If you’ve check out our How-to videos you’ve probably seen them using something a little surprising. In yesterday’s How-to for installing new tuning machines Max made use of, of all things, an old bar of soap.
You expect the drills and routers, t-squares and soldering irons … but soap?
It’s actually an age old trick from woodworkers and boat builders.
By just taking the screw and running it along an old bar of soap you’ll lubricate the threads. The screw will now turn more easily, not just making the process easier, but also preventing you from damaging any screws.
And anyone who has ever been driven mad by a stripped screw knows how big of a pain that can be.
Do you have any ingenious tips and tricks other techs or builders should know about?
Let us know in the comments.
and if the wood is already stripped, a few drops of anti-freeze will cause the wood to swell.
Wow. That’s a great one. I had never heard that, but I’ll definitely try it out next time I’m battling a stripped screw.
Toothpicks with a drop of crazy glue works wonders, I’ve done it several times with stripped strap buttons.
Wax has the same effect, take an old candle and keep it in the shop and you can either run the screw across the wax to lubricate it or drip melted wax onto the threads.