Metallics SDS9B 8 x 3 in. Bugle Head Phillips Drywall Screws - Steel Zinc - Fine Threads - Each

Yes. The SDS9B is a self-drilling, self-tapping drywall screw with a drill point, so it cuts its own hole in metal framing without a pilot hole. Thread spacing is fine at 15 threads per inch, which is the configuration used for steel stud work rather than wood framing.

At 3 inches long, the SDS9B is sized for thick multi-layer board or for fastening through furring and built-up assemblies into metal framing, not for a single 1/2 inch sheet. For a single layer of 1/2 or 5/8 board a much shorter screw is correct, since excess length past the stud buys nothing. Diameter is #8.

Fine thread, which is what the SDS9B is: 15 threads per inch, UNF. The tighter pitch grips light gauge steel framing and the drill point cuts through it. Coarse thread screws are the ones for wood studs, where the deeper thread bites into fiber. Running coarse thread into metal strips out and spins.

No. The SDS9B is not Buy American compliant and is not ARRA compliant, with country of origin listed as multiple. On a job carrying domestic content requirements you will need a fastener sourced to meet them.

A #2 Phillips bit. The head is bugle with a Phillips recess, recess diameter 0.176 to 0.201 in. and recess depth 0.124 in. Three power bits ship with the box, so you do not need to source them separately.

That is what the bugle profile is for. Head width runs 0.315 to 0.363 in. with a head height of 0.020 to 0.039 in., so the flare seats the screw into the board face and leaves a shallow dimple ready for compound rather than blowing through the paper. Note there is no single industry standard for bugle head dimensions, so slight deviation from those figures is normal.

The SDS9B ships as a 1500-piece box, with 1500 each as the order minimum. Box weight is 18.45 lbs. Other sizes and quantities can be had by request.

The screws are case hardened to Rockwell C44 and made from AISI 1018 steel, which is what lets the drill point cut framing instead of deforming. Finish is zinc on steel for handling and storage protection, suited to interior framing work.

Metallics lists the SDS9B for the electrical, plumbing, heating and air conditioning trades, not drywall hanging alone. The self-drilling point and 3 inch length make them useful for securing straps, boxes, and light brackets to metal framing on mechanical and electrical rough-in.

The SDS9B belongs to the Metallics SDS and SDSB series of self-drilling and tapping drywall screws. Staying inside that series keeps head type, drive, and point consistent across sizes, so one #2 Phillips bit covers the lot. Other lengths and diameters in the family are available by request.