"Chris Friesen" wrote in message
el...
PCPaul wrote:
On Thu, 09 Jul 2009 15:01:35 -0400, Tom Watson wrote:

I was affixing a brass plaque the other day and, as is my practice when
installing hardware with slotted screws, I "dusted" them.

Is this a sign of OCD?

Probably. Although I put it down to doing a decent engineering
apprenticeship, where I had it drummed into me that small details
*mattered*.

On the other hand, if the torque on the screws matters then this is
absolutely the wrong thing to do. I know I've run into one instance
(electrical switchplate) where lining up a screw with the others made it
either too tight or too loose--I was worried about cracking the
faceplate or having the screw unwind itself.

Chris

You're supposed to use screws with thick heads and a temporary slot... after
determining where the slot needs to be, by screwing them in to proper
torque, create the final head and slot. At least that's the way we did it
with hand filed wood screws when I worked in the gunsmith shop at Colonial
Williamsburg. ;~)

John