I'm having trouble with wood screws breaking off under pressure (that
is, when I'm screwing them in). I'm using steel wood screws,
pre-drilling holes, and using white oak. They seem to be breaking off
quite easily.
Are there better screws to be using? All local hardware stores seem
only to carry steel.
Ideas?
Thanks.
Wax them puppies. I bought a wax toilet ring for like 99¢, melted it
down into an old soup can so I had a decent container, then stick the
screws into that. Its soft, pliable and one ring will last a long long
time. Made all the difference in the world when I built my shop and was
driving in 2"-3" deck screws.
Mike wrote:
> I'm having trouble with wood screws breaking off under pressure (that
> is, when I'm screwing them in). I'm using steel wood screws,
> pre-drilling holes, and using white oak. They seem to be breaking off
> quite easily.
>
> Are there better screws to be using? All local hardware stores seem
> only to carry steel.
>
> Ideas?
>
> Thanks.
In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] (Mike) wrote:
>I'm having trouble with wood screws breaking off under pressure (that
>is, when I'm screwing them in). I'm using steel wood screws,
>pre-drilling holes, and using white oak. They seem to be breaking off
>quite easily.
>
>Are there better screws to be using? All local hardware stores seem
>only to carry steel.
>
You won't find a better material than quality steel.
Either you're not drilling your pilot holes large enough, or you're using
inferior screws.
The pilot holes should be a trifle smaller than the solid portion of the shaft
of the screw. Various charts are available showing the appropriate size of
pilot hole to use, depending on the size of the screw and the material it's
being used in. Note that a pilot hole that's appropriately sized for, say, a
#8 screw going into pine or fir, is too small for the same screw in white oak.
Check the packaging on the screws you're using for the country of origin. If
it's China or India, the screws are definitely inferior. Best in my experience
are ones made in the USA or Canada. Where are you buying your screws, at a
home center (e.g. Lowe's, Home Depot), or a real hardware store (e.g. Ace,
Tru-Value, etc)? I have much better luck finding American or Canadian made
fasteners at the real hardware stores. Most of what the home centers have is
junk.
It also helps to lubricate the screw threads with wax before driving them.
--
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)
How come we choose from just two people to run for president and 50 for Miss America?
>I'm having trouble with wood screws breaking off under pressure (that
>is, when I'm screwing them in). I'm using steel wood screws,
>pre-drilling holes, and using white oak. They seem to be breaking off
>quite easily.
>
>Are there better screws to be using? All local hardware stores seem
>only to carry steel.
>
>Ideas?
>
>Thanks.
>
Wax. Beeswax works best, in my experience. Or paste furniture wax. Paraffin
doesn't work as well.
John Martin
In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected] says...
> I'm having trouble with wood screws breaking off under pressure (that
> is, when I'm screwing them in). I'm using steel wood screws,
> pre-drilling holes, and using white oak. They seem to be breaking off
> quite easily.
>
> Are there better screws to be using? All local hardware stores seem
> only to carry steel.
>
I've had trouble with cheap steel screws from places like HD, having
exactly the problem you describe. After getting screws from Trend-lines
and most recently, McFeeley's, I have yet to break a screw. IMO, there
is a difference in quality.
> Ideas?
>
> Thanks.
>
Mike <[email protected]> wrote:
: I'm having trouble with wood screws breaking off under pressure (that
: is, when I'm screwing them in). I'm using steel wood screws,
: pre-drilling holes, and using white oak. They seem to be breaking off
: quite easily.
: Are there better screws to be using? All local hardware stores seem
: only to carry steel.
: Ideas?
: Thanks.
I prefer to use boiled linseed oil as a lubricant. The open pores in
the pilot hole suck up the oil and it helps to keep the wood
fresh. Also, the oil is a fine lubricant and means the difference
between a broken screw or a good fastening, when I drive in silicon
Bronze screws into white oak.
--- Gregg
My woodworking projects:
Replicas of 15th-19th century nautical navigational instruments:
http://home.comcast.net/~saville/backstaffhome.html
Restoration of my 82 year old Herreshoff S-Boat sailboat:
http://home.comcast.net/~saville/SBOATrestore.htm
Steambending FAQ with photos:
http://home.comcast.net/~saville/Steambend.htm
"Improvise, adapt, overcome."
