Fine thread drywall screws: why do i have these?

[PeteM]

I've been trying to orgranize my fastener collections.  I found that 12 oz juice containers really work well, roughly accommodating a box of screws (100 or so, I think).  Anyway, when the dust settled I found myself the proud puzzled possessor of 6 bottles of fine thread DW screws, 1"  through 2.5".  What would these be for?  Maple studs?  I don't unnderstan.

 

Looks nice tho.

Edited December 5, 2017 by Ron Dudelston
tags added

[HandyDan]

Found this.

 

Coarse drywall screws feature coarse threads to secure gypsum board to studs.Fine drywall screws feature smaller heads and are used to secure drywall to metal studs. Self-drilling and pan-head screws can be used with metal studs or frames. Trim-head screws are used to attach wood trim over gypsum boards.

Drywall Screws and Fasteners - Home Depot

www.homedepot.com/.../how_to_install_drywall_with_right_nails_and_screws_HT_BG..

[HARO50]

31 minutes ago, HandyDan said:

Fine drywall screws feature smaller heads and are used to secure drywall to metal studs.

Dan's the man!

John

[steven newman]

They also work fine in Hardwood.    Need the coarse threads for Pine.....fine  threads for Oak

[Stick486]

1 hour ago, PeteM said:

What would these be for? 

 

metal or hardwood studs...

[DAB]

You'll break those off before they bottom out in hardwood. Pre-drill and use tougher deck screws. 

[Gene Howe]

52 minutes ago, DAB said:

You'll break those off before they bottom out in hardwood. Pre-drill and use tougher deck screws. 

Yep. Sound advice. VOE...unfortunately.

[kmealy]

I don't use drywall screws for woodworking.   And I avoid Phillips head when I can.  And hate, hate, hate the Quadrex.

 

http://www.popularwoodworking.com/article/screws-screws-arent

 

I do some volunteer work for a theater company building sets and props.  They buy screws in 50 lb buckets. EVERYTHING is screwed together so they can take it apart and potentially re-use parts (Though two weeks ago, we had an "organization day" and filled a dumpster in a couple of hours.) They were smart enough to (eventually) move away from drywall screws for structural applications.  I finally convinced them to go with Torx on the last bucket.  We have tens of thousands of screws with stripped Phillips heads that can't be re-used.

 

 

 

 

[Smallpatch]

Keith I feel if a person can't use a phillips screw with out stripping out the threads then the torx  and square drive screws will be no different. Those kind of folks need to go back to their computers and never pick up a screw driver again..

  50 lb buckets, wow.

[Fred W. Hargis Jr]

If'n those were mine, they would be on their way to the Habitat store.....you don't run into too many metal studs in a house (although, my last place had some ) or hardwood studs either. Drywall screws are kind of like latex paint, they have one good use: drywall (for latex, it's being wall paint).

[kmealy]

3 hours ago, Smallpatch said:

Keith I feel if a person can't use a phillips screw with out stripping out the threads then the torx  and square drive screws will be no different. Those kind of folks need to go back to their computers and never pick up a screw driver again..

  50 lb buckets, wow.

Well, it's   non-pros (salesmen, bank officers, even a couple of MDs, HS students) gone wild with 12V impact drivers and not pushing hard enough.  Probably some worn drivers and already been used screws too.   Last week, the guy I was working with could not get one out.  I looked and it was quadrex (inherently weak anyway).  I pulled out my square drive and it came right out.   I've had the same issue with customers, "How'd you get that out?  I couldn't move it."   

[Dadio]

Helps if they reverse dirsction of the driver too.

Herb

[steven newman]

Have run into three kinds....fine thread, regular point...Fine thread, self-drilling ( Metal stud work)  and the tiny Trim head screws...aka PITA.    Used those when installing wood trim through drywall, and into metal studs....an office up in Marion, OH....where they blow-mold gas tanks for Honda( helped build that factory, and the brake plant beside it)

 

I tend to pre-drill for almost any screw I use,   I do NOT like torx nor Square drive.  Can never find a tip that would last more than ONE LOUSY DAY...even ones from APEX. 

 

Lot of the "issues" with the Phillips heads....boils down to using the wrong sized tip. 

Edited August 3, 2017 by steven newman

[Joeb41]

You will be doing yourself a favor by throwing them out, unless you are attaching drywall to metal studs,

[p_toad]

My house has steel studs on the outside (foam) walls and regular wood studs on the inside walls; so some of each got used (as well as self drilling/tapping for steel to steel connections).

 

And yes...feel free to donate those extra (good) screws to your local Restore.   I think every Saturday there's at least one person who wants some size of drywall screw that we don't have.   We could sell those and tapcons by the box every weekend.

[Ron Altier]

I wonder how many screws are made in China of sub standard metal

[Gene Howe]

23 minutes ago, Ron Altier said:

I wonder how many screws are made in China of sub standard metal

Just a WAG...as Carl Sagan would say " Billions and billions."

[HARO50]

On 8/3/2017 at 9:18 AM, kmealy said:

I don't use drywall screws for woodworking.   And I avoid Phillips head when I can.  And hate, hate, hate the Quadrex.

 

http://www.popularwoodworking.com/article/screws-screws-arent

 

I do some volunteer work for a theater company building sets and props.  They buy screws in 50 lb buckets. EVERYTHING is screwed together so they can take it apart and potentially re-use parts (Though two weeks ago, we had an "organization day" and filled a dumpster in a couple of hours.) They were smart enough to (eventually) move away from drywall screws for structural applications.  I finally convinced them to go with Torx on the last bucket.  We have tens of thousands of screws with stripped Phillips heads that can't be re-used.

 

 

 

 

Good article, Keith. Thanks.

John