Fastening with Screws- How Many, and What Size?

摘要

The boat plan you have chosen may or may not include a fastening "schedule," or list of what gauge and length of fastenings to use for holding the various pieces together. More often than not, the builder will be left on his own to make these decisions. Even if gauge and length are given, it is unlikely that you will be told what the spacing of the fastenings should be. The most common boat fastening used today is the wood screw. Unfortunately, there are too many variables to have one rule for choosing screw size. What is the thickness of the framing piece that we are fastening into? Are the screws going into hardwood or softwood? End-grain or face grain? What are the loads the screw takes in building and in use? The best advice I can give you is to get a ruler and piece of paper, and make a full-sized drawing of the pieces to be fastened together.