I saw some interesting fasteners the other day at HD. They looked like drywall screws, but had a different indentation for the driver. Not sure if it was square or a star. I believe they were called Power Screws. Looks like they had the countersink shaped head like drywalls.
Anyone use these? Like them? Don't like them?
Seems like they would be good for applications like decks where you have to really torque them in, and the regular Phillips strips out.
Steve
Yep, I know them as "deck screws".
: - )
SteveB wrote:
I think what you saw were deck screws.. with square drive and bell heads.
I used this type of screw for putting down the deck on my 38 ft sail boat.. Worked great but you have to be careful not to twist them off.. The shear very easy.
Steve
the square hole in the head of the screw is a robertson screw.. its used mainly in canada where its was invented by a canadia.. it seems that it will not slip as much as a phillips screw will and give you a faster screw down.....i think they tried to get ford to use these years ago and for some reason ford did not go for it???probably wanted too much money?? or they would have had to retool for assembly????
In these parts HD carries a combo head that is phillips but square in the center, each box comes with a bit to match the head. Not quite as good as the square drives, but better then philips. The boxes are labeled "Deck Screws", which is a hint on what they might be good for. Used about 20# on a deck recently did not break any of them (into PT SY pine).
If you have a hammer/drill, use it to put in deck screws. The pounding keeps the bit firmly in the screw head.
Honestly every time I go down to the US to do anything, I have a real problem using anything but a Roberts screw. I guess in Canada we are just spoiled, we invented it therefore it's everywhere, HERE.
As far as the Ford comment goes the only reason Ford never ended up using it was because the inventor was not interested in selling off patent rights so that Ford could make their own screws, the inventor of the Philips was a little smarter and allowed almost anyone to hold a patent rights on his screw and therefore he got money from everyone. The inventor of the Roberts was narrow minded and was hoping to make his money making screws.
Short Roberts lesson
1) Factory was in Milton Ontario 2) Roberts screws are faster and cheaper to make than any other screw because the head can be made with a single stamp. 3) Normally Roberts screw drivers and bits are stronger because they are hardened metal inserted into soft metal handles. -This normally also makes them cheaper to make. 4) Up until the new Philips head (with square bottom) the Roberts was the only screw that was easy to use with one hand and could be used upside down. 5) Ford could have saved a few hours on every car with the Robertson screws but didn't want to buy all the screw from Robertson ManufacturingPeter Robertson, Inventor of the Robertson Screwnail
Peter Lymburner Robertson was born and raised not far from Caledonia in Seneca township, one of a family of six children born to John and Annie Robertson. His father would die in the Yukon in 1886, bitten by the Gold Fever, leaving Peter's mother to raise the family. Of the other children, John Junior went to Nevada, Will became a doctor in Toronto, Hutton taught school and later took up dentistry, Jessie married and Isa remained single at least until the time she left Seneca.
Peter, a mechanically minded person with an entrepreneurial bent, began his career as an agent or salesman. In 1907 he established the P.L. Robertson Manufacturing Company in Hamilton. A year later it was relocated to nearby Milton. This company is known to be the first firm in the world to produce the square recessed screw and the accompanying screw driver, patented in many countries throughout the world as the Robertson screw. The Ontario inventor used an ingenious process he had developed to punch square holes into cold metal, then developing the innovative screw for industrial markets. The Robertson screw is still used around the world today.
In the company's first two decades it steadily expanded operations and by
1930 when the last patent on the Robertson screw and the equipment used in its manufacture expired, the firm had already begun to diversify its products.The very early years had been tough going. Peter's company had a difficult time breaking into the manufacturing field in opposition to some large companies already positioned in the market place. However, with his innovation and his perseverance and with support from the emerging Ford Company standing behind him, Robertson succeeded. At one time P.L. Robertson Manufacturing shipped a twenty-ton order of screws to England.
On November 8, 1986, the Milton Historical Society and the Ontario Heritage Foundation commemorated the location on Bronte Street where, from 1908 to
1951, Peter Lymburner Robertson invented the screw and screwdriver and went on to achieve international manufacturing recognition. Also the financial assistance from the Ontario Ministry of Citizenship and Culture and the Town of Milton led to a plaque being unveiled to indicate the location on Martin Street where Robertson lived as a life-long bachelor from 1916 until he died in 1951. Milton considers the Seneca township-born Peter Robertson to be one of its most considerate benefactors as well as an industrialist, inventor and author. In 1934 he wrote a remarkable book entitled The Gold Standard which won acclaim in many circles.The Company is now operated as Robertson Whitehouse Company, one of the largest manufacturers in North America of light fasteners and the original Robertson screw.
Correction.. The counter sink head that you discibe is call a "Bugle Head" not a "Bell Head".
Sorry
Steve
I think those are called (at least by Phillips) "Square-Drive".
Jeff
-- Jeff Wisnia (W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)
"If you can keep smiling when things go wrong, you've thought of someone to place the blame on."
Steve:
S > I saw some interesting fasteners the other day at HD. They looked like S > drywall screws, but had a different indentation for the driver. Not sure i
S > it was square or a star. I believe they were called Power Screws. Looks S > like they had the countersink shaped head like drywalls. S > S > Anyone use these? Like them? Don't like them? S > S > Seems like they would be good for applications like decks where you have to S > really torque them in, and the regular Phillips strips out.
When we put the addition on and did some remodeling last summer the construction guys frequently used these Robertson screws. I also had the opportunity to use them several times, such as when taking squeeks out of the Dining Room floor. Put screw to bit (seemed to always fit - no searching for the slots), start slow for a half-second then bare down and full speed ==> through 20+ year old flooring like butter!
They did use the Robertson-headed screws outside for the decks. Construction tip: snap a chalk line to put down the screws in straight lines -- looks much neater! Additional construction tip: there are different types/colours of chalk. I think it was blue which was the most temporary -- lasted long enough to screw the deck boards in place then diasppears. Other types of chalk last longer periods.
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