Learn why Malco’s Zip-in® Screws are legendary

By Malco Tools. 

Get ready to zip through your workday with these efficient fasteners. 

Working in any trade means constantly trying to juggle speed and quality but Malco Tool’s Zip-in® Self Piercing Sheet Metal Screws make that just a bit easier. These screws, which are recognizable by the two unique and distinctive dots on the head, are most often used for square and round HVAC ductwork, as well as ventilation pipes. Zip-In Screws are the fastener of choice for HVAC installers all over the world for their double-thread design that allows them to be faster driving with the capacity to fasten heavy gauges of sheet metal. Keep reading to learn more about the best-selling sheet metal screws for HVAC trade pros worldwide.  

How Zip-in Screws work 

In a nutshell — they zip right in! Malco specifically designed Zip-ins for speed, efficiency and increased productivity. Their unique thread design allows for fast penetration of multiple layers of sheet metal. 

Zip-ins are manufactured with a sophisticated heat treat process, which allows the screw to taper to a fine, sharp point without sacrificing critical point strength. A single starting thread is formed down to the very tip of the point and is the source of Zip-in’s penetrating power. A second thread above the point engages after initial penetration and drills in the screw twice as fast. 

Malco’s Zip-in screws are faster-driving, with a greater capacity for fastening heavier gauges of sheet metal than any other self-piercing type. Today, the line has expanded beyond the original hex head models to include Zip-ins for additional applications, including square pan head Zip-ins, painted sheet metal screws and painted screws for fastening registers to the wall. 

Malco Zip-Ins also pair perfectly with several of Malco’s ¼” and 5/16” C-RHEX cleanable, reversible magnetic hex drivers for unparalleled performance, including the MSHC 2”, MSHLC 2-5/8”, MSHMLC 4” and MSHXLC 6”.  

A brief history of the Zip-In Screw 

Zip-ins were introduced to Malco’s product line in 1976, and quickly became the premium sheet metal fasteners for the HVAC industry. As a customer-focused business, we are always looking for ways to improve current products or invent new solutions to better serve people in the trades and make their jobs easier, safer and more efficient. 

In the years leading up to the invention of the Zip-in Screw, HVAC technicians had to pre-drill holes for the fasteners, which was very time consuming, or had to use rivets, which were not easily removed once installed. The Zip-in Screw was revolutionary because it allowed users to increase penetration speed without having to pre-drill anything, leading to enormous productivity and efficiency gains on the job. Plus, Zip-in Screws can be easily removed if needed. 

The Malco difference 

Malco’s Zip-ins are made differently than most of the screws on the market because of our commitment to quality control. Many competitors buy their screws on the open market, which can lead to quality variation from one production run to the next. 

We keep tight control over every single Zip-in Screw we sell and package, so you can always trust that your next screw will be as good as the last, and the package quantity will be accurate. Malco’s Zip-in® Screws are well-known in the HVAC industry for high quality and performance and are considered the premier line of screws that work, perform and outlast. 

Don’t just take our word for it – here’s what end-users have to say about Zip-ins! 

• “Honestly, I’ve used all kinds of screws… [Zip-ins] are absolutely the best in the biz! Hands down.” 
• “I have been in the industry for over 30 years, as far as I know I have used Zip-in screws from Malco ever since I started in the trade. In the past 23 years I have owned my own business, I have tried other screws and always come back to Malco.” 
• “Quality matters. Your [Zip-in] screws are indeed reliable and easy to install.” 
• “Y’all make the best screws in the world! Malco is the only sheet metal products I will ever buy for the rest of my life!!” 

We’re honored to have earned our reputation and are proud to offer highly durable tools that trade professionals can rely on, right down to the very last screw. 

Get a refill of Zip-ins® today! Visit your local distributor or find out where to buy them here! 

Original article and photo source: Malco Tools