I need to buy a lot of stainless steel screws in the #8×1½” to #10×3″ range. I will be using them on everything from 2x redwood to 1x Ipê. They will be driven with regular and impact screw guns.
Questions:
1. What do you think of the GRK and other star or Torx drive screws?
2. Do you know of any good discount internet sources?
3. Also, where can I get stainless J-bolts
Replies
Depends on what's cheaper to you: labour to pre-drill clearance holes and pilot holes, or paying extra for screws. Considering how tough ipe can be, chances are you'll be drilling regardless- stainless isn't nearly as forgiving in my experience as carbon steel. If the labour is already in or it's cheaper to you, consider going with all-threaded stainless screws used for sheetmetal applications. They're available up here in both Philips and Robertson (ie. square). I was buying these in commercial 18-8 stainless steel (i.e. grade 304) wholesale through my business a couple of years ago for less than I could buy equivalent ordinary zinc-plated woodscrews retail at Home Despot (zinc plated that is- these were far cheaper than hot-dip galvanized screws!).
Prices have gone up considerably since then due to the vast increases in the cost of nickel etc., but the all-threaded screws will still probably be cheaper than proper (shanked) woodscrews in stainless because more of them are used. Consider 'em the stainless steel Piffinscrew! As to where to get them, check the 'net, since I doubt my local guy would sell to you.
Using sheet metal screws would work in some places but I really will need wood screws in several other applications. I still can't find stainless J-bolts either.
The j-bolts are going to be tough to come by, but somebody here might have a reference for you. You may be able to bend standard 18-8 SS threaded rod to make them yourself (the threaded rod is readily available and if you buy it from the right place it's not all that expensive either). If you go that route, make sure you do a gentle bend radius, bending it around a form or with a guided bender- we've found that it's surprisingly brittle and tends to break if you bend it too short without heating it with the torch first. Bending it in the vice is definitely not going to make you happy...
Don't use stainless steel screws if they are trim screws in Ipe.You will break off lots of them. Your supplier should have screws intended for this application, looks like zinc coating to me. These screws do not break off, the power bits wear rapidly and they may break instead. Buy a bag of power bits.Ipe is so hard even predrilling and wax do not help much.It is not called iron wood for nothing.
mike
If you have to use stainless screws, plan on using your impact driver, go real easy, and like you've heard, expect to waste some. Somehow the impact gun sets them better than the regular drill/driver/screw gun. The stainless heads seem soft, even if you get the best square drive ones. Or avoid the frustration and expense and go with something stronger.
Just my experience,
D&L
Mike & CJD:
Try http://www.swansecure.com and look for their "woodpecker" stainless screws. I used them on my ipe deck last summer with not a single broken screw. The key to not breaking the screws is a big enough pilot hole in the ipe decking--it should be larger than the threads so that the threads cannot catch the ipe while you are driving into the joists.
J Painter
Beg to differ- the sheetmetal all-threaded stainless screws I recommended DO break off if you're not careful- the flat head (countersunk) screws snap generally right at the point where the head joins the main screw body. Much more of a problem with #8s than with #10s. The heads do wear or fail if you cam out while driving them too. Square drive is the only way to fly, and I'm sure the impact driver will help too- I just bought the new Makita 6980 12V and I LOVE it!
If you're screwing through ipe, drill clearance holes. A clearance hole is, by definition, larger than the outside diameter of the threads of the screw.
If you're screwing INTO ipe, choose something other than stainless screws. If you do choose stainless, go minimum #10 screwsize and drill generous pilot holes in the receiving piece as well as a clearance hole in the piece you're screwing through.