Handling tiny screws - Printable Version

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Handling tiny screws - bridkarl - 07-04-2024

I learned a neat trick. They make this stuff for watch repair called rodico - a putty you use to pick up dirt and grease. With truly tiny screws - this watch I am playing with has screws the size of grains of rice. You put a lump on the end of a screwdriver, put the screw in the putty, and install the screw.  I think that might work for things like screws with messed up heads, tiny screws, screws in awkward places or where you don’t have the exact size screwdriver.  It was a nightmare last year trying to deal with the screws on my 51s-1 S-meter to replace the meter face.

I also found they sell industrial syringes with blunt tips. I would have never thought of it, but they would seem to work well for things like applying grease to tuning cap bearings or putting oil or deoxit in confined spaces. Say trying to put cleaner in a volume control.

I’ve bought some size 25 with 1/2 inch length for my watch stuff, but I’m going to try this out. With phenolic band switches it’s been a struggle to use deoxit without it getting it everywhere. I also found some lint free q-tips which should help with cleaning.

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462ron - 462ron - 07-05-2024

Hi Bridkarl, I don’t work on things as tiny and intricate as a watch but what I’ve been using to hold small screws to the tip of a screwdriver is the stuff they use to seal off where your power line enters the top of the meter base. It’s a very malleable putty that is used for weatherproofing. I bough some at Home Depot to fix my leaking meter base. It comes as a flat bar of putty well wrapped!

Ron

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