Screw color question

[Paul Wolf]

In the past when I've bought Kreg pocket screws, they had a bronze look.  Last night when I went to the store to pick up a package of 1 1/4" coarse thread screws, they had a bright zinc finish.  Is this a change?  Thanks.

Paul

[Adam Adolph]

I have had my Kreg Jr for over a year and all the screws that I have bought have been white zinc vs. yellow zinc coating or more of a bronze look that ya'll are talking about.  I have only known of the white zinc, blue, and stainless ones.  Guess I am missing something.

[Steve Dodson]

I'm glad I found this thread, because I thought I was the only one dissatisfied.  The real issue here is that all of us made the choice of Kreg, because you could simply assume the quality was there.  Everything top notch, even if a little pricy.

  Now, Kreg has pulled a stunt like this, providing a clearly inferior product to make a buck.  Like others on here, I used those screws for non-pocket projects because they looked good.  Everything about the new ones just screams cheap.

[Ken Darga]

Steve,

You wrote---

>>>...providing a clearly inferior product.../em>

Please define/clarify your statement.

I'd like to see the facts.

Steve Dodson said:

I'm glad I found this thread, because I thought I was the only one dissatisfied.  The real issue here is that all of us made the choice of Kreg, because you could simply assume the quality was there.  Everything top notch, even if a little pricy.

  Now, Kreg has pulled a stunt like this, providing a clearly inferior product to make a buck.  Like others on here, I used those screws for non-pocket projects because they looked good.  Everything about the new ones just screams cheap.

[Steve Dodson]

Hi, Ken.  I'm having the same problems others on here have stated.  The square drive is not as solid as the original screws, allowing for strip-out that I don't remember happening before.  That's in addition to the ugliness. 

I do, however, appreciate the fact that a company rep actually listens to what we're saying on this board.  Fits right in with Kreg's usual top notch company profile.  (which is why this whole thing with the screws is puzzling)   Am I wrong?  Does Kreg actually believe they've upgraded quality with the new-look screws?
 
Ken Darga said:

Steve,

You wrote---

>>>...providing a clearly inferior product.../em>

Please define/clarify your statement.

I'd like to see the facts.

Steve Dodson said:

I'm glad I found this thread, because I thought I was the only one dissatisfied.  The real issue here is that all of us made the choice of Kreg, because you could simply assume the quality was there.  Everything top notch, even if a little pricy.

  Now, Kreg has pulled a stunt like this, providing a clearly inferior product to make a buck.  Like others on here, I used those screws for non-pocket projects because they looked good.  Everything about the new ones just screams cheap.

[Ken Darga]

How does the ''screw color'' (as noted in the subject title),

make the product ''clearly inferior''?---

as stated in Steve Dodson's post.

[Ken Darga]

Steve,

>>>...The square drive is not as solid.../span>

I haven't experienced any issues with the ''square'' recess, in the screw head, being an issue, when using an quality driving bit and the proper speed and feed rate, of the driving tool.

I've experienced some issues when using some cheap ''driving tip'' bits---

the leading edges on the corners of the bits rounded off---

the driver bit not fully engaged---

installing the screws at too fast of speed rate---

resulted in deforming the recess in the screw heads, and making them ineffective.

Using a slower speed rate, during installation and removal of the screw, will reduce/eliminate the stripping problems.

 Keep pressure on the driver, so as to maintain full engagement with the driver tip in the recess of the screw head, 

and use a slow feed rate.

I've witness many who drive-in the screws at TOO FAST at rate,---

the tip not fully engaged---

that contributes to the screw head distortion.

Steve Dodson said:

Hi, Ken.  I'm having the same problems others on here have stated.  The square drive is not as solid as the original screws, allowing for strip-out that I don't remember happening before.  That's in addition to the ugliness. 

I do, however, appreciate the fact that a company rep actually listens to what we're saying on this board.  Fits right in with Kreg's usual top notch company profile.  (which is why this whole thing with the screws is puzzling)   Am I wrong?  Does Kreg actually believe they've upgraded quality with the new-look screws?
 

[Steve Dodson]

Of course everything you're saying is true.  But that is sound advise for ANY screw that one is driving with a driver/drill, whether it's the new zincs, or the old dri-lube, or a phillips.  My comments (and the others here) are directed at a comparison between the new and old Kreg screws.

Not trying to cause probems, cuz I still love the jig, and other Kreg products.  Just a little disappointed.  I will continue to purchase the new screws, and just use something else where the head will show.  I can't think of anything I'd build where I'd let the new zincs be visible, so I'll use a lot less Kreg screws than I used to.  Also considering other brands of pocket screws, but I'll need to be sure that they won't twist off.  In that respect, Kreg is going to be hard to replace.

