My favorite shop tip

[Enzo]

I always share this with guys I train.

Whenever you are REASSEMBLING something with wood screws or sheet metal screws, drop the screw in the hole and turn it gently BACKWARDS until you feel it drop into the old threads. THEN tighten the screw.

That prevents cutting new threads in the material around the hole. Cut new threads too many times and none are left, and your hole is forever stripped.

 

[Mr Evil]

If you do strip a hole in wood, put a matchstick into it and the screw will bite again.

 

[Magura]

My favorite shop tip:

Think twice, take a step back, think it over, then reconsider before doing what you intended to do in the first place.

The above trick takes far less time than messing up your work


Magura

 

[aquapiranha]

Measure twice, cut once.

 

[Glowbug]

Keep the work area clean.

Dirty/cluttered floor + dropped fastener = lost fastener.

 

[eyoung]

addendum to post 2 I think , you know the matchstick one ...I add a drop of wood glue for good measure..

Regards, Elwood

 

[DSP_Geek]

Spread a newspaper over the work surface when working on electronics. It'll catch the bits of loose wire & solder without having to brush everything up.

 

[DigitalJunkie]

I always share this with guys I train.

Whenever you are REASSEMBLING something with wood screws or sheet metal screws, drop the screw in the hole and turn it gently BACKWARDS until you feel it drop into the old threads. THEN tighten the screw.

That prevents cutting new threads in the material around the hole. Cut new threads too many times and none are left, and your hole is forever stripped.

I've had a habit of doing that for a while,sometimes I get asked why,I explain,and they go "Ah-ha!"
I think it comes from building PC's for so long...I hate stripped HDD/case screws.

 

[Stuey]

I've had a habit of doing that for a while,sometimes I get asked why,I explain,and they go "Ah-ha!"
I think it comes from building PC's for so long...I hate stripped HDD/case screws.

Yeah, I do it too.

And if the hole does strip, tap the back of hole with a hammer and flat punch on a flat surface, and retry. The burred over metal closes over the hole, and you can cut a new thread in the metal. This is best if you have a spare screw in the required thread to cut the new thread, as it can mark the thread on the screw as you cut it.

Stuey

 

[T in AZ]

I like to have a piece of carpet under my work area, if I drop a screw or a part, it stays put and it also makes it easy to pick up the small things.