Screws...Which Do You Use?

[Derek Arita]

I'm finally running down to my last Phillips head screws and I'm looking to switch heads. I originally wanted to go with square drives, but on a recent trip to HD, the hardware guy recommended Star drives as the next big thing...so I went for it and purchased a few boxes. Now I'm thinking I made a mistake and should have stuck with the Squares. What do you think?
By the way, the reason I'm switching is because I'm tired of having to constantly replace phillips bits in my drivers. I've had limited experience with Square drives, but have been impressed with the positive hold of bit to head.

[Myk Rian]

We recently replaced carpet in 3 bedrooms, and I screwed the floor boards down with GRK screws. They have a T-25 star head, and I never missed with a single one, out of several hundred screws.

[steven taggart]

Good quality T star heads are the only screws I use, and I use a lot. The cheap ones break off in the screw and cause random profanity. I buy my drivers at the hardware store, in a bulk bin. I don't know the brand, but they run about $2 a piece, and last forever. The cheap ones, like in the value pack I bought at HD, last about three screws.

[peter gagliardi]

Been using square drive for almost 20 years now. I get them from Gardner screw in Gardner MA. They are a very tough, and break resistant screw with a fairly thick shank. I use 15-20,000 per year. They never strip out, and are tough enough to drive into most hardwoods with no issue. I hate constantly changing drivers, and looking for " the other style" than what is currently in the tool. I tried the star drive, they work just as good, but usually cost more, and are harder to find if you run a little short. I see no reason why we had to start changing when the square drive was just becoming mainstream?

[Andrew Gold]

The GRK screws are amazing, which I realize is a silly thing to say about a screw...

High quality square drive are also really great, I don't think you can go wrong with either driver style. As with everything, it comes down to the specific screws you pick, and the specific driver bits.

[Joe Jensen]

I ditched drywall screws a few years ago and stocked up on McFeely's square drive. Then I got a Festool that didn't have their proprietary shank with square drive so gave all the square drive screws to my dad and I now use GRK torx (star) drive. First of all, the McFeely's and GRK are WAY better than the big box screws. I haven't snapped a screw since switching.

Star
Pros:
- never slip, never. No need to push down hard to keep the bit in the screw head.
- The bits don't seem to wear out very fast. Nothing like Philips, and they wear longer than square drive.
Cons:
- the screw won't just stay on the bit, the fit of the bit in the head isn't tight.

Robertson (square)
Pros:
- The screw will stay on the bit, there are many times where I would like to put a screw on the bit and use the drill to guide the screw into location
Cons:
- The bits wear and will slip in the screw head.
- You have to put pressure on the drill to keep the bit in the head, not as much as with Philips.

I'm torn and wonder all the time if I should go back to square drive

[Wayne Jolly]

I haven't used the square drives too much, but I like them. The only thing I can say is that from my experience, the driver bit has to be pretty much straight on or it can still cam out. But I am still converting to them instead of phillips or torx.

Wayne

[Greg R Bradley]

Joe explained the pros/cons of each pretty well.

Robertson for light duty use. They stay on the driver and you can start the screw with one hand.

Torx for Construction Screws for the ability to apply the heavy torque required.

Last I looked, HD had Spax in small screws that were the combo drive that uses Robertson or Phillips. Great to drive with the Roberton and people can use a Phillips to take it out later if they don't have Robertson.

[Greg Hines, MD]

I prefer Robertson/square drive screws, generally speaking. And yes, the Blue Borg used to carry tons of different versions. Now they have switched, and I still prefer the squares. So I stock up on Kreg screws when they are on sale, and Woodcraft often has these small packets of different square drive screws on sale. I keep them in the bottom of my Kreg toolbox and thus far, have not run out.

Doc

[Ole Anderson]

Having done a few decks using stainless screws, the square drive will cam out, but I never had one torx screw cam out on my last deck. Yes, I believe they are the next big thing.

[paul cottingham]

Being Canadian, I am predisposed to using Robertson screws, especially on things like decks, and the like, or where they can't be seen on furniture. But on nice furniture, in a place that can be seen, I am slowly moving towards traditional, slotted screws.
i am still searching for a good reliable brand of screws.

[Garth Almgren]

I own a Jeep, therefore Torx are the bane of my existence. They strip out way too easily, at least in automotive applications where you're using a socket wrench. That said, I don't have experience with them in woodworking; it could be they're better in that kind of application where you're not having to loosen and tighten them often.

[Jim German]

I switched to SPAX star drive screws a few months ago and have been quite pleased. I've gone through a few boxes and haven't broken a bit. the screw stays on the end of the bit so you can put them in one handed, and never cams out.

[Matt Day]

I recently got some deerwood Ultimates and they're great.

[Grant Wilkinson]

Anther Canadian here. I used almost exclusively Robertson/square heads. Here, they are available in varying qualities pretty much any where.

