Thread Savvy

[MOP]

Most of the pros know this trick but alot of the guys have not been told how to presrve the threads in plastic and fiber glass. When re-using the same holes in what I call soft materials do the following. With very light pressure on the screw driver turn the screw to the left as if you were removing it, you will feel it raise very slightly then drop suddenly. You are now in the original thread that was cut during inital install, if you do this you will not detroy the material making it nessesary to either fill and redrill or go up a size the screws.

[Staffan Berg]

Good Lesson

Anything more for today ?

[boldts]

Teacher....Teacher..... Should I go out to the boat and back every screw off to the left or is this for when installing a new item like the depth gauge I plan to do over the winter?

Thanks for all you give us rookies!

[McGary911]

Scott, i think MOP is referring to when you re-install the old screw in the old hole. Use his trick just as youre about to put the screw back in, and it will ensure that the screw is started when lined up exactly with the old threads. That way youre not retapping\reaming out\cutting off the old threads........MOP, if i am getting this wrong, just sent me out to the store to buy a handful of oversized screws to fix my mistakes wink

[MOP]

Hi yes it is to preserve the threads when reassembling things.

[tmdog]

M.O.P.

Thanks for the tip. Could of used that info when I removed my rub rail. The oversized screws aren't too noticable. Jim