Screw Selection

[Paul Clipsham]

Hi

As you are aware you need certain Screws for different size timber when you are joining with pocket holes. If you are like me I scratch my head (which is nearly bald) when looking up the sheets or selector wheel, which over here in Australia is way too dear. I decided that a spread sheet would be better.

So attached is an spread sheet for selecting screws for both edge & face joints.

I know some of you will say that there is a web page that does the same but I am afraid that the wireless connection to the internet does not reach to my workshop.

Regards

Paul

[Mike Newman]

Thanks for the spreadsheet.  I also make use of spreadsheets in a similar way.  Regarding price of screws etc. There is a mob advertising a Kreg clone on the idiot box lately so wifey checked into screw prices for me and found they were dearer for their limited range of zinc plated stuff than genuine coated Kreg screws from Carba- Tec.  Quite a surprise.

Regarding Amazon, they are the most useless supplier to waste our time, not only are they Geolock central but they don't tell you that Australia is locked out until they have harvested your credit card details.  This action applies to virtually any class of product.

Ebay has improved in leaps and bounds since Aliexpress started giving them a run for their money.

Regarding monopolies in OZ (the same one) since they took the Rockler distributorship it is no longer viable to directly import Rockler products either.  US freight to OZ is pretty dear anyway, but it is used creatively to support the monopolies.

[Lee Verrall]

Well said Mike.

[Paul Clipsham]

Mike

Over on the woodwork forum (Australian) someone had brought the third party clone screws (out of Melbourne I think, probably imported from China) and they were found to break if you put any pressure on them. I have not yet found a Kreg screw to break yet, usually the timber gives way but not the screw. They also tend to shear off if the screw starts to bind.

I have been looking on flea bay, sorry ebay, and have been toying with the idea of buying Kreg screws off them either from the US or UK whichever is the cheapest.

[Mike Newman]

Paul,

That comes as no surprise.  Cheap screws are no saving and when my wife found the clones were dearer anyway plus it was obvious the people she contacted had no real expertise that is as far as we went.

Sachys of Melbourne have imported genuine Robertson screws for years and I started using them 25 years ago when all that was in the hardware shops was mild steel straight slotted junk.  That has changed as the major fastener manufacturers have got on board with hardened roll formed screws too.  Until recently though they were only offering Phillips head via major outlets, but square drive is now freely available, not before time.

Fasteners aren't simple even though we take them for granted.  As an example, in my work we use grade 12 bolts of things like 40mm diameter and we have had heads come clean off them at around 2000 foot pounds (ouch).  The reasons have been complex as have the solutions.

[Steve Kinnaird]

Very nice. Thanks for sharing.