removing key pins

JIMRPT@AOL.COM JIMRPT@AOL.COM
Fri, 6 Sep 2002 09:05:13 EDT


In a message dated 06/09/02 8:50:27 AM, elian_degen@cantv.net writes:

<< when I take it to my shop first thing I do is get the

humidity level on what I know is the lower in the area I work.  After

hundreds of works I always noticed the same simptoms, and it always worked

right >>

Elian....first pin blocks and plain wood operate differently so lets separate 
the two and just talk about plain wood.........
 a screw in wood will get looser as wood dries but not because the hole is 
getting larger...more likely because the taper of the screw has less wood to 
hold on to as the thickness of the wood decreases......also as wood dries 
hole shapes change from round to  more oval shaped thereby presenting less 
surface for the screw to grip. We force moisture laden wood to compress with 
our screws and as the wood dries the screw dimensions don't change with the 
change of dimensions in the wood....also the position of the screw does not 
change with the change in dimensions of the wood...ergo we have what we 
'call' loose screws.

 You are correct in your procedure of tightening screws, but you are also 
perpetuating the next cycle of 'loose screws' with a supposed symptom of 
holes getting larger as they dry....... :-)
Jim Bryant (FL)


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