Was "individual hitch pins" - Now: New Screws in New Pinblock/Richard Strang's Question

[Joseph Garrett]

Richard,
I'm not too sure what other techs do, but I prefer to use a fail-safe
method, that I developed after a few broken screws in pinblocks. I have a
chart on the wall, that is essentially from "CABINETMAKING And Millwork", by
John L. Feirer. (This is considered to be the Bible of woodworking, by
many.) This chart gives the appropriate drill sizes for screws, in Soft
Woods and Hard Woods. There are two diameters to be considered: The diameter
of the Shank of the screw and the diameter needed for the threaded part of
the screw. The first hole to be drilled is the Shank hole. This hole should
be just slightly less than the length of "unthreaded" part of the screw.
Then the "thread" hole is drilled to the depth of the length of the screw. I
prefer to go just about 1/16" less, as the tip of the screw needs to "cut"
into the wood. Of course there are  combination drills to accomplish this,
as well as do a countersink. However, there are none of these "combination"
types, that I know of, for the large screws we use in the plate, etc. There
is a third kind of bit/combination that is tapered. I have a set of these,
but don't like them.
Anyway, once the holes have been drilled, I have some "screw cutters", (my
term), that I have made out of the appropriate sized screws. (The ones I
have are for #16, #18, #20 & #24.) Essentially, what I did to make these
"Screw Cutters", was to use a round file, (Chain saw type), to cut a slot,
slightly off center of the axis of the screw. This slot is all the way up to
the "Shank". This, off-axis groove exposes the sides of the threads, which
become cutters.<G>
I then, slather the "screw cutter" with Bee's Wax and start the "screw
cutter in the predrilled holes. I run it in, in the same fashion as one
would do when cutting threads on a round drill rod, etc.(i.e., turn one full
turn, back off one half turn, turn one full turn back off, clear the
chips......., until you've "threaded" the holes, so that they will accept
the proper screw without a binding situation. Oh, I use vise-grips on the
top part of the shank to give me the leverage to do the Threading.
If this description is unclear.....it's been a long day.<G>
Best Regards,
Joe Garrett, RPT, (Oregon)

Been There, Didn't Like It, So I'm Here To Stay! [G}