[email protected]
Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
Phone: (617) 496-1558
You didn't save the handy dandy drill bit guage that Handyman Club of
America sent you? I have an extra I could send you if you missed that
one... <ducking>
"Mike" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I'm having trouble with wood screws breaking off under pressure (that
> is, when I'm screwing them in). I'm using steel wood screws,
> pre-drilling holes, and using white oak. They seem to be breaking off
> quite easily.
>
> Are there better screws to be using? All local hardware stores seem
> only to carry steel.
>
> Ideas?
>
> Thanks.
"Mike" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I'm having trouble with wood screws breaking off under pressure (that
> is, when I'm screwing them in). I'm using steel wood screws,
> pre-drilling holes, and using white oak. They seem to be breaking off
> quite easily.
>
> Are there better screws to be using? All local hardware stores seem
> only to carry steel.
Square drive screws, available from Rockler or McFeeley have a dry lubricant
coating, which helps, but you can still break them. When working with very
hard wood, such as the white oak you mention, I often scrape the threads
across a wax candle before screwing them into the wood.
--
Ken Vaughn
Visit My Workshop: http://home.earthlink.net/~kvaughn65/
.
Try a size larger pilot hole or wax the threads.
--
© Jon Down ®
http://www.stores.ebay.com/jdpowertoolcanada
"Mike" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I'm having trouble with wood screws breaking off under pressure (that
> is, when I'm screwing them in). I'm using steel wood screws,
> pre-drilling holes, and using white oak. They seem to be breaking off
> quite easily.
>
> Are there better screws to be using? All local hardware stores seem
> only to carry steel.
>
> Ideas?
>
> Thanks.
Spit on the screws and buy good one's.
"Mike" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> thanks for all the replies/advice, i appreciate it!
>
> [email protected] (Doug Miller) wrote in message
news:<0OKCb.16103$P%[email protected]>...
> > In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected] (Mike) wrote:
> > >I'm having trouble with wood screws breaking off under pressure (that
> > >is, when I'm screwing them in). I'm using steel wood screws,
> > >pre-drilling holes, and using white oak. They seem to be breaking off
> > >quite easily.
> > >
> > >Are there better screws to be using? All local hardware stores seem
> > >only to carry steel.
> > >
> > You won't find a better material than quality steel.
> >
> > Either you're not drilling your pilot holes large enough, or you're
using
> > inferior screws.
> >
> > The pilot holes should be a trifle smaller than the solid portion of the
shaft
> > of the screw. Various charts are available showing the appropriate size
of
> > pilot hole to use, depending on the size of the screw and the material
it's
> > being used in. Note that a pilot hole that's appropriately sized for,
say, a
> > #8 screw going into pine or fir, is too small for the same screw in
white oak.
> >
> > Check the packaging on the screws you're using for the country of
origin. If
> > it's China or India, the screws are definitely inferior. Best in my
experience
> > are ones made in the USA or Canada. Where are you buying your screws, at
a
> > home center (e.g. Lowe's, Home Depot), or a real hardware store (e.g.
Ace,
> > Tru-Value, etc)? I have much better luck finding American or Canadian
made
> > fasteners at the real hardware stores. Most of what the home centers
have is
> > junk.
> >
> > It also helps to lubricate the screw threads with wax before driving
them.
In a pinch it works
"Doug Miller" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:mn_Cb.16201$P%[email protected]...
> In article <[email protected]>, "FOW"
<[email protected]> wrote:
> >Spit on the screws and buy good one's.
>
> Bad idea to deliberately introduce moisture. Saliva isn't much of a
lubricant,
> either. Paste wax or paraffin is a much better choice.
>
>
> --
> Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)
>
> How come we choose from just two people to run for president and 50 for
Miss America?
[email protected] (Mike) wrote
...
> thanks for all the replies/advice, i appreciate it!
>
I see all the posts recommending a lubricant. In my estimation a
complete waste of time and totally unnecessary. Save the wax for 1/2"
galvanized lag bolts. It may also foul any future finish and surely
won't fix a problem with a improperly sized countersink.
If you are breaking screws, a)the pilot hole is not right and/or b)the
torque on the driver is set too high.
First determine where the break is occurring. If you are snapping off
the head as commonly happens with a hard wood like oak or maple then
you probably have not drilled the pilot hole in the top piece big
enough. Most common two step counter sinks sized for the threads do
not drill a big enough hole in the top piece. This hole must be big
enough to allow the thread to spin and draw the bottom piece up tight.
