Here’s a quick tip to bring in the new year. A novel way to remove a stripped or stubborn machine screw using a vise.

The idea is simple, a stripped screw tends to lead to problems with the screwdriver “camming out”. To prevent this, pinch the screw and the screwdriver (or in this case, the screwdriver bit or “blade”) between the jaws of a vise. Keep the jaws just tight enough to prevent the screwdriver from camming out as it turns. As the screw starts to rotate, loosen the jaws slightly to allow for it to extract.

Here’s a quick video of the process in action.

In situations where it’s hard to grip the handle of the screwdriver (because it’s in a vise) I recommend using a screwdriver with a square or hex shank so you can get a wrench on it for leverage, or use a bit or blade like I show in the picture and video. Don’t try vise grips on a round shank screwdriver, you’ll just muck it up. Some screwdrivers have a round shank with hex portion (called a “hex bolster”) where the shank meets the handle. This little hex bolster is ideal for getting a little extra leverage when needed.

Screwdrivers with a hex bolster come in handy more often than you might think … if you remember to use it! I’ve started replacing all my cheap, damaged, or worn out screwdrivers with better ones that have a hex bolster near the handle. Here’s a nice set on Amazon by Klein (click image).

There are obviously other methods of removing a stripped screw. Two of which have already been mentioned in responses to this video on YouTube. For instance, one viewer suggested cutting a slit in the head of the stripped screw to use a flat blade screwdriver, while another viewer suggested using an impact wrench (or the impact setting on a cordless drill)  which I have used with great success also.

Lets see how many other ways we can think of to remove a stripped screw. If you have a method, please leave it via a comment on the forum (see link below).

And Happy New Year!

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Quick Change Tool Posts (QCTP’s) are great, but once you own one you tend to start accumulating all sorts of tool holders. The problem is these holders can be bulky and take up a lot of drawer space, if they fit in a drawer at all (mine don’t fit in my Kennedy tool box as they are just a smidge too tall). So mine tend to reside on the edge of my chip tray where they get covered in swarf and oil.

Not ideal.

Luckily there are a few nifty storage solutions just waiting to be implemented. The first comes from Norman in Texas who was clever enough to make little dovetail brackets that he can secure to the wall. His first few brackets were milled, but now he’s casting them. Here’s what Norman’s brackets look like in use. The third one down from the top is an empty bracket:

But wait, there’s more!

After seeing Norman’s solution Alexander submitted a few of his own. Here’s a solution that Alex found on the web from DocsMachine.com.  Doc mounts his tool holders to the wall using a short rod (upper right highlighted in red – you can click the image to enlarge it). This seems to work well, but I think some J or Z channel would also work and might be sturdier and easier to mount.

And here’s Alexander’s personal solution, consisting of a piece of plastic angle bolted to his backsplash. I like the idea of plastic or aluminum angle instead of steel since there’s no chance of them damaging the dovetail on the tool holders.

If you’d like to read the original forum post or submit your own solution, please visit the forum post here:

QCTP Tool Storage Solutions

“How do I set my lathe so that I can take very fine cuts?”

This question comes up occasionally on the forum and I’ve seen it addressed in books, but I’m not sure if I’ve ever seen a video of the process, so I decided to make one.

Setting up your lathe to take very fine cuts is a simple process. The quick version is this: By setting your compound at an angle of between 5° and 6° you’ll be able to use the dial on the compound as a very fine feed, advancing the tool in tenths for every thousandth you turn on the dial.

This is sometimes referred to as “Slewing the compound”. Although I’m not sure how technically accurate the term “to slew” is when talking about lathes. This could be slang for all I know and to make matters worse I’m not sure if it’s American slang or Brittish slang (as I have read dozens of books from both sides of the water), so be careful if you decide to break out the term in a shop full of machinists. You might get some funny looks.

I’ve seen this process described in multiple books, including the Machinist’s Bedside Reader by Guy Lautard, and in Lathework a Complete Course by Harold Hall. Both of which are excellent books. The first book by Lautard shows you the math behind the process I’ve outlined here and uses imperial (inch) measurements. The second book by Hall describes a slightly different method and is written for those who work in metric.

Anyway, if your compound is set at 5.75° and you advance the dial on your compound .001″, the tool bit advances toward the part .0001″ thus taking a very fine cut.

That’s as easy (or as complicated) as it gets. For most of you the image above will be enough of an explanation, but for those who require a little more reinforcement of the concept, here’s a “short” video of the process. I took 8 minutes to explain what should have taken 60 seconds. It seems I need to work on being succinct and not sounding deadpan. But hey, we all have our things to work on, right? Bueler … ?

Setting your compound to exactly 5.75° isn’t critical, somewhere between 5° and 6° will get you very close. You can also use this process for metric cuts.

Do you have a different method that you like to use? Please leave a comment on the forum. We’d like to hear it!

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