Help! I've Got A Screw Loose.

Hi Paul, super glue will probably work but may be a problem if you ever have to take it apart.

I take it that taping the thread hole is not an option. In that case I would try a little gasket silicone from a tube. Put a little on the threads and let sit until it hardens.

I never did it before, but this will probably give you the bite on the screw you are looking for and still let you turn it out if need be. The worse that could happen is you have to clean it off should it not work.

Good luck!

If the hole is totally stripped you may want to try a threaded insert. Here is an example from McMaster-Carr. I am assuming that the screw is threaded into plastic.

http://www.mcmaster.com/#stand...aded-inserts/=l0bax2

Super glue has great tensile strength, but rather poor shear strength, so a dab or drop should do the job.  The screw should be easily removable later if needed.  Just a firm twist and whatever is in the bore will turn to dust and flakes.

I usually use epoxy putty.  Once you start rolling the putty together, you have 15 minutes before it is rock hard.  I press it in the screw hole and wait about seven minutes.  They I slowly turn the screw into the putty, back it out, and back in.  I wait a couple minutes and tun the screw back out.  Once it hardens, it is good to go.  I've never had a problem with this method.

If you don't have any epoxy putty, you can insert slivers of wood into the hole and add glue.  Make slivers from a toothpick, using an X-acto knife.  This will give the screws something to bite.

Another alternative, which I use in situations such as this, especially if the threaded structure is plastic...

 

Find some plastic tubing of an appropriate size with which to renew the bore.  It should have an O.D. slightly larger than the stripped hole.  Plastruct and Evergreen are brands that sell styrene and/or ABS platic tubing.

 

Drill the stripped hole for a snug fit of the tubing.  Cement a length of tubing into the re-bored hole...Use a weld-type cement...Tenax 7r, Plastruct Weld, Ambroid ProWeld, etc. are some choices for these plastics (Testor's Styrene cement is ONLY good if BOTH tubing and structure are of styrene). 

 

After the cement weld is COMPLETELY dry (don't be in a hurry here...give it several hours to a day.), re-bore the hole to a size that allows the screw to cut new threads when replaced.  Or, you might get lucky and have a plastic tube that has a bore size already appropriate to receive the screw!

 

This may sound 'project-ish' to you, but once you've done it a time or two, you'll find it's an easy solution to the problem.

 

If you have a stripped hole in a metal structure, you could try adding a light coating of epoxy to the stripped threads, let it dry thoroughly, then try re-attaching the screw.  It's worked a couple of times for me.

 

But there's probably a couple dozen other 'tricks' out there, as you'll surely find out.

 

KD

I have to admit guys, Keith seems to have the best method out of us all. It's simple to the point that I can probably do it and it sounds like it will work.

I have used two part epoxy putty on other things and it is really tough. I can see it being able to take a thread and hold a screw.

You can take a toothpick and shove it down the hole, break it off and then screw the truck on. If it appears a little loose in the threads unscrew it and a put 2 pieces in the hole. If you use the one you need after lunch the fix is free. If it's too tight shave it down a little.

Ron 

I've used blue locktite before.