Silicon bronze screws - sources?

[Gkaler]

I have ordered boxes of 100 silicon bronze screws in 1", 1-1/4", and 1-3/4" sizes from CC Fasteners. I need a more limited quantity (only a dozen or so) of 3" screws. I don't want to order a whole box of 100. Anyone know a source of smaller quantities?

[Canoez]

I think both Jamestown Distributors and Hamilton Marine will sell you singles.

[Greg Nolan]

Bolt depot sells singles, small quantities, and in bulk. I've been pleased when dealing with them.

www.boltdepot.com/‎

[MacSomes]

I've always found Merton's Marine to be very accommodating when I'm looking for less than 100. .http://www.mertons.com/Fastenings/fuller3.html


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[SMARTINSEN]

Second on Mertons.
Mertons.com

[carioca1232001]

For your "3 inches long, a couple of dozen screws" you may contact both Bolt Depot and TN Fasteners (in Minneosota).

[nedL]

I buy from Goulet Specialties right here in CT. They actually make them right here. I call them one day and have my screws the next. Great service and pricing as good as anyone.

[Powerwagon]

Tacoma Screw Products is pretty good. I have bought small quantities in person, they might ship them too.

http://www.tacomascrew.com/results#!...Silicon-Bronze

[Pitsligo]

For price and service, even on onesy-twosey quantities, I'm a big fan of Top Notch. I got all my fasteners for B's rebuild through them, including such silly line items like six #14 x 4" SB screws. They've got some great oddball stuff, too, like fin-head bolts and flathead machine bolts. And Ron is a great guy to work with.

Alex

[carioca1232001]

For price and service, even on onesy-twosey quantities, I'm a big fan of Top Notch. I got all my fasteners for B's rebuild through them, including such silly line items like six #14 x 4" SB screws. They've got some great oddball stuff, too, like fin-head bolts and flathead machine bolts. And Ron is a great guy to work with.

Alex

If you are referring to TN Fasteners in Minkato, Minn., Roger that !

[Pitsligo]

Yep: TN Fasteners. http://tnfasteners.com/index.html

Alex

[eastern270]

another vote for bolt depot
https://www.boltdepot.com/Catalog.as...FctWDQodNosGrw

[Jay Greer]

The ships store at the Wooden Boat Foundation in Port Towsend has screws from one to any amount you wish.
Jay

[AndreasJordahlRhude]

classicboatconnection.com in Mankato, MN

[marujo.sortudo]

StandardFastenings.com out of New Bedford, MA was able to get me some small, odd SiBr screws that Hamilton didn't carry.

[carioca1232001]

StandardFastenings.com out of New Bedford, MA was able to get me some small, odd SiBr screws that Hamilton didn't carry.

Que o senhor marujo continua tendo muita sorte...... para que nos possamos também desfrutar dos achados !

[marujo.sortudo]

Obrigado! É bom ver outro carioca aqui. Nasci em Jacarepaguá, mas vivi nos EUA quase toda a minha vida. Imagino que não seja fácil encontrar esses parafusos raros no Brasil.

[kbowen]

I am a current fan of Hamilton Marine in Maine. If you have a project that is taking as long as mine. :-( You can get on their mailing list and watch for the posted sales which can be deeply discounted. Nice people. They recently had a sale on bronze machine nuts that was supposedly limited to stock on hand, I ordered what the web site said was all they had, when it turned out that they didn't have that many on the shelf, they back ordered the balance of my order at the lower sale price.

Ken

[nedL]

OK, So I ordered 1000 #8 x 1" bronze slotted flat head wood screws from Merton's yesterday. They arrived today.

[pcford]

Of course, always buy square drive. But you guys knew that.

[Pitsligo]

Of course, always buy square drive.

Just so's you can *really* learn to cuss, in 25 years when it comes time to get them back out.

Alex

[nedL]

Of course, always buy square drive. But you guys knew that.

Nahhh,..... To radical for me.

And as Alex said, even Phillips is enough of a curse on the next guy.

[pcford]

Nahhh,..... To radical for me.

And as Alex said, even Phillips is enough of a curse on the next guy.

