Faceplate screw question

[Bernie Kopfer]

I’m wondering if there is some standard as to minimum size and length of screw to use to fasten a faceplate to a wood blank. I’m sure that the longer and bigger the better. I doubt there is any research on this topic, so it comes down to what experience and failures have taught us. And then there is green wood vs dry wood, and size of faceplate.

[Grant Wilkinson]

Like you, Bernie, I doubt that there is any scientific research on this. All but one of my faceplates have countersunk holes that take a number 10 screw head flush. So, I use number 10 screws that penetrate my glue blocks by about an inch. I don't use faceplates screwed directly into my blanks, so I can't help there.

[Walter Mooney]

The 'conventional wisdom', from what I've seen and heard, is sheetmetal screws, and NOT course-thread drywall screws. If your faceplate, like Grant's, has countersinks, then flathead screws, if no countersinks, then pan head screws. The bigger the diameter the better -- number 8 minimum, up to and including number 12 screws. C-T screws are too brittle, and don't have a lot of shear strength, whereas sheetmetal screws do. Anyway, that's what I use.

Stay safe both in the shop and out! Don't let your guard down in either location! :)

[Kyle Iwamoto]

+1 to bigger is better.
And I can personally say that drywall screws, which I'm sure everyone has, and is handy, and cheap, is NO GOOD. Yes, they shear off completely and rather easily. AND now you have this spinning thingie bouncing around with several very sharp sheared off remnants, which, by the way, is real hard to get out. Not that I'm admitting to being dumb and actually doing that......... Well, for the benefit for others, yes, been there done that. Don't try this at home. I'm a professional.

[Dave Mount]

Have never seen any actual data, but additional factors would be the number of screws, and the diameter, weight, and relative balance of the workpiece.

Relying on collective experience in lieu of data -- I am typically turning green blanks in the 11" to 14" range with the 3" faceplate that came with my Powermatic 3520. My default is six #10 1.25" pan head screws (no countersink on that faceplate) -- that probably puts about 7/8" of screw actually in the wood. I will use longer ones if a piece is really large/heavy, badly out of balance, or if I think I need to get deeper to get to sound wood (not uncommon to have some punky wood near the center of the blank). I've never had a screw break, nor had a piece come loose.

Best,

Dave

[Stan Calow]

Maybe its obvious to experienced folks, but I had a major failure of faceplate/machine screws trying to turn end grain in green wood.

[Bernie Kopfer]

Maybe its obvious to experienced folks, but I had a major failure of faceplate/machine screws trying to turn end grain in green wood.
Did you mean actual machine screws that are meant to have nuts screwed on them? Wood threaded, or sheet metal threads would bite into wood well. I was turning a large but thin green blank for a plate and did not want deep screw holes. As I was pushing hard I realized there was not much holding it on. That said I have done light cutting on dry wood held on with DS tape, emphasis on light cuts!

[Mike Nathal]

I'm pretty sure I have read that end grain needs to be pre-drilled before inserting the screws.

[Stan Calow]

Did you mean actual machine screws that are meant to have nuts screwed on them?

I meant the sheet metal screws previously referred to. I dont know if it was the green-ness or the end-grain that was the problem but all four screws pulled out at once with a very slight catch, launching the maple blank in multiple pieces. I wont try that again.

[Dick Strauss]

Screws are best sunk on the diagonal ias much as possible in end grain wood...

[Robert D Evans]

If the wood is not really green and soft, you probably need to pre-drill the holes. Shearing off a screw in your bowl blank is a real pain to get out.

I use 1 3/4" #12 screws. I'll put about 6 of them in the faceplate. It might be overkill but I don't want a 40 lb bowl blank dancing around the shop.

[John K Jordan]

The 'conventional wisdom', from what I've seen and heard, is sheetmetal screws, and NOT course-thread drywall screws. If your faceplate, like Grant's, has countersinks, then flathead screws, if no countersinks, then pan head screws. The bigger the diameter the better -- number 8 minimum, up to and including number 12 screws. C-T screws are too brittle, and don't have a lot of shear strength, whereas sheetmetal screws do. ...

