Custom wood screw help?

[wonderwolf]

Ok, long story short. Higher up at work found out I have a shop and approached me about having a half dozen (he actually wants 4 but I'll make 6 just cause Murphy is in charge) self taping screws (for wood...ie wood screws...not screws made out of wood) for a piece of furniture he is restoring (circa 1936).

Now, I love turning threads on my lathe but 100% have been machine threads...not wood threads. I'll look in "machinists handbook" later tonight and see if there is a profile for what needs made or not. 1936 wood screws I'm thinking may have more thread depth and less taper than we see in today's screws.

Has anybody here worked a project like this in the past? special considerations?

I'll see a sample of the screw sometime in the next 2 days, I wont have long to make them as my circumstances are that my shop is nowhere near where I currently reside sadly and I'm only there for a wedding over the weekend. I do know its a flathead screw that has a odd "round peg" section towards the bottom. more to align something than to hold it. Not really sure just what but If its something he can't readily find, I'll get my brownie points in where I can if its something I can make.

[Bazoo]

Consider trying to match the screws first before making them. I know it is probably a long shot for screws that old, but on the other hand, I imagine back then, there wasnt 100s of different makers of screws like there is today. You might just get lucky.

[country gent]

Look hard at the finish on the screws for machine marks file marks and hammer marks. A lot of old screws wernt machined but were hand filed or hand forged, very silimalar to early nails. There may be a taper to them and this can be fun to cut as its not always a true taper but similar to an ogive on a bullet. Look at the machine finish close and it possible under magnification for th tell tale manufacturing finish.
A straight tapered thread can be cut with a taper attachment or offsetting the tail stock. On this job false centers are your friend. a small false center on a stub 3/8" long gives more working room. These are then cut off when the part is finished. A wood screw thread is on the coarse side compared to machine threads, the compound is going to move quick even at slow speeds.

[Grmps]

Old wood screws predominantly have slotted heads.
The self-tapping cabinet screws I've seen are blind joint screws that go in drilled screw pockets, they are pan-head usually Philips.
other self-tapping screws would be deck screws.
You really don't need self-tapping screws, I usually use something similar to
DEWALT DW2535 3 Piece #6, #8, and #10 Countersink Assortment
https://www.amazon.com/DEWALT-DW2535-Piece-Countersink-Assortment/dp/B0000225OU/ref=pd_sim_469_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=K5Q5AHEH4WFKH1821DN1&dpID=51QMLOynRSL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=detail

these have a tapered drill bit /countersink combo so you can use regular screws

A little more information would be helpful ie: what are you building, what are you building it out of

[KCSO]

I save wood screws from old guns and furniture to use in making muzzleloader and I bought 20 pound of antique screws from an old carpenter. Send me a picture and dimensions and I might have them.

[deltaenterprizes]

The Home Shop Machinist had an article about cutting threads on wood screws.
I would go to the website and post in the General forum.

[pietro]

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Just about any woodscrew can be used for his restoration, provided that the original screws in whatever location were originally covered after install with a wood plug, and so would naturally be re-plugged - which, of course, is a no-go for exposed screw head locations, like the underside of a table, inside of a cabinet, etc, etc.

I would further suggest that any newly-made exposed woodscrew heads be treated with a cold blue, or browning solution, so their finish would more closely match the finish of the piece being restored.


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