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+-- Thread: Looking for suggest for quickly putting a brushed or "lathe" look to screw heads (/showthread.php?tid=7351653)
Looking for suggest for quickly putting a brushed or "lathe" look to screw heads - Robin Dobbie - 12-07-2019
I like screws sometimes where I may need to disassemble something, or am going for an industrial look. But even pricey "wood" screws don't always look good. I just bought a new batch of almost 5,000 drywall screws because they were on sale for like half a cent per screw or something like that. Sometimes I use deck screws, because I have them, and they have this problem, too.
![[Image: vCpqgiW.gif]](https://i.imgur.com/vCpqgiW.gif)
What I'm talking about is letters or symbols stamped on the screwhead, sometimes twice. I never noticed them until I started removing the paint from the screw to get that shimmering machined look. Once the paint's gone, the stamp is essentially highlighted. Takes a bit of time to remove that. I'm probably spending about a minute or two per screw which I feel is more than I'd like. I'm chucking the screws upside down in the drill press and coming down on new 60-grit sandpaper scraps.
My first guess for something faster is making a jig for the screws to contact the flat sides of the grinder wheel. I figure I'm still going to have to go back to the drill press for that circular scratch pattern.
RE: Looking for suggest for quickly putting a brushed or "lathe" look to screw heads - Willyou - 12-07-2019
I usually chuck the screw in my drill and then, with the drill running, put the screw head against a running grinding wheel or sanding disk. I always use stainless or brass screws where they will be exposed.
RE: Looking for suggest for quickly putting a brushed or "lathe" look to screw heads - Robin Dobbie - 12-07-2019
(12-07-2019, 10:52 PM)Willyou Wrote: I usually chuck the screw in my drill and then, with the drill running, put the screw head against a running grinding wheel or sanding disk. I always use stainless or brass screws where they will be exposed.
I thought about that, but I was worried I might not get it flat enough to go back to the drill press. I suppose I could put some padding under the paper, or bring the paper to the screw while it's still chucked in the hand drill.
Yeah I meant to ask what I might protect the heads with, post grind. Something dippable? Although I do have some spray clear coat of some kind. Starting with stainless makes more sense. And for outdoor or bathroom applications I would probably do that.
Over a year ago I made a bridge for the floor in the bathroom because there was a difference in height between there and the hall floor. Those drywall screws haven't rusted yet. Although not technically in the bathroom, they're right there under the door.
RE: Looking for suggest for quickly putting a brushed or "lathe" look to screw heads - CLETUS - 12-10-2019
(12-07-2019, 07:29 PM)Robin Dobbie Wrote: I just bought a new batch of almost 5,000 drywall screws because they were on sale for like half a cent per screw or something like that.
I'd throw them away now while you're ahead of the game. Otherwise, remember this thread, come back and update it the first time you spin the head off of a drywall screw and gouge up your piece in a very prominent location or have screw threads stuck in the piece forcing you to plug a hole.
RE: Looking for suggest for quickly putting a brushed or "lathe" look to screw heads - jlanciani - 12-10-2019
(12-10-2019, 01:05 PM)CLETUS Wrote: I'd throw them away now while you're ahead of the game. Otherwise, remember this thread, come back and update it the first time you spin the head off of a drywall screw and gouge up your piece in a very prominent location or have screw threads stuck in the piece forcing you to plug a hole.
+1. Drywall screws are for drywall; making the heads pretty is truly putting lipstick on a pig.
RE: Looking for suggest for quickly putting a brushed or "lathe" look to screw heads - mstens - 12-10-2019
(12-10-2019, 01:43 PM)jlanciani Wrote: +1. Drywall screws are for drywall; making the heads pretty is truly putting lipstick on a pig.
Ahhhh the duct tape of the screw world. Has a great use, used for way too many things.