My favorite shop tip

Enzo · 20th August 2009, 08:40 AM

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 · 20th August 2009, 03:07 PM

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

Magura · 21st August 2009, 10:51 AM

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 · 28th August 2009, 08:05 PM

Measure twice, cut once.

Glowbug · 28th August 2009, 08:16 PM

Keep the work area clean.

Dirty/cluttered floor + dropped fastener = lost fastener.

eyoung · 30th August 2009, 02:08 AM

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 · 30th August 2009, 03:47 AM

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 · 30th August 2009, 06:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 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.

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 · 30th August 2009, 09:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DigitalJunkie

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 · 30th August 2009, 10:03 PM

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.

20th August 2009, 08:40 AM	#1
Enzo diyAudio Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Lansing, Michigan	My favorite shop tip 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.

20th August 2009, 03:07 PM	#2
Mr Evil diyAudio Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Behind you	If you do strip a hole in wood, put a matchstick into it and the screw will bite again. __________________ http://mrevil.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/

21st August 2009, 10:51 AM	#3
Magura diyAudio Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Denmark, Viborg	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 __________________ Everything is possible....to do the impossible just takes a little while longer. www.class-a-labs.com

28th August 2009, 08:16 PM	#5
Glowbug diyAudio Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Hillsborough, NC/McLean, VA	Keep the work area clean. Dirty/cluttered floor + dropped fastener = lost fastener. __________________ Jim J.

30th August 2009, 02:08 AM	#6
eyoung diyAudio Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Sunny SC,USA 15 min south of Charlotte NC	addendum to post 2 I think , you know the matchstick one ...I add a drop of wood glue for good measure.. Regards, Elwood __________________ "when you open your mind to the imposible, soon you will find the truth...."


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28th August 2009, 08:05 PM	#4
aquapiranha diyAudio Member Join Date: Jul 2007	Measure twice, cut once.

30th August 2009, 03:47 AM	#7
DSP_Geek diyAudio Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Santa Cruz, California	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.

30th August 2009, 10:03 PM	#10
T in AZ diyAudio Member Join Date: Jul 2009	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.

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