Replacing brass wood screws with machine screws on an antique camera...

[David Beal]

One more tip, if you're going to put brass wood screws into wood plugs (and plugs are a good idea): when the plug is in place, drill a small pilot hole and insert a steel wood screw of the same size as the brass one you want. Tighten it down so that the steel will cut a thread. If you try putting a brass wood screw into an unthreaded pilot hole you run the risk of snapping it; and it's no fun to try to remove one of those thing!

Good luck with the project.

/s/ David

[BrianShaw]

I put a very small tiny bit of wax on the threads too.

[fecaleagle]

Thanks for all the excellent advice, guys. I will follow-up and let you know how things turn out.

[Drew Wiley]

Typical furniture woodpatch materials are fairly worthless outdoors if your varnish fails. Don't hold screws well either. Polyester fillers resembling Bondo are also inadequate - brittle
and won't hold to wood fiber particularly well. If you do go a synthetic filler route, it should
be a two-part epoxy specifically blended for wood use. If you use glue-in inserts, and appropriate marine epoxy glue should be used, or in a pinch, something like Gorilla polyur.
glue. For you purists who want a Dorf to look like a Dorf, I guess it's gonna be traditional
slotted brass screws - but make sure all the slots line up in the same orientation, just in
case a certified Dorf inspector shows up in the neigborhood!