[Erik Christensen]

+1 for Spax & square drive - works for me

[Tom M King]

The trouble with square drive is that they go in good, but if want to get one back out, toss a coin. The Deckmate screws sold in Home Depot are good. I've been using them since they started selling them. They are called "star drive", but it's really a TORX. Other good brands like Spax, and the "star drive lags" sold individually in Lowes different lengths are good too.

One driver bit, good quality, will last through a one pound box of inch and a quarters. I don't know exactly how many screws that is, but we found out first hand last week when the guys ran in 10 pounds.

[pat warner]

For furniture and other showy apps:
SS socket head caps (http://patwarner.com/images/tsweb4767.jpg).

[John TenEyck]

I too have been using square drive (Robertson) for more than 20 years, and they are my preferred screw design. The Torx head screws are very nice, but selection around me is limited and they are more expensive. Plus they don't go on the driver as easily for me. Recently, I've been using a lot of Spax screws, which take both Phillips and square drivers. They are very strong (of course, they're German) and great when you are lazy and don't want to drill a pilot hole. Spax and Kreg screws now fit most of my needs.

John

[glenn bradley]

Pretty much covered here. I use square head for furniture (or slot for "show" locations) and torx or others for gorilla-torque requirements (mostly outdoors).

[Mark Andrew]

I use Pozidriv (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pozidriv#Pozidriv)heads mostly. Plain Philips for junky stuff. The extra torque on a well-fitting Pozidriv is something to behold. The screws and tooling are much more widely available in Europe than N America, for some reason.

[Peter Quinn]

I use square drives for general cabinet assembly, specifically the assembly screws with the self drilling tip, coarse threads, nibs behind the head for self counter sinking. They are not sheet rock screws, they are tough, annealed so they don't snap under torque. I find they load a little quicker than star drives or torx heads and they fly in with an impact driver. For the tough stuff or long stuff I prefer a torx head or star drive. I like GRK's a lot, fasten master has some big screw/lags for construction type stuff, Simpson sells some lag equivalents that are like star drives on steroids, and those are great where appropriate, they may be made by spax if I read the box correctly.

[Derek Arita]

Thanks for all the replies. Appreciate all the feedback as I am not really familiar with either square or torks heads. I did get GRKs and Spax screws from HD and seem to feel that the bit did not go as deeply into the head with the torx, as with the square drives. I think that's what made me a little nervous about using them, however it seems from your feedback that no one seems to have a problem with them, so that's good. The little experience I've had with square drives has been that the bit goes deeply and tightly into the head, so I've always been impressed with them, however like I said, the guy at HD convinced me that torks was the way to go.

[Frank Martin]

I converted Spax (pozidrive) several years ago and really like them. One nice thing is they are available at HD for when you need it quick, in addition to mail order.

[sullivan mcgriff]

Being Canadian too I use the Robertson square drive, I have found some bits that don't have the right angle on them and are no end of trouble

[Cameron Hood]

I use Robertson screws all the time now. I learned my lesson when buying them however. I THINK that there is a difference between screws advertised as "square drive" screws and those labelled Robertson--maybe it is a patent rule or something. It seems to me that when I buy square drive, the edges of the square are not tapered. As a result, if you try to get a square drive screw to "stick" to the bit while holding the wood, it tends to fall off. If you use a Robertson, stick it on the bit and it is there--sometimes to the point it is difficult to get the bit off the screw when done. As a result, now I only buy screws that actually say "Robertson" on them.

[Ole Anderson]

I own a Jeep, therefore Torx are the bane of my existence. They strip out way too easily, at least in automotive applications where you're using a socket wrench. That said, I don't have experience with them in woodworking; it could be they're better in that kind of application where you're not having to loosen and tighten them often. I hear you, no more Torx left on my CJ. For max grip on a bolt it is hard to beat a traditional hex head head machine bolt. But for wood, you don't need to worry about them rusting in place. Imagine if the Torx on your Jeep were slotted or Phillips or square drive, you would be even worse off. If you want the max torque on a wood screw you go to a hex head lag style. But even those are being replaced with high tensile steel Spax (Torx) style.

[Jim Becker]

I use square/Robinson drive screws from McFeely's.

[Jamie Buxton]

I use square/Robinson drive screws from McFeely's.

There have been some long threads on this forum reporting poor service from McFeelys since an ownership change early this year. Has your experience been better?

[Tim Janssen]

I use Pozidriv (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pozidriv#Pozidriv)heads mostly. Plain Philips for junky stuff. The extra torque on a well-fitting Pozidriv is something to behold. The screws and tooling are much more widely available in Europe than N America, for some reason.

Thanks for that link, Mark.
I wasn't aware that there are that many different screw head configurations.
Regards,

Tim

[Jim Becker]

There have been some long threads on this forum reporting poor service from McFeelys since an ownership change early this year. Has your experience been better?

I have not ordered recently since I have stock of everything I use.