brass screws

[jamie shard]

Is it just me or do they snap off very easily? I drilled a pilot hole wider than the shank (7/64" if I remember correctly) and was screwing in a #6 1.25" screw into pine.

I got mine from the hardware store, made in china. Is it a manufacturing/metal quality problem? Or is it just the way brass screws are and a whole new sensitivity is needed for working with them?

[bridger berdel]

brass screws in general are fragile. cheap chinese brass screws are pretty much unuseable.
much more expensive (and much stronger) are marine bronze screws.

[Stuart Tierney]

You have to be careful with them, and buy good ones.

I'm lucky, the only ones I can buy are locally made, cheap and good.

The way I use them is to make sure there's a pilot hole (of course) and and to put a little wax on the threads before it goes in. Takes a LOT of the torque off the screwing process and stops them snapping so easily. Maybe even adds a little holding power as they can pull down harder because they can be twisted in further. Similar to torquing bolts, dry torque is vastly different to 'wet' torque, with less twist needed for 'wet' but more pull down force.

Sounds odd I suppose, seems to work very well.

Stu.

[Jessica Pierce-LaRose]

Whenever I work with brass screws, particularly those of questionable provenance, I often thread a steel screw into hole first to make soem threads in the wood for the brass screw to follow. If you're testing fitting hardware and going to be removing it before finish, it helps save wear and tear on the visible thread of the screw as well. Waxing, as Stu said, is also crucial.

The worst are the mounting screws that come with cheap guitar tuners.

[Peter Pedisich]

Years ago I bought a toilet bowl wax ring and dip the screws into that - makes them run into the wood with ease.

[jamie shard]

"unusable" seemed to be my experience... I was using an oversized pilot and wax and still snap!


Whenever I work with brass screws, particularly those of questionable provenance, I often thread a steel screw into hole first to make soem threads in the wood for the brass screw to follow.

Doh! That's so simple and pretty much foolproof!

I really like this place :)

[Dave Anderson NH]

I second Joshua's method. I learned to do it this way the same way I've learned most things in my life.....the hard way.

[Andrae Covington]

They don't make 'em like they used to, as the saying goes. I have been buying brass screws from a local hardware store and haven't snapped any, but they were probably made years ago. (And unfortunately their supply of common-sized slotted screws is dwindling.) I have snapped some from other sources.

The steel screw first is good advice.

Also a properly-fitting screwdriver should help keep the force centered on the axis of the screw... sloppy screwdriver tips sliding or tilting out-of-axis often provides the mechanism for failure. TheBestThings.com sells a nice set of parallel-tip cabinetmaker's screwdrivers made by Grace USA that I've been tempted to buy.

[Paul Saffold]

I second Joshua's method. I learned to do it this way the same way I've learned most things in my life.....the hard way.

Yep, on both comments.

[Trevor Walsh]

Proper sized pilot/shank holes, tapping with steel screw and wax are always used in my shop.

[jamie shard]

Y'all have saved me a few dozen snapped screws...

[george wilson]

I was surprised when I first came to Wmsbg. to see iron screws in original fancy brass hinges. They looked bad to me. But,they had only cast brass to make screws from back then,and didn't use brass screws in wood.

It is perfectly correct to use fire blued steel screws in the finest work. I take cadmium plated screws and soak them several seconds in muriatic acid. As soon as they stop bubbling,they are stripped. Then,they WILL rust like crazy,so I immediately drive off all traces of the acid by heating them till they turn blue.

The alternative would be to kill the acid with baking soda if you need them bright.

[Niels Cosman]

check it:
http://www.popularwoodworking.com/woodworking-blogs/chris-schwarz-blog/how-to-drive-brass-screws-with-care

I just received an order of #6 and #8 from jamestown distributers and I installed about 35 of them last night- i am a very happy camper.

[Peter Pedisich]

Proper sized pilot/shank holes, tapping with steel screw and wax are always used in my shop.

I use a nice tapered drill for my wood screws - got it at HD!
To c-sink, I have a small countersink in my smallest eggbeater, as long as it's sharp it makes a nice hole.

[Sam Murdoch]

Whenever I work with brass screws, particularly those of questionable provenance, I often thread a steel screw into hole first to make soem threads in the wood for the brass screw to follow. If you're testing fitting hardware and going to be removing it before finish, it helps save wear and tear on the visible thread of the screw as well. Waxing, as Stu said, is also crucial.

The worst are the mounting screws that come with cheap guitar tuners.

This is my technique as well - for brass and bronze screws and especially, as Joshua writes, for setting hardware.

[Tony Shea]

While we are on this subject, why is it next to impossible for me to get size #3 down to #0 screws in brass and steel? Does anyone have any good sources for screws of this small a size? I often build a small box or something that requires tiny brass screws of these sizes. The only place to get the brass screws is Lee Valley but are made in China. But steel screws that size I haven't been able to find at all. So I am stuck trying not to break off these tiny cheap brass screws in these projects without the option to use a steel screw first. Once in a while the #3's are not too hard to find. But anything smaller I don't think exists. Am I the only one using screws this small?

[Mike Brady]

I'll second the suggestion for brass screws from Jamestown Distributors, a marine supplier. Very good quality, but the last order I placed had one size b.o. for 12 weeks. Ugh. Boxes of 100 are very economical. Be sure to combine sizes for shipping.

[Jessica Pierce-LaRose]

For small sizes, you may want to check luthiery/guitar parts suppliers - I've had good luck with the screws for pickguards and tuners that StewMac sells, but they're pricey. Heard good things about the ones LMI sells as well. Certainly better than the stock that comes with lots of guitar parts these days, and the "Allparts" branded stuff I've gotten from the local music shop. The sizes are limited, but they might work.

Has anyone tried something like this (http://www.garrettwade.com/universal-screw-starter/p/17P01.01/) screw starter gizmo?

[Bob Strawn]

I tend to buy the same sizes of screws brass, steel or whatever. I have used a lot of nice screw starters and they are all lame as lane can be. Here is my answer to the problem. I made a birdcage screw starter. It does not have to be particularly even, diamond shaped is better than square probably. rough does not seem to hurt either. As crudely made as the one in the picture is, it works better than anything on the market.

http://toolmakingart.com/images/Quick%20Release%20Tools/Bird%20Cage%20Screw%20Starter.JPG

This works in mesquite, this works with power, this works by hand. It does not clog up, it is not slow. It resists dulling and it costs very little. Now that I have posted this, I fully expect to see this thing ripped off by the big boys and offered within a year. Compared to this, gimlets are worthless.

Bob

[daniel lane]

This works in mesquite, this works with power, this works by hand. It does not clog up, it is not slow. It resists dulling and it costs very little. Now that I have posted this, I fully expect to see this thing ripped off by the big boys and offered within a year. Compared to this, gimlets are worthless.

Bob,

Thanks for the post. This thing seems both obvious and ingenious - I can't believe I haven't seen these before! (You should file a patent!) I have plenty of bits and intend to try this, I appreciate your sharing. (Please note, my lawyer may be in touch when I drive this into my leg. ;))


daniel