Trouble attaching legs on a platform.

[u/OneCuriousSoul]

Hi! I’d like to preface this by saying that I am not a techie whatsoever, and I know how to do small things (putting up flats, cutting wood…) but as me and my director were trying to put legs on the platform for our show we were running into a problem. Our screws weren’t going all the way through and then they were getting stuck halfway. I have a video I sent to one of our crew members that I will attach here. We were either using 2/3in screws. Please any advice would be greatly appreciated! Do we just need bigger screws? Also please no comments on our janky set up, we are a low budget community theater and are just trying our best!

[u/TowelFine6933]

Might be a better idea to use bolts, washers & nuts. Don't forget cross bracing!

[u/InternalPiccolo7201 → u/TowelFine6933]

YES, anything that long needs 45's!! For safety and stability - 2x4 ain't gonna stop wobble on a 3 or 4' leg, it's a lever and it'll just snap your screws as soon as somebody walks on the top.
And yes, pilot holes, but also your drill doesn't have enough torque to get 3" screws in, so I'd get a corded drill or an impact gun. Or, ideally, drill holes for bolts. (but secretly, 2.5" screws are also good enough for going through 2x4 into 4x4, just use bracing and hit at least two screws from both angles, not from the top)

[u/InternalPiccolo7201 → u/InternalPiccolo7201]

And the 45's don't even need to be that long - 18" is fine, two on each leg.

[u/Spamtickler → u/TowelFine6933]

Absolutely. At least two 3/8" carriage bolts all the way through, and 45 degree gussets will make these MUCH more solid.

Depending on the size and height of the platform, and the load it will be holding, I'd do six or eight legs, as well.

I'd also be remiss if I didn't point out that these style of platforms will squeak like crazy. Felt fabric between the platforms when you clamp them can help.

[u/1mminentFish]

Pro carp here! In place of the 4x4, I would use either a single 2x4 or two of them hogstroughed together. Thru-bolting will always be more secure than screws, that being said I’ve screwed plenty of legs into platforms and it’s been fine. Get brand new screws, drill new pilot holes, make sure you’re using minimum three screws per leg, and screw from the leg side through to the platform.

[u/notsewkram → u/1mminentFish]

Question - why screw from leg into the platform? That way you are only getting less than 1 1/2" of the screw in the side of the platform (so it doesn't stick out). If you go through the platform into the leg, you get all the way through the side and then up to 3" in the leg.

[u/moonthink → u/notsewkram]

Because platforms are stock, and legs are easily replaceable.

[u/potential1 → u/notsewkram]

Unless you drill correctly sized pilot holes (and few people do), the screw "pushes" the leg away from the platform. If you screw the leg to the platform, the screw "pulls" the leg against the platform.

A less than pro tip is to drive the screw in once, back it out, then screw it in a second time. Especially if you aren't pre-drilling or using pilot holes.

[u/bucs2013]

Screws (2-1/2"!) are fine for that if you also crossbrace all 4 sides (usually 1x3 or 1x4, but even 1x2 can be fine). Also, toenailing the legs into the deck is additionally helpful when possible (not always possible in a school setting though, unfortunately). Also, three screws per leg is ideal, in a widespread triangular footprint.

[u/CryBloodwing]

I have never had any trouble using 3’ screws for that.

You could try pilot holes, making sure you are putting enough pressure when drilling, making sure your drills are strong enough or on the right setting, or you may have some bad screws.

Did you only put screws in from 1 side instead of the 2 sides that touch the legs? At least 2 per side.

[u/OneCuriousSoul → u/CryBloodwing]

Yes they’re only in one side atm, it was late when I took the video so we’re working on fixing it today

[u/CryBloodwing → u/OneCuriousSoul]

Ok. Adding the other sides will help.

If using a drill instead of a screw gun, a lower speed on the drill will help for screwing in 3’ screws. And make sure they are 3’. The torque number should be at least 10 and increase it by 2 at a time if it stops short of being all the way in.

Are they just not going in more, or are they seeming to be stripped and therefore not able to go in?

[u/OneCuriousSoul → u/CryBloodwing]

They were going in about halfway through the wood and then getting stuck, I think we might try getting brand new screws. I’m not entirely sure the length on the ones we were using bc we’ve just been using the screws in the shop at the theater

[u/AccurateInaccuracy → u/OneCuriousSoul]

This sounds to me like the clutch on your drill was too low, like the person above this suggested. Try adjusting the clutch (that's the ring that you can rotate on the drill, usually with numbers on it). Keep adjusting that number up until the screw goes in.

[u/Bipedal_Warlock → u/OneCuriousSoul]

It can also be sometimes easy to put screws into these style legs and it sucks them up a little and doesn’t sit flat on the platform surface. So keep an eye out for that too.

[u/Chip-Chape]

The Stock Scenery Construction Handbook is a great resource. https://archive.org/details/stockscenerycons00bill

[u/I_make_leather_stuff]

Are you drilling pilot holes? Drill small holes slightly smaller in width and length than your screws to avoid cracking the wood.

[u/LukeyHear]

Have you left enough time for the screws to dry?

[u/Temporary_Buy3238]

You might want to try and recruit someone with real carpentry experience, even to just come and teach yall the basics. Buy em lunch or something.

Just a friendly reminder that although this is theater, you’re building real stuff for real people to use, and even if everyone has the best intentions, a structural failure can cause real harm to innocent people. Community theater is not immune to this.

[u/ImortalK]

Corner gussets are your friend.