Sheet metal screws are what the late Lisi Oland told me she used. (She made huge bowls, I mean huge!) She had a large custom-made face plate with a lot of holes and said it was important to not skimp but put a screw in each hole, the largest that would fit.

JKJ

[Don Stephan]

Even though the Oneway 6" faceplate has countersunk holes, after seeing them recommended a number of times I use hex head #10 or #12, not sure, sheet metal screws with a stainless washer under the head (because of the countersunk holes). At minimum I fill the outer rim of holes, 8 screws; for larger blanks I fill the inner rim as well. I have never predrilled for these screws, but I don't leave the faceplate on the blank - it is mounted, the outside of the blank turned, and the faceplate immediately removed. Not sure of the lengths, but perhaps 1 1/4" for smaller blanks and 1 1/2" screws for larger blanks. I'm always turning green wood blanks. If the blank is on the small size, I use a dedicated screw chuck from Craft USA.

[Michael Mills]

Like most of the others I use hex head sheet metal screws (#12). Same screws for over 10 years and never had one break or strip.
I predrill in dry wood but just drive them in in wet.
Little plastic strips keeps the lengths organized in a zip lock bag.

[Don Stephan]

Had reason to use the Oneway faceplate today for four sycamore 12" blanks. I was wrong (nothing new) the outer circle on the Oneway faceplate has holes for 12 screws, not 8. Without the little washer, the hex head sheet metal screw dips into the countersunk hole and the driver can't get a good grip on it to remove.

[Alex Zeller]

It all depends on the size of the blank and how out of balance it is. Also it depends on what I'm making. For example if it's a bowl I'll use the inner screw holes on the face plate with longer screws (#12 screws work with my face plate holes) because that part of the blank is going to end up on the floor. I always drill pilot holes and most of the the #12 screws I use are 1" long. But screws bite real well with the species of wood I turn. Softer wood or wood that might be more prone to splitting would also play a role in my decision as to what screws and how many to use. Never had a problem but my first task is to cut a mortise for my chuck's jaws so I can remove the face plate and a slow speed. The screws I use are #3 philips. Since I drill a pilot hole they go in snugly but not so hard that I have to use a lot of force. This is one of those areas where you kind of have to learn what works for you as there's so many variables.

[Hal Mann]

Based on this forum I switched to sheet metal screws. Used box store wood screws before. What difference. Much much better.

Do you reuse your screws or once and done?

hal

[Jeffrey J Smith]

Based on this forum I switched to sheet metal screws. Used box store wood screws before. What difference. Much much better.

Do you reuse your screws or once and done?

hal I’ve used the same screws for well over a decade with no problems. #10 and #12 stainless sheet metal screws in a couple of lengths for different size blanks, square drive pan heads. if your faceplate doesn’t have a countersink on the face side, its a good idea to countersink them - it gives the wood fibers that are pulled out when setting screws a place to go and allows the blank to sit tighter to the faceplate. Never lost a blank from a faceplate - end or face grain.

[roger wiegand]

I've never lost a piece to screw failure, so I'm not sure what the minimum requirements might be. I've never tried drywall screws, as I'm not interested in having 80 lb chunks of wood flying around the shop. For a long time I used good quality "deck screws". I've tried regular wood screws but too often twisted the top off when driving them in after a few uses. I think the quality of modern wood screw metal just isn't up to repeated driving with an impact driver. The last couple of years I've been using #12 Spax screws with a torx drive. The same eight screws have held up through ~100 bowl blanks at this point. They are, as I recall, 2" long, I don't pre-drill the holes. My faceplates have countersunk holes; I don't think using a sheet metal screw that would leave a big gap under the head would be a good idea. On a flat faceplate I'd want a round head or sheet metal screw.