[SML] sorting screws

Richard John Archer rja10 at cornell.edu
Sun Jan 22 04:34:02 UTC 2017


We too “sort” our screws into the recycle metal can. (magnetic broom)   Once in awhile we might pull some of the torx head (star bit) deck screws but generally we still use phillips head drywall screws and throw them away.  Drywall really aren’t built to use in wood, the bugle head doesn’t “fit” into  a typical countersink hole so adds more torque, you need a lot more force to keep the phillips head bit in the screw which puts more strain on the metal….all in all, just not worth it.  We all know how easy it is to break off a drywall screw head and it only is more so when you use it a second time.  If you buy a 25 lb box of 1/58 drywall screws you are only paying about 1¢ per screw even from a big box store.

DickA
TD, Cornell U




On Jan 21, 2017, at 9:07 PM, Duncan Mahoney via Stagecraft <stagecraft at theatrical.net<mailto:stagecraft at theatrical.net>> wrote:

I generally have the screws “sorted” into the trash or recycling can at strike.

We are using Phillips drive screws so YMMV if you are using square drive, but I have found over the years that the value of the time lost when a partially stripped screw is grabbed out of the bin when building set (and gets stuck partway in the wood, or does not draw up the joint, but also can’t be removed) outweighs the money saved by re-using screws.  Even when I have “free” labor that could carefully inspect each screw and only save the good ones, there is usually something more productive that could be done…like sorting bolts

Duncan Mahoney
Director of Technical Direction
Associate Professor of Theatre Practice
University of Southern California School of Dramatic Arts

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