Screwing... is driving me crazy.

[ed101z]

You roll a great Coil. As you’re mounting it through the hole, you tighten the screw down. Then…. SNAP!! The coil breaks off, and you have to make another one and repeat the procedure. It can be a frustrating thing, and always happens on rba’s in which you thread the Kanthal through the post holes, and then tighten the screw down.

It’s happened a few times on my RM2, and many other times on my Drippers. I spent an hour the other day trying to mount 4 coils; but however, each time resulted in a … ‘Snap’!! I knew what was causing it, but was hoping it would dull the screw each time it claimed my coil …to the point of allowing me to tighten it down more each time. But it didn’t happen. This particular screw just wasn’t budging. It was a Coil Reaper!! It loved cutting my coils like a Piranha eating meat! It snapped the wire as soon as I barely screwed it down into the post.


Cause:
The tiny screws were cut off after being threaded at the manufacturer. Instead of the manufacturer smoothing the tip, they just leave it sharp. This is what cuts the Kanthal wire. And it’s a royal pain the ayusss!

​

Solving:
Get some masking tape (other types will do). A square inch is all you need. Put a little hole in the tape, and stick the screw through (on the sticky side). Now fold it. The tape will help protect the screw from scratching as you hold it with wire pliers. And will keep you off your hands and knees all night (unless you like that sorta thing) looking for the screw when it pops out of the wire pliers.

​

Take a Dremel, and smooth the edges. You just want to lightly touch the screw enough to smooth it. That’s all.

​

Problem solved!! You can tighten the screw as much as you want, and it shouldn’t snap the wire. It will BEND the wire inside the hole… instead of CUTTING it.

 

[Papa_Lazarou]

An elegant solution, sir. Thank you for posting it.

The RM4, with the original screws that went with it, were especially bad for this (replacement screws for this first batch are available on his site, and new ones have alternate screws).

 

[B2L]

I always thought it was the "lack of" that would do that

Good info, if you don't have a dremel handy, some sandpaper will do the trick as well, just a little slower.

 

[Filthy-Beast]

You roll a great Coil. As you’re mounting it through the hole, you tighten the screw down. Then…. SNAP!! The coil breaks off, and you have to make another one and repeat the procedure. It can be a frustrating thing, and always happens on RBA’s in which you thread the Kanthal through the post holes, and then tighten the screw down.

It’s happened a few times on my RM2, and many other times on my Drippers. I spent an hour the other day trying to mount 4 coils; but however, each time resulted in a … ‘Snap’!! I knew what was causing it, but was hoping it would dull the screw each time it claimed my coil …to the point of allowing me to tighten it down more each time. But it didn’t happen. This particular screw just wasn’t budging. It was a Coil Reaper!! It loved cutting my coils like a Piranha eating meat! It snapped the wire as soon as I barely screwed it down into the post.


Cause:
The tiny screws were cut off after being threaded at the manufacturer. Instead of the manufacturer smoothing the tip, they just leave it sharp. This is what cuts the Kanthal wire. And it’s a royal pain the ayusss!

​

Solving:
Get some masking tape (other types will do). A square inch is all you need. Put a little hole in the tape, and stick the screw through (on the sticky side). Now fold it. The tape will help protect the screw from scratching as you hold it with wire pliers. And will keep you off your hands and knees all night (unless you like that sorta thing) looking for the screw when it pops out of the wire pliers.

​

Take a Dremel, and smooth the edges. You just want to lightly touch the screw enough to smooth it. That’s all.

​

Problem solved!! You can tighten the screw as much as you want, and it shouldn’t snap the wire. It will BEND the wire inside the hole… instead of CUTTING it.

Great post and pics too. thanks for sharing.

 

[ed101z]

A metal file or really good finger nail file might work to smooth it down. Don't know though. I didn't try that method.

 

[Filthy-Beast]

A metal file or really good finger nail file might work to smooth it down. Don't know though. I didn't try that method.

yes a metal file works great, that's how I did it. Don't know why since the dremel sits right next to the file on my desk, must be force of habit .

 

[glasseye]

I like that tape trick for small parts! Thanks!

 

[Stringer63]

Post deleted.

 

[Stringer63]

Post deleted.

 

[classwife]

That's awesome !

I just pinch mine in my fingers and run them down an emery board - hated that sound /feel of cutting those dang coils

 

[granolaboy]

Nice one...hadn't thought to try that.

Thanks!!!

