Faceplate screw strenghts ?

[The Bowler Hatted Turner]

If I have to bolt it to a faceplate it is obviously to heavy for me to lift.

[bodrighywood]

I have used a combination of screws and hot glue to hold awkward pieces sucj as burrs or pieces with bark to faceplates. Personally I am never that sure of the strenth of screws and  will always bring the tailstock up if possible for safety. If turning away from the bed then definitely a case of belt and braces, e.g screws and hot glue. Remember also that the lathe itself can be a problem if the piece is so heavy that it needs bolts. What does that weight spinning even at low rpm do to the bearings?

Pete

[John Plater]

Quote from fuzzyturns:-
Use coach screws, and a suitable nut to wind them in and out. Would the "suitable nut" be the woodturner ? 
ATB John

[Bryan Milham]

When it comes to machine Bolts, there is certainly a choice of 'strengths' in the material they are made from and the torque they can be tightened to. Please see the linked website.
https://www.boltdepot.com/fastener-information/materials-and-grades/bolt-grade-chart.aspx

I must admit that I don't know if this is the same for screws, although in some sizes Stainless ones are available, if nowhere else try a Yacht Chandler.

Also, I've no idea where you live, but in any town of reasonable size, there is normally a trade shop (not DIY Shed) that specialises in supplying Tools & Fixings. Certainly here in Weston we have shop called WSM Fastners (that actually sponsor the Weston Wood-tuning Circle) & Nuts & Bolts. Both of which are able to help you select and supply the correct fixings.

I'd recommend you find your nearest and go have a chat. And while you're there, buy some spare screws and grub-screws for any chuck or tool that has them. If you've not already dropped one in the shavings, you will do eventually!

[Wood spinner]

This is the faceplate , Its a Oneway 8" , The holes measure 6mm so I would need shouldered screws or bolts
IMG_3715 by , on Flickr
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.IMG_3716 by , on Flickr
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.IMG_3717 by , on Flickr

[Bryan Milham]

If you look at the back of the Face-plate, the holes are countersunk.
Anything that either sits inside the counter-sink area or a head that sits flat on the surface will give maximum grip.

[Wood spinner]

Looks like I have found suitable screws , They are countersunk and have a shoulder

Time will tell but hopefully that will do the job

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/231321642535?var=530576843149&ssPageName=STRK:MESINDXX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1436.l2649

[BrianH]

the trouble with this kind of thread, it seems to me, is we all try to help with whatever skillsets we have collected from around the cosmos, and its all really helpful data, but no-one seems to ask possibly the most pertinent question(s) to help a beginner, namely:-
 
Has anyone out there ever had a set of screws, or a faceplate come to that, which have broken in use?

If 'yes' answers appear then we all need as many details as possible so we don't fall down the same hole but if, as I suspect, there are  no 'yes' answers then the nearest screws are almost certainly good enough and 'lots of them' is the obvious caveat.
Brian

[John Plater]

Has anyone out there ever had a set of screws, or a faceplate come to that, which have broken in use?
I have never broken a faceplate but have sheared a number of screws and coach bolts when winding them in. Maybe I was too heavy handed, incorrect pilot hole drilled, no pilot hole drilled or, being a tight wad, re-using old screws. I will always use as many screws as possible, belt and braces and all that. A recent piece used 16 off 10mm diameter x 100mm long hex headed coach bolts. But it was a bit big !!
ATB John

[Bryan Milham]

I managed to break a Gold Screw once, they are hardened and will snap before bending, it is for that reason I don't use them anymore.

However in another forum, Hugie (a sometimes poster to this forum) told of the story of a Screw that fits into a chuck (I think it was a Vicmark) making it a screw-chuck that broke while in use. This was backed up by several other people saying they had had the same happen to them.
Since then, I've always considered that method of holding a blank a little 'dubious'.

[Percy]

A lot of my work involves designing and building climbing walls, so I have to do a lot of research and testing on screws as these are the things that hold many climbing walls up. For all our timber construction we use KTX screws from Concept Distribution in Blackburn. We have pull tested these screws on a test jig, both in shear, and for a straight out pull, and I am constantly amazed by how strong they are. Our weapon of choice is normally the 5x50 KTX interior screw which we merrily apply 350kg loads to on the test rig when screwed into 18mm birch plywood, and we've never had one fail.
Over the years we have tried all sorts of screws, but these appear to be the most reliable and by far the strongest.

My advice is to always put plenty of screws in, balance the screw placements in the faceplate so they are evenly positioned, and make sure they are done up tightly enough so the wood is pulled tightly onto the face plate, but don't go too heavy handed otherwise you'll start to wind the screw thread through the wood and weaken the fixing.

The story of screw chucks breaking is a little un-nerving, but I guess you only have one fixing so its doing a lot of work. Plenty of screws on a face plate seems like a better plan!   

[Wood spinner]

the trouble with this kind of thread, it seems to me, is we all try to help with whatever skillsets we have collected from around the cosmos, and its all really helpful data, but no-one seems to ask possibly the most pertinent question(s) to help a beginner, namely:-
 
Has anyone out there ever had a set of screws, or a faceplate come to that, which have broken in use?

If 'yes' answers appear then we all need as many details as possible so we don't fall down the same hole but if, as I suspect, there are  no 'yes' answers then the nearest screws are almost certainly good enough and 'lots of them' is the obvious caveat.
Brian

Brian, I cant see any reference in my first post stating I am a beginner ? I did say this =-

" I have some rather big lumps of wood and a 8" faceplate , I would like to use the highest strenght screws for obvious reasons "

This is why I paid over £100 for the biggest faceplate I could buy and asked the question regarding highest strength screws as I want to stack the odds in my favour when it comes to turning these lumps of wood and not end up injured .

My way of thinking is if I use 12 countersunk screws I have 12 locations but not much sheer strength , If I use hex bolts I have the 6mm shoulder sheer strength but no countersink location
My best option does not seem to exist a countersunk bolt , unless I have missed these somehow ? Hence asking for others opinions / debate

Thanks

[BrianH]

Oops, sorry, Woodspinner. If my word choice appeared insulting please understand it wasn't intentional and accept my apologies.
The point I was, rather clumsily, making was that all of us, including me, can become so bogged down with interesting but marginal data that we overlook the original simple question/problem, which only adds to a beginner's confusion... That's any and all beginners, who are showing an interest in the subject, not necessarily the originator of the thread.
Sorry again
Brian

[Mike313]

The screws Percy mentioned above sound like they are worth a look. I don't mean to side-track the thread but may I, as a beginner, ask a question? In the photo of the faceplate, there are 8 holes on the rim that do not go through to the front. On close study, they do not seem equally spaced or on the same pitch circle diameter? What are they for?
Thanks in advance.

[BrianH]

balancing..... like you have weights on a car wheel … would be my best suggestion
Brian