Fine Thread Countersunk Head Woodworking Screw

  Product DescriptionChipboard screws are self-tapping screws most commonly designed with a single thread that runs all the way from the base of the head to the tip. Both chipboard screw and CSK self-tapping screws belong to the family of self-tapping screwParts of a ScrewA screw is made up of 4 components:The tipThe shankThe threadsThe headThe TipScrews used in woodworking will have a pointed tip to help guide the screw into a precise location. Self-drilling screws have a split point that cuts into the wood like a drill bit. Other screws, such as machine screws have no point.  A machine screw (on the left) doesn't have a pointed tip.  Types of DrivesThere are lots and lots of different types of drives, but thankfully, there are just a few common ones you need to know.SLOTTED: WHAT IS A FLATHEAD SCREW?Slotted screws are the original method for driving a screw. Like the name implies, it's just a slot that a flathead screwdriver turns. For this reason, these types of screws are commonly called flathead screws way more often than slotted screws.Flathead screws require a lot of patience to use and are very difficult to drive with a drill or impact driver. It's weird how common they still are, still readily available at hardware stores. Basically they suck and I would never recommend them for woodworking with one exception: if you want to make a period piece of furniture with historic accuracy. Other than that, avoid slotted screws whenever possible.What is a "flathead" screw PHILLIPSWhen Phillips screws came out in the 1930s, they were a vast improvement over slotted screws. A Phillips head driver will stay in place a lot better, but they still have an annoying tendency to cam-out, or slip when driving the last bit into wood. This can ruin the head and also ruins the driver.I have heard that they were designed to do this in order to prevent over tightening, but I'm not sure if that's true.A Phillips drive screw. THEY COME IN DIFFERENT SIZES SO ALWAYS MAKE SURE YOUR DRIVER MATCHES AND FITS WELL. I REALLY WISH PHILLIPS SCREWS WOULD BECOME OBSOLETE, BUT THEY ARE STILL EXTREMELY COMMON IN THE U.S. THE VAST MAJORITY OF SCREWS SOLD AT HARDWARE STORES ARE STILL PHILLIPS.SQUARE (ROBERTSON) DRIVESSquare drives are a huge improvement! They are also called Robertson screws and are most common in Canada. They are definitely harder to find in the U.S. Their square shape greatly reduces, almost eliminating cam-out and driver slipping. Here in the U.S. you will mostly find these in pocket screws.Driving a square drive screw STAR (TORX) DRIVEStar drive screws are becoming more and more common in the U.S. and are my absolute favorite type of drive. The star shape virtually eliminates cam-out and the driver almost never slips out. Plus they can accommodate a lot of torque. Usually they are sold on premium quality screws that won't snap if tightened too much. And when you buy a box, it usually comes with the driver tip you need.A star drive screw fully seated in wood. Head ShapesLike the drive types, there are all kinds of head shapes. Luckily, there are really only two that common in woodworking.FLATHEADThis is where the terminology can get a little confusing. It's easy to confuse a screw with a flad head, and a slotted screw that we often call flathead screws. For woodworking a flathead screw is the most common kind of screw to use. It has a beveled head that seats neatly into the wood, making it flush with the surfaceA flathead wood screw You can just power the screw into the wood to make it flush, but you will get better and cleaner results if you use a countersink bit to drill a pilot hole, or use a countersink to cut the bevels after you drill a pilot hole.Using a countersink bit. A flathead screw fits neatly into a countersunk hole. PANHEAD OF ROUNDEDPanhead or roundheads can have shallow or deep domes. They sit on top of the wood and aren't used much for woodworking. You will need to use these when attaching some other material to wood…something that you can't countersink, say metal or plastic.Using a pan head screw to attach acrylic to wood. Types of ScrewsSTANDARD WOOD SCREWSWood screws are widely available in all home centers and hardware stores and are designed to join two pieces of wood together. They are threaded part of the way and then have a smooth shank at the top. This helps hold the screws in place. They are relatively inexpensive and come an all kinds of diameters and head shapes. You will usually want to use the ones with the tapered heads. Unfortunately, in the U.S., most woodscrews are still only available with Phillips heads instead of star or square drives.Standard wood screwDRYWALL SCREWSA lot of woodworkers use drywall screws, mostly for shop projects and jigs. They are inexpensive, usually cheaper than wood screws and easy to find just about anywhere. They have thinner shanks than wood screws, usually about equal to a #6 screw and threads that run the entire length of the screw. Because of their thin