screw lubricant

[Michael MacDonald]

I think I break an inordinant amount of screw shafts... combine short attention span, hard oak and power drill, and I spend a lot of time trying to dig out the threaded portion... is regular wax a reasonable lubricant, or should I seek a specialty product...? I mostly use just regular wood screws from borg.

this old post recommends against borg screws, but I have them and don't want to toss... It also mentioned that beeswax was a good idea... so I wonder if non-bee wax will work... don't see why not...

by the way, I have even broken spax screws... grrr.

[Neil Brooks]

Don't laugh.

I use a wax ring -- the kind that you buy to seat a toilet onto the floor.

Works fine.

So does beeswax. So does soap. So does Akempucky.

[russell lusthaus]

I use bar soap.

[Thomas Knapp]

I think the toilet rings have a lot of bees wax in them. I've used them for years. Wax may not be the answer though. If your pilot holes are not drilled right, or you are over torquing the screws with a powered driver, you just break them faster. That is because they drive faster when lubed and then snap off when they bind up. Waxing makes them go in easier and faster if things are prepped right, so wax can be a good thing and gets a little more life out of a driver battery.

[Greg Portland]

If you are trying to use brass screws then -always- use a steel screw with the same threading first. In other words: predrill, screw with steel, then screw with brass. This may also be required for certain stainless screws (softer stainless used on fixtures & cabinet decorations, etc.).

If you are having problems with steel screws then go get some good screws . I order mine from McFeeleys which are pre-lubricated & self piloting. The Borg screws are garbage (except for the $$$ deck screws).

For lag bolts I use bar soap to lubricate the threads (and of course pre-drill).

[Michael MacDonald]

I did see the toilet wax ring recommenation later in that thread (but it was not on the first page, so I missed it at first)... that sounds like a clever idea, and I will give it a try.

[Fred Perreault]

I have never seen a screw lubricant be a substitute for the correct size pilot hole. When a threaded fastener starts to bind and travel with difficulty, it is a sign that the pilot hole might wanna' be a wee bit bigger. Especially if the fasteners are of low quality, or softer metal such as brass.

[Derek Noel]

My high school wood shop teacher had us use ivory bar soap. It worked well and you did not have to worry about wax affection your finish later.
+1 on using the correct pre-drill size. any time i try to skip the pre-drill or use too small of a bit that is when i break them off.

[Lex Boegen]

My high school wood shop teacher had us use ivory bar soap. It worked well and you did not have to worry about wax affection your finish later.
+1 on using the correct pre-drill size. any time i try to skip the pre-drill or use too small of a bit that is when i break them off.

I've heard that it's better not to use soap. The reasoning is that soap absorbs moisture which leads to the screw corroding. Wax (I use a candle stub) is a barrier against moisture.

[glenn bradley]

+1 toilet ring; cheap, stays soft in cold weather but doesn't run in hot weather. I keep it in a couple of Altoid tins.

[Vince Shriver]

A bar of soap (any brand).

[Michael Weber]

Two words. Peanut Butter. But, don't use Peter Pan, it tends to fly all over the place if you turn the screw too fast. After long research I have determined JIF is superior in all phases of screw lubrication. Not only will the screw enter effortlessly, your project will smell good afterward from the squeeze out. I always keep some crackers handy just for removing that squeeze out. It helps keeps the hunger away during long hours in the shop.

[Bill Huber]

I get those little packs of bees wax form Ace Hardware and they works for me.

But as has been said you need to make sure your pilot holes are the correct size.
A good set of bits helps in this area, I have some I got from Lee Valley and they are tapered and really do a nice job.

This is the set I got and they make a world of difference.
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.a...at=1,180,42240

[Kent A Bathurst]

I use a wax ring -- the kind that you buy to seat a toilet onto the floor.

Ditto. Cheap. Mash it down into a small tin with a lid or a plastic food container. Need 8 screws - then stick 8 screws into the wax and pull 'em out as you go. Every so often, I just re-mash it all to get out the holes and air pockets from screws.

[Gary Pennington]

Two words. Peanut Butter.

Peanut Butter rules.

Gary