Star Drive Deckamte Screws Suck

When I hit my nail with a hammer, I saw stars.

Reply to
Ed Pawlowski
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No, but either frozen butter or hard lead.

Reply to
clare

The original DeckMate screws with the PSD2-2 heads were made by Phillip's F asteners. The new ones with the torx head are made by Grip Rite and are no t the quality of the old screws. I tracked down the manufacturer today and they are offering the same screw with the patented PSD2-2 head for a dolla r less than Home Depot did with no shipping cost and no minimum. Even if t he Deckmate screws were quality screws the torx head screws are not good fo r carpentry work.

Reply to
friedpe

The original DeckMate screws with the PSD2-2 heads were made by Phillip's Fasteners. The new ones with the torx head are made by Grip Rite and are n ot the quality of the old screws. I tracked down the manufacturer today an d they are offering the same screw with the patented PSD2-2 head for a doll ar less than Home Depot did with no shipping cost and no minimum. Even if the Deckmate screws were quality screws the torx head screws are not good f or carpentry work.

1) torx bits do not tolerate off axis/off angle driving which is often nece ssary with working in tight spaces.

2) torx bits are easily shattered under the load of heavy driving. I have n ever broken a #2 square drive bit which is my preferred driver for the PSD2

-2 screws.

3) if you strip out a torx socket you are "screwed" as you will not be able to back it out. usually I have to drill the head out and cut the shank af ter disassembly or back out with a pair of "ViceGrips" if I can get a grip. I prefer to use the PSD2-2 with a #2 square driver bit that shines in off axis driving.. and if it strips the head (rare ocasion) you simply reverse and in most cases there will be enough purchase to back the screw out. If it is two striped for that I grap a #3 or #2 Phillips and back it out.

4) If you are out doing some construction in West Undershirt, USA and loose or break your last T25 torx bit there is a good chance there wont be a rep lacement within 50 miles. If you break of loose your last Square drive bit . It is likely you will still have a #3 or #2 Phillips bit in your tool box and if not you dont have to go to a specialty tool shop to find them.

Problem is Home Depot has screwed up again and the only thing that will cha nge their minds is for the new inferior screws to gather dust on their shel ves.

In the mean time. Order what you need directly from the manufacturer and sa ve a couple bucks as well.

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Reply to
friedpe

The original DeckMate screws with the PSD2-2 heads were made by Phillip's Fasteners. The new ones with the torx head are made by Grip Rite and are n ot the quality of the old screws. I tracked down the manufacturer today an d they are offering the same screw with the patented PSD2-2 head for a doll ar less than Home Depot did with no shipping cost and no minimum. Even if the Deckmate screws were quality screws the torx head screws are not good f or carpentry work.

1) torx bits do not tolerate off axis/off angle driving which is often nece ssary with working in tight spaces.

2) torx bits are easily shattered under the load of heavy driving. I have n ever broken a #2 square drive bit which is my preferred driver for the PSD2

-2 screws.

3) if you strip out a torx socket you are "screwed" as you will not be able to back it out. usually I have to drill the head out and cut the shank af ter disassembly or back out with a pair of "ViceGrips" if I can get a grip. I prefer to use the PSD2-2 with a #2 square driver bit that shines in off axis driving.. and if it strips the head (rare ocasion) you simply reverse and in most cases there will be enough purchase to back the screw out. If it is two striped for that I grap a #3 or #2 Phillips and back it out.

4) If you are out doing some construction in West Undershirt, USA and loose or break your last T25 torx bit there is a good chance there wont be a rep lacement within 50 miles. If you break of loose your last Square drive bit . It is likely you will still have a #3 or #2 Phillips bit in your tool box and if not you dont have to go to a specialty tool shop to find them.

Problem is Home Depot has screwed up again and the only thing that will cha nge their minds is for the new inferior screws to gather dust on their shel ves.

In the mean time. Order what you need directly from the manufacturer and sa ve a couple bucks as well.

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Don't get me wrong I am not Anti Home Depot. Quite the contrary, I like d oing business with them and appreciate their policy of extending a 10% disc ount to veterans and active duty personnel. Sometime they just make bone h eaded decisions.

Reply to
friedpe

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I don't own stock in Alden etc. but these things work slicker than snot. I had a flathead Torx where the Torx socket was completely stripped out after various unsuccessful attempts to remove it. I was getting ready to go the classic drill and easyout route when I figured I might as well try a grabit. The first one I tried didn't work, so I went up to the next size. The 3/8 drill stalled out when it grabbed but then the screw broke loose and spun out.

It's a lot faster than the easyout route and with smaller sizes like 1/4-20 you're not in danger of breaking off the hardened easyout and really screwing yourself.

Reply to
rbowman

The original deck mate screws are still available at phillipsfastener.com. They sell them under the brand name Phillips II plus. Price includes shipp ing and they ship fast. Also all lengths and colors are available in 25lb b oxes. Depot went for a cheaper screw

Reply to
strych5

Depot went back to the star agin in your area. Patented Phillips square drive is still available at phillipsfastener.com under the brand name Phillips II plus

Reply to
strych5

All the screws you bought were distributed by the same company. Quality matters. Patented Phillips square drive is available at phillipsfastener.com under brand name Phillips II plus

Reply to
strych5

Phillipsfastener.com sells the original patented Phillips square drive screws. Free shipping and they ship fast

Reply to
Mary

I agree, Deckmake star drive screws are not "guaranteed for life" as advert ised or either their life is only a couple of years. I built a large deck a round a pool three years ago and now boards are coming loose due to breakin g screws and all are rusting. I could understand if in Florida around salt air but not in central Georgia. Not happy as I built one in Florida with galvanized nails ten years ago and only have to drive the heads flush occasionally.

Reply to
capt.jj83

We made up with South Africa, get stainless and be done with it.

Reply to
gfretwell

WTF does S. Africa have to do with stainless?

BTW, SS is not cheaper than it used to be. We are selling all our scrap SS to China. Kills me to watch all those SS corny kegs going to China. 8|

nb

Reply to
notbob

Chromium mines. You notice diamond tools got cheaper too. It was evil to have white people oppressing South African miners so there was a boycott but now that black people are doing it, everything is fine.

Reply to
gfretwell

It's because Deck Mate went with a new design which is absolutely terrible. They were thought to cut down on the splitting of the wood when screwed into. Deck Mate needs to go back with the old design. It worked. Another thing is these screws are made in CHINA. We NEED to get away from them and make our own.

Reply to
bshep71

I think most of you need to stop drinking !

Reply to
dragnet1947

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