My journey in workbench design #4: Sources for Large Wooden Screws

Cool to hear you’re gonna start this soon! So you’ll get the screws, but then what about tapping the holes for the vise? Will you get something like this to do that – but bigger? What will the size of the wooden screws be?

-- Dorje (pronounced "door-jay"), Seattle, WA

Not big enough :). These screws are 2.25” and 2.5” in diameter. They come with “nuts” that can be attached to the bench.

-- http://theinquisitivewoodworker.com/

Holy mackerel!

-- Dorje (pronounced "door-jay"), Seattle, WA

Please post photos (with a size reference) when you get them.

-- Maplewood, MN

I’m going to try and order a pair this week. When they come in I’ll post some pictures. This coming weekend is a 3-day weekend for me, which means more time in the shop. I plan to check out a couple possible sources for lumber on Saturday. If I find anything good, I may be bringing home lumber for the bench.

-- http://theinquisitivewoodworker.com/

At that point you’ll have to change your blog series title to “My journey in workbench design & build!”

-- Dorje (pronounced "door-jay"), Seattle, WA

I was thinking about if I needed to start a new blog or just continue with this one. I think I my just start a new one for the build. Maybe I’ll have pictures of lumber this weekend :).

-- http://theinquisitivewoodworker.com/

Hi Mike.

I’ll also be following your bench blogs as I hope to build a Holtzapffel this year too. I might be able to get a maple slab thick and cheap enough to use for a top. Otherwise mine will also be made of fir.

Did you look at all for mechanisms to build those large wooden screws yourself? It seems there must be something out there. But I can’t find any larger than 1.5”.

-- johnjoiner

If you know anyone with a metal lathe they could turn the screws that you want. And if they have turned internal threads they could also turn the nuts.

Good luck

-- Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †

I found some resources on making large screws, but the nut was going to cause me problems. The largest kit that had both the tap and die, was 1.5”. I also needed a knob for the end of the screw and a handle. I don’t own a lathe yet, so it would have been difficult to make the knob. It started to become this big production for something I would only make maybe once. I ended up buying the screws. I’ll post pictures when they show up.

-- http://theinquisitivewoodworker.com/

Hi Mike.

One more question: Did you ask Chris if 1.5” screws might be big enough? Or were those out of the question?

As cool as 2” wooden screws would be, there are too many other things to spend $200 on. So when I get around to building mine it’ll probably be steel screws and grease marks on my work. That is, unless, I’m thinking at the right time about how the bench should last the rest of my lifetime and then some.

-- johnjoiner

I went back and looked at my emails, and Chris did say he had used 1.5” but 2” would be better. His plans for the Holtzapffel bench, talk about 2” screws. You might shoot him an email and ask, if 1.5” will work. He has always responded to my emails, quickly no less.

-- http://theinquisitivewoodworker.com/

For what it’s worth, if it’s not too late: I just bought a 2” wooden screw off of eBay for $3.00. Granted, this has been my first success after seeing many other screws go for more than $50 (which is still pretty decent compared to buying new).

From time to time, you will see something on eBay that just goes past everyone else’s radar. Usually it’s because the seller has no idea what it is, and they market it poorly.

There are a couple other wooden vise screws out there at time of writing that are at $15 and $2 respectively (and both end within a day). Email me if you want more info…

-- Eric at http://adventuresinwoodworking.com

Interesting, I’ve been watching eBay for quite awhile and never saw anything show up. I still have a saved search on eBay for wooden screws, and haven’t seen anything. What were your screws listed under?

-- http://theinquisitivewoodworker.com/