Joe,

Go to a hardware store and ask. I can't remember the same, but there
is a commercial product, usually hanging on a peg at the end of an
isle, which looks like some small strips of aluminum foil. You push
one, or more, into the hole, insert the screw, and tear off the
excess. It molds itself to the hole and does not easily fall out,
though you can remove it if you want. I have used it for what you
want, and at least for me it worked fine. Works on much larger screws
as well.



--
Alan
WA4SCA

Hello Joel

Anyone have any words of wisdom?

The word of wisdom here is HeliCoil.

Regards Max

Anyone have any words of wisdom?

The word of wisdom here is HeliCoil.


Joel & Max-

I was about to reply with Max's suggestion when I read his. I did a search on
HeliCoil and came up with:

http://www.ersco-mi.com/helicoil1.html

http://www.emhart.com/products/helicoil.html

and

http://www.ezlok.com/

Of the first two, one may be the manufacturer and the other a distributor, but
that isn't clear. The third appears to be a similar competitor. I would start
by checking with a local hardware store to see if they have heard of HeliCoil
or EZ Lok.

These require the original threads to be in a somewhat thick piece of metal.
There is also a system for sheet metal I've seen used in Hewlett Packard and
other equipment. Something like a thick washer is threaded and pressed into a
hole in the sheet metal. I don't know if this is available for the repair
industry, or if it is custom made by the companies that use it.

73, Fred, K4DII

HeliCoils are great and I have used them on cars over the years. But the
cabinets on most gear is sheet metal, and I doubt this would be the answer.
But thinking about it, I know I have run into little 'U' shaped pieces of
metal that slide over a hole and are taped. Maybe I can find something like
that at a hardware store. That's if I knew what they were called...

..
"Fred McKenzie" wrote in message
...
Anyone have any words of wisdom?

The word of wisdom here is HeliCoil.


Joel & Max-

I was about to reply with Max's suggestion when I read his. I did a
search on
HeliCoil and came up with:

http://www.ersco-mi.com/helicoil1.html

http://www.emhart.com/products/helicoil.html

and

http://www.ezlok.com/

Of the first two, one may be the manufacturer and the other a distributor,
but
that isn't clear. The third appears to be a similar competitor. I would
start
by checking with a local hardware store to see if they have heard of
HeliCoil
or EZ Lok.

These require the original threads to be in a somewhat thick piece of
metal.
There is also a system for sheet metal I've seen used in Hewlett Packard
and
other equipment. Something like a thick washer is threaded and pressed
into a
hole in the sheet metal. I don't know if this is available for the repair
industry, or if it is custom made by the companies that use it.

73, Fred, K4DII

In a hardware store's nuts & bolts section you'll probably find these in the
slide-out drawers. I know what you're thinking about but can't think of
what they're really called. Those drawers are nice because they have
pictures on them. (advanced hardware stores actually hotglue one onto the
front of the drawer.)

I doubt helicoils would work on sheet steel either.


"Joel" wrote in message
...
HeliCoils are great and I have used them on cars over the years. But the
cabinets on most gear is sheet metal, and I doubt this would be the
answer.
But thinking about it, I know I have run into little 'U' shaped pieces of
metal that slide over a hole and are taped. Maybe I can find something
like
that at a hardware store. That's if I knew what they were called...

.
"Fred McKenzie" wrote in message
...
Anyone have any words of wisdom?

The word of wisdom here is HeliCoil.


Joel & Max-

I was about to reply with Max's suggestion when I read his. I did a
search on
HeliCoil and came up with:

http://www.ersco-mi.com/helicoil1.html

http://www.emhart.com/products/helicoil.html

and

http://www.ezlok.com/

Of the first two, one may be the manufacturer and the other a
distributor,
but
that isn't clear. The third appears to be a similar competitor. I
would
start
by checking with a local hardware store to see if they have heard of
HeliCoil
or EZ Lok.

These require the original threads to be in a somewhat thick piece of
metal.
There is also a system for sheet metal I've seen used in Hewlett Packard
and
other equipment. Something like a thick washer is threaded and pressed
into a
hole in the sheet metal. I don't know if this is available for the
repair
industry, or if it is custom made by the companies that use it.

73, Fred, K4DII

In a hardware store's nuts & bolts section you'll probably find these in the
slide-out drawers. I know what you're thinking about but can't think of
what they're really called. Those drawers are nice because they have
pictures on them. (advanced hardware stores actually hotglue one onto the
front of the drawer.)

I doubt helicoils would work on sheet steel either.


"Joel" wrote in message
...
HeliCoils are great and I have used them on cars over the years. But the
cabinets on most gear is sheet metal, and I doubt this would be the
answer.
But thinking about it, I know I have run into little 'U' shaped pieces of
metal that slide over a hole and are taped. Maybe I can find something
like
that at a hardware store. That's if I knew what they were called...

.
"Fred McKenzie" wrote in message
...
Anyone have any words of wisdom?

The word of wisdom here is HeliCoil.


Joel & Max-

I was about to reply with Max's suggestion when I read his. I did a
search on
HeliCoil and came up with:

http://www.ersco-mi.com/helicoil1.html

http://www.emhart.com/products/helicoil.html

and

http://www.ezlok.com/

Of the first two, one may be the manufacturer and the other a
distributor,
but
that isn't clear. The third appears to be a similar competitor. I
would
start
by checking with a local hardware store to see if they have heard of
HeliCoil
or EZ Lok.

These require the original threads to be in a somewhat thick piece of
metal.
There is also a system for sheet metal I've seen used in Hewlett Packard
and
other equipment. Something like a thick washer is threaded and pressed
into a
hole in the sheet metal. I don't know if this is available for the
repair
industry, or if it is custom made by the companies that use it.

