Pocket Hole Screws

Have been much less than impressed with the "new and improved" shiny plated Kreg screws. Looking for a source for the good old bronze screws that didn't cam out or twist off. Suggestions?

Reply to
Bruce Kaatz
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First , let Kreg know you are unhappy.

Next try McFeelys.

Reply to
woodchucker

If you reach out to Kreg, let them know I share your impression. I'm getting mine from McFeeley.

Larry

Reply to
Gramp's shop

I have not noticed, that I recall, an increase in breakage of the new ones over the old however the shiny ones remind me of the cheaply made ones, purchased 10 at a time for 79 cents, in a plastic pouch.

Typically local lumber yards and or McFeeleys still have the unplated versions.

Reply to
Leon

Kreg told me nothing is changed but the color, my screws must be a defective batch - offered a replacement box. I declined. Guess it is McFeeley for me.

"Gramp's shop" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@googlegroups.com:

Reply to
Bruce Kaatz

I am surprised Kreg said that because the new ones are very different. I h ave probably driven 1,500 of the original screws in both fine and coarse th read over the past 5-6 years. I never broke one or stripped a head; and I had very few with defective square-drive recesses (five or six at most). I n addition to pocket holes I use quite a few for general utility screws.

I am about 100 into a box of 1,000 of the new screws and I have stripped a couple of the new heads and popped the heads off of a couple. They are dif ferent.

RonB

Reply to
RonB

I am about 100 into a box of 1,000 of the new screws and I have stripped a couple of the new heads and popped the heads off of a couple. They are different.

--------------------------------------------------------- You need to communicate your problem to Kreg so they can investigate.

As a marketing/sales kind of guy, I'd certainly want to know.

You can't fix it if you don't know it's broke.

Lew

Reply to
Lew Hodgett

Did it Lew.

I sent them a message from their support site last night and mentioned a co uple of strings that have appeared here on rec.woodworking recently. Your e arlier comments inspired me. I also come from a business development / sup port background. Hearing folks call your baby ugly isn't pleasant but good companies often respond with change.

The odd thing is their site still shows the old screws. The plated ones I got came from Amazon, in a Kreg box. Oh-oh ...... I'm starting to sound li ke a conspiracy theorist. Counterfeit screws?!?!?!

RonB

Reply to
RonB

Thanks for sending them your message. Maybe Kreg will take the issue seriously if they hear the same problem from enough folks that actually use the product. Sounds like the good "bronze" screws are the last of the old stock, if you can find them. I think I was more impressed with the screws than the Kreg jig when I first saw Craig Sommerfeld demo the Kig at a wood working show in the late 80's. Oh for a good "bronze" Kreg screw. Bruce

Reply to
Bruce Kaatz

RonB wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@googlegroups.com:

I agree totally. The new ones tend to cam out very easily. Of the

1000's of the "bronze" screws I driven, I've never snapped a screw or popped a head. The zinc ones are different. I wish I could have seen my face when the very first zinc screw I drove snapped off in a red oak face frame - same drill, same settings as the old screws. After the scond broken screw on the same face frame, the zinc ones went into the trash. And yes, the old bronze ones used to make a great utility screw. Bruce
Reply to
Bruce Kaatz

I have driven probably 3000 of the new plated screws and I haven't noticed any issues at all. Maybe you fellas are getting a bad batch. I don't drive the beejesus out of them either. I snug them up until the part is good and secure and they work fine. I don't use an impact driver either. Probably 90 % of the screws get driven with a 12v drill/driver.

RP

Reply to
RP

d any issues at all. Maybe you fellas are getting a bad batch. I don't driv e the beejesus out of them either. I snug them up until the part is good an d secure and they work fine. I don't use an impact driver either. Probably

90% of the screws get driven with a 12v drill/driver.

I usually ease in with a regular 14v drill. Never an impact wrench.

I did send a message from the Kreg site and got a quick response offering a replacement box of screws. I sent a backup message telling them that the problem screws were part of an order of 1,250 screws (1,000ct + 250ct to ge t over Amazon free shipping limit). I am not really expecting free boxes o f screws; just wondering whey the changed from a tried-and-true product to the new ones.

RonB

Reply to
RonB

I usually ease in with a regular 14v drill. Never an impact wrench.

I did send a message from the Kreg site and got a quick response offering a replacement box of screws. I sent a backup message telling them that the problem screws were part of an order of 1,250 screws (1,000ct + 250ct to get over Amazon free shipping limit). I am not really expecting free boxes of screws; just wondering whey the changed from a tried-and-true product to the new ones. ========================================================================================================== Cheaper.

Reply to
CW

On Thu, 2 May 2013 18:35:16 -0700 (PDT), RonB

And you're absolutely sure they are real Kreg certified screws and not some knock off that some company released with the Kreg name attached?

Reply to
none

ced any issues at all. Maybe you fellas are getting a bad batch. I don't dr ive the beejesus out of them either. I snug them up until the part is good and secure and they work fine. I don't use an impact driver either. Probabl y 90% of the screws get driven with a 12v drill/driver.

a replacement box of screws. I sent a backup message telling them that th e problem screws were part of an order of 1,250 screws (1,000ct + 250ct to get over Amazon free shipping limit). I am not really expecting free boxes of screws; just wondering whey the changed from a tried-and-true product t o the new ones.

I got another email from the guy at Kreg over the weekend. He maintains th ey haven't had much trouble with the new screws - BUT they are going back t o their traditional square-drive screws.

RonB

Reply to
RonB

haven't had much trouble with the new screws - BUT they are going back to their traditional square-drive screws.

I wonder if that means back to the non plated or back to strictly square drive, or both. The plated screws used a combo Philips/Square drive head.

Reply to
Leon

ins they haven't had much trouble with the new screws - BUT they are going back to their traditional square-drive screws.

I got a little grief here a ways back for saying that I needed to put modest pressure behind the bit in order to get it to stay in the hole. I was (and am) using the plated dual-drive screws. I have a feeling that the "dual-ness" may be part of the problem.

Reply to
Greg Guarino

Hard to say but a worn bit will slip out if the bit is past it's prime. For many many years I have used the combo screws, non, plated that McFeeley's sells with out issue. For the more heavily plated bits that McFeeley's sells they offer a special under sized bit. I would suspect the plating giving more grief than the combo head style.

Reply to
Leon

You're more likely right, especially as I have no experience with the older screws. The bit I use is quite new though. I have driven perhaps

200 screws with it.
Reply to
Greg Guarino

Wow, now that's some clever marketing-speak. "We've had so little trouble with the new design that we're going back to the old design."

Reply to
-MIKE-

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