Metallics JTSP27 10 x 3/4 in. Pan Head Phillips Sharp Point Tapping Screws - Steel Zinc - Each

That is exactly what a Type A screw is for. The JTSP27 has a gimlet (sharp) point and 12 threads per inch, so it pulls itself into a pilot hole in thin sheet metal, device boxes, and light gauge steel and forms its own thread. You still drill a pilot hole; the point does not drill, it taps. For heavier structural steel you want a self-drilling screw instead.

The Metallics JTSP27 is flagged compliant for both ARRA and Buy American in the manufacturer data, with country of origin listed as China. If your specification requires domestic melt and manufacture, verify the compliance route with your spec writer before you submit.

A #2 Phillips bit. The JTSP27 has a Phillips drive with a recess diameter of 0.186 to 0.199 inch and a recess depth of 0.124 inch, which is the standard #2 geometry. Stock a few spare bits if you are driving a full jar, since a worn #2 tip is what cams out and chews the recess.

The pan head on the JTSP27 measures 0.357 to 0.373 inch across with a head height of 0.122 to 0.133 inch, so it stands roughly an eighth of an inch proud of the surface. Pan heads are not countersunk, so if you need the fastener flush under a device plate or a flat trim, specify a flat head instead.

Head and drive dimensions follow ASME B18.6.3-2013 and the thread form follows ASME B18.6.4, the tapping screw thread standard. Steel is AISI 1016 to 1024. That combination is what lets a submittal reviewer accept them against a generic #10 Type A tapping screw callout.

No. The JTSP27 is a Type A tapping screw with a gimlet point and 12 threads per inch, a coarse thread meant for thin sheet metal in a pre-drilled hole. Type AB runs a finer thread and a different point, and self-drilling screws carry a drill flute that makes their own hole. If your spec names AB or self-drilling, this is not a drop-in substitute.

The JTSP27 is zinc plated carbon steel. Zinc plating handles indoor and sheltered conditions and incidental moisture, not sustained outdoor exposure or washdown. For wet locations, corrosive atmospheres, or coastal work, go to stainless rather than plated steel.

They ship in a jar of 100, and 100 count is the order minimum. The jar weighs 0.61 lbs. If you keep a van stock or a shop bin, the jar packaging is what you want over a loose bag.