Mounting hardware, screws, etc.

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bjp_ne_elec

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I'd like to hear what type of screws. etc. individuals use for mounting panels, boxes, etc.

I hate using phillips head wood screws, as if you're in a tight spot trying to get that box, etc. mounted, lining it up with one hand and screwing it in - my experience is not good. .

I do have those self-tapers with the hex head - but it's more for when you're dealing with fastening to something with metal - say sheetrock supported by metal stubd - but they don't fare well in wood. They're nice, because they have the hex head, and you can use the magnetic bits to drive them - and they're pretty stable when working with one hand

So let's hear what other solutions folks have. Just as a comment - I'm not a fan of using those black drywall screws for everthing. My issue is the heads, as they taper, do not sit flush when you use them to support - say a 4" square metal box - and I don't like that fact.

Thanks

Brett
 
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The most common screw I use for wood is a Phillips Pan Head sheet metal screw 1" x 10. I stock 3/4" to 2" x 10 PHSMSs in the truck.

With a good tip the shorter ones stay in the drill OK.

DeWalt makes screw gun tip with a tube that slides down over the screw to hold it, they work good when you need them.

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We like to use as Bob mentioned PHSM pan head, Phillips (pan head sheetmetal) screws too. We prefer the ones that have only a Phillips head. Many of our suppliers now stock the combo head which is slotted and Phillips together. We dislike those since neither the slotted head or the Phillips head is very good and they tend to strip when going into a hard material such as dense wood. When available we like to use square drive screws. They almost never strip.

Hex head self drilling screws are stocked for fastening to metal. Some of the newer ones will penetrate and fasten directly to steel. The key is that the self drilling bit on the front must be longer than the thickness of the steel, this way the hole is through the steel before the tapping threads of the screw hit the edge of the hole. We used those screws recently to mount some boxes to 5/16" steel tube.

One other thing I would note is that a self drilling screw has the drill tip designed to drill its own hole in the metal, a self tapping screw is designed to go into a hole already drilled or punched in the metal.
 
iwire said:
The most common screw I use for wood is a Phillips Pan Head sheet metal screw 1" x 10. I stock 3/4" to 2" x 10 PHSMSs in the truck.

With a good tip the shorter ones stay in the drill OK.

DeWalt makes screw gun tip with a tube that slides down over the screw to hold it, they work good when you need them.

604853_front200.jpg
Click to expand...

Me too, only I use #12 screws. I use a long (6") phillips tip in a battery powered drill to fasten almost everything. The long tip allows me to drive screws at a angle (if necessary) in the back of boxes and prevents the chuck from rubbing on the enclosure. I usually mount (interior) metal boxes with black sheetrock screws. If under a house, I use plated #12 screws. Boxes and panels on outside walls get 1/4" hex. galvanized lag bolts (driven with my 1/2" Milwaukee drill and a long hex driver), #8 or #10 plated wing bolts, 1/4" lead anchors with #12 plated screws or just #12 plated screws depending on the wall material and weight of the box.
I magnetize my screw driver tips by placing them on a magnet for a couple of hours, it really helps.
I don't use slotted head (flat) screws, and throw away any that I get in packaging. My flat screwdrivers don't see much action (other than removing knock outs).
I see a lot of boxes and panels that have been "secured" with the cheap plastic wall anchors and #8 screws. (IMO) This is crappy work and most are being held in place by the conduit and wire only.
steve
 
Modify the Phillips Driver

Modify the Phillips Driver

I have found that where heavy duty work is required with Phillips head screws, performance can be improved if the #2 driver tip is ground off to make it a bit shorter. It allows more engagement of the working portion of the wings of the bit. It takes just a minute with a bench grinder to fix a bunch of them.
 
I will have to try the grinder on some bits.

I recently got one of these..

DW054K-2.jpg


.....I can not recommend it enough in any brand.

It is an impact driver and it can drive screws into the hardest wood with out struggle or stripping.

It is also drives tek screws well as the no load speed is very fast.
 
we don't really understand the importance of proper "basic fasteners" in our everyday trade. sizes and lengths are determined by the weight of the item we are trying to hang. type of screw and head is determined by the material we are fastening to. there is no "one size fits all" fastener. and example was when i first found the threaded (female) stud that is crooked and driven into a drilled hole. we were running fire alarm pipe through a large print shop with prestressed beam ceiling. we had to hang down off the ceiling to clear different ducts and pipes. what a difference these things made in the installation. cut all the all thread and attach minerallacs --- "over drill" the hole and hammer the stud til it bottoms out ---- thread the all thread into the threaded stud and lock it in place with a nut........ we carry a full assortment of philips head sms as well as self tappers --- also another box has a full assortment of hex head screws in different lengths. and of course 6/32,8/32 fhms,and 1/4" rhms. another item we tend to use are 3/16" and 1/4" nail-ins. we carry these in 3/4"-1" and 2" lengths. the support of everything we sell is labor intense---use the right fastener!!!
 
The Gorilla Tape, must be what the siding guys use, to secure the mast for services when they pull it away from the house, i hope Gorilla Tape, is flame proof.
 
Bob NH said:
I have found that where heavy duty work is required with Phillips head screws, performance can be improved if the #2 driver tip is ground off to make it a bit shorter. It allows more engagement of the working portion of the wings of the bit. It takes just a minute with a bench grinder to fix a bunch of them.
Click to expand...

They sell something like this, I think. It's called a #2 reduced I think. It's basically all I use for a phillips tip.

I use the 1" x 10 pan head a lot, but also use a 1/4" hex #8 sheetmetal screw for screwing into wood. Works great.
 
square drive pan head type screws are all I like to use ... very seldom strip out... any where from #8 1 in to 14 2 in ... m
 
Doing alarm work previously, we used the square/Robertsons lots. What they're great for, is reaching in an attic with one hand. One good tool and these are held better than any magnetic, etc, setup with phillips.

For panels & masts, the local code dictactes lag screws into studs. Every panel hub I've used, had at least one position where the smaller strut used to hold the mast lined things up perfectly.

Much of my stucco work is done with #10s, I keep a box of 1 inchers and plastic inserts for most little attachments. As someone pointed out, this is not exactly overkill. But if someone MUST rip my item off the wall, there's room to go back and re-drill for a #12. I also keep bitty items (self tapping machine screws, both self drill & self tap sheetmetal, and several wood screws.

The very best tools are stocked by the very best suppliers, so you may find the same tool which says Armstrong, Proto, etc. My experience with phillips bits is extensive, but a little dated. A good source of Apex bits is a delight. Magna, Wiha, and the rest, simply do not hold up as well in production use.

Thanks Bob for pointing out the utility of that tool, a bugaboo operation for everyone; myself I have one very old very worn out drill I use because nothing's like it at low RPM. Time to think about a replacement.
 
I dislike hex-heads inside electrical enclosures and boxes for the same reason I dislike ground-crimp ferrules: they cut insulation too easily.
 
For masonry, I like to use the 1/4" drive anchors. You will never have to worry about one of these pulling out if You use the correct bit.
For wood, I like #10 hex head screws, 1"-2" long.
I also have a Power Fastner that does a good job. Takes a little getting used to, but is very effective when used properly.
 
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