Are Wood Plugs over Screws put in dry?

[Jim Kirk]

When putting a wood plug over a counterbored wood screw, is the plug tapped in dry or should it be dipped in varnish or ?
The end two feet of my outer rails are installed with plugged wood screws from the outside.
By the way, the old plugs were easily removed by pushing an ice pick or an awl into them. They would split along the grain and the two pieces came out leaving a clean hole.

Thank-you very much,

Jim Kirk

 

[Paul Miller]

wood bungs

Hi Jim,

Mahogany boat builders dip the bung in clue of your choice prior to tapping it into the hole. Just because it came out easy after 40 or more years, doesn't mean it wasn't glued in originally.

Paul

 

[Jim Kirk]

Thanks Paul,

My drill press and plug/bung cutter are ready to go.

Jim

 

[Rollin Thurlow]

The varnish can be used to glue the plug as can just about any thin, weather resistant glue. I most often use a touch of ambroid glue but yellow glue could also be use. They are easy to use, hide the glue line farily well and clean up easily. You don't want to use a thick or heavy glue that will fill the screw head so it would be hard to remove the screw at some latter date.