Slotted Wood screws

Ever try to find slotted wood screws? Hard ain't it, what? you don't want them? Phillips ??? Robertsons??? ECCH!!! Real Woodworkers insist on Slotted Wood Screws. See an old piece and try to reproduce but use Drywall screws to assemble? Phillips head Bugle screws to put together tops and such or pocket screws for the Kreg but the Slotted screw is a rare breed now days. Fastenal (http://www.fastenal.com/) has them but I am not sure how long they will still carry those slotted screws. Although they are stamped out rather than machined but a close substitute. I am working on a 1912 Wood Body Model T Ford and Phillips is out of the question as it was invented in 1935, much later than the car I am building.

Just ordered several sizes to restore my stash. If I see a jar full of screws at a yard sale or such, I snatch them up. Who knows when they will be instinct.

I always thought these looked nice and "old"

http://www.leevalley.com/hardware/page.aspx?c=1&p=46571&cat=3,41306

Try Jamestown Distributors. They are a marine supplier but I buy a lot of fasteners from them. They used to have a lot of harder to find items.

Jeff, you are paying top dollar for these screws. Same screw from Fastenal is considerable less.

Bill Simpson said:

Jeff, you are paying top dollar for these screws. Same screw from Fastenal is considerable less.

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I couldn't find silicon bronze wood screws on the Fastenal site. Am I missing them? JD has them. I like them for more than just marine applications but can't get them locally. (Fastenal's head quarters are nearby.)

Hamilton Marine in Maine is another good source for slotted screws.

I know what you mean. I have tried to find where to buy them in bulk. Not much luck. They are out there I can find them at muzzleloading shows by each price. They get expensive that way. When you are making 18th century pieces other screws just ruin the object of what you are tryingto accomplish. yuk!!!!

ken lutes said:

I know what you mean. I have tried to find where to buy them in bulk. Not much luck. They are out there I can find them at muzzleloading shows by each price. They get expensive that way. When you are making 18th century pieces other screws just ruin the object of what you are tryingto accomplish. yuk!!!!

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Yeah Like I got this Flint Lock and it has this Phillips head screw and on the forestock there is this Robertson screw,. Like cool, dude, etc.
Back in another life I was into Flintlocks and such.... Still, almost finished with my rifle, some day .... Blah Blah Blah I know what you mean.... I guess time has past us by.... I just ordered 100 of each and the kid (I'm guessing 30 something) had to look them up and had a hrd time finding them. Be there in the morning.
I'll pick them up in the AM... Right after the glue dries....

I kind of like slotted screws myself. I think in this day and age they tend to be shunned because people lack the patience of dealing with them. To install them right, you really need a screwdriver that fits the entire width of the slot, and then a screwdriver that is as wide as the screw head. Once you get those two combinations right, they don't slip. Period. I just don't think people take the time to find the right screwdriver.

The one bad thing about slotted head screws though, is you only have a 50/50 shot at lining up the slots. At work we build high end boats so obviously when we get done fastening anything, the slots have to line up aft to forward,that way everything looks clean. Getting all those slots to line up, while still holding tension, and without over-tightening can be problematic. At the same time you can't bugger up the polished stainless either...The Phillips headed screws give you twice as many chances, while the socket heads obviously are the easiest.

Interesting point about lining up the heads, Travis. Most fellows don't consider this when applying hinges or adornments or any fasteners. When the screws align, they aren't noticed, but should one be misaligned ... It will catch your eye everytime.

This may be more labor than it is worth, but could you start with a round top phillips head, mill it flat and then mill the groove? That would get you your milled groove (instead of stamped) and you could then say that you made your own screws too.

Out of curiousity, when were square drive screws (my personal favorite) invented?

Mark Kosmowski said:

This may be more labor than it is worth, but could you start with a round top phillips head, mill it flat and then mill the groove? That would get you your milled groove (instead of stamped) and you could then say that you made your own screws too.

Out of curiousity, when were square drive screws (my personal favorite) invented?

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I think, around 1908 in Canada by a Mr Robertson

Mark Kosmowski said:

This may be more labor than it is worth, but could you start with a round top phillips head, mill it flat and then mill the groove? That would get you your milled groove (instead of stamped) and you could then say that you made your own screws too.

Out of curiousity, when were square drive screws (my personal favorite) invented?

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A lot of people don't know it, but the Phillips head screw is quite new. The cam out action that we all hate now,was the reason it was invented. Back when Riveting Rosy was pounding out parts for the airplanes to win the war, they would often over-tighten the screws breaking them. That cost a lot of time to redo. So they came out with the Phillips head to cam out when they were cinched tight, but would not break off.

Travis Johnson said:

I kind of like slotted screws myself. I think in this day and age they tend to be shunned because people lack the patience of dealing with them. To install them right, you really need a screwdriver that fits the entire width of the slot, and then a screwdriver that is as wide as the screw head. Once you get those two combinations right, they don't slip. Period. I just don't think people take the time to find the right screwdriver.

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Next you will be telling us to use a paint can opener to lift the lid on finish, instead of prying it off with a screwdriver.

Bill Simpson said:

Next you will be telling us to use a paint can opener to lift the lid on finish, instead of prying it off with a screwdriver.

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No, silly. That's what chisels are for.

Bill, here's another place that stocks flat head slotted wood screws http://www.kennedyhardware.com/Flat-Head-p-1-c-304.html.

I know lots of online places to order but .... shipping and handling added to the cost of the screws is a screwin' I don't want. I am always looking for a local "pick it up on the way home" place. Fastenal has them and will get them ASAP although I have to go back by to pick them up next day. Not bad if I have an errand in the area (at $3plus a gallon it counts up) but Fastenal is between my abode and my Son's place and Daughter's place so I plan my excursions to include a drive-by to order and another to get a screwing pickup in my pickup. We be getting to be first name basis guys. One lad wants to add shipping but the other guy knows I don't want to pay so I says add it to the truck and forget the "Next day" thing, I'll wait.

BUT you can't go to HD or other locals and expect to find them. There are Fastenals all over the place so if you are in the market for fasteners and other such goodies, check them out, they been good to me...

I don't work ther I just shop there