What you didn't know about self-tapping screws: life hacks

The days of nails are long gone, that's a fact. Now they are used only as a last resort, because a self-tapping screw is a more durable and reliable fastener. It is screwed into the material and holds in it so tightly that it is almost impossible to separate the parts. And everything seems to be simple, what can be complicated? But for some reason, sometimes the slots on the caps are "eaten up", the long self-tapping screw does not go into the material, and if the cap breaks off, then this is a real disaster. The thing is, there are things you don't know about this fastener yet. Take a few minutes for this material, and you will never face such problems, and the author of the YouTube channel will help you with this. Furniture is simple.

Read in the article

1 Not every bit will fit your self-tapping screw
2 Self-tapping screw and wood screw: what's the difference?
3 How easy it is to screw in a long self-tapping screw
4 How to screw a self-tapping screw into wood without cracks
5 Two ideas for keeping a screw on a bit
6 How convenient it is to hold self-tapping screws while working
7 How to unscrew a self-tapping screw and a screw if the slots have collapsed
8 What to do if the screw cap falls off

Not every bit will fit your self-tapping screw

Self-tapping screws and screws have slotted heads, which are designed to grip tightly with the screwdriver.

What you didn't know about self-tapping screws: life hacks — Previously, only conventional slotted caps were used for a simple screwdriver, but now they mainly use Phillips slots, which provide a more reliable fixation.

And this turned out to be not the limit. Now the shapes of bits and screwdrivers are very diverse, but two of them are the most popular - this is the usual cross with the designation PH and crosses, as well as having additional small edges with designation PZ. Accordingly, hats are made for these bits.

So the first step to success is the right bit for the size and shape of the self-tapping screw. It is best to have a set of bits, which usually comes with a screwdriver or cordless screwdriver.

Self-tapping screw and wood screw: what's the difference?

Indeed, at first glance, both fasteners have a screw thread and a Phillips head. How to distinguish and should you distinguish between them?

Self-tapping screws have sharper and higher threads and are made of hard alloy, but screws are made from soft metal, and this is not so bad considering that under high load the screw bends, and does not break, as self-tapping screw

It is for this reason that, before screwing in the screw, you must first drill a hole with a drill so that the soft metal can easily enter the part.

Screws are used mainly for working with wood, and self-tapping screws can be used as fasteners on concrete, brick, metal and other substrates. Something in between a self-tapping screw and a screw - a confirmation. It is used to assemble furniture.

How easy it is to screw in a long self-tapping screw

Long self-tapping screw is always a problem, it is not so easy to screw it into the material, as due to the long length and resistance of the material, the fastener breaks.

A drill will partially solve the problem, but what if you do not have a suitable length?

To make it easier to screw in the screw, you can use a candle, lithium grease (lithol) or ordinary soap. Fill fastener threads with one of these compounds. Just remember: lithol can then leave a stain on the surface.

With such a lubricant, the self-tapping screw will fit the entire length without problems and quite easily, it will not break

How to screw a self-tapping screw into wood without cracks

When the self-tapping screw enters wood, expansion occurs, which can provoke cracking of the wood.

Especially often this problem arises when working with small parts and at their ends, cracks appear even when using small self-tapping screws

First of all, such details need to be drilled, this will solve the problem in most cases.

And if there is a need to drown the cap in the surface of the part, the hole needs to be countersunk, this can be done with a large drill

You can also use special nozzles for this - countersinks. They come in different sizes and shapes, choose the appropriate one for the head of your fastener

Pay attention to such special countersinks with a hole in the center and a lock on the side. They will greatly speed up your work.

Such a countersink is pushed onto the drill, fixed at the height you need, depending on the length self-tapping screw, and you perform two operations at a time: drill a hole and make a recess under hat

Two ideas for keeping a screw on a bit

It is very convenient to use magnetized bits, self-tapping screws adhere perfectly to such bits and do not fly off during operation.

If you have a non-magnetized bit, use a small neodymium magnet, which you can buy or get hold of, for example, in old headphones from your phone. Attach it to the bit and now it will perfectly hold the self-tapping screw

And if you need to screw a long fastener in a hard-to-reach place, use just such a cylindrical nozzle, it will not let the fastener fall

How convenient it is to hold self-tapping screws while working

Remember - you cannot hold the fasteners in your mouth. There is another, safer way to free your hands for work.

Use a wristband or smears. Place a magnet under it, for example, from an old hard drive, and simply assemble self-tapping screws on the cuff. They will not fall and will be close at hand

How to unscrew a self-tapping screw and a screw if the slots have collapsed

An incorrect bit or soft metal can destroy the spline. It is very difficult to unscrew a self-tapping screw or screw with such damage. There are many popular ways, but there are a couple of really working life hacks.

If you need to unscrew a screw, punch a slot on it with a hammer and a thin chisel, and then unscrew it with a regular screwdriver

To unscrew the carbide self-tapping screw, first treat the cap with soldering acid and remove all dirt from it.

Then fill the head with tin so that the molten metal penetrates the spline holes

While the tin is still hot, stick a bit into the cap and let the metal cool. And then easily twist

What to do if the screw cap falls off

This is a really difficult situation. The only option in this case is to separate the parts by drilling out the broken self-tapping screw.

There are special drills for this, but the author advises using this one - homemade

After the parts are separated, the protruding tip of the self-tapping screw can be unscrewed with pliers.

Then, to re-connect the parts in the same place, use a thicker self-tapping screw or special fasteners.

You now have a lot of theoretical headroom for working with fasteners. But that's not all. If you want to explore further, watch this short video:

Have you found something new for yourself in this material? Maybe you have your own recommendations for working with self-tapping screws? Write about it in the comments!

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