# Waxing screws?



## Wolffie (Nov 4, 2015)

I've read a couple places that when you are using screws as temporary fasteners to hold wood as epoxy cures, you should wax them so they don't get stuck? And I've read of using a wax ring for a toilet and paste waxes being suitable for this.

So I thought I'd ask, what do you use? And how do you ensure good epoxy bonds after the epoxy sets and you're filling the screw holes? In my case I'll be using screws to hold my chine logs to the stem. Then later to hold planking to stringers. 

Thanks.


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

Wolffie said:


> I've read a couple places that when you are using screws as temporary fasteners to hold wood as epoxy cures, you should wax them so they don't get stuck? And I've read of using a wax ring for a toilet and paste waxes being suitable for this.
> 
> So I thought I'd ask, what do you use? And how do you ensure good epoxy bonds after the epoxy sets and you're filling the screw holes? In my case I'll be using screws to hold my chine logs to the stem. Then later to hold planking to stringers.
> 
> Thanks.


I don't use wax as it will leave a residue that you can not get out. Even if you try drilling it out you will slobber the wax around the hole by the bit.

I spray my screws with silicone and let them thoroughly dry for a day or so before using. Then to fill the hole I use a Cajun injector syringe with the tip cut off. The injector thing is what is used for injecting flavors into turkeys and such. Use a countersink bit on the hole before filling then Insert the needle to the bottom of the hole and start filling and then slowly pull it out as the glue fills the hole and leave a mushroom head.


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## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

I've always just pulled them before a hard cure. I'll take some left over thickened resin and put it on a scrap piece as a guage, then check it every 20-30 minutes. When it's hard, but still sticky to the touch, I'll pull the screws out. Then after a full cure you drill out the hole a tad bigger and fill it in with thickened epoxy.


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## Wolffie (Nov 4, 2015)

Thanks for the suggestions! I like the idea of a coating. As I don't always have time to babysit the build. Sometimes I may clamp something together with epoxy and it may be a couple days before I can work on it again... 

Yesterday I bought a can of silicon lube and sprayed a few screws with it. Today they're still wet... Going to look for another brand. Also eyeing the Boeshield T9 I've got. The Johnson paste wax is dry and still very tempting. It's what I coat my saw tables with.


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## WhiteDog70810 (May 6, 2008)

It depends on how deep you set the screws. I screw screws in just far enough to hold the piece in place, nothing more, and I remove them within a couple of hours most of the time. I never treat the threads and time isn't all that critical. Remember that epoxy needs a porous surface for a strong mechanical bond. A metal screw does not provide that, so as long as you don't countersink the screw across a huge void and thereby provide a huge surface area for the epoxy to bond to. In most cases, you are only breaking a screw free from 1/16-1/8" of actual epoxy contact. You can remove screws out to 24 hours later without issue. After 24 hr, epoxy gets much harder, but it doesn't contract. Screws still broke loose easily in the few instances when I have waited longer. If a screw strips out or, more commonly, if epoxy clogs the slots of screwhead, grab the head with a monkey wrench and twist it out. I did this a few times and it is one more reason to not sink the screwhead. I usually use 1 5/8" deck screws and over half of the screw is left out. I am still reusing the same screws that I started with for projects.

Nate


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## tomahawk (Mar 9, 2012)

I use drywall screws straight out of the box. Iv'e never had any not want to come out and I generally have left them in for 24 hrs give or take....


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## Wolffie (Nov 4, 2015)

I bought a couple boxes of tek lath screws for when I get to the planking. And I'm thinking I'll probably be fine to just use those bare.

Yesterday I wiped down/buffed a few of the screws that had paste wax on them, to get them shiny. And I used two on each side to secure the chine logs to the stem with thickened epoxy and let them cure until tonight. They unscrewed really easily... After ~ 30 hours or so. And there was no visible residue. I'll let it cure a couple more days then drill the holes out with a tapered countersink bit and fill the holes. It seems to be fine. But... It's too work intensive. 

The silicone lubed screws were still wet. So, I'll probably just use the screws plain when I do the planking. Unless I find a spray that dries. 

Thanks for all the suggestions!


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