screw lubricant

[Michael MacDonald]

I think I break an inordinant amount of screw shafts... combine short attention span, hard oak and power drill, and I spend a lot of time trying to dig out the threaded portion... is regular wax a reasonable lubricant, or should I seek a specialty product...? I mostly use just regular wood screws from borg.

this old post recommends against borg screws, but I have them and don't want to toss... It also mentioned that beeswax was a good idea... so I wonder if non-bee wax will work... don't see why not...

by the way, I have even broken spax screws... grrr.

[Neil Brooks]

Don't laugh.

I use a wax ring -- the kind that you buy to seat a toilet onto the floor.

Works fine.

So does beeswax. So does soap. So does Akempucky (http://www.jamestowndistributors.com/userportal/show_product.do?pid=1184).

[russell lusthaus]

I use bar soap.

[Thomas Knapp]

I think the toilet rings have a lot of bees wax in them. I've used them for years. Wax may not be the answer though. If your pilot holes are not drilled right, or you are over torquing the screws with a powered driver, you just break them faster. That is because they drive faster when lubed and then snap off when they bind up. Waxing makes them go in easier and faster if things are prepped right, so wax can be a good thing and gets a little more life out of a driver battery.

[Greg Portland]

If you are trying to use brass screws then -always- use a steel screw with the same threading first. In other words: predrill, screw with steel, then screw with brass. This may also be required for certain stainless screws (softer stainless used on fixtures & cabinet decorations, etc.).

If you are having problems with steel screws then go get some good screws :D. I order mine from McFeeleys which are pre-lubricated & self piloting. The Borg screws are garbage (except for the $$$ deck screws).

For lag bolts I use bar soap to lubricate the threads (and of course pre-drill).

[Michael MacDonald]

I did see the toilet wax ring recommenation later in that thread (but it was not on the first page, so I missed it at first)... that sounds like a clever idea, and I will give it a try.

[Fred Perreault]

I have never seen a screw lubricant be a substitute for the correct size pilot hole. When a threaded fastener starts to bind and travel with difficulty, it is a sign that the pilot hole might wanna' be a wee bit bigger. Especially if the fasteners are of low quality, or softer metal such as brass.

[Derek Noel]

My high school wood shop teacher had us use ivory bar soap. It worked well and you did not have to worry about wax affection your finish later.
+1 on using the correct pre-drill size. any time i try to skip the pre-drill or use too small of a bit that is when i break them off.

[Lex Boegen]

My high school wood shop teacher had us use ivory bar soap. It worked well and you did not have to worry about wax affection your finish later.
+1 on using the correct pre-drill size. any time i try to skip the pre-drill or use too small of a bit that is when i break them off.

I've heard that it's better not to use soap. The reasoning is that soap absorbs moisture which leads to the screw corroding. Wax (I use a candle stub) is a barrier against moisture.

[glenn bradley]

+1 toilet ring; cheap, stays soft in cold weather but doesn't run in hot weather. I keep it in a couple of Altoid tins.

[Vince Shriver]

A bar of soap (any brand).

[Michael Weber]

Two words. Peanut Butter. But, don't use Peter Pan, it tends to fly all over the place if you turn the screw too fast. After long research I have determined JIF is superior in all phases of screw lubrication. Not only will the screw enter effortlessly, your project will smell good afterward from the squeeze out. I always keep some crackers handy just for removing that squeeze out. It helps keeps the hunger away during long hours in the shop.


;)

[Bill Huber]

I get those little packs of bees wax form Ace Hardware and they works for me.

But as has been said you need to make sure your pilot holes are the correct size.
A good set of bits helps in this area, I have some I got from Lee Valley and they are tapered and really do a nice job.

This is the set I got and they make a world of difference.
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=32309&cat=1,180,42240

[Kent A Bathurst]

I use a wax ring -- the kind that you buy to seat a toilet onto the floor.

Ditto. Cheap. Mash it down into a small tin with a lid or a plastic food container. Need 8 screws - then stick 8 screws into the wax and pull 'em out as you go. Every so often, I just re-mash it all to get out the holes and air pockets from screws.

[Gary Pennington]

Two words. Peanut Butter.

;)


Peanut Butter rules.

Gary

[Noah Levy]

Screw lubricant? Geesh, not a "clever" remark in the house. What's wrong with this place?

[Neil Brooks]

Noah-

My responses ASSUMED the OP was talking about se ... :D

[Eric Gustafson]

Two words. Peanut Butter.
;)
Me? Jelly. Not just any jelly but marmalade, orange marmalade. Peanut butter! roflmao ;)

[Don Dorn]

I use the same parifin wax bars that I do for plane bottoms, but I'm switching to the toilet ring idea. Glad I saw this thread.

[Steven Berg]

I took a toilet O-ring and put it in an old yogurt container, works great. Aside from correct pilot hole size and length, I also pay attention to the torque setting on the driver.

[Andrew Nemeth]

I use minwax. The can is a nice stable base so I don't knock it over onto something and I can put the lid on when I'm done.

[Don Morris]

K-y jelly...couldn't resist. Actually I'm a beeswax man. Also have heard not to use soap as there may be corrosives in it, depending on the type used if it got wet. I think I'd only use a new toilet "O" ring though. Hard to think of saving one that's "been around". Just kind of yukky. But cheap.

[Howard Acheson]

Beeswax is an excellent lubricant. Particularly good is toilet seal which is a softer beeswax.

Also useful is a furniture paste wax like Johnson, Minwax, Trewax, etc.

Don't use soap. Soap contains lots of water and will cause the facteners to rust and can stain the wood

[Neil Brooks]

Perhaps an appropriate link to leave on this thread ... for future searches:

http://www.wlfuller.com/html/wood_screw_chart.html


keywords: predrill, pre-drill, pilot holes

[Lee Schierer]

Paraffin is generally too hard and flakey to work well as a lubricant for screws, but you can't beat it for lubricating a hand plane.

Beeswax will melt at about 140 degrees so it works well and most solvent based finishes will dissolve it so there are no finishing issues. Water based finishes may react differently.

Soap in general is hydroscopic (attracts water) and may also contain oils which will rust screws and stain the wood.

I know a lot of folks use toilet seal rings, but they also contain something else other than just wax.

Since I keep bees I have lots of beeswax and use it in my shop on all screws. Most beekeepers will give you a lump if you also purchase some honey and ask nice for the wax.

[Chris Padilla]

I get those little packs of bees wax form Ace Hardware and they works for me.

But as has been said you need to make sure your pilot holes are the correct size.
A good set of bits helps in this area, I have some I got from Lee Valley and they are tapered and really do a nice job.

This is the set I got and they make a world of difference.
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=32309&cat=1,180,42240

Nice...I have a cheaper version of those same bits...I bet LV works better!

[Neil Brooks]

I know a lot of folks use toilet seal rings, but they also contain something else other than just wax.


Got me curious.

So far, they all seem to contain "100% pure petroleum wax."

Do you know of other common ingredients, in these things, that we should watch out for ?

[george wilson]

Just drag the screw through a candle and press the wax into the threads. When doing important,or fine work use a pilot hole.When hanging 400+ feet of shop shelving,just wax!!

[Andrew Gibson]

I use paste wax. I have a can of Minwax from the BORG and a can of briwax and I use whichever is handy. I also use it on my frame saw blade and on my other tools that need something to ward off rust.