• Please be sure to read the rules and adhere to them. Some banned members have complained that they are not spammers. But they spammed us. Some even tried to redirect our members to other forums. Duh. Be smart. Read the rules and adhere to them and we will all get along just fine. Cheers. :beer: Link to the rules: https://www.forumsforums.com/threads/forum-rules-info.2974/

Woodworkers - what screws to use in Maple?

waybomb

waybomb

Well-known member
GOLD Patron
My kid built a huge solid Maple china hutch over two years of high school wood shop. It is practically done, except he has a problem. The screws that he has been attempting to use to attach the hinges break. The hinges are the Euro style, kinda like the Lamborghini hinges of the wood working world. What type of screw should he use, what diameter, and what size pilot hole? The cabinet (solid Maple) and doors(veneer) are 3/4". We've seen these straight cut 5mm Euro screws, but wonder if they are strong enough to screw into the maple. Or do we have to buy some type of wood tap?
Any ideas would be appreciated.
 
waybomb said:
What type of screw should he use, what diameter, and what size pilot hole? The cabinet (solid Maple) and doors(veneer) are 3/4". We've seen these straight cut 5mm Euro screws, but wonder if they are strong enough to screw into the maple. Or do we have to buy some type of wood tap?
Any ideas would be appreciated.
Click to expand...

The hutch is solid, but what are the veneer doors? Particle board?

Euro screws seem to work in either for me. But, I'm not a pro wood worker. Maybe there's a better way.

I like Euro hinges, but I always take my time installing them. There is less margin for error with Euro hardware.

Consider using a Euro screw drill guide. They're made for slides and hinges, and for different brands.

Here's an example link: http://www.mcfeelys.com/product.asp?pid=MS-6006
 
The veneer doors are particle board, but he's having problems with the solid maple. Is there a guide somewhere for sizing pilot holes in various woods, similar to the tables for various metals?
 
Just a reminder........ I’m not a pro wood worker.

The only guide I know of for sizing pilot holes in wood, are generic.

Since different woods have different properties, I always experiment with scraps when holes are critical.

What I’ve discovered is that the threads of Euro screws don’t hold so well in wood.
69-6313x.gif


What I use are sheet rock type screws.
Either the coarse thread for soft wood, or the fine thread (made for metal studs) for hard wood like oak or maple.
I grind the points off to avoid punching though.
Pay attention to the smooth part of the shank. Sometimes smooth is desireable, other times all thread works best.
60-N.gif
61.gif


There are many different types of screws and other fasteners. The problem is those are not usually available at Home Depot or Lowes. And they are only sold in large quantities.

Whenever I need a hand full of specialty fasteners, I visit a pro shop. Most of those guys are pretty nice, and will give me a few pieces for a cup of coffee.
 
Sorry for taking so long to get back on this. I had my son bring home a piece of scrap from the maple he used. I went to a real fastener store and bought a small assortment of screws. Then I started experimenting with bits and screws and came up with a good strong sizing match. The cabinet is all done. He's finishing it now. I'll post pix when done. It is huge - 7' tall and 5' wide.
​
 
Twenty years ago a friend of mine who is a cabinet maker let me use his shop to build a solid maple butcher block table. I used sheet rock screws but I lubricated them by raking the treads across a bar of soap before I screwed them into the pilot holes. Worked for me. rugerman
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top