U Drive Screw
304 stainless U drive screws (hammer drive screws) for fixing nameplates, labels and light panels into pre-drilled holes without a screwdriver.
About the U Drive Screw
U drive screws, or hammer drive screws, are tapped into a pre-drilled hole with a hammer to fix nameplates, compliance labels, signs and light panels onto machines and equipment. They are 304 stainless with a mushroom head and a steep spiral thread, #4 gauge in 3/16, 5/16 and 3/8 inch and #6 gauge in 1/4, 5/16 and 3/8 inch, in packs of 200. Choose the gauge and length above; the guide below gives the lengths in millimetres, fitting and where 304 suits.
Also called hammer drive screws, drive screws or nameplate screws.
Features
- 304 stainless steel (A2)
- ANSI B18.6.3
- #4 x 3/16, 5/16 and 3/8 inch
- #6 x 1/4, 5/16 and 3/8 inch
Applications
- Fixing nameplates, labels and signs
- Light panels into pre-drilled holes
What U drive screws (hammer drive screws) are
A U drive screw is a small fastener with a domed mushroom head and a shank wrapped in a steep, multi-start spiral thread. It has no slot or recess in the head: Hobson files it under "hammer in", so instead of a screwdriver you tap it into a pre-drilled hole with a hammer and the spiral grips the sides of the hole. That makes it quick for fixing small, light items with a neat domed head.
The usual jobs are nameplates, data plates, labels and signs on machinery, equipment and enclosures, and light panels into pre-drilled holes. Because the head has no drive, they are not made to be unscrewed. Hobson publishes no holding or pull-out figures for them, so they are for light fixings like these, not for anything that carries a load.
U drive screw sizes
Sizes are imperial: the number is the screw gauge (#4 is smaller than #6) and the length is in inches. The millimetre column is the inch length times 25.4, rounded, for checking against the thickness of the plate and the depth of the hole.
Gauge x length as Hobson lists them; millimetres are the arithmetic conversion, rounded to 0.1mm. 304 (A2) stainless. Pack is the minimum order. Tap a number to show it in the selector above.
| Screw | Gauge | Length | Length in mm | Pack |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #4 x 3/16 inch | #4 | 3/16 inch | 4.8mm | Packs of 200 |
| #4 x 5/16 inch | #4 | 5/16 inch | 7.9mm | Packs of 200 |
| #4 x 3/8 inch | #4 | 3/8 inch | 9.5mm | Packs of 200 |
| #6 x 1/4 inch | #6 | 1/4 inch | 6.4mm | Packs of 200 |
| #6 x 5/16 inch | #6 | 5/16 inch | 7.9mm | Packs of 200 |
| #6 x 3/8 inch | #6 | 3/8 inch | 9.5mm | Packs of 200 |
How to fit U drive screws
- Drill the hole in the base material. Hobson's data gives no drill size for these screws, so drill a test hole in an offcut of the same material and check the screw drives in firmly before you drill a run of them. Ask us if you need help with the size.
- Use a hole in the nameplate or label that lets the screw shank pass through, so the head clamps the plate down.
- Line the plate up, start the screw's plain tip in the hole and tap the head square with a hammer until the head sits down on the plate.
- Choose a length that is short enough for the hole you drilled: the screw should not bottom out before the head seats.
304 stainless: where it suits
These screws are 304 (A2) stainless. The Australian Stainless Steel Development Association article Hobson publishes notes that 316 was developed, by adding molybdenum, because 304 corroded at the seaside, and gives 304 posts on a wharf as an example of an aggressive environment where rust can start.
- Indoors, on enclosures and on equipment away from the coast: 304 stainless.
- Exposed to the weather: Hobson's corrosion guide for metal connectors (a timber framing guide, but a useful yardstick) lists 304 or 316 stainless as the minimum for exposed work in every zone it covers, except within 2m of a pool edge, where it calls for 316. For marine, surf coast or pool settings, ask us, as we list these screws in 304 only.
- On mild steel that gets wet: the same article notes that carbon steel corrodes faster when it is coupled to stainless steel in water.
U drive screws in Adelaide
Allmat supplies U drive screws, self tapping screws, pop rivets and security screws to manufacturers, fabricators and sign makers across Adelaide and South Australia. Add them to a quote with the rest of your fixings and we will price the lot.
Drive screws for nameplates and labels
U drive screws, self tapping screws, pop rivets and security screws are available to order from Allmat for manufacturers, fabricators, sign makers, electricians and trade across Adelaide and South Australia. Order through Allmat, we pick and pack it, then click and collect from the Allmat yard or have it delivered to site.
Goes with
Questions
What is a U drive screw?
A hammer drive screw: a mushroom head over a steep spiral thread, tapped into a pre-drilled hole with a hammer instead of being screwed in. They are used for nameplates, labels, signs and light panels.
How do you install hammer drive screws?
Drill a hole in the base material, line up the nameplate (its hole should let the shank pass through), start the screw's tip in the hole and tap the head square with a hammer until it sits down on the plate.
What size hole for a U drive screw?
Hobson's data gives no drill size for these screws. Drill a test hole in an offcut of the same material and check the screw drives in firmly before drilling a run, or ask us.
What sizes do U drive screws come in?
#4 gauge in 3/16, 5/16 and 3/8 inch (about 4.8, 7.9 and 9.5mm) and #6 gauge in 1/4, 5/16 and 3/8 inch (about 6.4, 7.9 and 9.5mm), all in 304 stainless, packs of 200.
Can U drive screws be removed?
They have no slot or recess in the head, so they are not made to be unscrewed. Use a machine screw or self tapping screw where the plate will need to come off.
Can drive screws hold weight?
Hobson publishes no holding or pull-out figures for them. Use them for nameplates, labels and light panels, not for anything that carries a load.
Where can I buy U drive screws in Adelaide?
Order through Allmat. Order ahead by phone on 1300 03 03 63 or send your list for a quote, then click and collect from 25 Kapara Road, Gillman, or have them delivered.
U Drive Screw: sizes and finishes we supply
6 lines by type and finish. Pick one above for its product code and pack sizes.
| Type | Finish | Sizes | Lengths | Lines |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| U drive screw | 304 Stainless | #04, #06 | 3/16, 1/4, 5/16, 3/8 | 6 |
Data sheets and documents
The documents for the product you choose are listed with the selector above. Here is every U Drive Screw document from Hobson Engineering.
All U Drive Screw documents (4)
Data sheets and technical data (1)
Need them in bulk?
Add the sizes you need to your quote, or send us your list and we’ll price the lot and supply it with the rest of your order.
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