[Ryan McLaughlin]

I have assembled many componets over the years using Kreg's Bronze Screws with no issues whatsoever until I opened my first box of cheap Zinc SML-F125 and the very first one snapped right off!! This had never happened before with the Bronze screws! The quality just isn't there and I sure hope Kreg doesn't continue down this road with their other products... Any input from a Kreg rep would be appreciated! Will Kreg return to the original screw?

Thanks!

[Steve Schuh]

I just ran out of my old style SML-F125 screws and started with the new SML-F125 Z Standard Zinc Coated.  I am in the middle of building a hickory kitchen and I don't know what I am going to do now.  My first two screws didn't go well.  One screw started to feel loose in the square drive and then it twisted off.  I tried to back out the other and it also twisted off.  These are not quality screws.  I never twisted off any of the old style.  I have been drilling pilot holes and driving the screws by hand due to the extreme hardness of the hickory and the tendancy to split.  I need the old screws back.  I'm very frustrated and before I was very happy with the Kreg system.

Steve

[Paul Wolf]

Ryan/Steve and others,

As the person who originally opened this thread, I thought I should comment.  After Kreg switched to their current screw lineup,   I switched to using screws from Custom Service Hardware.  I've been using their coarse thread and fine thread dry-lubed screws which appear to be remarkably similar to the old-style Kreg screws.  I've had great luck using them.  Custom Service Hardware also carries pan-head and high/low screws, but I haven't used them myself.  Hope this helps.

Paul

[Ken Darga]

Steve, 

Add lube to the first couple screw threads, before inserting them, especially into hardwoods.

Paraffin, candle wax will suffice nicely.  

The lube will reduce friction---

it provides lubricity---

makes for easier installation.

Finishing paste wax is great stuff.  I transfer some from the 1lb container, into a smaller container, such as old film canisters, and the like---label the containers ''screw lube''.  I keep containers in various places, for at-the-ready-use---

tool boxes, a container with my drivers, screw storage bins, and my Kreg screws storage receptacle.  

Another great product is "SLIPIT", a ''silcone free'' gel type material.

This product has many uses.

Very useful products to have in and around the workshop.

Steve Schuh said:

I just ran out of my old style SML-F125 screws and started with the new SML-F125 Z Standard Zinc Coated.  I am in the middle of building a hickory kitchen and I don't know what I am going to do now.  My first two screws didn't go well.  One screw started to feel loose in the square drive and then it twisted off.  I tried to back out the other and it also twisted off.  These are not quality screws.  I never twisted off any of the old style.  I have been drilling pilot holes and driving the screws by hand due to the extreme hardness of the hickory and the tendancy to split.  I need the old screws back.  I'm very frustrated and before I was very happy with the Kreg system.

Steve

[Steve Schuh]

I have been using screw lube and drilling a pilot hole and going in and out a bit.  Hickory is really hard wood and I had to use special techniques to keep it from splitting.  My point is that the technique that I was using with the old screws is not working with these inferior new shiny ones.  I can adjust my technique, maybe drill a bigger pilot hole.   It is just too bad the quality went down.  I have some old ones left and they fit much tighter onto the square drive bit.  The new ones wabble a bit and fall off.  The old ones don't wabble and you have to pull them off.  Nice joinery system.  Crappy screws.  I'd like to see some torque tests on the new compared to the old.  I bet the new twist off a lot sooner.  Did Kreg test these?

Steve

Ken Darga said:

Steve, 

Add lube to the first couple screw threads, before inserting them, especially into hardwoods.

Paraffin, candle wax will suffice nicely.  

The lube will reduce friction---

it provides lubricity---

makes for easier installation.

Finishing paste wax is great stuff.  I transfer some from the 1lb container, into a smaller container, such as old film canisters, and the like---label the containers ''screw lube''.  I keep containers in various places, for at-the-ready-use---

tool boxes, a container with my drivers, screw storage bins, and my Kreg screws storage receptacle.  

Another great product is "SLIPIT", a ''silcone free'' gel type material.

This product has many uses.

Very useful products to have in and around the workshop.

Steve Schuh said:

I just ran out of my old style SML-F125 screws and started with the new SML-F125 Z Standard Zinc Coated.  I am in the middle of building a hickory kitchen and I don't know what I am going to do now.  My first two screws didn't go well.  One screw started to feel loose in the square drive and then it twisted off.  I tried to back out the other and it also twisted off.  These are not quality screws.  I never twisted off any of the old style.  I have been drilling pilot holes and driving the screws by hand due to the extreme hardness of the hickory and the tendancy to split.  I need the old screws back.  I'm very frustrated and before I was very happy with the Kreg system.

Steve