How Do You Reinstall Screws And Bolts?
Reinstalling screws and bolts into materials such as plastic, wood, aluminum and sheet metal takes a light touch to avoid stripping or cross-threading. Here’s how to do it correctly. • Check that the replacement screw is the same thread. Verify that you have the right size screw for the hole. If it’s the same screw you just took out, fine. If you are replacing the screw, a good check is to hold it up opposite the old screw. If the threads mesh and the lengths are the same, it’s probably correct. If you cannot verify the size of the hole, proceed very gently and stop at the first sign of resistance. • Ensure that the hole is free of debris. Vacuum out chips, blow them out with pressurized air, or shake the part upside down. • Insert the tip of screw or bolt into the existing hole. Make sure the screw is perpendicular to the surface with the hole. Often the cause of cross threading is that the screw wasn’t aligned correctly before it was driven. • With light pressure, turn the screw back
