bit is engaged. Worth a few dollars to find out, and Grainger has both the Klein and the magnet.

i have a bunch of super magnets that came from water meter readers that were scrapped at work many, many, years ago.
they are approximately 1/2x1/2x1/4" or so, and those things are so strong that you better not have your fingers in the vicinity of two of them when they decide to "meet" each other !
you will get a pinch blister like you wouldn't believe !
i sent several members a few of these, and like everyone at work, i wished i had obtained a bunch more !
there were over 800 [yes, 800 ! ] 4ft. square x 3ft. deep bins heaped at least a foot, foot and a half, of these tiny items that contained two coils and two magnets, separated by two 1/8x1/8x1/2" pins, contained in a plastic cage affair.
after one took a few apart, it became apparent how to do this quickly, just to obtain the magnets.
anyway, i have a couple of these things "stuck" [] around i occasionally put my driver bits on, and it doesn't take long to get the bits magnetized. they las quite a long time that way as well, before a fresh "charge" is needed.
i use them for so many other tasks it's unbelievable.

Seen screws with this odd head?
It is a “Clutch Head Screw”

It was briefly popular around 1968 and designed to stay on the screwdriver during assembly or disassembly.

My grandfather bought a “radio with reach” Motorola XP7C which has those.

https://radiojayallen.com/motorola-xp7c-xp7ce-am-portable-radio/

seen those many times.
also have seen those with a little tIt in the middle of them as a tamper proof screw.
super cheap tamper proof bit sets on amazon and the bag. everyone should have them.

such as : https://www.ebay.com/itm/404091018520?

and : https://www.amazon.com/10048A-Secur...of+bit+set&qid=1703197569&sr=8-6

and many more like them in a ton of price ranges.

The OD is listed at 23/64

Buddy had a 46 Chevy that was full of those screws. Not a fan at all.