Oversize the countersink a bit or predrill the top piece with a bigger
bit.
Use the wax on your skiis.
mike
thanks for all the replies/advice, i appreciate it!
[email protected] (Doug Miller) wrote in message news:<0OKCb.16103$P%[email protected]>...
> In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] (Mike) wrote:
> >I'm having trouble with wood screws breaking off under pressure (that
> >is, when I'm screwing them in). I'm using steel wood screws,
> >pre-drilling holes, and using white oak. They seem to be breaking off
> >quite easily.
> >
> >Are there better screws to be using? All local hardware stores seem
> >only to carry steel.
> >
> You won't find a better material than quality steel.
>
> Either you're not drilling your pilot holes large enough, or you're using
> inferior screws.
>
> The pilot holes should be a trifle smaller than the solid portion of the shaft
> of the screw. Various charts are available showing the appropriate size of
> pilot hole to use, depending on the size of the screw and the material it's
> being used in. Note that a pilot hole that's appropriately sized for, say, a
> #8 screw going into pine or fir, is too small for the same screw in white oak.
>
> Check the packaging on the screws you're using for the country of origin. If
> it's China or India, the screws are definitely inferior. Best in my experience
> are ones made in the USA or Canada. Where are you buying your screws, at a
> home center (e.g. Lowe's, Home Depot), or a real hardware store (e.g. Ace,
> Tru-Value, etc)? I have much better luck finding American or Canadian made
> fasteners at the real hardware stores. Most of what the home centers have is
> junk.
>
> It also helps to lubricate the screw threads with wax before driving them.
I would do the following:
Use the correct pilot drill bit first
Use square drive screws
Use fine thread screws-not course
Use beeswax or candle wax to lube them. Do NOT use soap; they will
rust faster than you would think.
On 13 Dec 2003 10:51:14 -0800, [email protected] (Mike)
wrote:
>I'm having trouble with wood screws breaking off under pressure (that
>is, when I'm screwing them in). I'm using steel wood screws,
>pre-drilling holes, and using white oak. They seem to be breaking off
>quite easily.
>
>Are there better screws to be using? All local hardware stores seem
>only to carry steel.
>
>Ideas?
>
>Thanks.
In article <[email protected]>, "FOW" <[email protected]> wrote:
>Spit on the screws and buy good one's.
Bad idea to deliberately introduce moisture. Saliva isn't much of a lubricant,
either. Paste wax or paraffin is a much better choice.
--
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)
How come we choose from just two people to run for president and 50 for Miss America?
On 13 Dec 2003 10:51:14 -0800, [email protected] (Mike)
brought forth from the murky depths:
>I'm having trouble with wood screws breaking off under pressure (that
>is, when I'm screwing them in). I'm using steel wood screws,
>pre-drilling holes, and using white oak. They seem to be breaking off
>quite easily.
Are they cheap import screws? Give McFeelys a call/web visit
for better quality screws. http://www.mcfeelys.com
Are the drill bits tapered wood-screw bits? If not, get 'em.
Sure you're using the correct size bit for the screw?
Try using some paraffin on the threads as you install them.
--
Save the Endangered ROAD NARROWS! -|- www.diversify.com
Ban SUVs today! -|- Full Service Websites
Larry Jaques wrote:
> Try using some paraffin on the threads as you install them.
Don't know if this is an official Wreck-endorsed practice or not, but I'm
finding I really like Johnson's as a screw lube. (Johson's paste wax, not
Johnson and Johnson's KY Jelly, get your mind out of the gutter.) I just
poke them into the cake and zip them in. I have no idea what sort of
long-term effect this might have, as the solvent might never evaporate.
Doesn't seem to be a problem though, and they sure do go in easier.
Very necessary when driving teensy brass screws into hardwood, in order to
get the screw down tight and avoid destroying the head.
--
Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan <[email protected]>
Linux fanatic, and certified Geek; registered Linux user #243621
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Rue/5407/
Silvan writes:
>
>Don't know if this is an official Wreck-endorsed practice or not, but I'm
>finding I really like Johnson's as a screw lube. (Johson's paste wax, not
>Johnson and Johnson's KY Jelly, get your mind out of the gutter.) I just
>poke them into the cake and zip them in. I have no idea what sort of
>long-term effect this might have, as the solvent might never evaporate.
>Doesn't seem to be a problem though, and they sure do go in easier.
