problem with making a stands

[nilesh7318]

hi I an trying to make a stand for my aquarium . however my problem right now is installing the screws. I am using hardwood for the stand. when i drill the pilot hole and put the screw it does not hold the wood tight. i tried to make various test pieces .i also used various combination of screws and pilot hole sizes. i am an engineer by profession but may be inexperienced in woodworking. can any one help. i have also watched many videos on you tube and trying to improve.

 

[vicdad999999]

My stands are all rough made. all of them 2x4s except the turtle pool stand is 4x4 pressure treated. i use pilot holes as well but not thru both pieces of wood your joining. Only the first board. I took a pic of a 2x4 i took the screws out that was originally pilot holes which is actually a leg brace for the stand, the 2x4 it will be attached to is not pre drilled so it will catch the wood. I also use a larger screw than my pilot holes. the board on right will be behind the board on the left but no pilot holes in that one. Not sure if this pic or what im saying is helpful at all. I would also screw this together as it was laying down, not upright like in the picture.

 

[DannyBWell]

You may have drilled the holes too big if so a trick is to put some glue in the holes and put toothpick in them let dry and try screwing it should hold tight that trick always works for me good luck if that doesn't work maybe bigger screws?

 

[54seaweed]

your best bet for screws that will pull tight would be decking screws they can be found at home depot or lowes

 

[Brown Water]

Lol, using bolts on my stands where ever I can after I made the first one. My personal opinion, if something's gonna fail its going to be that scrawny screw that's a half inch to an inch into the wood.

And had to go bombin over to home depot before they closed to get corner brackets/braces as I was watching my stand slowly twist and collapse at 830pm.

Just for everyone's info and so u can learn something about me, I despise wood. If I had a MiG or TIG welder I'd be doing em all out of angle iron.

 

[Reefer4eva]

I built mine using 3 inch epoxy coated deck screws and I used wood glue on every piece that joined together.as far as pilot hole I used one of the smallest drill bits I had

 

[nilesh7318]

thanks to all

first of all I would like to thank all for you support. i started with drilling pilot holes smaller then the root dia of the screw. drilled the pilot hole just little over half inch. the mistake I was making is drilling the pilot holes fully length of the screw.

 

[nilesh7318]

thanks

since I live in dubai we do not any of these stores over here. i searched the internet for decking screws and i am using that right now and they are good. I managed to get them in ace hardware only as no other store was having it.