Stainless steel screws 70% off

[DavidFrancis]

For any one doing some outdoor woodwork, Screwfix are selling-off some of their Ultra screws at 70% off or more.

 

Bought a couple of boxes but I'll probably be dead before I finish off the 90mm ones.

[Onoff]

That's £30 of screws I MIGHT use one day.....

[Crofter]

Thanks for the heads up- I was in need of some long screws for doing my cladding battens as well as the final bits of insulation board inside. Have cleaned out my local branch, at £1.50 per 50 screws it's not a bad deal.

[DavidFrancis]

Crofter - you're probably well aware of this, but just in case ... SS screws can be softer than the non-stainless type, so you need to be careful in how hard you drive them in.  I've lost the heads off one or two, but I think they were some Aldi ones rather than any of the Screwfix ones I've used.

[Onoff]

1 hour ago, DavidFrancis said:

Crofter - you're probably well aware of this, but just in case ... SS screws can be softer than the non-stainless type, so you need to be careful in how hard you drive them in.  I've lost the heads off one or two, but I think they were some Aldi ones rather than any of the Screwfix ones I've used.

 

You saying this reminded me of some I bought a good while back.....though can't remember where from! Utter shite and then some! Lucky if you could use them ONCE let alone re-use. If the Pozi bit didn't ruin the head they would shear. Hope these Ultra ones aren't as bad!

[daiking]

I bought some of these to put the kids playhouse back together. After some difficulty, I went back to using some galvanised other stainless ones instead.

 

I think the ones I had really needed a pilot hole but the normal ones were quite happy to go straight in.

Edited October 1, 2016 by daiking
Wrong info on screws

[DavidFrancis]

Yes, you probably need a pilot hole if you're screwing into dense wood or putting in a long screw.  But in my experience normal plated screws will rust quite quickly if they're put into treated timber that's exposed to the elements. I've used some of Screwfix's decking-type screws outside (Turbo Gold XT with 1,000 hours salt-spray-tested claims at the time I bought them!) and even some of them are rusting after two or three years.  I guess because the coating got scratched when I screwed them in

[Onoff]

S'fix Goldscrews rust as quick as anything, outside, in timber.

[Crofter]

It wasn't actually the SS ones that I got, but 'TurboSilver' whatever that means. Won't be directly exposed to the elements, but will be behind the cladding.

[Onoff]

I think the S'fix Silver range are shiter even less corrosion resistant than their Gold range!  

[DavidFrancis]

Onoff - just did a small experiment.  Tried putting the following into a bit of oak (with no pilot holes):

S'fix Ultra 4 x 45

S'fix Turbo Ultra 4 x 50 (stainless)

Aldi stainless 4 x 45

Timco stainless 3.5 x 35

All lost their heads, but at least the plain Ultra went all the way in before shearing.

 

Also tried a S'fix Turbo Gold XT (decking-type screw) 4 x 50 which sheared.

 

BUT a Reisser Cutter 4 x 50 ("tropicalised") went all the way in and came back out again.  Rusts in weeks in exposed treated timber!

 

One of my just-bought 5 x 90 Ultras went all the way into a bit of very slow growth softwood (an old bit of what is probably pine) without problems with no pilot hole and came back out again.

[Construction Channel]

If your screwing into oak it helps to lubricate the screw along with the pilot hole. Smear a bit of grease/wax/soap on the end of the screw first. It helps a lot. 

[Onoff]

23 minutes ago, Construction Channel said:

If your screwing into oak it helps to lubricate the screw along with the pilot hole. Smear a bit of grease/wax/soap on the end of the screw first. It helps a lot. 

 

Rearrange the words to make it sound really dirty!

[Onoff]

7 hours ago, DavidFrancis said:

Onoff - just did a small experiment.  Tried putting the following into a bit of oak (with no pilot holes):

S'fix Ultra 4 x 45

S'fix Turbo Ultra 4 x 50 (stainless)

Aldi stainless 4 x 45

Timco stainless 3.5 x 35

All lost their heads, but at least the plain Ultra went all the way in before shearing.

 

Also tried a S'fix Turbo Gold XT (decking-type screw) 4 x 50 which sheared.

 

BUT a Reisser Cutter 4 x 50 ("tropicalised") went all the way in and came back out again.  Rusts in weeks in exposed treated timber!

 

One of my just-bought 5 x 90 Ultras went all the way into a bit of very slow growth softwood (an old bit of what is probably pine) without problems with no pilot hole and came back out again.

 

And people think I need to get a life!

 

Disappointed you didn't try Toolstation's own brand and maybe some SPAX though.....and where's the photos?

 

But seriously, kudos!

 

EDIT: Just picked my lot up a couple of days late. The GIRL at S'fix offered to help me out to car with them as no bags any more. "S'alright LUV I'll manage!". Must have looked a right idiot struggling out with them stacked high under my chin. 

Edited September 30, 2016 by Onoff

[daiking]

Sorry, I lied. I used the SF Timba Dek Stainless screws not galvanised instead of the Stainless Ultra Screws