"Phillips" are used only on deck hardware, not structural. Reed and Prince are used for structural purposes. They are quite different.
I don't know where the idea orginated that square drives are more difficult to remove. It's strange. I have heard that on the East Coast they are not as common. Few professionals around here would use straight slots...for the very reason that you advance for not liking square drive.
Square drives were invented in the early 20th c. in Canada; they are called Robertson heads there. The drives are slightly tapered and thus are much easier to back out than straight slots or Reed and Prince.
http://www.robertsonscrew.com/
Try them. You will never go back.

[Powerwagon]

"Phillips" are used only on deck hardware, not structural. Reed and Prince are used for structural purposes. They are quite different.
I don't know where the idea that square drives are more difficult to remove. It's strange. I have heard that on the East Coast they are not as common. Few professionals around here would use straight slots...for the very reason that you advance for not liking square drive.
Square drives were invented in the early 20th c. in Canada; they are called Robertson heads there. The drives are slightly tapered and thus are much easier to back out than straight slots or Reed and Prince.
http://www.robertsonscrew.com/
Try them. You will never go back.

How are Reed and Prince structural and Phillips are for 'deck hardware'? The angle of the groove and the fact that Phillips have rounded corners don't make them weaker, just limit the torque able to be applied. I've never heard that before...I agree wholeheartedly that Robertson drives are the way to go.

[Pitsligo]

I don't know where the idea orginated that square drives are more difficult to remove.

Having had to get both out, I can promise you, from personal experience on a complete hull refastening last year, that square-drive/Robertsons are more of a PITA.

If the screw is old and corroded, the square socket strips round and you're hosed; your only option then is a drill-out-and-grab screw-extractor. With a corroded slot, if you can't simply carve the slot deeper you can use a "forked" driver to get hold of the little notches at the edge of the rim and winkle it out.

If it's a newer screw, and just filled with shellac from seating a plug over it, or paint, or even putty, it's much easier to clear out a slot than to go in with a dental pick and try and get the crud out of that square recess.

I grant fully that square drives are easier to sink, and in places where I can see them and monitor them, and where they aren't as likely to corrode (deck fittings, etc.), I use square drive. They have a really nice clean look, too, if the screw isn't being puttied over or plugged. As slender as the square-drive drivers are, they're also great when you need to sink a screw somewhere the larger profile of a slotted driver might chew up the surrounding wood. But for general fastenings? No way. I did that; I learned; never again.

Alex

[pcford]

Having had to get both out, I can promise you, from personal experience on a complete hull refastening last year, that square-drive/Robertsons are more of a PITA.

If the screw is old and corroded, the square socket strips round and you're hosed; your only option then is a drill-out-and-grab screw-extractor. With a corroded slot, if you can't simply carve the slot deeper you can use a "forked" driver to get hold of the little notches at the edge of the rim and winkle it out.

If it's a newer screw, and just filled with shellac from seating a plug over it, or paint, or even putty, it's much easier to clear out a slot than to go in with a dental pick and try and get the crud out of that square recess.

I grant fully that square drives are easier to sink, and in places where I can see them and monitor them, and where they aren't as likely to corrode (deck fittings, etc.), I use square drive. They have a really nice clean look, too, if the screw isn't being puttied over or plugged. As slender as the square-drive drivers are, they're also great when you need to sink a screw somewhere the larger profile of a slotted driver might chew up the surrounding wood. But for general fastenings? No way. I did that; I learned; never again.

Alex

For whatever reason, Mr. Pitsligo has had a bad experience with square drive screws. And that's his choice. To those of you more open minded...I have never had difficulty removing square drives; I certainly prefer them to straight or Reed and Prince. Both of these have to be very clean and good alignment with the driver. Square drives have a tapered recess...you can suspend a screw hanging from its driver. That's because the recess is tapered and easier to clean out and remove.
By the way, I never use square drives where the head can be seen, for example on deck hardware. I would use straight slots on boat built before WWII and Philips (or R&P) on those built after.

[Pitsligo]

For whatever reason, Mr. Pitsligo has had a bad experience with square drive screws.

