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Thread: Wood screw recommendations
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24th October 2021, 07:32 AM #1GOLD MEMBER
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Wood screw recommendations
It's time to refresh my screw stocks. Wondered if anyone has any recommendations?
I usually use whatever's on the shelf at the big green shed. Convenient and cheap. Not the best quality, but most of the stuff I do is low screw stress stuff, so it usually doesn't seem to matter.
I have a lot of MDF carcasses to build soon, so thought I'd try some of the self-countersinking type. Spax seem to be the go-to (Spax-M 4x40mm Zinc MDF Screw. Qty. 200). Anyone used them?
Wurth do a line of self-countersinkers too - like these. Similar price to spax. I have a few Würth tools (mini and t-ratchet drivers, knife), and they've quickly become my go-to tools as they're so good. Do I presume their screws are just as good...?
Mostly MDF and ply work, but I'm moving towards solid wood more (sick of shape-shifting cheap ply!)
What do you use?
[Also, are the spax screws a standard T20 bit, or is it a proprietary bit like the Würth?]
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24th October 2021 07:32 AM # ADSGoogle Adsense Advertisement
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24th October 2021, 11:59 AM #2GOLD MEMBER
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I used Spax for a while many years ago and they work well, I used Roberston screws as well and they work well also. Pragmatism made me go back to Phillips because I had a project that used over 3000 stainless screws and the price was right. I buy bulk from a supplier in Adelaide whose name I can't remember right now and they supply boxes of 1000 for the same price as a hundred from Bunnings. If good quality sharp drivers are used then Phillips are bang for the buck the obvious answer. Yes they cam out but they are designed to do that so it is not a shortcoming and these days good quality drivers just about eliminate that anyway.
Another option is Pozidrive which appears to be the standard drive or near enough in Europe and nothing wrong with them either apart from telling the difference between the Phillips and Pozidrive driver at a glance. I fixed that by using shrink wrap on each type so I can see the colour difference at a glance.
They all work but if price is the driver Phillips works better. The only thing I am not sure of is do Spax use Torx or Torx Plus as a driver.
What is the Difference Between Torx and Torx Plus (insight-security.com)
If your question is a about quality of the fastener Torx or Robertson are most probably the better choices but I can't say I suffer many problems with the made in China Phillips.CHRIS
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24th October 2021, 01:34 PM #3GOLD MEMBER
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scrooz seem ok to me so far.
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24th October 2021, 01:45 PM #4GOLD MEMBER
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Scrooz weren't around when I first started to buy fasteners on line but these days the number of online suppliers is far greater. Elraco the supplier I used is really a hardware supplier and I have bought a lot of other stuff from them such as drawer slides.
CHRIS
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24th October 2021, 01:57 PM #5
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24th October 2021, 02:41 PM #6
I totally disagree that they are cheap, and they force you to buy a packet even if you only need one fastenner.
As Chris essentially says, I much prefer centre drive screws - and my view is that Phillips, pozidrive, torx, etc are all equally reliable. All are better than slots; simply because of the risk of damage from slippage of the driver.
As to supplier, I just go to a specialist supplier of nuts and bolts - in Hobart it's called Nuts & Bolts - most original name - and he simply does not stock the crap brands, so I do not have to worry. My decisions are limited to steel, galvanised, 304 or 316 stainless, or brass.
They do not stock screws with detachable heads!
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24th October 2021, 03:43 PM #7GOLD MEMBER
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Nover, 93 munibung rd. Cardiff.
box of 5000 60 mm x 8 gauge chipboard screws is about $12.
Its a no brainer.
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24th October 2021, 04:47 PM #8GOLD MEMBER
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+1 for Nover.
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24th October 2021, 05:31 PM #9GOLD MEMBER
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25th October 2021, 10:48 AM #10
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25th October 2021, 03:57 PM #11GOLD MEMBER
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I assumed this might be the case with MDF's unique construction, but both spax and würth seem to lump it all together -
"Spax-M MDF screws are made for joining chipboard, MDF boards, plywood, fibreboard, melamine, and other engineered wood products." Würth says theirs are "well suited for MDF, particle board and solid wood".
I guess they'll all be fine for mdf carcasses - but it would be a potential time saver to have a screw that self-countersinks and goes into the MDF reliably without pre-drilling - which both spax and wurth claim they can do.
I think Peter Millard (youtuber who does a lot of custom MDF cabinetry and installs) uses spax
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25th October 2021, 04:19 PM #12
I'd be very wary of this.
I am not sure what you call the sides of MDF and chipboard that isn't the face or back - the grain side, the wheatbix side or just the side - but screwing into this side grain, especially near corners, it is very easy to delaminate the stuff. I always pre-drill and lubricate the screws.
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25th October 2021, 04:50 PM #13rrich Guest
What can I say?
To say "This Brand" or that "Style" seems to be counter productive to me. You know what you need, buy a box. Yes you will pay about 3 x cost of the actual need. However when the neighbor comes over and says "Can you help?" while you say "Here is the screw. . . . " and gives you that kiss on the cheek, you have made all the 'Box of Screws' purchases worthwhile.
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25th October 2021, 05:45 PM #14SENIOR MEMBER
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My neighbour is a lovely guy but I'm going to have to start throwing my screws away now, on the off chance he gives me a kiss on the cheek.
Also, Robertson, Spax, and Wurth are all great. Bunnings Zenith screws are ok if you only need to drive them in once and never see them again. And even then you may have stripped or broken heads if you're a bit overzealous with ye olde powered driver.
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26th October 2021, 04:42 AM #15
my point was that an MDF screw is not the same as a particle board screw.
I don't doubt that MDF screws can be used with particle board. It's the other way round -- particle board screws being used with MDF -- where I have doubts. MDF is denser than particle board with little to no difference in density between the surface and interior of the board -- unlike particle board where the interior is notable less dense than the top and bottom facesregards from Alberta, Canada
ian
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