When did slotted screws become extinct?

[craigb]

I don't know what it's like in the other states, but it appears that it's impossible to buy a slotted screw from a hardware shop in Sydney these days.

I've been to two separate Bunnies, a Mitre Ten and a Thrifty Link and all any of them stock is Phillips or Posidrive screws.

I realise that they are catering to the lowest common denominator but I can't believe that I'm the only person that wants to use a slotted screw from time to time.

At the moment I'm installing some brass box hinges and for me, philips head screws just don't look as good as slotted.

I actually bought the hinges of the web from Veneer Inlay in WA expecting that they'd come with slotted screws, but nuh 'fraid not.

It just seems ridiculous to me that I have to buggerise around hunting down something as simple as a slotted bloody screw.


:mad:

Sorry about the rant

Craig

[silentC]

Craig,

Come down to Pambula and I'll give you as many brass slotted screws as you want. I worked in a sheetmetal shop years ago and we frequently used brass hinges on toolboxes. The hinges were always fitted with pop rivets and I kept all the screws. I chucked out a heap of them a while ago but I still have hundreds. Good thing they don't rust because they'll probably last me a lifetime.

[craigb]

Darren,

From what I've seen I think you made a wise choice keeping them.

Craig

[craigb]

Well I managed to find what I was after at Paul's.

It's great to have an old time hardware store that is not part of a chain - must be one of the few still around these days - and is still prepared to sell screws loose.

Long may they remain. :)

[journeyman Mick]

Aaah, shouldn't that be sell to loose screws? Maybe not, BTW is that one of Frank Lloyd Wright's masterpieces in your Avatar? Falling Waters or something like that?

Mick

[Wood Borer]

I think you'll find heaps of loose screws in Canberra. They collect there from time to time from all over the country. The only trouble is they are not straight. :D

I agree with you Craig, I also mentioned this a few months ago on this BB. I put the word out amongst friends and they have gladly donated thousands of slotted brass screws to me.

- Wood Borer

[silentC]

I was going to suggest William Street if you were looking for a loose screw but then thought better of it. :eek:

Bugger, I've gone and said it anyway... :D

[craigb]

Mick,

Yep. Falling Water it is. I'd love to visit it some day.

I thought screws loose reference would get a response.

Glad to see you blokes didn't dissapoint :p

Craig

[Shane Watson]

The brass ones are still very easily attainable. Certainly not from the likes of Bunnies though.

[outback]

OOOOOPPPS I think I mighta missed the point.

You were after wood screws. :rolleyes:
However I can't figure out why you would want loose ones, wouldn't they just fall out and then your hinge would come away.

What you really need are tight screws! :D :D :D

[journeyman Mick]

Q: When did slotted screws become extinct?
A :When tradesmen started using cordless drills instead of Stanley "Yankee Clipper" screwdrivers.:D
And a bloody good thing too I reckon! I once built a very upmarket house on a 170acre property and it had 18 sets of french doors, 2 openings with 2 pairs of bifold windows each, and mortice locks, barrel bolts and cabin hooks on the lot, all held on with slotted brass screws. After I had hung and fitted the lot using a couple of boxes of temporary steel philips head screws I went around and fitted all the brass screws by hand. It took 3 days just to fit the screws (and I worked 12hr days back then):( . Never so glad to see the end of something.

Mick

[Sir Stinkalot]

If slotted screws are all but gone why is it the case that when you buy a pre arranged set of screwdrivers to you get 10 slotted and 2 phillips heads?????

[journeyman Mick]

Screwdriver? What's a screwdriver? You mean that's not a paint tin opener/pry bar?:confused:

Mick

[silentC]

The last time I bought a set of 'Screwdrivers', it came with:

4 Phillips Head Screw Drivers
1 Small probe/scraper/marking knife
1 Gadget for undoing the screws on old electrical fittings
1 Paint tin opener
2 Cold Chisels

I found the handles on the cold chisels to be a bit soft and prone to shattering when hit with a lump hammer.

[AlexS]

Jeez Silent, don't you know anything? They're not cold chisels - one's a paint stirrer and the other one's a motor bike tyre lever. What ever happened to 'use the right tool for the right job'?

[soundman]

Whats realy scary is the current stuff they call brass.

most of the hardware that you see at chain hardwear shops pretending to be brass isn't.

Those screws and hinges that look like shiny brass are probably steel with pretend brass coating (it doesn't tarnish).

Its a real bugger when your trying to do some jigery pokery with a hinge & the steel shows thru the brass wher you drilled or ground or something.

Bet they rust too.

[outback]

I agree,
In the latest MIK (I think) catalogue you have a choice of brass coated, florentine brass ( I have no idea), and solid brass.

I just fitted a piano hinge, it came with slotted screws, the slots were really really shallow :mad:

The brass stays from timbecon were real brass, you could tell by the weight, and when I needed to customize them very slightly, they were nice and malleable. ;)