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Finding swage to make a metal screw for fastening wood together


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Since we don't know what your exact application is we can only guess at the type of wood screw you are aiming for.  With that in mind have you considered taking unplated lag screws and reforging the heads to be more decorative?

 

Some examples include:

http://www.tetoniron.com/Hardwarelags.html

https://www.blacksmithsdepot.com/page.php?theLocation=/Resources/Product/hardware.xml

http://www.blacksmithbolt.com/

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I don't see how one of those are used by one man unless you do it while the blank is still in a lathe? Since it tapers, and you would have to hold on to the swage with one hand and tighten it with the other to compensate for this taper.

And it should be possible to forge a blank and dress it with a file, but then what do you do if you have no lathe or it is too off center for a lathe?

Did they always turn these blanks back in the day?

If you go to the link given by BOB S you may be able to understand. The blank can either be filed to shape or done in the lathe. If filed and no lathe is available the rod can be held in a vise while turning the handle and tightening the clamp screw at the same time. Also compare the difference between the swadged screw and the filed screw. The filed one has a taper and point,the swaged one has a flat end with much less taper.

 

Wood screws with flat ends are used as one of the initial markers when first trying to date artifacts that are assembled with wood screws.

Hope this helps,

 

DOC

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the "thread swedge" as mentioned is a threading die for making machine screw thread, not wood screws. Wood screws have unequal lands and grooves, with better quality examples having much wider grooves and very thin lands. This leaves most wood in the hole  intact and more between each land. These split dies do about half their work by swaging and half by cutting. They do produce chips!

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Thanks to everybody for the replies. David Einhorn, I had thought about that, but I would rather make my own. I know it's easier to get some pre-made at the hardware store, but it's not near as fun. And unless I'm making something that's gonna need a lot of screws, it would probably be cheaper and faster to make them than it would be driving to town to buy a couple.

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If you watch all the Woodwright programs when Roy is with a Smith he is always in the way. I watched one the other night when Roy was at the Anderson Forge in Williamsburg w/ Peter Ross and Roy kept getting in the way there too. I think it just has to do with Roy and his qwerkie nature. 

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