 

[AngiBe]

Great thread and thanks. I don't have anything handy mentioned but a nail file so going to try that

 

[Spydro]

Great write up and pics. I don't do the on all fours thing anymore, have a long telescoping handled magnet that finds coils I drop. Just part of having coiling sessions, making several up while I'm at it and invariably drop one or two on the carpet that bounce to the hardest place to see or find them. The tape is a good idea for small screws though. Can't remember an atty I've had the problem with, probably why I have not dropped any screws yet. I am however missing a few marbles though.

 

[ed101z]

No problem. Every atomizer I own that have holes in the posts for the Kanthal wire to go through has cut the wire in half when tightening the screws. Yes... the screws can bounce everywhere and strangly disappear. Even if you use a file or some other technique....at least put the tape tape on them to avoid losing them.

 

[Ian444]

Every atomizer I own that have holes in the posts for the Kanthal wire to go through has cut the wire in half when tightening the screws.

Same here, even quality screws that I bought from a local engineering supplies came free with the built-in wire cutting lip on the end. I usually hold the screw down on a #1 philips screwdriver with my thumbnail while I file them and finish off with some wet and dry sandpaper.

 

[Big Hitter]

Cause:
The tiny screws were cut off after being threaded at the manufacturer. Instead of the manufacturer smoothing the tip, they just leave it sharp. This is what cuts the Kanthal wire. And it’s a royal pain the ayusss!

Well I'm glad you figured it out and fixed the problem. As fas as the cause from what I can tell and know ..... I owned a fastener company for many years ..... Nuts bolts and screws were my life 60 hours a week for almost 20 years.

Small screws like that are manufactured by whats called "rolling" they start with blanks that are slightly shorter and smaller around and then run them through a machine that actually squishes the threads into the screw as they "roll" through the tooling. That is whats leaving that circular sharp edge along the bottom. The screws would never be made then cut afterwards except in small quantities for rare special requirements. If they were they would certainly need to be chamfered afterwards so they would actually be nice and smooth it that was the case.



Just incase anyone was wondering ....... carry on!

 

[SITS]

I really appreciate the info.

 

[ed101z]

Ok, I got the threading process backwards, but it really doesn't matter to me which comes first. The goal is to be able to tighten down the screws inside the posts - without them slicing the wire.

Note: I tried to edit this thread to correct a mistake I made about screws being cut after being threaded, but the option to edit is not there. Screws are cut first, and then threaded. I was more excited to post these pictures, and to help solve a common problem... than I was focused on how machine screws are manufactured.

 

[muzichead]

Well I'm glad you figured it out and fixed the problem. As fas as the cause from what I can tell and know ..... I owned a fastener company for many years ..... Nuts bolts and screws were my life 60 hours a week for almost 20 years.

Small screws like that are manufactured by whats called "rolling" they start with blanks that are slightly shorter and smaller around and then run them through a machine that actually squishes the threads into the screw as they "roll" through the tooling. That is whats leaving that circular sharp edge along the bottom. The screws would never be made then cut afterwards except in small quantities for rare special requirements. If they were they would certainly need to be chamfered afterwards so they would actually be nice and smooth it that was the case.



Just incase anyone was wondering ....... carry on!

Excellent post Tim... I owned a tool & supply company for 20+yrs, but 90% of my business was in fasteners as well. I was going to post a few times about thread rolling but felt it wouldn't be comprehended by most people. As you said, there are companies out there that will give you a more finished product, but that comes at a cost. I take all screws in any new atty I receive and the first thing I do it file down the end of the screw just for the satisfaction of knowing it won't be cutting any wire prematurely. I try to pass on the same info when I run across anyone that has this problem. Thanks for sharing the info again...

 

[Big Hitter]

Excellent post Tim... I owned a tool & supply company for 20+yrs, but 90% of my business was in fasteners as well. I was going to post a few times about thread rolling but felt it wouldn't be comprehended by most people. As you said, there are companies out there that will give you a more finished product, but that comes at a cost. I take all screws in any new atty I receive and the first thing I do it file down the end of the screw just for the satisfaction of knowing it won't be cutting any wire prematurely. I try to pass on the same info when I run across anyone that has this problem. Thanks for sharing the info again...

Well small world .... seemed like a lot of fasteners came out of IL

Fasteners are a lot like vaping .... a whole language just to their own. I can appreciate anyone that could tell the difference between a 10-24 X 3/8 Socket set screw cup pt ..... from a half dog pt.