Socket Back Box Screw Thread
 

I have removed a twin socket from its back box.
When I came to fit the socket back in, I realised that one of the threaded lugs
for securing the socket to the box has in the past has had the thread slightly
damaged such that bolt won't really tighten up.
It looks OK as the good bold tightens up well and pulls the socket back to the
plaster. But it's not perfect.
Is there a trick for "tightening" the thread such that the bolt will hold in it
securely and tighten up,
I wondered about epoxy putty or similar to put in the lug hole (ear??) and
effectively make a new thread.
Any ideas please?

Socket Back Box Screw Thread
 

Larry wrote in
:


I have removed a twin socket from its back box.
When I came to fit the socket back in, I realised that one of the
threaded lugs for securing the socket to the box has in the past has
had the thread slightly damaged such that bolt won't really tighten
up. It looks OK as the good bold tightens up well and pulls the socket
back to the plaster. But it's not perfect.
Is there a trick for "tightening" the thread such that the bolt will
hold in it securely and tighten up,
I wondered about epoxy putty or similar to put in the lug hole (ear??)
and effectively make a new thread.
Any ideas please?


Gently squeeze as if to make it oval

Socket Back Box Screw Thread
 

On Monday, 12 December 2016 15:40:45 UTC, Larry wrote:
I have removed a twin socket from its back box.
Is there a trick for "tightening" the thread such that the bolt
will hold in it

Squeeze the lug gently with pliers. You can get M3.5 rethreader tools from electrical places.

https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Manufac...ers/index.html

M3.5 is for socket faceplates, M4 is for conduit fixings.

Owain

Socket Back Box Screw Thread
 

On 12/12/2016 3:55 PM, wrote:
On Monday, 12 December 2016 15:40:45 UTC, Larry wrote:
I have removed a twin socket from its back box.
Is there a trick for "tightening" the thread such that the bolt
will hold in it

Squeeze the lug gently with pliers. You can get M3.5 rethreader tools from electrical places.

https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Manufac...ers/index.html

M3.5 is for socket faceplates, M4 is for conduit fixings.

Owain


The other "bodge", some self tappers are thin enough to go through the
socket but large enough to bite into a damaged lug. Sometimes the heads
are a close enough match too.

Socket Back Box Screw Thread
 

I think the answer is some thing called a nut, but of course the next person
who tries to remove it will call you all the names under the sun when the
nut starts to turn as it loosens....
Brian

--
----- -
This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from...
The Sofa of Brian Gaff...

Blind user, so no pictures please!
"Larry" wrote in message
...

I have removed a twin socket from its back box.
When I came to fit the socket back in, I realised that one of the threaded
lugs
for securing the socket to the box has in the past has had the thread
slightly
damaged such that bolt won't really tighten up.
It looks OK as the good bold tightens up well and pulls the socket back to
the
plaster. But it's not perfect.
Is there a trick for "tightening" the thread such that the bolt will hold
in it
securely and tighten up,
I wondered about epoxy putty or similar to put in the lug hole (ear??) and
effectively make a new thread.
Any ideas please?

Socket Back Box Screw Thread
 

Socket Back Box Screw Thread
 

newshound wrote:
On 12/12/2016 3:55 PM, wrote:
On Monday, 12 December 2016 15:40:45 UTC, Larry wrote:
I have removed a twin socket from its back box.
Is there a trick for "tightening" the thread such that the bolt
will hold in it

Squeeze the lug gently with pliers. You can get M3.5 rethreader tools from electrical places.

https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Manufac...ers/index.html

M3.5 is for socket faceplates, M4 is for conduit fixings.

Owain


The other "bodge", some self tappers are thin enough to go through the
socket but large enough to bite into a damaged lug. Sometimes the heads
are a close enough match too.

Yes, I've used 3.5mm woodscrews to bodge this sort of thing
occasionally.

--
Chris Green
·

Socket Back Box Screw Thread
 

Brian Gaff wrote:
I think the answer is some thing called a nut, but of course the next person
who tries to remove it will call you all the names under the sun when the
nut starts to turn as it loosens....

So how do you get the nut there in the first place, put a highly
trained (and suicidal) mouse in there to hold it?

--
Chris Green
·

Socket Back Box Screw Thread
 

On 12/12/2016 16:34, Brian Gaff wrote:
I think the answer is some thing called a nut, but of course the next person
who tries to remove it will call you all the names under the sun when the
nut starts to turn as it loosens....
Brian

How will that work, exactly? Will you glue the nut in place? Otherwise,
what's going to keep it there whilst you line the screw up in the first
place?

Socket Back Box Screw Thread
 

On 12/12/16 15:40, Larry wrote:

I have removed a twin socket from its back box.
When I came to fit the socket back in, I realised that one of the threaded lugs
for securing the socket to the box has in the past has had the thread slightly
damaged such that bolt won't really tighten up.
It looks OK as the good bold tightens up well and pulls the socket back to the
plaster. But it's not perfect.
Is there a trick for "tightening" the thread such that the bolt will hold in it
securely and tighten up,
I wondered about epoxy putty or similar to put in the lug hole (ear??) and
effectively make a new thread.
Any ideas please?


A rather smooth trick I saw a pro do once is:

drill right through the back of the backbox, inline with the lug (ie
through the same hole).

Then tap the hole in the back to M3.5 and use a super long screw.

Socket Back Box Screw Thread
 

"Chris Green" wrote in message
...
Brian Gaff wrote:
I think the answer is some thing called a nut, but of course the next
person
who tries to remove it will call you all the names under the sun when the
nut starts to turn as it loosens....

