wood screws?

[TDM]

Great information here, thanks for posting.

[GrizG]

Knowing some technical details of "How Did They Do That"  (HDTDT) can be a great help in assigning dates.

Jim

That is true... with a caveat of where it was stocked being a wild card. My training at Williamsburg's shop (admittedly decades old) included information indicating that in the colonies there was a cottage industry of screw making outside gunsmith shops. Screws originating from there were typically filed by woman and children. I have to imagine any guns from across the pond, coming out of the guilds, would be more inclined to have swaged screws. Thus, what was available in any given smith's locale (imported, cottage or shop made), and the specific time (pre, during, post rev war for example) present confounds in dating by screw technology... When I was at CW screws were hand filed. I'll ask George if that changed...

[James Wilson Everett]

Guys,

An additional piece of information on wood screws.  These are machine cut wood screws made without the sharp point.  Here is a photo of one such screw.



The patent for the machine that makes this type of wood screw is Patent Number 830, 1838.  These screw obviously have no sharp point, and are straight sides - not tapered.

Jim

[Mattox Forge]

I had measured some original screws from some of my guns. I thought I would post the data for everyone's reference.









These are screws from an E BAKER officer's pistol



Both have a 26 tpi pitch






I have gradually acquired a set of thread dies. I know they are old, I don't know how they will do making screws, but after I recover from rotator cuff repair, I am going to try it.



Mike

[Bob Roller]

That multi die set of tools will probably be useful with the current 12L14.I know from making screws using a 6x18 Atlas lathe and I have used it to make screws as small as 1x72. Figuring out a harder way to do anything has never been part of my shop work and now at 87
it ain't gonna happen.
Bob Roller

[Jim Kibler]

That multi die set of tools will probably be useful with the current 12L14.I know from making screws using a 6x18 Atlas lathe and I have used it to make screws as small as 1x72. Figuring out a harder way to do anything has never been part of my shop work and now at 87
it ain't gonna happen.
Bob Roller

I sure can appreciate the sentiment about making things harder! 

[Cody Tetachuk]

I am trying to remember how I made my wood screws. I know that I did not like the commercial ones that were available (this may have changed in the last 14 years) because the slots were wide enough to drive my B61 Mack through. IIRC, I would build up the head a bit with the mig, then take a plate I made with various sizes of holes and counter sinks and Swedge them in the plate, dome the top in the lathe and cut THIN slots.

[godutch]

track of the wolf has them

    Just an observation here but I'd always gotten my screws from TOW but the last wood screws I got were really sub par.  Very wide slots, soft as butter, and one in three have the slots off center. I suspect they now are coming from 'the land of almost right' (China).  'Just a heads-up.

[Cody Tetachuk]

track of the wolf has them

    Just an observation here but I'd always gotten my screws from TOW but the last wood screws I got were really sub par.  Very wide slots, soft as butter, and one in three have the slots off center. I suspect they now are coming from 'the land of almost right' (China).  'Just a heads-up.

Because everyone spending $1000 on parts wants to save .07 per screw even if they are $#@*. 

[Daryl]

That multi die set of tools will probably be useful with the current 12L14.I know from making screws using a 6x18 Atlas lathe and I have used it to make screws as small as 1x72. Figuring out a harder way to do anything has never been part of my shop work and now at 87
it ain't gonna happen.
Bob Roller

On the other hand, I like doing things the hard way, Bob. That gives me an excuse not to do them - they're too hard.