Question on putting screws into phenolic

[Paul Johnstone]

Hi, I recently bought a used shaper. The previous owner replaced the wood fence pieces with phenolic. I'd like to screw on the board buddy track for hold downs.

My question is, should I just use wood screws, or should I tap holes for machine screws? Or something else? What is the best way to do this? I've never worked with this material. Thanks as always.

[Bill Houghton]

At least in the phenolic I've seen, tapped holes are better.

[Bruce Page]

Tapped holes. A fine pitch thread, as opposed to a coarse thread, will give you more holding strength.

[george wilson]

tap the holes like in metal. You may wring off screws trying to simply drill a hole and screw them in.

[Jonathan Spool]

Ditto, ditto, and ditto. I tried to cheat once by just drilling a slightly oversized hole for a pan head screw, and proceeded to twist the head off.
Drill and tap just like metal.

[Paul Johnstone]

Thanks again, everyone. :) I will tap.

[J. Z. Guest]

Are you sure the material is phenolic? Phenolic is a super-hard thermoset material. Brittle and no flex at all in it.

Either tap, or use carriage bolts in counterbored holes.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

Tap 'em~!! Phenolic cuts nicely but it doesn't take wood screws well as the material crumbles when the screw forces the material aside and you can cause de-lamination or cracks which will propagate. .
Don't use oil when cutting or tapping. An air gun to clear the chip is all you'll ever need.

[Paul Johnstone]

Tap 'em~!! Phenolic cuts nicely but it doesn't take wood screws well as the material crumbles when the screw forces the material aside and you can cause de-lamination or cracks which will propagate. .
Don't use oil when cutting or tapping. An air gun to clear the chip is all you'll ever need.

Thanks, I would've used oil.. I'm glad I procrastinated another day :)

Jeremy, the seller said that it was phenollic. It's really hard plastic. I think he was able to get some thick scraps of it.

[Scott Loven]

"Phenolic" consists of layers of paper or cotton cloth that has been saturated in phenolic resin and pressed under heat and pressure to form a very rigid composite. You can drill and tap it like metal.
Scott

[J. Z. Guest]

Phenolic can also be used on its own, without any fiber.

It is used in the electrical business in this manner.

Is yours the reinforced fiber type or just plain phenolic?