After excitedly unpacking my new bed from Argos and avidly reading the
instructions, I've foolishly proceeded to put the wrong screw in the
headboard! Rather than the short, fat screw (apparently the 'long
screw' according to the instructions) I tried to screw in the longer,
thinner screw (just called 'screw' on the sheet). Now, despite several
attempts to get it out, it's just spinning and spinning in the hole!

The screw is a cross head and is resting in a metal barrel fixed into
the wooden headboard. Would a magnet help remove this? The screw is
recessed in the barrel about 1cm and is pretty much flush to the sides
with only a tiny gap so I can't get anything around it. It will move up
and down about half a cm, but seems to keep catching just short of
coming out!

It's really frustrating me so any help appreciated!

Helen Mayson wrote:
After excitedly unpacking my new bed from Argos and avidly reading the
instructions, I've foolishly proceeded to put the wrong screw in the
headboard! Rather than the short, fat screw (apparently the 'long
screw' according to the instructions) I tried to screw in the longer,
thinner screw (just called 'screw' on the sheet). Now, despite several
attempts to get it out, it's just spinning and spinning in the hole!

The screw is a cross head and is resting in a metal barrel fixed into
the wooden headboard. Would a magnet help remove this? The screw is
recessed in the barrel about 1cm and is pretty much flush to the sides
with only a tiny gap so I can't get anything around it. It will move
up and down about half a cm, but seems to keep catching just short of
coming out!

It's really frustrating me so any help appreciated!

Can you show us a pic?

--
Sir Benjamin Middlethwaite

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
Helen Mayson wrote:

After excitedly unpacking my new bed from Argos and avidly reading the
instructions, I've foolishly proceeded to put the wrong screw in the
headboard! Rather than the short, fat screw (apparently the 'long
screw' according to the instructions) I tried to screw in the longer,
thinner screw (just called 'screw' on the sheet). Now, despite several
attempts to get it out, it's just spinning and spinning in the hole!

The screw is a cross head and is resting in a metal barrel fixed into
the wooden headboard. Would a magnet help remove this? The screw is
recessed in the barrel about 1cm and is pretty much flush to the sides
with only a tiny gap so I can't get anything around it. It will move
up and down about half a cm, but seems to keep catching just short of
coming out!

It's really frustrating me so any help appreciated!

I can't quite visualise which screw you mean - but can't you lie the
headboard down so this screw head is pointing downwards, and then shake it
out. It obviously isn't gripping on the threads.
--
Cheers,
Roger
______
Please reply to newsgroup.
Reply address IS valid, but not regularly monitored.

Hi Roger,

I've had a go at this but gravity doesn't seem to be my friend - it
keeps catching on something in there!

Helen Mayson wrote:
I'll grab one when I get home tonight and post it up tomorrow. The
frame is the Naples from Argos if that's any help!


http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Produc...l/C%24cip%3D36
030.Furniture%3EC%24cip%3D36072.Beds%3EC%24cip%3D3 6092.Kingsize%2Bleather%2
Band%2Bfabric%2Bbeds.htm

And I was so proud of myself having a go at putting it together...

Well thats the bed sorted now for a pic of the screw...we wait?

When putting summat together always lay the screws out in sets ie 6big ones
4 medium 2 small :-)

--
Sir Benjamin Middlethwaite

On 29 Mar 2006 02:26:52 -0800, "Helen Mayson"
wrote:

After excitedly unpacking my new bed from Argos and avidly reading the
instructions, I've foolishly proceeded to put the wrong screw in the
headboard! Rather than the short, fat screw (apparently the 'long
screw' according to the instructions) I tried to screw in the longer,
thinner screw (just called 'screw' on the sheet). Now, despite several
attempts to get it out, it's just spinning and spinning in the hole!

The screw is a cross head and is resting in a metal barrel fixed into
the wooden headboard. Would a magnet help remove this? The screw is
recessed in the barrel about 1cm and is pretty much flush to the sides
with only a tiny gap so I can't get anything around it. It will move up
and down about half a cm, but seems to keep catching just short of
coming out!

It's really frustrating me so any help appreciated!

