# Wafers vs. 10x3/4 robertson (square) screws.



## kaboler (Dec 1, 2010)

I'm thinking of abandoning wafer screws altogether. Today, I was working in a crawlspace above a prison where it was STEEL STUD and DRYWALL!!! I had to plank and crawl, and it was a hard slug.

And you know what pissed me off the most? Having wafers fall out of my drill as I'm struggling to screw some EMT to a Q deck. (steel roof).

I don't suppose anyone has completely abandoned phillips in installing work and went right to the 10x3/4 or 10x1 robertson screws?

Even at the staff safety meeting, I was talking about how my neck has all these aches and pains now because I've been straining at work a lot lately (on account of getting a few unlucky jobs) and here I am again, almost by choice, straining.

Tired of wafer screws is all I'm saying. I hope you guys use the same terminology as I do.


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## erics37 (May 7, 2009)

I assume you're referring to these things:










They make square-head versions of those too. At least with a pancake head style, like this:


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## Jlarson (Jun 28, 2009)

I don't know which I hate more, wafer heads or pan head square drives. :laughing:

I use these 








or these 









and a magnetic nutdriver in my drill whenever possible.


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

I hate phillips drive wafer screws. You drop or fling out three for every one you put in. At least I do. I never liked them, but for putting stuff like H-23's in, they're still pretty much a must use. 

I adopted square drive a good many years ago as my standard fastener. I thought they were better than phillips (they are), but they still frustrated me.

About 3 years ago, I switched nearly entirely to hex washer head, and never looked back. With a magnetic nutdriver, the job is a dream now. Given the choice and the budget, I recommend hex washer head fasteners over all others.


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## erics37 (May 7, 2009)

MDShunk said:


> I hate phillips drive wafer screws. You drop or fling out three for every one you put in. At least I do.


And that's the beauty of it; the metal stud guys drop those things by the bucketload. Walk around dragging a magnet on the floor and you can get all the free screws you want.


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## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

Jlarson said:


> I don't know which I hate more, wafer heads or pan head square drives. :laughing:
> 
> I use these
> 
> ...


There perfact for Grounding just don't look in the NEC..:laughing:


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## Jlarson (Jun 28, 2009)

HARRY304E said:


> There perfact for Grounding just don't look in the NEC..:laughing:


Ah, the 220/221 old metal box grounding technique :laughing:


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## Frasbee (Apr 7, 2008)

Hex heads and these:










Dewalt's impact ready pivoting driver for those awkward angles.


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## Rockyd (Apr 22, 2007)

HARRY304E said:


> There perfact for Grounding just don't look in the NEC..:laughing:


 
You mean that 250.8(A)(6) is "additional ink" that your skipping this code cycle?


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## nitro71 (Sep 17, 2009)

I prefer robertson drive screws but sometimes they are much more expensive. I can get a box of phillips head self tappers for about $6.00. My supply house was ripping me off at $16 a box for robertson tappers. Also the phillips head screws sit more flush to the surface. If you are putting in a spanner bar makes it easier for the sheet rockers. I've got a magnetizer I'm going to try out on my new phillips driver. See how it works.


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## Mshea (Jan 17, 2011)

nitro71 said:


> I prefer robertson drive screws but sometimes they are much more expensive. I can get a box of phillips head self tappers for about $6.00. My supply house was ripping me off at $16 a box for robertson tappers. Also the phillips head screws sit more flush to the surface. If you are putting in a spanner bar makes it easier for the sheet rockers. I've got a magnetizer I'm going to try out on my new phillips driver. See how it works.


 Buy your Robertson screws in Canada where they are cheap. I like the wafer screws with a magnetic tip and the right bit but Robertson screws are better.


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## oliquir (Jan 13, 2011)

i only use them for #6, 8 or 10, they are very popular in canada


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## CEC (Feb 16, 2011)

Only Robertsons used here in New Brunswick Canada. Magnetic bit and your good to go.Here in New Brunswick you can no longer run emt,teck or bx secured to Q decking under the roof nor can you run BX-A/c 90,teck or emt on the top chord of the bar joists. All runs need to be off the Q decking by a min 6 inches. this is required as when reroofing, the insulation installers are using too long of screws to hold down the stroyfoam sheets and piercing the conduits ,teck, bx ,boxes. from waht i've heard this is now required all across Canada. Again electricians have to fix a problem caused by another trade but problem will not happen on existing sites until reroofing
Has this been an issue in the States?


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## kaboler (Dec 1, 2010)

Maybe my phillips bit is just plain worn out, but I would LOVE to use those pan heads parmanently. I have a new addition to my fasteners box, which is indeed the 1 inch panhead self-tapping screw. It's like Schwarzenegger vs. Andy Dyck. World of difference! But cost....


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