I've searched the google archive for an answer to this question before
posting but unfortunately to no avail. So ...

I've just secured a bookcase to the wall with two screws. The screw on the
left just keeps on turning when flush to the wood whereas the screw on the
right has become tight. I've often wondered:

1. why does a screw sometimes keep on turning?
2. if a screw does keep on turning, what is the impact on the security of
the fixing?

Would be grateful for any help.

Thanks.

--

dundonald wrote:

I've just secured a bookcase to the wall with two screws. The screw on the
left just keeps on turning when flush to the wood whereas the screw on the
right has become tight. I've often wondered:

1. why does a screw sometimes keep on turning?

Because the thread is stripped.


2. if a screw does keep on turning, what is the impact on the security of
the fixing?

Yes, the fixing won't be able to take as much load before failing.

If the screw is into a wall plug, then you need to pack the wallplug,
say with a smaller wallplug, or with a match, to ive the screw something
to grip.

--
Grunff

Subject: screw keeps turning
From: dundonald ofspam
Date: 04/05/04 11:14 GMT Daylight Time
Message-id:

I've searched the google archive for an answer to this question before
posting but unfortunately to no avail. So ...

I've just secured a bookcase to the wall with two screws. The screw on the
left just keeps on turning when flush to the wood whereas the screw on the
right has become tight. I've often wondered:

1. why does a screw sometimes keep on turning?

Ummm doh, cos the thread it's screwing into is stripped.

2. if a screw does keep on turning, what is the impact on the security of
the fixing?


It'll still take a vertical load but will pull straight out with a horizontal
one. Remove it, put another rawlplug in with some matchsticks for packing if
necessary and refit it all.


Dave Baker - Puma Race Engines (www.pumaracing.co.uk)
I'm not at all sure why women like men. We're argumentative, childish,
unsociable and extremely unappealing naked. I'm quite grateful they do though.

Hi

Sometimes if u don't get the screw going into the centre of the rawplug,
then it goes down the side of it...between the rawplug and the wall. It will
then spin and even enlarging the hole. You will just have to pack it or use
a larger, fatter raw plug. You may even have to re-position the hole and
fixing.

A general tip:

1. Choose the correct type of raw plug for the wall type.

2. If u are fixing several screws in to rawplugs....do them one at a time.
Drill the first hole, fit the plug and put in the screw but don't
tighten.(use self taping not wood screws). Then with a small drill bit mark
your next hole( remove first screw) then drill it with correct size bit for
the raw plug (I often use a slightly smaller bit than is needed especially
in crumbly walls. You can always make the hole bigger if needed). Now fit
your second plug and both screws as before.....and so on...

Its a bit of a hassle this way but i always find that u get a perfect
alignment of screws to plugs.



Regards

Nigel



"dundonald" wrote in message
...
I've searched the google archive for an answer to this question before
posting but unfortunately to no avail. So ...

I've just secured a bookcase to the wall with two screws. The screw on
the
left just keeps on turning when flush to the wood whereas the screw on the
right has become tight. I've often wondered:

1. why does a screw sometimes keep on turning?
2. if a screw does keep on turning, what is the impact on the security of
the fixing?

Would be grateful for any help.

Thanks.

--



---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.676 / Virus Database: 438 - Release Date: 03/05/2004

1. why does a screw sometimes keep on turning?

Because the hole is too big (either the drill wobbled, or you are in soft
mortar that fell out). If the problem is slight, just shove wrap some toilet
paper round the rawl plug, or shove some PVA down there to glue the rawlplug
in place so it doesn't spin.

If the fixing is expected to take a lot of load, redrill in a different
location so you get brick/blockwork, rather than mortar.

Christian.

a (Dave Baker) thoughtfully wrote:

Subject: screw keeps turning
From: dundonald ofspam
Date: 04/05/04 11:14 GMT Daylight Time
Message-id:

I've searched the google archive for an answer to this question before
posting but unfortunately to no avail. So ...

I've just secured a bookcase to the wall with two screws. The screw on the
left just keeps on turning when flush to the wood whereas the screw on the
right has become tight. I've often wondered:

1. why does a screw sometimes keep on turning?

Ummm doh, cos the thread it's screwing into is stripped.

Ah right ok, dumb question, what do you mean stripped? And do you mean the
wall plug is stripped?

2. if a screw does keep on turning, what is the impact on the security of
the fixing?


It'll still take a vertical load but will pull straight out with a horizontal
one. Remove it, put another rawlplug in with some matchsticks for packing if
necessary and refit it all.

Useful those match sticks eh.

--

1. why does a screw sometimes keep on turning?

Because the hole is too big (either the drill wobbled, or you are in soft
mortar that fell out). If the problem is slight, just shove wrap some toilet
paper round the rawl plug, or shove some PVA down there to glue the rawlplug
in place so it doesn't spin.

Another possibility if you don't want to have to remove your bookcase
from the wall to get at the rawlplug is to use a different type of
screw. A lot of modern screws (particularly those billed as chipboard
screws or recommended for use closer to the edge) have a thinner shank
than the standard traditional woodscrew and I find these don't work so
well in rawlplugs unless the hole for the rawlplug is drilled slightly
undersize.