Hi,

Try some double sided tape, sticky pad, blue tack, hot melt glue,
chewing gum etc to stick the screwdriver point to the screw head, and
gently pull while unscrewing.

Once the thread of the screw catches on the thread in the barrel it
should come out OK.

If the above fails try glueing the screwdriver to the screw with a
tiny bit of epoxy/Araldite or similar strong glue.

cheers,
Pete.

Pete C wrote:
On 29 Mar 2006 02:26:52 -0800, "Helen Mayson"
wrote:

After excitedly unpacking my new bed from Argos and avidly reading
the instructions, I've foolishly proceeded to put the wrong screw in
the headboard! Rather than the short, fat screw (apparently the 'long
screw' according to the instructions) I tried to screw in the longer,
thinner screw (just called 'screw' on the sheet). Now, despite
several attempts to get it out, it's just spinning and spinning in
the hole!

The screw is a cross head and is resting in a metal barrel fixed into
the wooden headboard. Would a magnet help remove this? The screw is
recessed in the barrel about 1cm and is pretty much flush to the
sides with only a tiny gap so I can't get anything around it. It
will move up and down about half a cm, but seems to keep catching
just short of coming out!

It's really frustrating me so any help appreciated!

Hi,

Try some double sided tape, sticky pad, blue tack, hot melt glue,
chewing gum etc to stick the screwdriver point to the screw head, and
gently pull while unscrewing.

Once the thread of the screw catches on the thread in the barrel it
should come out OK.

If the above fails try glueing the screwdriver to the screw with a
tiny bit of epoxy/Araldite or similar strong glue.

cheers,
Pete.

Which will all fail. ;-)
--
Sir Benjamin Middlethwaite

In article om
Helen Mayson wrote:
After excitedly unpacking my new bed from Argos and avidly reading the
instructions, I've foolishly proceeded to put the wrong screw in the
headboard! Rather than the short, fat screw (apparently the 'long
screw' according to the instructions) I tried to screw in the longer,
thinner screw (just called 'screw' on the sheet). Now, despite several
attempts to get it out, it's just spinning and spinning in the hole!

The screw is a cross head and is resting in a metal barrel fixed into
the wooden headboard. Would a magnet help remove this? The screw is
recessed in the barrel about 1cm and is pretty much flush to the sides
with only a tiny gap so I can't get anything around it. It will move up
and down about half a cm, but seems to keep catching just short of
coming out!

It's really frustrating me so any help appreciated!


Superglue on the end of the screwdriver?

The message
from Rob Morley contains these words:

Superglue on the end of the screwdriver?

Nah, that'll never work. Superglue just doesn't work like that. In fact,
superglue is pretty much useless for pretty much everything you might
/actually want to do/.

--
Skipweasel
Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.

Guy King wrote:
The message
from Rob Morley contains these words:

Superglue on the end of the screwdriver?

Nah, that'll never work. Superglue just doesn't work like that. In fact,
superglue is pretty much useless for pretty much everything you might
/actually want to do/.

The key is tricking it.
Put the glue on the end of your finger, then poke the screw.

On Wed, 29 Mar 2006 12:58:57 GMT, "The3rd Earl Of Derby"
wrote:

Try some double sided tape, sticky pad, blue tack, hot melt glue,
chewing gum etc to stick the screwdriver point to the screw head, and
gently pull while unscrewing.


Which will all fail. ;-)

Well the 'from Argos' bit doesn't help, it looks great in the
catalogue but...

A few years ago I ordered a futon, when it was delivered took one look
at the mattress and decided to send it back!

Then ordered one off the web from a shop in Oxford which arrived the
next day. Cost 50% more but better VFM.

Fool me twice, I bought a couple of stools in their sale, they looked
like they had a thick padded seat, but in reality were hard as rock!

That said they have some good deals on power tools from time to time
if you're not a label snob

cheers,
Pete.

The message
from Ian Stirling contains these words:

Superglue on the end of the screwdriver?

Nah, that'll never work. Superglue just doesn't work like that. In fact,
superglue is pretty much useless for pretty much everything you might
/actually want to do/.

