Metallics JQK17V 8 x 1-1/2 in. 1/4 Hex Head Slotted Sharp Point Self-Piercing & Tapping Screws - Steel Zinc - Each

No pilot hole needed in light gauge steel. The JQK17V is a sharp point self-piercing and tapping screw, so the point pierces and the twin lead threads cut their own thread as you drive. Hardness runs Rockwell C28-38, which is what lets the point bite sheet metal rather than skate. For thicker structural steel you want a drill point (self-drilling) screw instead.

The JQK17V is flagged compliant for both Buy American and ARRA. Country of origin is listed as multiple, so if your contract requires a documented single source of manufacture, confirm the origin on the specific lot you receive.

A 1/4 inch hex driver. Head width measures 0.244 to 0.25 in. with a head height of 0.096 to 0.11 in. The head is also slotted (slot width 0.045 to 0.054 in., depth 0.052 to 0.074 in.), so a flat blade screwdriver works for hand driving or final snugging in a tight spot.

The head has an integral washer face with an outside diameter of 0.322 to 0.348 in. and a washer thickness of 0.019 to 0.031 in. That spread is what holds a strap or clip flat without adding a loose washer to the job. There is also an undercut beneath the head, which gives you more usable thread engagement on thin material.

Yes, 8 diameter with a 1-1/2 inch length and 15 threads per inch. The 15 TPI twin lead thread is coarser than a standard #8-32 machine screw thread, so these will not run into a tapped 8-32 hole, they cut their own.

The JQK17V is zinc plated carbon steel (AISI 1018 to 1022). Zinc plating handles interior and protected applications well, but it is a sacrificial coating with limited life in direct weather, standing water, or coastal salt air. For exposed exterior work, specify a stainless or a coated exterior fastener instead.

They ship in a jar of 500 pieces, and 500 count is the order minimum. Packed weight is 3.55 lbs. One jar covers a decent run of strap, clip, or box mounting without reordering mid-job.

Head dimensions on self-piercing screws are not the same as standard tapping screws, and there is no single industry standard governing them. The figures published for the JQK17V (head width 0.244 to 0.25 in., head height 0.096 to 0.11 in.) are a guide, and some lot to lot deviation is normal. If you are fitting into a fixed counterbore or a tight recess, work off the upper end of those ranges.

The twin lead thread on the JQK17V advances faster per revolution and reduces the torque needed to drive it. On an overhead run or a long day of strapping, that means less cordless battery drain and fewer stripped or snapped fasteners. The 1/4 inch hex head also lets you seat them with a nut driver rather than fighting a slot.