Metallics JDS182M 10 x 1 in. 5/16 Indented Hex Head Slotted Sharp Point Tapping Screws - Steel Zinc - Each

Head dimensions are to ASME B18.6.3-2010 and the threads to ASME B18.6.4, with material to AISI 1016-1024 and a case hardness of Rockwell C28-38. Torsional strength is 48 lb-in minimum. Metallics flags the JDS182M as ARRA compliant and Buy American compliant; country of origin is China, so confirm which clause your contract is written under before you submit it.

A Type A tapping screw cuts its own thread as it drives, so it goes into a pilot or punched hole in sheet metal without a nut or a tapped thread. The JDS182M has a gimlet (sharp) point at 12 threads per inch, which is the coarse thread meant for thin sheet steel: enclosure covers, raceway, duct, metal studs, box and fitting attachment. For thicker material or where you need machine threads, a Type F blunt-point or a machine screw into a tapped hole is the right call instead.

It does. The washer section under the indented hex head measures 0.384 to 0.414 inch outside diameter with a thickness of 0.019 to 0.031 inch. That spreads the load on thin sheet and covers a slightly oversized or punched hole, which is why this style is common on enclosure covers and duct seams.

These ship as a 1,000 piece jar. Order minimum is 1,000 pieces, so the jar is the buying unit rather than a loose count. The packed jar weighs 6.1 lbs and measures 4.5 x 4.5 x 7.25 inches.

The JDS182M is carbon steel with a zinc plating, which is a mild indoor corrosion finish. It is fine for dry interior enclosures, duct, and raceway. For sustained wet exposure, direct weather, or washdown areas, go to a stainless or hot dip galvanized sheet metal screw instead; plated zinc will eventually rust through in those conditions.

It is a #10 diameter screw, 1 inch long, with 12 threads per inch. One inch gives you plenty of thread engagement through a cover and into a flange or stud, but it will protrude behind thin single-layer sheet, so keep clearance behind the hole in mind near conductors. For flush work where the back side is tight, a shorter #10 in the same JDS series is the better pick.

The JDS182M is rated to 48 lb-in minimum torsional strength, hardened to Rockwell C28-38. That is the breaking threshold, not a working value, so set an impact driver or screw gun clutch well below it. Over-driving is the usual failure with a #10 tapping screw in thin sheet: the head twists off or the cut thread strips.

Yes, the head is slotted as well as hex. Slot width is 0.050 to 0.060 inch and slot depth 0.057 to 0.072 inch, so a standard cabinet-tip flat blade fits. The hex is the faster and lower-camout option; the slot is there for access where a socket will not clear.