The key is tricking it.
Put the glue on the end of your finger, then poke the screw.

Then it'll just stick in the hole.

--
Skipweasel
Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.

"Helen Mayson" wrote in message
ps.com...
After excitedly unpacking my new bed from Argos and avidly reading the
instructions, I've foolishly proceeded to put the wrong screw in the
headboard! Rather than the short, fat screw (apparently the 'long
screw' according to the instructions) I tried to screw in the longer,
thinner screw (just called 'screw' on the sheet). Now, despite several
attempts to get it out, it's just spinning and spinning in the hole!

The screw is a cross head and is resting in a metal barrel fixed into
the wooden headboard. Would a magnet help remove this? The screw is
recessed in the barrel about 1cm and is pretty much flush to the sides
with only a tiny gap so I can't get anything around it. It will move up
and down about half a cm, but seems to keep catching just short of
coming out!

It's really frustrating me so any help appreciated!


Presumably the screw is designed to hold 2 parts together
try applying some leverage between the parts (ideally on surfaces that won't
be visible from the outside) whilst at the same time undoing the screw

Tony

Guy King wrote:
The message
from Ian Stirling contains these words:

Superglue on the end of the screwdriver?

Nah, that'll never work. Superglue just doesn't work like that. In fact,
superglue is pretty much useless for pretty much everything you might
/actually want to do/.

The key is tricking it.
Put the glue on the end of your finger, then poke the screw.

Then it'll just stick in the hole.
Ah, but now you have an excuse to call the fire brigade, who can get it
out with the jaws of life.

Helen Mayson wrote:
After excitedly unpacking my new bed from Argos and avidly reading the
instructions, I've foolishly proceeded to put the wrong screw in the
headboard! Rather than the short, fat screw (apparently the 'long
screw' according to the instructions) I tried to screw in the longer,
thinner screw (just called 'screw' on the sheet). Now, despite several
attempts to get it out, it's just spinning and spinning in the hole!

Would the offending article look like this?
http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/...43981&id=84353


--
Dave
The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk
01634 717930
07850 597257

The message
from Ian Stirling contains these words:

Ah, but now you have an excuse to call the fire brigade, who can get it
out with the jaws of life.

Don't joke. My cousin's a senior (well, was, he's retired now) fireman
in Kent. He reckons one of the hardest things to do is stop the crew
taking the tops off cars.

"He's trapped, skip, we'll have to cut him out"
"Really? Shall we ask him if he'd rather step out through the door in
the usual way?"
"Door's jammed, skip"
"Have you tried? After all, he's only rolled gently down a bank into a tree"

--
Skipweasel
Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.

On Wed, 29 Mar 2006 13:48:10 +0100, Pete C wrote:

If the above fails try glueing the screwdriver to the screw with a
tiny bit of epoxy/Araldite or similar strong glue.

Isn't it funny that as soon as the huge excess of Araldite that you
have mixed has gone off, you find something else to mend.

--
Nigel M

Nigel Molesworth wrote:
Isn't it funny that as soon as the huge excess of Araldite that you
have mixed has gone off, you find something else to mend.

Same goes for filler....

Pete C wrote:

A few years ago I ordered a futon, when it was delivered took one look
at the mattress and decided to send it back!

We (foolishly) bought a single bed with pull-out lower bed for my
teenage son
from Argos and got it at a "good" price.
After a few weeks he complained that the bed "squeaked" and eventually
I got round
to having a look at it.
Keyriiiist.
The mattress rested on the base of the main bed. The base was made of
cardboard - I could tear it with two hands.
The cardboard was stapled on to a "frame" - a perimeter of thin wood
and
then THREE (yes, three) straps about an inch wide across the top,
middle and
bottom of the frame.

I should have returned it, but instead I unpicked all the staples then
beefed up the strapping
with a dozen or more bits then replaced the cardboard with two sheets
of 3mm hardboard. Sorted.

It was a shock when I saw the pitiful state of our purchase.
You aren't guaranteed to buy quality if you buy expensive, but there's
more chance
of buying crap by buying cheap.

Mungo

Yes!

I've tried the chewing gum thing and almost got loads of the stuff
stuck on my new carpet, but emerged with nice minty fresh breath.

