Replies

1. 
   gulfstar | Mar 27, 2021 05:08pm | #1

   It’s not the screw, it’s the pilot hole that is undersized, using soap or wax on the the threads helps a lot too.

2. 
   kudzupatch | Mar 27, 2021 05:13pm | #2

   Well I agree BUT there are some really cheap screw out there too. I have run into a few that were really soft. But likely it is a lack of or the wrong size pilot holes.

3. 
   john_c2 | Mar 27, 2021 05:38pm | #3

   Spax screws are very good. I wouldn't use the regular screws from big box stores. But if they have Spax, buy them. But as mentioned, a proper size pilot hole helps.

1. 
   esch5995 | Mar 27, 2021 11:18pm | #7

   I can't recall ever snapping a SPAX

4. 
   john_c2 | Mar 27, 2021 05:40pm | #4

   Oh. If appearances don't matter, ceramic coated deck screws are much better than the generic wood screws or sheet metal screws you'll find locally.

5. 
   rob_ss | Mar 27, 2021 05:44pm | #5

   It is probably not a brand issue so much as a selection and use problem.

   Simple steel screws are best. Brass is too soft and stainless too brittle. I use mostly stainless myself for the convenience of keeping one type in for both indoor and outdoor projects, but you do need to be aware of the risk of head fracture.

   Also avoid the screws with threads that are much wider than the shaft. These are great for softer woods and chipboard but do not suit hardwood.

   Use a No 10 screw if you have room for it - much stronger than a No 8.

   Do make sure you drill appropriate pilot and clearance holes. I usually drill the pilot hole through both pieces to ensure alignment then enlarge and countersink the clearance hole after. If it's been a while, I will usually drill a test hole in some scrap to make sure the pilot hole is just right. There are tables I know, but I lose them.

   Impact drivers are better at not camming the heads of screws but apply substantially more torque than a drill-driver and will snap over-tight screws more easily. If it won't go in with the drill then it's probably not got the right size holes.

1. 
   lat_axe | Apr 13, 2022 03:48am | #8

   Ron, you opine:

   "Simple steel screws are best. Brass is too soft and stainless too brittle".

   This is too broad a proposition. After all, those brass screws have been used for centuries and are still widely used in furniture making today. There's good reasons for that.

   Brass used for screws isn't generally brittle - quite the opposite, as brass is an easily (de)formed metal. It isn't as strong as steel yet can be less inclined to snap than many steel screws, which often are rather brittle because of thin sections and/or an overdone hardening process.

   The OP's post doesn't mention any predrilling of a pilot hole, which is likely the cause of the snapping. For brass, a set of tapered drill bits, with the correct size selected for the (also wax-lubricated) brass screw, subsequently driven in by an impact driver, will generally produce perfect results. The impact driver is to avoid cam-out from the slot typically found in a brass screw, rather than for speed or overcoming the resistance of the wood.

   Here's an example of the sort of tapered drill bit good for drilling pilot holes for brass screws. There are a hundred varieties of these on Amazon and elsewhere.

   https://www.leevalley.com/en-ca/shop/tools/power-tool-accessories/drill-bits/101316-drill-bit-countersink-counterbore-units

   I've used hundreds if not thousands of brass screws on all sorts of hardwoods with none snapped and rarely a cam-out. In many furniture styles that expose the screws, brass screws look far better than steel screws. In addition, they're much better for situations where steel screws will rust or react with chemicals in the wood, such as outdoor furniture or anything made of oak.

   ********
   Another technique is to put in a steel screw first with exactly matching size and threads, to make-passage for the eventual brass screw subsequently replacing it. However, it's not easy to find a steel screw that exactly mimics the shape and threads of a brass screw. Most modern steel screws have no taper and threads of a different pitch and profile.

   Lataxe

6. 
   eddo234 | Mar 27, 2021 07:48pm | #6

   https://www.mcfeelys.com/