73, Fred, K4DII

Strangely enough, it's called a U-Type nut!!!
See:
http://www.allmetalssupply.com/u_type_nuts.htm

--
73, Paul (N0KIA)


Joel wrote:

HeliCoils are great and I have used them on cars over the years. But the
cabinets on most gear is sheet metal, and I doubt this would be the answer.
But thinking about it, I know I have run into little 'U' shaped pieces of
metal that slide over a hole and are taped. Maybe I can find something like
that at a hardware store. That's if I knew what they were called...

.
"Fred McKenzie" wrote in message
...

Anyone have any words of wisdom?

The word of wisdom here is HeliCoil.


Joel & Max-

I was about to reply with Max's suggestion when I read his. I did a

search on

HeliCoil and came up with:

http://www.ersco-mi.com/helicoil1.html

http://www.emhart.com/products/helicoil.html

and

http://www.ezlok.com/

Of the first two, one may be the manufacturer and the other a distributor,

but

that isn't clear. The third appears to be a similar competitor. I would

start

by checking with a local hardware store to see if they have heard of

HeliCoil

or EZ Lok.

These require the original threads to be in a somewhat thick piece of

metal.

There is also a system for sheet metal I've seen used in Hewlett Packard

and

other equipment. Something like a thick washer is threaded and pressed

into a

hole in the sheet metal. I don't know if this is available for the repair
industry, or if it is custom made by the companies that use it.

73, Fred, K4DII

Strangely enough, it's called a U-Type nut!!!
See:
http://www.allmetalssupply.com/u_type_nuts.htm

--
73, Paul (N0KIA)


Joel wrote:

HeliCoils are great and I have used them on cars over the years. But the
cabinets on most gear is sheet metal, and I doubt this would be the answer.
But thinking about it, I know I have run into little 'U' shaped pieces of
metal that slide over a hole and are taped. Maybe I can find something like
that at a hardware store. That's if I knew what they were called...

.
"Fred McKenzie" wrote in message
...

Anyone have any words of wisdom?

The word of wisdom here is HeliCoil.


Joel & Max-

I was about to reply with Max's suggestion when I read his. I did a

search on

HeliCoil and came up with:

http://www.ersco-mi.com/helicoil1.html

http://www.emhart.com/products/helicoil.html

and

http://www.ezlok.com/

Of the first two, one may be the manufacturer and the other a distributor,

but

that isn't clear. The third appears to be a similar competitor. I would

start

by checking with a local hardware store to see if they have heard of

HeliCoil

or EZ Lok.

These require the original threads to be in a somewhat thick piece of

metal.

There is also a system for sheet metal I've seen used in Hewlett Packard

and

other equipment. Something like a thick washer is threaded and pressed

into a

hole in the sheet metal. I don't know if this is available for the repair
industry, or if it is custom made by the companies that use it.

73, Fred, K4DII

HeliCoils are great and I have used them on cars over the years. But the
cabinets on most gear is sheet metal, and I doubt this would be the answer.
But thinking about it, I know I have run into little 'U' shaped pieces of
metal that slide over a hole and are taped. Maybe I can find something like
that at a hardware store. That's if I knew what they were called...

..
"Fred McKenzie" wrote in message
...
Anyone have any words of wisdom?

The word of wisdom here is HeliCoil.


Joel & Max-

I was about to reply with Max's suggestion when I read his. I did a
search on
HeliCoil and came up with:

http://www.ersco-mi.com/helicoil1.html

http://www.emhart.com/products/helicoil.html

and

http://www.ezlok.com/

Of the first two, one may be the manufacturer and the other a distributor,
but
that isn't clear. The third appears to be a similar competitor. I would
start
by checking with a local hardware store to see if they have heard of
HeliCoil
or EZ Lok.

These require the original threads to be in a somewhat thick piece of
metal.
There is also a system for sheet metal I've seen used in Hewlett Packard
and
other equipment. Something like a thick washer is threaded and pressed
into a
hole in the sheet metal. I don't know if this is available for the repair
industry, or if it is custom made by the companies that use it.

73, Fred, K4DII

On 21 Jul 2003 00:26:21 GMT, (Fred McKenzie) wrote:

Anyone have any words of wisdom?

The word of wisdom here is HeliCoil.


Joel & Max-

I was about to reply with Max's suggestion when I read his. I did a search on
HeliCoil and came up with:

http://www.ersco-mi.com/helicoil1.html

http://www.emhart.com/products/helicoil.html

and

http://www.ezlok.com/

Of the first two, one may be the manufacturer and the other a distributor, but
that isn't clear. The third appears to be a similar competitor. I would start
by checking with a local hardware store to see if they have heard of HeliCoil
or EZ Lok.

These require the original threads to be in a somewhat thick piece of metal.
There is also a system for sheet metal I've seen used in Hewlett Packard and
other equipment. Something like a thick washer is threaded and pressed into a
hole in the sheet metal. I don't know if this is available for the repair
industry, or if it is custom made by the companies that use it.

73, Fred, K4DII

These are called PEM nuts (from Pennsylvania Engineering and
Manufacturing, the originator). This is a high-quality fastener that
is used universally for providing machine-screw threads in sheet
metal. Many different forms available.

They work very well. The hole should be accurately drilled to size...
this is important. And you should use the correct fastener for the
thickness of the sheet metal involved.

It takes a fair amount of force to install one, as it forms the
aluminum into the recesses of the fastener under pressure. But once
installed properly, the fastener is permanent and very reliable.


73 de Leigh W3NLB