Wood vise screws--how to finish

[Jameel Abraham]

I'm totally new to these. Do I finish the threads on the screw and nut? My gut tells me a couple coats of a hardening oil like Watco, followed by some paste wax. But maybe that's not the best. Unfinished, they are a bit grippy.

Incidentally, I'm building a Roubo-style bench with these. I'm posting the progress to my blog (oudluthier at blogspot), if anyone is interested.

[David DeCristoforo]

A "bit grippy" is a good thing. The screws will "wear in" quickly with use. Oil may make them "grippier". Wax would be the best to lubricate the threads but not too much or your wooden screws might become "slippy". That looks really sweet BTW.....

[Stephen Shepherd]

Oil would be a finish, wax is just a surface treatment.

Actually you should just burnish the threads as that is all that is necessary, they will become sloppy soon enough (not that soon).

Any wax or oil or anything else will attract dust.

Stephen

[Jameel Abraham]

Thanks David and Stephen.

Stephen, can you elaborate on "burnish the threads"?

[Robert Loss]

If you need a looser fit right away, depending on the wood you can try and give the surface a spray with water, wait a few minutes and recut the thread. I usually only do this to the male thread as I use linseed oil as a lube for the female thread which means it won't absorb any water for a while. I'd advise on practicing with a piece of the same timber first and wait unit the timber is dry and checking the fit.

[Stephen Shepherd]

Bob,

I have also used linseed oil to lub for internal threads on particularly hard woods and the residue does dry.

I also swell the external thread with water to raise the grain, then run it through the screw box after it is completely dry. I have also done this to the internal threads providing I didn't use the oil first.

Jameel,

I burnish the threads with a bone folder after raising the grain and freshining the threads. The bone or hardwood stick burnishes the threads, pushing down the softer grain down and polishes them making them work easier.

Stephen

[James Carmichael]

Very cool. How did you cut the threads?

[Jameel Abraham]

Thanks, Stephen. Now I get it.

James, I didnt make the screw. I bought it from Big Wood Vise (.com)