best cabinet screws

I have to make a storage cabinet which will be suspended from a garage ceiling. It'll be fifteen feet long and quite heavy. One thing I definitely don't want to do is use drywall screws in the construction; some brands even come with a label warning not to use them in shear strength situations. I've seen screws in bulk that look like drywall screws, but fatter, for wood applications. What I'd like to find is a good source for mild-steel flat head wood screws on the internet. Those GRK screws are great but I don't know if they're "snappable" or not.

Reply to
edswoods.1
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Quickly, what I use most of the time, for cabinet making, is only weather plated deck screws, I buy them by the pound at Home Hardware (Canada). Their price is around $3.50 CAD per pound. It is not worth it for me to buy them on the internet and pay shipping. In ten years these screws have not rusted on my wooden deck yet. The density of the wood you are going to use plays a large part on the type of screw you are going to use. Hardwood, need to have a pilot hole prior to driving the screw. When using softwood and sometime hardwood for structural purposes I drill through and use carriage bolts. When I use MDF and sometime plywood I prefer to use metal screws because it offers more threads than the conventional wood screws. As for boat building or any work to be used in the water I only use the best SS fasteners. I have used screws like the one you described as black looking like drywall. The one I bought ($2.00 per pound) had a Robertson head and under moderate to strong torque they were snapping. Plus my hands got all black.

Reply to
<marierdj

| I have to make a storage cabinet which will be suspended from a | garage ceiling. It'll be | fifteen feet long and quite heavy. One thing I definitely don't | want to do is use drywall | screws in the construction; some brands even come with a label | warning not to use | them in shear strength situations. I've seen screws in bulk that | look like drywall screws, | but fatter, for wood applications. What I'd like to find is a good | source for mild-steel | flat head wood screws on the internet. Those GRK screws are great | but I don't know | if they're "snappable" or not.

You might find one of my projects of interest...

My garage is more or less a 10-1/2'-wide stall in a long row of poured concrete garages. I set a 2x6 across the backs of the side walls - and proceeded to use my (then) brand new Kreg jig to build a suspended wall (of 2x4's) down to and even with the top of my work bench. The top half carries wall-to-wall doorless cabinets with adjustable shelves and the bottom half is covered with pegboard for tools. The cabinets are used for everything from house paint to auto parts; and the pegboard holds most of the hand tools I keep at home. When I built it, I thought it'd be a good test for pocket joinery.

It's been rock solid for five or six years now - and isn't showing any sign of weakening.

It might be worthwhile to consider using pocket joinery and Kreg or McFeely washer head screws.

-- Morris Dovey DeSoto Solar DeSoto, Iowa USA

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Reply to
Morris Dovey

SFWIW. since fasteners are such a small part of the total cost of a project, I use coarse thread S/S self tapping sheet sheet metal screws unless there is a specific reason not to use them.

Lew

Reply to
Lew Hodgett

I like the self tapping sheet sheet metal screws. I would use them all the time too. But Stainless Steel fasteners are expensive in Canada. I have learned that on the market you can find cheap S/S but believe or not when use close the sea they do rust. A good test is to use a magnet and if it slightly pull the SS fasteners, to me, it means that its not first quality. On the other hand when I buy 316SS fasteners they do not rust but they cost much more. So I only use SS fasteners for boat building, repair and nautical installations

Reply to
<marierdj

Further to Lew's posting concerning SS screws I have made a little research. I have learned that the cost of the average SS deck screw is $26.00 USD compared to $3.50 CAD. At Hamilton Marine

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they advertised the SS deck screw for around $12.00 USD per pound plus shipping.

Reply to
<marierdj

The magnet test is quite revealing.

If I can get them use 316, if not will settle for 304 AKA: 18-8, but that's it.

The operative words are "stain" & "less".

Take a look at the pots and pans in the kitchen. They are 304(18-8) and will pit.

Lew

Reply to
Lew Hodgett

You're wise to avoid the typical drywall screw. As Morris indicated, KREG makes a much better quality screw. And, McFeelys.....

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everything you could possibly imagine.

Reply to
Joe Bemier

I'd like to give another nod to mcfeeley's.

Their quality is excellent. Make the switch to square drive and you will never go back. They a truely a better mousetrap.

-Steve

Reply to
C & S

I'd probably use deck screws. But, I'd be concerned about putting too much weight on a garage ceiling.

Reply to
Phisherman

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