ETomlinCF3 wrote: > > Jerry go with the Satin Spar Varnish. Clean all the holes with the rifle > brush first then dip the brush in the varnish till it wont drip to bad. Swab > about three holes then re-dip. Should do the trick. Wait a day or two for it > to dry. Some on the list will dip the pin then pound but I don't think that > is the way to go. Have done many as discribed below and all feel good to this > day. This is not how I learned it....... First, the varnish. The product that got this started was sold by Otto Trefz, Phila, PA, now gone. It was a LOW OIL varnish. If it's not low oil, I wouldn't use it. You swab just the top third or so of the hole, not the whole thing. The idea is to temporarily soften the wood fibers to reduce the damage from driving the pins. You don't get the benefit if it dries first. I suggest you try this test. Drill two identical pilot holes into hard maple for two identical large lag screws. Swab the top of one hole, leave the other dry. turn a screw into each hole. See if you can feel the difference in torque initially. Wait a few days and test torque again.
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