Metallics RWS710B 8 x 1/2 in. Round Washer Head Combo Sharp Point Tapping Screws - Steel Zinc - Each

Sharp point tapping screws are made to thread into a pre-punched or pre-drilled pilot hole in sheet metal; the point helps you find and start the hole, but it will not drill its own hole like a self-drilling point. In light gauge metal (panel covers, device boxes, duct) a punched hole is usually already there. If you are going into solid steel or heavier stock, drill a pilot first or use a self-drilling point screw instead.

With a 1/2 inch overall length and the head sitting on top of the work, you have roughly 1/2 inch of thread to split between the material you are clamping and the material you are threading into. That makes it a sheet-metal and thin-panel screw, good for attaching a cover, bracket, clip, or strap to light gauge steel. For anything thicker, step up to a longer length in the same series.

The RWS710B is a combo drive screw, so it takes either a Phillips bit or a square (Robertson) bit. Most electricians run a #2 square bit on these because the square recess resists cam-out when you are driving overhead into panel enclosures or strut, but a #2 Phillips works if that is what is already in the gun.

The round washer head on the RWS710B has a built-in flange that spreads the clamp load over a wider footprint than a pan head. That matters when you are fastening something with an oversized or slotted hole, a thin bracket, or a soft material that a smaller head would pull through. It also seats flat without needing a separate washer in the kit.

The RWS710B is steel with a zinc plating, which is a general indoor and dry-location finish. Zinc gives you handling and light humidity protection, not long-term weather exposure. For exterior, wet, or corrosive locations, specify a stainless steel fastener instead.

Yes, the RWS710B #8 x 1/2 inch round washer head tapping screw is made in the USA. That matters on public and institutional work where a domestic-content requirement sits on the spec sheet, so it is worth noting on the submittal.

The 8 is the screw gauge, which is the thread diameter, not a length or a thread count. A #8 measures about 5/32 inch across the threads, and it is the most common gauge for electrical sheet-metal work. The 1/2 inch is the length. So this is a #8 gauge body at a 1/2 inch length with a round washer head.