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.

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

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.

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.

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!

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, 201610 yr by daiking
Wrong info on screws

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

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

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.

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

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.

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. 

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!

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, 201610 yr by Onoff

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