[pianotech] glue and screws - was Wood? - straightening...

[Ron Nossaman]

On 6/30/2012 8:20 PM, Joseph Garrett wrote:

> O.K.? Would you be specific? Where are they useable in pianos? <G>

Well, for instance I've never used anything but sheetrock screws when 
gluing bridges to soundboards, and never will. I've also installed a lot 
of cutoff bars with combinations of sheetrock screws and dowels. All of 
the many jigs I've built through the years, if they contain screws at 
all, are put together with sheetrock screws. I use conventional wood 
screws only when replacing conventional wood screws with new, as in 
action flange screws and plate webbing.


> I would say that Sheet Rock Screws are good for many things other than
> sheet rock. However, they have one flaw, (my perception), the threads go
> all the way to the head, which makes it near-impossible to pull two pieces
> together, unless you strip one side. This tends to make the user want to
> over-cinch them and then they break.

A trip to the hardware store to actually look at what's for sale will 
show you that they aren't necessarily threaded full length. Even so, 
it's incumbent on the user to make some attempt to learn to sensibly 
install any type of screw or bolt.



> Including epoxy, nor will any glue at all bond with the more modern
> glues when the joint fails, whatever you do.
>
> Totally agree. Especially all of the "experimental glues" that seem to make
> their way into the newer stuff, (post WWII and beyond!) Really creates some
> interesting problems to be sure.<G>

The point is that people typically assume that epoxy is the way to go 
when they want a strong bond, but epoxy is universally incompatible with 
any existing glue residue.

Ron N