Metallics SP172 Screws 6-32 X 1-1/4 Ov Sl Wall Plt SS (Clam 100)

Yes. 6-32 is the standard machine screw thread used on switch and receptacle mounting yokes and on device cover plates in North America, and the Metallics SP172 is a 6-32 screw with 32 threads per inch. It will thread into the device ears the same as the short screw that came in the box.

Extra length covers the cases where the device sits deep. Thick tile, stone, or stacked drywall over a recessed box, a plate spacer, or an extension ring all push the plate away from the yoke so the factory 1/2 inch screw no longer reaches. The SP172 at 1-1/4 inches spans that gap without having to reset the box. Trim the excess or let it ride inside the box as conditions allow.

No. The SP172 is not Buy American compliant and is not ARRA compliant, with country of origin listed as multiple. On a federally funded project with domestic sourcing requirements, this screw will not satisfy them, so a domestically sourced fastener is needed instead.

Oval head is the standard profile for device plate screws. It seats in the countersunk hole of a switch or receptacle plate and leaves a slight low dome on the surface rather than sitting dead flush. The SP172 is oval head with a slotted drive, so a standard flat blade screwdriver drives it, which is what most electricians use for final plate trim-out to avoid cam-out marring on the plate face.

The SP172 is 18-8 stainless steel with a stainless steel head color, so the visible head reads as stainless against a stainless or brushed metal plate. 18-8 is the common austenitic grade used where corrosion resistance matters, so it holds up better than plain steel in damp locations such as kitchens, baths, and exterior-adjacent boxes.

100 screws per clamshell pack, and 1 box is the order minimum. The clamshell is a visual plastic hanging box, so it hangs on a van shelf or a retail peg. For a service truck that is enough for roughly 50 two-screw plates. Metallics notes other sizes and quantities are available by request.

Metallics lists the field application as the electrical, plumbing, heating and air conditioning trades. Anywhere a 6-32 machine thread is used for trim or cover attachment, the screw works. It is a machine screw, not a self-tapping or sheet metal screw, so it needs an existing tapped 6-32 hole, not a pilot hole in sheet metal.