Metallics JTS55 14 x 1/2 in. Pan Head Combo Sharp Point Tapping Screws - Steel Zinc - Each

No. The JTS55 is not Buy American compliant and is not ARRA compliant, with a multiple-country origin. If your contract carries domestic sourcing language, these will not satisfy it and you need a domestically produced fastener instead.

Not in thin sheet steel. The gimlet point on the JTS55 pierces and forms its own thread as it drives, which is the whole point of a Type A. In heavier gauge or in a hard substrate a pilot hole keeps the screw from walking and protects the 125 lb-in torsional rating. Type A is a coarse sheet metal thread, not a self-drilling screw with a drill flute, so it will not chew through structural steel.

The JTS55 is a #14 x 1/2 inch Type A tapping screw with a gimlet (sharp) point, made for electrical, plumbing, and HVAC work. The sharp point starts its own hole in sheet metal, so it is the screw you grab for mounting boxes, straps, brackets, and hangers to thin gauge steel rather than something you need to pre-drill and tap.

It takes a combo head, so either a #3 Phillips or a flat blade will drive it. The Phillips recess measures 0.274 inch across with a gaging depth of 0.118 to 0.144 inch, and the slot runs 0.064 to 0.075 inch wide by 0.06 to 0.085 inch deep. A #2 Phillips will cam out in this recess, so use a #3 bit on a driver.

The JTS55 is zinc plated carbon steel, which is an indoor and protected-location finish. It handles ordinary humidity inside a building fine, but for exterior runs, wet locations, or corrosive environments you want stainless rather than zinc over steel.

Yes. Head and drive dimensions follow ASME B18.6.3-2013 and the thread follows ASME B18.6.4. One caveat worth knowing if you are spec'ing across the JTS series: dimensions for the #9 diameter are independent of ASME B18.6.4.

They come in a jar of 100, and 100 is the order minimum. The packed jar weighs 0.93 lbs and measures 3 x 2.15 x 3 inches, which is a size that sits in a van bin or a job cart without repacking.