Self-aligning screw thread?

[rbowman]

What you need is a French interrupted screw...

[Clare Snyder]

"Self drilling" is the term, and if they aren't Chinese junk they are usually good for 16 guage steel - perhaps 14. Useless foir anything heavier. Chiners junk is good for about 18 guage aluminum on a good day.

[gfretwell]

Actually there are at least four types of screw that cut their own thread. You have the self drilling that is a sheet metal screw with a drill bit tip on the end that actually drills the pilot hole (Commonly called Tek screws) Then there is the self tapping sheet metal screw that just has a point on the end and gnaws it's way in The third is a "swage form" machine screw that goes into a pilot hole and the tip is threaded all the way to the end with a slight taper and a triangular shape until it gets to the body of the thread. It actually swages threads The 4th is a self tapping machine screw that has a tapered thread and slits cut in it to take away the waste material just like a tap. I have some of each type if anyone wants pictures.

[rbowman]

Those are my least favorite. Unlike a tap where you sometimes turn it backwards to break the chip or even remove it entirely to clean the grooves most of those are rammed in with little thought to removing them.

[Commander Kinsey]

I always use PZ2 screws with a PZ2 bit on an cordless drill. Not only is a power drill easier and faster than a manual screwdriver, but you can concentrate on holding it straight and providing enough force to keep the bit in the screw head, while the motor does the rotation. I'm talking about these sort of woodscrews (note this SORT, not these particular ones, this was the first link I found):

[Meanie]

Good thing nobody gives a shit what you think. You don't like something, make it better, collect the money and STFU!

[Meanie]

Who is still receiving the attention she strives.

[Commander Kinsey]

I'm male, I don't strive attention I just ask questions like anyone else, and it's not my fault if people can't control their killfiles. Most people can actually see replies to someone they've blocked!! Severe software error there.

[Commander Kinsey]

There are billions of people in the world, a lot of which are brilliant inventors, they're the ones that should be doing it.

[Commander Kinsey]

PZ2 is easier to use. I'm just saying they shouldn't be sold as "self tapping" if they really need a pilot hole.

[WWS TEXAS]

Just hammer it back on, no problem.

[Fredxx]

Its one kind of self tapper called a self driller.

You're too thick to see you're stupid.

[invalid unparseable]

no its you

[invalid unparseable]

you are a paper bag

[Mr Pounder Esquire]

Fuck off Hucker.

[Commander Kinsey]

Is that the best you can do? Are you on nasty medication or something? Or are you drinking again?

[Commander Kinsey]

Isn't that just a pozidrive?

[Commander Kinsey]

Try that with a pop bottle. With today's treehugger regulations, everything's so f****ng flimsy it falls apart if you look at it the wrong way.

[Commander Kinsey]

I'm not a biologist, but I expect those that are to do something constructive.

[Commander Kinsey]

Ah, so you admit you f***ed up :-)