Metallics JDS175 14 x 3/4 in. 3/8 Indented Hex Head Slotted Sharp Point Tapping Screws - Steel Zinc - Each

The Metallics JDS175 is a Type A tapping screw for light metal assembly, including electrical outlets, framing and other sheet metal work. The gimlet (sharp) point starts in thin sheet steel without a pilot hole and forms its own thread as it drives, which is why it shows up in box and bracket work rather than in tapped holes.

Either. The head is an indented hex with a slotted drive, so a 3/8 inch nut driver fits the hex and a flat blade fits the slot. Head width runs 0.367 to 0.375 in. with 0.409 in. across the corners, so a 3/8 inch socket or driver is the right size. The slot is 0.064 to 0.075 in. wide and 0.083 to 0.101 in. deep, which suits a standard small flat tip rather than a wide cabinet blade.

No. The JDS175 is not Buy American compliant and is not ARRA compliant, with country of origin listed as multiple. For federally funded work carrying those clauses you will need a domestically sourced fastener instead.

They ship in a jar of 100, and 100 is the order minimum. The jar weighs 0.97 lbs. If you need a different count or a different size in the JDS series, other sizes and quantities are available by request.

At 10 threads per inch the #14 thread is coarse, so it bites sheet steel with fewer turns and less chance of spinning in the hole than a fine thread. The screw itself is heat treated to Rockwell C28-38 with a minimum torsional strength of 125 lb-in, so the fastener will tap before it twists off. Stripping on thin gauge is usually over-driving, not the screw, so stop as soon as the washer face seats.

Yes, the indented hex head has an integral washer face measuring 0.480 to 0.520 in. outside diameter and 0.030 to 0.050 in. thick. That spread covers an oversized or slightly elongated hole in sheet metal without adding a loose washer. Overall head height is 0.172 to 0.19 in.

The JDS175 tapping screw is built to ASME B18.6.3-2010 for dimensions with threads to ASME B18.6.4, and the steel is AISI 1016-1024. One caveat for spec writers: dimensions for #9 diameter screws in this family are independent of ASME B18.6.4.

The JDS175 is steel with a zinc finish, which is a plating for indoor and dry-location corrosion resistance, not a marine or exterior-exposure coating. For wet locations, pressure treated lumber contact, or coastal exposure, go to a stainless or hot dip galvanized fastener rather than zinc plated steel.

Shank length is 3/4 inch under the head on the JDS175, so you lose nothing to the head when figuring penetration. Stack the thickness of what you are fastening through and leave at least two or three threads emerging past the back of the sheet for a full tap. Through two layers of light gauge steel that is plenty; for thicker standoffs or a wood substrate behind the metal, step up to a longer screw in the same JDS series.