Best screws for outdoor use?

[Jordan Epstein]

I am about to invest in some marine grade screws. For now it is to rebuild an Adirondack chair I built and have to redress the finish on it because my last finish failed soon after applying it. Because i am boat owner and would someday be building my own canoe and kayaks, I want to make sure I am getting the correct stuff for this purpose also.

My thinking is bronze screws with square head drive would be best for my application. I am looking at McFeelys or Hamilton Marine as my source. Is there a better place to stock up on marine screws?

Is there a good bit to pre-drill and tap a hole to accommodate these type of screws?
https://shop.hamiltonmarine.com/pro...x1-25-sq-drive--2-bit--100-box-|ZZF-WBFD.html

 

[JamesG123]

"Marine grade" regular hardware with a 50-400% markup.

 

[Jordan Epstein]

"Marine grade" regular hardware with a 50-400% markup.

It get's worse "Aviation Grade" is marked up multiples of even marine grade. If you have an alternative to bronze or marine grade screws that would work here I am interested in suggestions.

 

[JamesG123]

With Aerospace at least you are paying for the quality control and the auditability of the mfg. all the way back to being in the ground. Not so much with "marine".

Look at furniture hardware. You can get it in bronze or SS.

 

[JSL]

my choice would be silicon bronze Robertson (square) drive.

 

[Jordan Epstein]

my choice would be silicon bronze Robertson (square) drive.

That is what I am aiming for. Any suggestions on a predrill recommendation for the tapered screws?

I really like the square drives but have been switching to torx for construction use. They are great, just not available in bronze as far as i can tell.

 

[JamesG123]

They don't use torx because you can too easily sheer the bronze screw head off with them. Esp. with power tools.

 

[JSL]

There are charts showing (your dealer may know) 'lead' hole vs screw size number. I have used Robertson (square drive) for years (they've been in use for a 100 years in Canada) & never had a head twist off with the clutch set correctly. As a plus, if you make a mistake, the Robertson works well with a screw extractor.

 

[Barry]

I am about to invest in some marine grade screws. For now it is to rebuild an Adirondack chair I built and have to redress the finish on it because my last finish failed soon after applying it. Because i am boat owner and would someday be building my own canoe and kayaks, I want to make sure I am getting the correct stuff for this purpose also.

My thinking is bronze screws with square head drive would be best for my application. I am looking at McFeelys or Hamilton Marine as my source. Is there a better place to stock up on marine screws?

Is there a good bit to pre-drill and tap a hole to accommodate these type of screws?
https://shop.hamiltonmarine.com/products/wood-screw-brz-fh-8x1-25-sq-drive--2-bit--100-box-|ZZF-WBFD.html

316 stainless countersunk head screws are available from almost any bolt supply place. Ie not a retailer and not most
Marine retailers
Most retailers sell 304 so with much less nickel content, probably fine for what you are doing and cheap
Robertson head is a great driving head
For about 10-15 bucks from a place like Home Depot you can buy a set of drills that pilot the lower threaded part of the hole, drill out the shank part of the hole and countersink the head to the right size
Much faster than installing a pilot bit drilling to the correct depth, installing the shank bit, drilling to the tight depth, installing a counter sunk bit and getting the depth exactly right

 

[Jordan Epstein]

For about 10-15 bucks from a place like Home Depot you can buy a set of drills that pilot the lower threaded part of the hole, drill out the shank part of the hole and countersink the head to the right size
Much faster than installing a pilot bit drilling to the correct depth, installing the shank bit, drilling to the tight depth, installing a counter sunk bit and getting the depth exactly right

Thanks I got a number of different style of drill/countersink bits, was looking for something specific to marine style screws. I have a collection of stainless spax screws from Home Depot, I will look at using.

 

[JSL]

If you have used your 'driver' on regular steel, buy a new one (and mark it) for the SS so you don't get carbide transfer which will make the screws 'rust'.