Crummy Screws

[graemet]

Given that most of the hardware in our shops comes prepackaged from Asia, why do our retailers not insist that any screws packaged with said hardware actually work? I have bought hinges of quite good quality lately and every time, the screws packaged with them have been unusable, the phillips cross transforms into a cone recess or the head twists off easier than removing the cap on a stubby. That is assuming that the screw actually has a slot or cross, or that its thread is not just a series of rings like a flooring nail.
Fortunately I have a frugal nature (read tightar$e) and have been saving and recycling screws from anything I pull apart, but these will run out some day, and there is no guarantee that the right sized screw will be a. available and b. any better than the cr@p supplied originally.
Thanks for indulging my rant. I feel better now.
Cheers
Graeme

[DavidG]

[weisyboy]

most of the screws that come with hindges etc are crap and will break off when driven into dry treated pine.

[RETIRED]

Keep it on topic Kiddies.

[manoftalent]

all I can say is Alloy screws are NOT suitable for cordless drill/drivers and most elcheapo screws can be fitted IF the screw hole is pre drilled, and screwed in by hand in "softwood"...I have had similar experiances many yrs ago and acctually rang the manufacturer to complain and was told ....."oh your using the (whatever brand it was) to fix to a hardwood cabinet?, they are designed for softwoods only, you need to use the ( other model) for that....to which I commented something like ....well perhaps if you printed this info on the packaging, ppl would think your product was not entirely cr@#y.....

[jerryc]

This thread has touched on a problem I've been experiencing. Where can I buy good quality screws? How do you know from those rubbishy packets whether the choice you have made is the right one? I don't use many screws and I'm beginning to run out of some sizes but those I've bought from Bunnings recently are a total waste of money.

Jerry

Everyone is entitled to my opinion

[Wood Borer]

Normally the hinges in the packets with the crummy screws are very ordinary in quality also.

I rarely use the screws that come with cheap hinges instead I use quality screws which are available in most stores.

It is a great pity that people with very little experience in woodwork are probably the chief victims of these cheap products. If those of us with more experience in woodwork have trouble with them then those with little experience and limited tools must become extremely frustrated and possibly give up altogether.

I often wonder how much follow up business those selling these cheap and nasty products get after the first disappointment.

[artme]

For good quality screws I go to specialist suppliers.

[Colin Howkins]

I'm with you Greymet. Got really cheesed off with this a few years ago, and thought back to the days when screws had a cut thread and not pressed. After much trawling and Googling found a supplier in USA [will have to go Googling again to find them] that had 'genuine machine cut screws' countersunk, round head - you name it they had it.

So lashed out and bought myself about 10 years supplies in varying lenghts and gauges - bought all brass - and keep these for the 'good' projects.

And I am here to tell you they really are a good screw.

Will look a bit further and if I find it will give you the link. I think they were in Rhode Island

Regard

[q9]

The best, and also the cheapest screws I've bought lately come from a nut and bolt shop.

$2.50-$8/100 depending on size. And even cheaper by the 1000 (if only I had use for that many...).

[jerryc]

g9,

Could be good advice but for one problem. Where are you?

Jerry

Everyone is entitled to my opinion

[bsrlee]

Paul's Mid City Hardware in Castlereagh St, Sydney stock a good range of screws, both quality & variety wise. Even have their own house brand of decking & general screws that are often packed with a 1" driver bit.

Otherwise - Sachys-Robertson for square drive screws, Coventry Fasteners for other stuff.

[Phil Spencer]

This thread has touched on a problem I've been experiencing. Where can I buy good quality screws? How do you know from those rubbishy packets whether the choice you have made is the right one? I don't use many screws and I'm beginning to run out of some sizes but those I've bought from Bunnings recently are a total waste of money.

Jerry

Everyone is entitled to my opinion

Try Charmers Hardware in Hawthorne. Every time I do a country run I keep an eye out for a hardware store its surprising what old stock these places in small country towns have.

[Poppa]

Funny, the last screw I had a problem with was a 100mm long 12 mm diameter Dynabolt. I was tightening it by hand and it snapped clean in half. No worries I thought, got another one from the box, same thing happened. After I snapped off 5 out of about 12 I took the box back and bought a different type. The bloke at Home said they'd never seen a Dynabolt snap before, so I told him what I was doing and he was very surprised - I wasn't abusing them or anything, just trying to put them in a hole in concrete (standard stuff). So it isn't only the quality of the small screws that is slipping...

[Claw Hama]

Hi Guys, I sympathise I also have suffered from poor quality screws. I now use Robertson square drives and haven't snapped one yet. Not sure that they go down to very small sizes. You can find them on the web on they have ads in the woodwork magazines.