Tool Chest

McFeely’s Square Drive Screws

Best screws

If you do carpentry work, cabinet work, deck work, fence work, or whatever requires something to be connected to wood or concrete or brick, the square-drive screws from McFeely’s are incredible. The pay-off is that they have a wide selection in stainless (two grades) and other rust-proof finishes. Your hand or power screw-driver bit will never slip out of the slot. McFeely’s also has innovative ideas like self-drilling screws with a small augur built into the tip. I use two old Makita 9.6 volt drill-drivers, and it is no lie that I can drive fifty to sixty #10 by 3-inch augur tips into pressure treated wood on ONE charge.

Recently, I converted a basement into a one-bedroom apartment for a friend. I never drove one nail in the whole project. Outside of the dry-wall screws I bought at Home Depot, every piece of framing, trim, dropped ceiling and hardware is anchored with square-drive screws from McFeely. If I were ever to build another house, I would use their screws exclusively (they sell dry-wall screws, too).

Superior product and superior service (average three days between order and delivery via UPS Ground), plus they CALL you to advise of back-orders or any possible order changes. I have only a few companies I have dealt with over these years which have truly impressed me, I’ll rate McFeely’s right up at the top. I’ve never been disappointed with one of their products or their service.

Home Depot now carries some square-drive screws. But I started buying from McFeely’s 20 years ago since they offered stainless steel screws (very unique at that time). What McFeely’s has going for them is their immense variety of metal types of screws and bolts, including a superior galvanized steel finish, called “No-Co-Rode”. Four years of southern sun, gully-washer rains, snow and ice, and not the first “No-Co-Rode” screw I’ve used has rusted.

They have a lot of other “cool tools” on their web-site besides screws. Look at their “BITZ” holders that stick to a drill or their orange velcro straps that I have used for years to tie up my electrical cords. Generally very high-quality stuff at reasonable prices.

— Jim Stagg

Square drive screws have been a trade secret among woodcrafters for years. They’ve just about replaced Phillips heads in Canada. Many manufacturers make them, although most hardware stores in the US don’t stock them (yet). But no one can match the variety of square drive screws from McFeely’s. They also sell screws with a “combo” drive which permit a Phillips driver to work in a pinch. Also the McFeely’s website has the best tutorial on screw types and materials I’ve seen, and a decent FAQ on why square drives are superior.

— KK

McFeely’s Square Drive Screw Assortment
1,200 assorted screws
$80
McFeelys
100 Black Oxide Flat Heads
$2.50

Square Drive FAQ

Robertson Square Drive Screw

About a hundred people (98 of them Canadian) wrote to tell me that the fantastic square-drive screw is ubiquitous in Canada and called the Robertson screw, after its native inventor. And they all agree this drive is superior to the Phillips screw, which I confirm. The official home site appears to be here. McFeely’s is still a good source of them in the US.

06/13/05

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