>
>Very necessary when driving teensy brass screws into hardwood, in order to
>get the screw down tight and avoid destroying the head.
The thing I usually use is a toilet ring. Wax, cheap (I think I paid 89 cents
for the last one), usually gets lost (or tossed by my wife) before it comes
close to being used up, stores easily on a nail in the wall (it's when I leave
it lying around that Frances tosses it, so the nail in the wall was a new
consideration).
Jim Ray has some good stuff in a tube, too, Pawtucky? Check McFeely's.
Charlie Self
"Man is a reasoning rather than a reasonable animal."
Alexander Hamilton
http://hometown.aol.com/charliediy/myhomepage/business.html
Larry Jaques wrote:
>>Black, foamy, like some kind of partially-cured but still gooey neoprene.
>>That's what Pop's pooper has.
>
> Strange.
I thought so too.
>>Mine was yellow stuff rather a lot like beeswax.
>
> Mine was a slightly amber ring with triple-thick vaseline-like
> goop on it. It smelled of hydrocarbons, which, I suppose, is
> much better than what it was going to smell like.
Mine smelled a lot like beeswax.
(I think it was beeswax.)
--
Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan <[email protected]>
Linux fanatic, and certified Geek; registered Linux user #243621
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Rue/5407/
On Sun, 14 Dec 2003 12:46:28 -0500, Silvan
<[email protected]> brought forth from the murky depths:
>Is that true? I just re-did a crapper a couple years ago, and I'd swear it
>was wax. Most of the ones I've seen are some kind of foamy gooey stuff,
>but this looked just like the 30 year old thing that I pulled off. Only
>with less shit on it.
Yup. The new stuff stays soft where the old wax got a lot
harder after the solvent dried. I put a nice, new terlit
in this house and the new ring was a synthetic. I've never
seen any foamy gooey stuff.
---
- Sarcasm is just one more service we offer. -
http://diversify.com Web Applications
On Tue, 16 Dec 2003 01:57:33 -0500, Silvan
<[email protected]> brought forth from the murky depths:
>Black, foamy, like some kind of partially-cured but still gooey neoprene.
>That's what Pop's pooper has.
Strange.
>Mine was yellow stuff rather a lot like beeswax.
Mine was a slightly amber ring with triple-thick vaseline-like
goop on it. It smelled of hydrocarbons, which, I suppose, is
much better than what it was going to smell like.
---
- Sarcasm is just one more service we offer. -
http://diversify.com Web Applications
Larry Jaques wrote:
>>>finding I really like Johnson's as a screw lube. (Johson's paste wax,
>>>not
>
> I keep meaning to try that.
Don't try, do.
>>>Johnson and Johnson's KY Jelly, get your mind out of the gutter.) I just
>
> Why? It's been comfy there for several decades now.
Because if you put KY on your screws, it will introduce moisture, you dolt!
>>The thing I usually use is a toilet ring. Wax, cheap (I think I paid 89
>>cents
>
> Didja know that there has been no wax in those things for a decade?
> It's all synthetic now.
Is that true? I just re-did a crapper a couple years ago, and I'd swear it
was wax. Most of the ones I've seen are some kind of foamy gooey stuff,
but this looked just like the 30 year old thing that I pulled off. Only
with less shit on it.
--
Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan <[email protected]>
Linux fanatic, and certified Geek; registered Linux user #243621
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Rue/5407/
Silvan responds:
>>
>> Didja know that there has been no wax in those things for a decade?
>> It's all synthetic now.
>
>Is that true? I just re-did a crapper a couple years ago, and I'd swear it
>was wax. Most of the ones I've seen are some kind of foamy gooey stuff,
>but this looked just like the 30 year old thing that I pulled off. Only
>with less shit on it.
Don't know for all of them, but the last 3 I bought (over 3 years, 2 for
toilets), were marked as containing beeswax and other waxes. Stuff is so cheap,
I can't see them substituting too heavily.
Charlie Self
"Man is a reasoning rather than a reasonable animal."
Alexander Hamilton
http://hometown.aol.com/charliediy/myhomepage/business.html
On 14 Dec 2003 19:31:46 GMT, [email protected] (Charlie Self)
brought forth from the murky depths:
>Don't know for all of them, but the last 3 I bought (over 3 years, 2 for
>toilets), were marked as containing beeswax and other waxes. Stuff is so cheap,
>I can't see them substituting too heavily.