I have had bad experiences, and I have had good experiences. Like pretty much anything else in life, when used properly, with an understanding of their limitations, they're great. But they are not a panacea, without faults or flaws, to be used everywhere. Saying otherwise is other than wise.

Alex

[pcford]

I have had bad experiences, and I have had good experiences. Like pretty much anything else in life, when used properly, with an understanding of their limitations, they're great. But they are not a panacea, without faults or flaws, to be used everywhere. Saying otherwise is other than wise.

Alex

Pretty much like several other things in our lives.
However, my note was not to convince you; your mind is clearly made up on the subject. I do want to point out the advantage of using square drive screws to non-professionals.

[Powerwagon]

pcford - maybe you could learn from Pitsligo's experience, your mind also seems to be clearly made up on the subject.

[pcford]

pcford - maybe you could learn from Pitsligo's experience, your mind also seems to be clearly made up on the subject.

Mr. Powerwagon,
After doing this stuff professionally for thirty five years, I think I am allowed to have an opinion. Mr. Pitsligo has his and he is welcome to it. I just want others to be open to the technique.

[Powerwagon]

mr. pcford - no one is questioning whether you're allowed to have an opinion. your opinion is well respected here, and deservedly so. learning from the experience of others rather than having to experience it yourself is a lot like learning from other people's mistakes. that's why I post here...to learn from other people's experience.

[Pitsligo]

However, my note was not to convince you; your mind is clearly made up on the subject. I do want to point out the advantage of using square drive screws to non-professionals.

That is understood, and welcomed, and admired. I absolutely do NOT want to imply that you're some crackpot with an absurd affection for square-drive screws. You're an experienced boatbuilder and I've learned a great deal from you here over the years. My comment was meant only to offer another experience with a widely used product, not to cast aspersions on your own opinion. And I certainly didn't want to get a flame war smoldering.

All of that said, and in the spirit of productive exchange of information: Since you clearly have more and better experience than I with square-drive screws, what measures do you take to prevent the recess from filling with crud? And how do you deal with corroded screws, to get them loose once the socket has corroded oversize or the bronze deteriorated to where it flakes off? If I had good information on that, my opinion might even change!

Alex

[Ellida2017]

I've had no trouble with the Frearsons in the past - or Reed and Prince if you prefer - but I've always driven them with a brace & bit. Most likely I'll stick to that. The brace gives plenty of torque and a good feel for what's going on. I'm pretty sure you'll drive 'em faster with a more modern tool, but if the brace takes an extra 30 seconds per screw... and maybe 1000 screws in the boat... (I never counted)... it's only an extra day. That may matter in a production setting - but not so much in my barn.

[Yeadon]

Bumping this thread from the sorta distant past. I need a a few boxes of #8s. Where do ya'll buy them from these days? Fisheries is way too expensive to buy 100 at a time. Jamestown has boxes of 8x1.25, but not 8x1.5. My local hardware store (Stoneway) is pretty cleaned out right now of its normal stock of silicon bronze wood screws. Supply chain issues? I don't know. I just know they don't have them. I do see a place online called Fairwind Fasteners, they're in Rhode Island.

BTW, square drive is what I'm after. No way I'm driving 100 slotted screws into a deck. I guess I'd consider a Phillips (or Frearson?) as a last resort.

PS - RIP Alex F / Pitsiligo.

[pcford]

Bumping this thread from the sorta distant past. I need a a few boxes of #8s. Where do ya'll buy them from these days? Fisheries is way too expensive to buy 100 at a time. Jamestown has boxes of 8x1.25, but not 8x1.5. My local hardware store (Stoneway) is pretty cleaned out right now of its normal stock of silicon bronze wood screws. Supply chain issues? I don't know. I just know they don't have them. I do see a place online called Fairwind Fasteners, they're in Rhode Island.

BTW, square drive is what I'm after. No way I'm driving 100 slotted screws into a deck. I guess I'd consider a Phillips (or Frearson?) as a last resort.

PS - RIP Alex F / Pitsiligo.

Tacoma Screw for fasteners. Phillips are for deck hardware. Use square drive...lacking that...Reed and Prince.