Martin

dundonald wrote:

Ah right ok, dumb question, what do you mean stripped? And do you mean the
wall plug is stripped?

As you drive the screw into the plug it cuts a thread on the inside of
the plug at the same time as forcing the diameter of the plug to swell.
This should result in the plug being firmly jammed into the hole in the
wall, and the screw being well located into the plug.

In your case either the screw has been overtightened resulting in the
thread it cut in the inside of the plug being damaged hence allowing the
screw to turn in the plug even when it should be tight, or, the hole in
the wall is oversized and the whole plug is turning.

Useful those match sticks eh.

Very ;-) gently tap a few in with a small hammer, and when it refuses to
take another match, try screwing into it again.


--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
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\================================================= ================/

"Christian McArdle" wrote in
. net:

1. why does a screw sometimes keep on turning?

Because the hole is too big (either the drill wobbled, or you are in
soft mortar that fell out). If the problem is slight, just shove wrap
some toilet paper round the rawl plug, or shove some PVA down there to
glue the rawlplug in place so it doesn't spin.

If the fixing is expected to take a lot of load, redrill in a
different location so you get brick/blockwork, rather than mortar.


Had a similar problem with a cupboard - four screws in each corner to hold
it up. Two bottom ones went in fine but the top left one started spinning.
Took the cupboard down, banged in a chunky plug (couldn't see the original
plug - assuming there was one), and put the cupboard back up. Then the
bottom left screw started spinning... I think the cupboard was on and off
the wall about half a dozen times. Something very wrong with the wall - the
plaster seemed to be very deep and crumbly. It's up but I dunno for how
long Not my cupboard though - I was helping a mate. The funny thing is
that the only reason we took the cupboard down was to make the job of
wallpapering easier... Would have been quicker to paper round it


--
john

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/dwarfinleopardskin

John Rumm thoughtfully wrote:

dundonald wrote:

Ah right ok, dumb question, what do you mean stripped? And do you mean the
wall plug is stripped?

As you drive the screw into the plug it cuts a thread on the inside of
the plug at the same time as forcing the diameter of the plug to swell.
This should result in the plug being firmly jammed into the hole in the
wall, and the screw being well located into the plug.

In your case either the screw has been overtightened resulting in the
thread it cut in the inside of the plug being damaged hence allowing the
screw to turn in the plug even when it should be tight, or, the hole in
the wall is oversized and the whole plug is turning.

I getcha, thanks very much.

Useful those match sticks eh.

Very ;-) gently tap a few in with a small hammer, and when it refuses to
take another match, try screwing into it again.


--

Sneezy thoughtfully wrote:

"Christian McArdle" wrote in
.net:

1. why does a screw sometimes keep on turning?

Because the hole is too big (either the drill wobbled, or you are in
soft mortar that fell out). If the problem is slight, just shove wrap
some toilet paper round the rawl plug, or shove some PVA down there to
glue the rawlplug in place so it doesn't spin.

If the fixing is expected to take a lot of load, redrill in a
different location so you get brick/blockwork, rather than mortar.


Had a similar problem with a cupboard - four screws in each corner to hold
it up. Two bottom ones went in fine but the top left one started spinning.
Took the cupboard down, banged in a chunky plug (couldn't see the original
plug - assuming there was one), and put the cupboard back up. Then the
bottom left screw started spinning... I think the cupboard was on and off
the wall about half a dozen times. Something very wrong with the wall - the
plaster seemed to be very deep and crumbly. It's up but I dunno for how
long Not my cupboard though - I was helping a mate. The funny thing is
that the only reason we took the cupboard down was to make the job of
wallpapering easier... Would have been quicker to paper round it

lol

I'm not sure I want to empty the bookcase and remove it again. I'm going to
try the following:

remove the screw
stuff matches down through the hole and into the plug
rescrew

see if that does the trick.

--

dundonald wrote in message . ..

lol

I'm not sure I want to empty the bookcase and remove it again. I'm going to
try the following:

remove the screw
stuff matches down through the hole and into the plug
rescrew

see if that does the trick.


It usually does.

Regards, NT

replying to Sneezy, JBob wrote:
That's a good one.

--
for full context, visit https://www.homeownershub.com/uk-diy...ing-74482-.htm

replying to JBob, rde42 wrote:
It's probably fallen off the wall in the 14 years since he wrote that.

HINT: look at the date.

--
for full context, visit https://www.homeownershub.com/uk-diy...ing-74482-.htm

On Thursday, 25 October 2018 21:14:05 UTC+1, rde42 wrote:
replying to JBob, rde42 wrote:
It's probably fallen off the wall in the 14 years since he wrote that.

HINT: look at the date.

Maybe he has a screw loose


NT

Yes and please, if you are replying via that terrible web site, you have to
quote the original message yourself as the majority of readers of this news
group use offline text readers and will not just click any dodgy link to
read the message being replied to, that is your responsibility to quote it
if the web site is too lazy to be bothered.
Brian

--
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Note this Signature is meaningless.!
"rde42" m wrote in
message ...
replying to JBob, rde42 wrote:
It's probably fallen off the wall in the 14 years since he wrote that.

HINT: look at the date.

--
for full context, visit
https://www.homeownershub.com/uk-diy...ing-74482-.htm