Screw (ed)

[Gramp's shop]

I'm affixing the face frame for the buffet to the leg/side assembly. The legs are 1 1/2 hard maple. The face frame is 3/4 hard maple, in which I drilled 3/8 deep 1/2 inch hole to accommodate the screw and a plug. Drilled a pilot hole to depth.

I used 1 1/2 inch number 8 McFeeley coarse thread square drive screws. Four of the six screws snapped after I removed the clamps.

My guess is that I had too much torque on the driver. I'm going to redrill and use number 10 screws.

Any other thoughts?

Larry

[Leon]

are 1 1/2 hard maple. The face frame is 3/4 hard maple, in which I drilled 3/8 deep 1/2 inch hole to accommodate the screw and a plug. Drilled a pilot hole to depth.

the six screws snapped after I removed the clamps.

and use number 10 screws.

I am guessing that they may have snapped during insertion. I have had screws snap like this and give not any indication other than a faint tick sound, similar to how wood will often give that tick sound when being stressed. Or you got a really bad batch of screws.

If you were using an impact driver this can happen more easily, if driven with a clutched drill the screw should not have broken.

Th pilot holes should be at least the diameter of the root of the screw.

Regardless, a broken screw sucks. Four broken screws is a quad suck.

[woodchucker]

are 1 1/2 hard maple. The face frame is 3/4 hard maple, in which I drilled 3/8 deep 1/2 inch hole to accommodate the screw and a plug. Drilled a pilot hole to depth.

the six screws snapped after I removed the clamps.

and use number 10 screws.

Your problem may be coarse thread. Did you wax the screws? I always was using a candle in hardwoods. Did you drill the pilot the same size as the shank, in maple this is a must, most other hard woods too, not softwoods.

[Swingman]

You may be correct ... I use only fine threads in hardwood if I have a choice.

[Lew Hodgett]

------------------------------------------------- "Sw> You may be correct ... I use only fine threads in hardwood if I have > a > choice.

----------------------------------------------- I've never had a problem using coarse thread sheet metal self tapping screws in maple and white oak; however, use a pilot drill that is 75% of the thread OD.

Lew

[Gramp's shop]

The woodworkers show was in town today and I brought one of the broken screws and a sample to get some opinions from the graybeards. Here's what they had to say:

1. Square drive screws don't allow the driver to slip off -- like philips head

-- when the screw is tight leading to breakage if I overtighten.

1. Screw should be lubed -- soap or wax.
2. Pilot hole should be larger diameter than I chose.
3. There was too much torque on the Makita driver. My driver does not have adjustable torque, but the drill does.

So, I took some scrap and used the same screw, drilled a larger pilot hole, lubed the screw with dish soap and drove it with drill at a lower torque setting. Worked fine, problem solved.

Larry

are 1 1/2 hard maple. The face frame is 3/4 hard maple, in which I drilled 3/8 deep 1/2 inch hole to accommodate the screw and a plug. Drilled a pilot hole to depth.

the six screws snapped after I removed the clamps.

and use number 10 screws.

[Doug Miller]

"Gramp's shop" wrote in news:effd5331-4ba2-44a6-9a68- [e-mail]:

sample to get some opinions from the graybeards. Here's what they had to say:

head -- when the screw is tight leading to breakage if I overtighten.

Wax only, never soap. Soap will absorb water from ambient humidity, which promotes corrosion of the screw.

[Unquestionably Confused]

news:effd5331-4ba2-44a6-9a68-

head -- when the screw

Years ago I read a tip somewhere about using beeswax for driving screws. I have in the shop a small jar (think it was creamed herring which was good and the current contents are equally good but in a much different way)

Pick up the cheapest wax toilet seal you find at Menard's or wherever and carefully melt it down - I did mine a little at a time in a Pyrex measuring cup in the microwave. I think the original tip was to use a double boiler.

The full jar will last you a couple of lifetimes and the consistency is just about perfect. Unscrew the cap, poke the screw into the wax and drive it home. No flakes of wax like with canning wax and if you find you get too many holes in the surface (I did... ONCE) just put it back and heat it up and it's back like "new."

[Leon]

news:effd5331-4ba2-44a6-9a68-

Just about any thing will work, I prefer a sealable can of what ever furniture wax I have in the garage. I already have it and it can be closed up, not terribly expensive. I have installed more wax rings than I care to admit, while they make an excellent screw lube I find them way too sticky for my liking.

[Leon]

news:effd5331-4ba2-44a6-9a68-

Not to mention the water that is in the soap to begin with..

[woodchucker]

and a sample to get some opinions from the graybeards. Here's what they had to say:

head -- when the screw is tight leading to breakage if I overtighten.

adjustable torque, but the drill does.

lubed the screw with dish soap and drove it with drill at a lower torque setting. Worked fine, problem solved.

legs are 1 1/2 hard maple. The face frame is 3/4 hard maple, in which I drilled

3/8 deep 1/2 inch hole to accommodate the screw and a plug. Drilled a pilot hole to depth.

of the six screws snapped after I removed the clamps.

and use number 10 screws.

Don't use dish Soap Larry, YOu want a dry soap. The wet soap may cause binding. Get a candle.. simple. If you don't like rubbing the candle on the sharp threads, drill a small hole in the candle... then pull it out on an angle, that should be enough wax.

[Doug Miller]

Unquestionably Confused wrote in news:51206d02$0$44346$ [e-mail]:

You know, it's a whole lot easier to just buy a can of Johnson's Paste Wax. :-)

[Gramp's shop]

All's well that ends well. Drilled larger pilot holes, used lower torque on screws lubed with Johnson's paste wax.

Thank you, friends, for your good counsel.

Larry

[Unquestionably Confused]

LOL! Yeah, I know but...

It's also easier to buy furniture, hire in somebody to do our remodeling, build our decks, etc. but it's what WE do

Besides, I believe I got my wax ring for

[-MIKE-]

news:effd5331-4ba2-44a6-9a68-

And don't even think about putting a screw into oak. It'll ruin your life.

[-MIKE-]

Canning wax, those small blocks of paraffin sold in grocery stores, are super cheap. You can break them up and keep little blocks in all your tool boxes or wherever is convenient. They have no carriers, like many other spray or canned waxes... just 100% inert paraffin. It's great for screws, miter slots/rails, making jigs slippery, etc.

I don't know how it affects a wood finish or stain, but I do know it doesn't soak into the grain like a paste might.

[-MIKE-]

Or it might esplode!

[Lew Hodgett]

-------------------------------------------------- Ever hear of 316L S/S?

Lew

[-MIKE-]

It's oak rust, Lew. It'll eat through kryptonite. :-)

[Lew Hodgett]

---------------------------------------------- That's 316L S/S, NOT 304 (AKA: 18-8) which is sometimes good for pots and pans.

Try it, you'll like it.

Lew