Have you priced beeswax lately? With the death of so many bees
and fewer keepers, things are looking bad for crops which have
to be pollenated.
---
- Sarcasm is just one more service we offer. -
http://diversify.com Web Applications
Larry Jaques wrote:
> On 14 Dec 2003 19:31:46 GMT, [email protected] (Charlie Self)
> brought forth from the murky depths:
>
>
>>Don't know for all of them, but the last 3 I bought (over 3 years, 2 for
>>toilets), were marked as containing beeswax and other waxes. Stuff is so cheap,
>>I can't see them substituting too heavily.
>
>
> Have you priced beeswax lately? With the death of so many bees
> and fewer keepers, things are looking bad for crops which have
> to be pollenated.
$10/lb at Hobby Lobby - I use it for rigging model ships.
Grandpa writes:
>>
>> Have you priced beeswax lately? With the death of so many bees
>> and fewer keepers, things are looking bad for crops which have
>> to be pollenated.
>
>$10/lb at Hobby Lobby - I use it for rigging model ships.
>
Two bucks a pound from my FIL, free from my BIL.
Of course, the stuff still has some bees knees attached, but that's not a deal
killer when a pieceof cheesecloth and a double boiler cleans it up so quickly.
Mix it with some canning wax and you get a really great medium wax for almost
any job.
Charlie Self
"Man is a reasoning rather than a reasonable animal."
Alexander Hamilton
http://hometown.aol.com/charliediy/myhomepage/business.html
On 14 Dec 2003 11:36:31 GMT, [email protected] (Charlie Self)
brought forth from the murky depths:
>Silvan writes:
>
>>Don't know if this is an official Wreck-endorsed practice or not, but I'm
>>finding I really like Johnson's as a screw lube. (Johson's paste wax, not
I keep meaning to try that.
>>Johnson and Johnson's KY Jelly, get your mind out of the gutter.) I just
Why? It's been comfy there for several decades now.
>The thing I usually use is a toilet ring. Wax, cheap (I think I paid 89 cents
Didja know that there has been no wax in those things for a decade?
It's all synthetic now.
>Jim Ray has some good stuff in a tube, too, Pawtucky? Check McFeely's.
Yeah, I saw that stuff and wondered about it.
(When are you going to pull those thirty carriage returns off the tail
end of your sig, Charlie?)
---
- Sarcasm is just one more service we offer. -
http://diversify.com Web Applications
Larry Jaques wrote:
> harder after the solvent dried. I put a nice, new terlit
> in this house and the new ring was a synthetic. I've never
> seen any foamy gooey stuff.
Black, foamy, like some kind of partially-cured but still gooey neoprene.
That's what Pop's pooper has.
Mine was yellow stuff rather a lot like beeswax.
--
Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan <[email protected]>
Linux fanatic, and certified Geek; registered Linux user #243621
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Rue/5407/
Silvan wrote:
> Larry Jaques wrote:
>
>
>>harder after the solvent dried. I put a nice, new terlit
>>in this house and the new ring was a synthetic. I've never
>>seen any foamy gooey stuff.
>
>
> Black, foamy, like some kind of partially-cured but still gooey neoprene.
> That's what Pop's pooper has.
>
> Mine was yellow stuff rather a lot like beeswax.
Sounds like the sewer backed up and this stuff 'stuck' to the connection
- nasty!
Another thing to try along with or instead of lubricant is a hammer drill with
driver bit. Use square or phillips drive screws.
--
Erik "Grumpa" Ahrens
Apprentice Termite
I'd much rather be hammered than nailed 8~)
"Mike" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I'm having trouble with wood screws breaking off under pressure (that
> is, when I'm screwing them in). I'm using steel wood screws,
> pre-drilling holes, and using white oak. They seem to be breaking off
> quite easily.
>
> Are there better screws to be using? All local hardware stores seem
> only to carry steel.
>
> Ideas?
>
> Thanks.
The diameter of your pilot holes may be wrong. The link is to a good chart
that should get you in the ball park:
http://www.mcfeelys.com/html/wadb.html
--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 9/21/03
"Mike" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I'm having trouble with wood screws breaking off under pressure (that
> is, when I'm screwing them in). I'm using steel wood screws,
> pre-drilling holes, and using white oak. They seem to be breaking off
> quite easily.
>
> Are there better screws to be using? All local hardware stores seem
> only to carry steel.
>
> Ideas?
>
> Thanks.