Helen Mayson wrote:
Guys - thanks heaps for the suggestions. Will snap a pic tonight and
see if that sheds any light on the subject. For now, I'll continue to
sleep on an airbed while the various parts of my new bed clutter up my
room!

Maybe I'll get a man in next time...

cough.

Helen Mayson wrote:
Guys - thanks heaps for the suggestions. Will snap a pic tonight and
see if that sheds any light on the subject. For now, I'll continue to
sleep on an airbed while the various parts of my new bed clutter up my
room!

Maybe I'll get a man in next time...

Yup, a man knows how to screw...erm! things together. ;-)

--
Sir Benjamin Middlethwaite

On 29 Mar 2006 02:26:52 -0800, in uk.d-i-y "Helen Mayson"
wrote:

After excitedly unpacking my new bed from Argos and avidly reading the
instructions, I've foolishly proceeded to put the wrong screw in the
headboard! Rather than the short, fat screw (apparently the 'long
screw' according to the instructions) I tried to screw in the longer,
thinner screw (just called 'screw' on the sheet). Now, despite several
attempts to get it out, it's just spinning and spinning in the hole!

The screw is a cross head and is resting in a metal barrel fixed into
the wooden headboard. Would a magnet help remove this? The screw is
recessed in the barrel about 1cm and is pretty much flush to the sides
with only a tiny gap so I can't get anything around it. It will move up
and down about half a cm, but seems to keep catching just short of
coming out!

It's really frustrating me so any help appreciated!

Try this. Turn bed base upside down. It probably has a thin cover tacked
across the bottom to stop you seeing the works inside. I would try to
unstaple a bit of this so you can see what's going on inside (use torch)
- you might have to cut it if its not stapled. Chances are there is a
cheap pressed steel nut, pressed into the head end of the base to take
your screw. That might be rotating - if so you should be able to either
hold it still with grips, or press it back into the woodwork so it
doesn't rotate.

Alternatively just tell Argos it won't assemble right and to send a
replacement. It really should be able to stand up to your minor error,
especially as the instructions are so inadequate. Basically, if it's
sold as self-assembly, it should be strong enough to stand up to your
efforts to follow the instructions, and it clearly was not. If they
argue, do a Google for "andy hall small claims court" for how to put the
frighteners on Argos.

Phil
The uk.d-i-y FAQ is at http://www.diyfaq.org.uk/
The Google uk.d-i-y archive is at http://tinyurl.com/65kwq
Remove NOSPAM from address to email me

On 29 Mar 2006 08:37:05 -0800, Helen Mayson wrote:

Maybe I'll get a man in next time...

SPLUTTER!

A "little man", or a big man?

--
Nigel M

Nigel Molesworth (.¿.) wrote:
On 29 Mar 2006 08:37:05 -0800, Helen Mayson wrote:

Maybe I'll get a man in next time...

SPLUTTER!

A "little man", or a big man?

--
Nigel M

Hmmm! 'King size bed' use you're imagination man. ;-)

--
Sir Benjamin Middlethwaite

On 29 Mar 2006 02:26:52 -0800, "Helen Mayson"
wrote:

Would a magnet help remove this?

Superglue on a wooden skewer. You might even do it with bluetack.

Helen Mayson wrote:

Hi Roger,

I've had a go at this but gravity doesn't seem to be my friend - it
keeps catching on something in there!

If you are hitting it from above, all you are doing is forcing it deeper
into the hole. Support the bed with about 2 foot (600 mm) above ground,
with the screw point up and use a soft faced hammer from underneath. If
you don't have a soft faced hammer, find a piece of softwood and place
it against the bed and hit that. This might just be enough to get it out.

Dave

Helen Mayson wrote:

Yes!

Now we know that, the job is easy.

Using the screwdriver that you used to put it in place, gently rotate it
backwards and forwards while you use a tiny screwdriver or pointer to
encourage it out of the hole, by sticking it into the threaded part.
When you can't move it any further out using the threaded hole, you
should now be able to see the end of it that is furthest in the bed.
Lever on this and it should just drop out.

Dave