scews

[todddlur]

what happens if i remove all the screws after all the glue has set. will it be structurally sound?

[JReynolds]

There should be no ill effects. The bond strength of the recommended PL adhesive is stronger than the plywood it holds together. You'll have to smash the box to bits to take it apart after the glue dries.

Cannot vouch for other adhesives.

[Harley]

what happens if i remove all the screws after all the glue has set. will it be structurally sound?

You will have a hole to fill in! Get some automotive panel filler ( two part ) from a bulk hardware store. This is heaps cheaper than wood filler and you can sand it off real easy.

Once the glue has properly set, the screws and nails serve not structural purpose.

If you are easy on the heads of the screws, these will do many cabinets!

Harley

[mcrracer]

Not to mention your box will weigh less without all of those screws in it.

[Bill Fitzmaurice]

I remove any that would be in the way in the finishing process, otherwise there's no reason to pull them.

[bgavin]

I pull my screws on the outer edges before doing the router finish work. I leave all the panel screws in place, as they are all counter sunk.

[djstefanos]

normally when i build speaker cabs i use Zero screws (apart from the driver bolts etc..) but in a tuba case i needed to use them since time is very limited.

[Tom]

The air stapler is my new favorite tool to make BFD cabinets, beating out the brad nailer and the screw gun.

I keep some older, nicked up router bits to round over the edges, when a sander is not sufficient. I get a brief spark when I hit the occasional staple, but for the most part, the staple is driven an eigth inch or deeper than flush from the plywood surface. That puts it out of reach for the roundover bit. Works like a charm.

And that "Polyester Light" gray body filler with the blue activator is a big improvement over good old Bondo. It cures faster, allows more variations in activator ratio and also application temperature. I keep it indoors at room temperature, mixing it up in my 45 DegF shop and applying it to a cabinet. It generates a little heat, and cures before cooling to room temperature in my cold shop. I can typically start sanding in 30-40 minutes on cold days, sooner on warmer days.

And to think, before I started making BFD boxes I called myself a fine woodworker! I've learned a lot about "keeping it simple" on this forum, to great effect.

[Bill Fitzmaurice]

The air stapler is my new favorite tool to make BFD cabinets, beating out the brad nailer and the screw gun.

I use mostly brads now, staples with thin plywood, router bits go through their soft steel like a hot knife through butter. Drywall screws are hardened, though, not at all bit friendly, and if you catch one just right you can spin it back out of the wood and make a real mess. Better to remove them instead.