tapping screws in metal

[jacka 10+ year member]

got a quick little question about using tapping screws. everytime i get one fully in, i stop my drill and use a screwdriver to get tighten it the most i can. however, the thread always seems to get messed up and the screw does that thing where it gets sorta tight, then loose, and repeats itself as i turn my screwdriver. what am i doing wrong?

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[yne721 10+ year member]

are the screws you're using made for metal? or wood?

 

[jacka 10+ year member]

theyre made for metal.

 

[squeak12 10+ year member]

The threads are too coarse for the thickness of metal your using is what it sounds like.

 

[azbass 5,000+ posts]

take the screw out then, and use a fatter screw in that hole.

 

[yne721 10+ year member]

theyre made for metal.

with your screw gun, try using the highest torque/lowest rpm you can use while still having the screw tap the material

 

[scottiej 10+ year member]

The threads usuall stop just short of the top of the screw head... if your mounting something thin and it's doing that you may be reaching the top of the thread, otherwise you have pulled the metal up around the edges of the taped hole where it can no longer be fully tightened. If you can get to the other side, you could predrill a small peice of metal and let the screw go through that too, giving your screws threads more to bite into.

 

[jacka 10+ year member]

The threads usuall stop just short of the top of the screw head... if your mounting something thin and it's doing that you may be reaching the top of the thread, otherwise you have pulled the metal up around the edges of the taped hole where it can no longer be fully tightened. If you can get to the other side, you could predrill a small peice of metal and let the screw go through that too, giving your screws threads more to bite into.

i think that might actually be the problem. the threads on my screw go all the way to the top and i've seen the screws you mentioned in the beginning of your post. would it make a difference in switching over?

 

[scottiej 10+ year member]

i think that might actually be the problem. the threads on my screw go all the way to the top and i've seen the screws you mentioned in the beginning of your post. would it make a difference in switching over?

you mean screw through the same hole from the other side? It might work... if your grounding something I would use a bolt instead.

 

[squeak12 10+ year member]

Try using a washer to give the screw a little more depth so the threads will still be in contact with the surface its going through.

 

[jacka 10+ year member]

Try using a washer to give the screw a little more depth so the threads will still be in contact with the surface its going through.

yeah.. tried that today but no luck. along with the other suggestions. so i was at work and found a drill and just drilled a hole in the current hole, threaded the hole, and used a bolt. no nut, but the thread keeps it pretty darn secure if you ask me. but the bolt is kinda long, lol, took me like 2 minutes to screw in cause of the tight spot.