Metallics JTEK10PSS 6 x 1/2 in. Pan Head Phillips Self-Drilling & Tapping Screws - #2 Drill Point - 410 Stainless Steel - Each

At 1/2 in. long with a #6 diameter, the JTEK10PSS is sized for thin-gauge work: the drill point and 20 threads per inch have to clear the panel and still leave thread engagement, and the point is only rated to 0.090 in. of panel. For attaching device plates, clips, straps, or light sheet to metal studs or enclosure sheet it works. For stacking two heavier members or anything needing deeper penetration, go to a longer screw.

No. The Type BSD point drills and taps its own hole in one pass, which is the whole point of the design, so no pre-drilling in sheet metal within the 0.035 to 0.090 in. range. Run it at drill speed with steady pressure; backing off mid-hole lets the point work-harden the steel and the screw stops cutting.

410 stainless is a hardenable martensitic grade, which is what lets the screw be heat treated to Rockwell C38-46 and still drill its own hole. It gives better corrosion resistance than plain carbon steel for damp interiors and protected exterior use, but it is not 300-series stainless, so it is not the pick for coastal salt spray or chemical exposure. For those, use a 300-series fastener with a separate drilled pilot hole.

A #2 Phillips bit. The recess is a #2 Phillips with a 0.159 in. recess diameter and 0.055 to 0.080 in. gaging depth, so a worn or oversized bit will cam out and strip the head. Keep a fresh #2 in the gun, and run it at drill speed rather than impact to let the point cut.

Minimum torsional strength is 24 lb-in. Minimum torques are the same for stainless and steel self-drill screws, so there is no derating here versus a carbon steel equivalent. In practice that means setting a clutch on the driver: a #6 at 24 lb-in. will twist off if you keep driving after the head seats.

Dimensions follow ASME B18.6.3-2010 and the thread conforms to SAE J78 - 2013. That matters on spec'd jobs where the submittal calls out a standard for self-drilling tapping screws. Note that SAE J78 does not include specifications for #7 diameter drill screws, so a #7 callout has no standard behind it.

They ship in a jar of 100, and 100 count is the order minimum. Other sizes and quantities are available by request if a job needs a different length or diameter in the same Type BSD self-drilling and tapping style.

The JTEK10PSS is flagged both ARRA compliant and Buy American compliant in Metallics' data, with country of origin listed as multiple. On federally funded or public institutional work where the spec names those provisions, that is the line item your submittal needs.

Pan head, so it sits on top of the surface rather than flush. Head width runs 0.256 to 0.270 in. and head height 0.087 to 0.097 in., which gives a low profile with enough bearing surface to hold thin sheet, clips, and straps without pulling through. If you need the head buried in the material, you want a flat or trim head instead.