Metallics JDS156 10 x 3/4 in. 1/4 Indented Hex Head Slotted Sharp Point Tapping Screws - Steel Zinc - Each

That is exactly what the JDS156 is for. It is a #10 x 3/4 in. Type A tapping screw with a gimlet (sharp) point, intended for light metal assembly such as electrical outlets, framing and other sheet metal. The sharp point starts in thin gauge steel without a pilot hole in most light stock, and the 12 threads per inch coarse pitch holds in sheet metal rather than stripping.

The JDS156 is hardened to Rockwell C28-38 with a minimum torsional strength of 48 lb-in, made from AISI 1016-1024 steel with a zinc finish. That is standard Type A tapping screw duty: fine for light gauge sheet metal and framing, but it is not a self-drilling screw for heavy structural stock. If you are fastening into thick steel, drill and use a machine screw or a self-drilling TEK-style screw instead.

No. The JDS156 is not Buy American compliant and is not ARRA compliant, with country of origin listed as multiple. If your project carries domestic sourcing requirements, this part will not satisfy them and you will need a domestically produced fastener.

Either works. The JDS156 has an indented hex washer head with a 1/4 in. hex, so a 1/4 in. nut driver or magnetic bit seats on it, and the head is also slotted for a flat blade when you cannot get a driver in. Slot width runs 0.05 to 0.06 in. and slot depth 0.057 to 0.072 in., so use a thin cabinet-tip blade rather than a fat general-purpose one.

The integral washer under the indented hex head measures 0.384 to 0.414 in. outside diameter, with a washer thickness of 0.019 to 0.031 in. That is enough face to bridge a punched slot or an oversized hole in light sheet metal without a separate washer. Across the hex flats the head is 0.305 to 0.312 in., 0.34 in. across corners, and head height is 0.105 to 0.12 in., so it sits low and will not foul a device plate.

Zinc plated carbon steel is a dry-location finish. The JDS156 is steel with a zinc plating, which handles indoor humidity and incidental moisture but will corrode in sustained wet, coastal, or chemically aggressive exposure. For exterior or wash-down work, specify a stainless or a coated exterior-rated fastener rather than plain zinc.

Yes. The JDS156 head and dimensions conform to ASME B18.6.3-2010, and the thread conforms to ASME B18.6.4, the tapping screw thread standard. Material is AISI 1016-1024 steel. One caveat for submittals: dimensions for #9 diameter screws in this family are independent of ASME B18.6.4, though that does not affect the #10 size here.

A Type A screw like the JDS156 has a widely spaced coarse thread and a sharp gimlet point that pierces and forms its own thread in thin sheet metal, usually through an existing punched or drilled hole in a box or bracket. A self-drilling screw carries a drill point and makes its own hole in heavier stock. For outlet boxes, device brackets, light framing and sheet metal, the Type A is the normal choice; move to self-drilling when there is no prepared hole and the metal is thicker.

The JDS156 ships in a jar of 100 screws, and 100 is the order minimum. So the smallest buy is one full jar, not a loose count. Other sizes and quantities in the JDS series are available by request.