So how do you get the nut there in the first place, put a highly
trained (and suicidal) mouse in there to hold it?

Nope, a cockroach, they can survive anything, stupid.

Socket Back Box Screw Thread
 

On Monday, 12 December 2016 17:01:51 UTC, Andy Burns wrote:
wrote:

Squeeze the lug gently with pliers. You can get M3.5 rethreader tools
from electrical places.

A re-threader would be my first call, but there is this, which strikes
me as a *very* niche product

https://backboxsaver.com

Nothing wrong with the product.. except the silly price.


NT

Socket Back Box Screw Thread
 

On 12/12/2016 18:09, wrote:
On Monday, 12 December 2016 17:01:51 UTC, Andy Burns wrote:
wrote:

Squeeze the lug gently with pliers. You can get M3.5 rethreader tools
from electrical places.

A re-threader would be my first call, but there is this, which strikes
me as a *very* niche product

https://backboxsaver.com

Nothing wrong with the product.. except the silly price.



Then DIY your own.

Spare lug from an unused back box and a bit of sticky backed plastic.


--
Adam

Socket Back Box Screw Thread
 

On 12/12/2016 15:40, Larry wrote:

I have removed a twin socket from its back box.
When I came to fit the socket back in, I realised that one of the threaded lugs
for securing the socket to the box has in the past has had the thread slightly
damaged such that bolt won't really tighten up.
It looks OK as the good bold tightens up well and pulls the socket back to the
plaster. But it's not perfect.
Is there a trick for "tightening" the thread such that the bolt will hold in it
securely and tighten up,
I wondered about epoxy putty or similar to put in the lug hole (ear??) and
effectively make a new thread.
Any ideas please?

No 6 self tapper.

Bill

Socket Back Box Screw Thread
 

On 12/12/2016 17:19, GB wrote:
On 12/12/2016 16:34, Brian Gaff wrote:
I think the answer is some thing called a nut, but of course the next
person
who tries to remove it will call you all the names under the sun when the
nut starts to turn as it loosens....
Brian

How will that work, exactly? Will you glue the nut in place? Otherwise,
what's going to keep it there whilst you line the screw up in the first
place?

You can put an anti-slip washer between the nut and the lug, or just
pull the bolt back as you tighten it. Obviously this won't work if there
isn't space in the box behind the lug for a reasonable length of extra
thread. Some backboxes have a hole there so you can drill into the wall
to allow for long screws.

Bill

Socket Back Box Screw Thread
 

Bill Wright wrote:
On 12/12/2016 17:19, GB wrote:
On 12/12/2016 16:34, Brian Gaff wrote:
I think the answer is some thing called a nut, but of course the next
person
who tries to remove it will call you all the names under the sun when the
nut starts to turn as it loosens....
Brian

How will that work, exactly? Will you glue the nut in place? Otherwise,
what's going to keep it there whilst you line the screw up in the first
place?

You can put an anti-slip washer between the nut and the lug, or just
pull the bolt back as you tighten it. Obviously this won't work if there
isn't space in the box behind the lug for a reasonable length of extra
thread. Some backboxes have a hole there so you can drill into the wall
to allow for long screws.

But it would be close to impossible to hold the nut in place while
screwing the screw in. There's no way you could bend your fingers
round to hold the nut in place, there wouldn't be enough space between
the socket (or whatever you're fixing) and the box to get your fingers
in (and I have fairly small fingers).

The anti-slip washer would help once you have got the screw into the
nut but I don't believe you'll ever get that far.

--
Chris Green
·

Socket Back Box Screw Thread
 

ARW wrote:
On 12/12/2016 18:09, wrote:
On Monday, 12 December 2016 17:01:51 UTC, Andy Burns wrote:
wrote:

Squeeze the lug gently with pliers. You can get M3.5 rethreader tools
from electrical places.

A re-threader would be my first call, but there is this, which strikes
me as a *very* niche product

https://backboxsaver.com

Nothing wrong with the product.. except the silly price.



Then DIY your own.

Spare lug from an unused back box and a bit of sticky backed plastic.



Spire clips are easier. As used in the Screwfix shed from Hell.

Socket Back Box Screw Thread
 

Capitol wrote:

ARW wrote:

wrote:

Andy Burns wrote:

https://backboxsaver.com

Nothing wrong with the product.. except the silly price.

Then DIY your own.
Spare lug from an unused back box and a bit of sticky backed plastic.

Spire clips are easier.

But do they come in M3.5 ?

Socket Back Box Screw Thread
 

In article ,
Larry wrote:
I have removed a twin socket from its back box. When I came to fit the
socket back in, I realised that one of the threaded lugs for securing
the socket to the box has in the past has had the thread slightly
damaged such that bolt won't really tighten up. It looks OK as the good
bold tightens up well and pulls the socket back to the plaster. But
it's not perfect. Is there a trick for "tightening" the thread such that
the bolt will hold in it securely and tighten up, I wondered about epoxy
putty or similar to put in the lug hole (ear??) and effectively make a
new thread. Any ideas please?

Get some 3.5mm nuts. Ebay probably the easiest. Superglue to the back of
the lug. You might have to file one side of the nut slightly.

--
*I don't suffer from insanity; I enjoy every minute of it.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Socket Back Box Screw Thread
 

Andy Burns wrote:
Capitol wrote:

ARW wrote:

wrote:

Andy Burns wrote:

https://backboxsaver.com

Nothing wrong with the product.. except the silly price.

Then DIY your own.
Spare lug from an unused back box and a bit of sticky backed plastic.

Spire clips are easier.

But do they come in M3.5 ?

M3 will do the job.