ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area Screw Hunting...

...I once bought a box of 10-32 x 1" self-tapping/drilling, hex head,stainless steel screws..tho' Ive been told they don't make such an animal.I've searched everywhere,and the only thing I can come up with is a "thread-cutting" screw..with that,ya gotta drill a pilot hole first,then thread in your screw in..With the other,ya just drill it in with your 5/16 hex-bit,and you're done..I know I'm not cracking up..(yet)...has anyone seen,or used this kind of screw..?
I use them for bonding ground lugs on FS boxes,and swimming pool ladders,structural members etc..I then attach a 10-32 nut,and cinch it up real tight,to make a good bond...
Russ

AR — In a pinch, McMaster-Carr is a fairly decent industrial-hardware house. www.mcmaster.com/
www.mcmaster.com/param/asp/psearch....mp;desc=Thread%2DCutting+Pan+Head+Screws

MCMaster Carr is the BOMB, baby!

They may not have the lowest prices, but if you need a left handed wire twist remover, they'll have it!

As soon as anybody says stainless, the first thing that comes to mind is aircraft supply houses. I do some restoration on older vehicles and I have a place that has 5/32 stainless steel closed-end flat head pop rivets on the shelf. Try and find them in a hardware store. Check you local phone book.

McMaster-Carr part number:

90106A219--unslotted hex head, SS #10 x 1" self drilling screw.

The "10-32" requirement may be what is killing you. I have never seen a self drilling machine screw, only the thread forming type. Self drillers are generally a sheet metal screw type of thread. If you need a 10-32 machine screw thread, thread formers would be the way to go.




[This message has been edited by NJwirenut (edited 04-28-2004).]

I can't find the code reference at the moment, but a self-drilling (tek) screw is not allowed to be used to attach a ground lug. The hole must be drilled and tapped.

There are Tek screws available with machine threads instead of typical sheet metal threads.

These Teks with machine threads are not prohibited for grounding use.

Here is the code that prohibits sheet metal screws.


Here is a picture of a Tek screw with true machine threads.



[This message has been edited by iwire (edited 04-28-2004).]

Mcmaster is one of those places I would like to run free like a kid in a candy store, and seeing as how I can look out my front door and almost see them, only about 200' down the road, maybe they will let me... or I can wait till it gets dark... Find my bfh....

I've had a couple of emergencies where I needed something really weird right now! I've called mcmaster and picked up at the plant. Thousands of feet of conveyor belts all criss-crossing each other as boxes are being automatically bumped from one conveyor to the next.

They didn't let me play with anything.

Id NEVER heard of this place!!!!

A supply house open on Saturdays!?!? in LA!
My boss is gonna have an account for us there yesterday!

-Randy

I spent 3 hours trying to find these for a deli owner with $27K worth of "Boarshead" meat in a walk in cooler on a dead panel! at 2pm on a Saturday(feeder was loose, arced the back of the panel, put everything back together... "where's the breaker?".. "what breaker?" "for the panel?" "Oh, you mean the fuses?".. "ummmmm..."