Metallics JQK17GRV 8 x 1-1/2 in. 1/4 Hex Head Slotted Sharp Point Self-Piercing & Tapping Screws - Gray - Steel Zinc - Each

Either works. The JQK17GRV has a 1/4 inch hex head that is also slotted, so you can run it with a 1/4 inch hex bit or socket for speed, or back it out with a flat blade screwdriver in tight spots. The hex measures 0.244 to 0.25 inch across, and the slot runs 0.045 to 0.054 inch wide and 0.052 to 0.074 inch deep.

No. A sharp point self-piercing and tapping screw pierces and forms its own thread in sheet metal as it drives, which is the whole point of the type. The JQK17GRV carries a sharp point and twin lead threads at 15 threads per inch to keep driving torque down. If you are fastening into thicker structural steel rather than sheet, a self-piercing point is the wrong choice and you want a drilled and tapped fastener instead.

The JQK17GRV ships as a 500 count jar, and 500 is the order minimum. If you need a different count or a different length in the JQK sharp point self-piercing line, other sizes and quantities are available by request.

It is a #8 diameter, 1-1/2 inch long screw with 15 threads per inch. There is an undercut area beneath the head, which gives you more thread engagement over that 1-1/2 inches than a standard tapping screw of the same length. The integral washer under the head runs 0.322 to 0.348 inch outside diameter and 0.019 to 0.031 inch thick, so it bears on a slightly wider footprint than the 1/4 inch hex alone.

The JQK17GRV is steel with a zinc finish and a gray head color, which is a standard indoor and protected-location coating. It handles normal interior humidity and mechanical spaces. For direct exterior exposure, salt air, or treated lumber contact, zinc plated steel is not the right spec and you want a stainless or heavy coated fastener.

Both the ARRA and Buy American flags on the JQK17GRV are marked compliant. Country of origin is listed as China, so for any project where the specification is domestic-origin steel rather than ARRA or Buy American compliance, confirm which standard the spec actually calls out before you submit.

Treat them as a guide, not a hard tolerance. There is no single industry standard for self-piercing screw dimensions, and the head dimensions of self-piercing screws differ from those of standard tapping screws, so deviations from the listed head width, head height, slot, and washer figures can occur. If a detail depends on an exact clearance, allow for the upper end of each stated range.

Case hardened carbon steel to AISI 1018 through 1022, with a hardness of Rockwell C28-38. That is what lets the sharp point tap its own thread in sheet metal without the point rolling over. The head stands 0.096 to 0.11 inch high.

A 500 count jar of JQK17GRV comes in at 3.55 lbs, in a container measuring 3.5 by 3.5 by 5.75 inches. Easy to keep a couple on a service truck without eating shelf space.