Screws

[James Hart]

I've been kind of out of the loop for the last few years woodworking wise.

Sounds like the old zinc plated phillips head Home Depot screws are not the screw of choice for woodworkers anymore.

Does this bundle sound like a good place to start?

http://www.mcfeelys.com/product/1200-FSL/Do-It-Yourself-Dozen

Thanks,

Jim

[Rob Will]

This does not really answer your question but it is related.
Check out the Kreg K3 pocket hole kit. It also uses the square drive screws and an assortment of pocket hole screws comes with it.

http://www.amazon.com/Kreg-K3MS-Master-Pocket-System/dp/B0009VD03Y/ref=bxgy_cc_hi_text_a

I think they are a good thing but I still use a lot of phillips head too.

Rob

[James Hart]

Thanks,

I have the Kreg pocket hole setup and a bunch of the screws that go along with it.

I'm interested more from the standpoint of woodscrews for general use.

Jim

[John Durscher]

I've been using McFeely's fasteners for a while now and have been very happy with them. I really like the square head screws since they don't seem to cam out as often as the phillips or slot screws.

You can't go wrong with their package deals, I've bought more than a few of them.

John

[Dave Falkenstein]

The McFeely's assortments are definately a great way to get into square drive screws. Get some of their square drive bits as well. Here's another bunch of assortments that include a terrific carrying case:

http://www.mcfeelys.com/festoolmcfeelys

I use the yellow zinc plated screws, not the unplated ones in your link, above.

You might like the combo drive assortment, that uses either a square drive or Phillips drive.

[Eric DeSilva]

I gather the benefits of square drive are that they are less prone to having the head recess stripped out--assuming that is what John meant by "cam out." Is the same true of the combo screws, or does the even more minimal amount of metal in the head make them more prone to camming out?

[Don Bullock]

I gather the benefits of square drive are that they are less prone to having the head recess stripped out--assuming that is what John meant by "cam out." Is the same true of the combo screws, or does the even more minimal amount of metal in the head make them more prone to camming out?

Eric, you are correct with both assumptions. The Square drive screws can stand up to a lot of troque and the head does not strip out. Yes, combo screws tend to tear out much easier than te square drives.

I have several of the McFeely's sets similar to the one James asked about. One of them I found I felt had common sizes for the kind of work that I do. They were mostly #6 & #8. When they had the new Systainer assortment on sale I bought one of those and they had a "special deal" assortment available at check-out that I bought as well.

see: http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=68234&highlight=festool+screws

[Thomas Williams]

I prefer the combo head screws from McFeely's. While the square drive is less prone to cam out, with the combo head I can use which ever bit or driver is handy. I use the proper pilot hole and low speed driver and do not have the cam out problem much. It seems that I get cam out more often when using a faster drill driver and not pre-drilling.

[Stan Welborn]

I love the McFeely's square drive screws. Using them makes me want to bang my head on the bench for using phillips head screws all those years.:cool:

[Larry James]

I love the McFeely's square drive screws. Using them makes me want to bang my head on the bench for using phillips head screws all those years.:cool:
Careful Stan you may damage your bench.;)

I'm very happy with McFeely's square drive screws. I'v never twisted the head off a McFeely's square drive screw - an all to common problem with big box store screws. I'm also a fan of McFeely's round washer head screws.

Larry

[Gary Keedwell]

It probably has been said before, but the USA was and still is, very slow to get into square drive screws. Did you know that phillip head screws were designed to cam out? Years ago building our planes for war, there was no clutches for the assemblers so the screws were manufactured to cam-out when they were torqued properly. ;)
Gary

[Edward P. Surowiec]

On the subject of screws used for carpentry applications, will course drywall screws do as good a job as wood screws??

Thanks Ed

[Mark Smith, too]

On the subject of screws used for carpentry applications, will course drywall screws do as good a job as wood screws??

Thanks Ed

Dry wall screws are very brittle and have little shear strength. They can be used where structural strength is not an issue, but should not be used where it is. Better to stock up on some woodworking screws and use those for your projects. Besides McFeely's you can look for Spax brand and Scorpion screws (some HDs carry the latter).