Any tricks for installing tiny screws?

[Jesse Cloud]

I need to install butt hinges on a jewelry cabinet. Got the mortise cut for a nice fit, but I'm dreading trying to install the tiny #2 screws. Any good ideas on how to do this?

Do you drill a hole? Smallest bit I have is 1/16 and that seems way bigger than the threads of the screw.

I'll bet there's something I'm missing.

Thanks in advance!

Jess

[josh bjork]

At the least, i take a finish nail and cut the head off and use it to spin a little pilot hole.

[Jim Becker]

Tiny screw...tiny drill bit...tiny screwdriver. :D :D :D

Seriously, you'll want to pre-drill for those little screws, especially if they are brass. Either purchase an appropriate drill bit (hobby shop will have them and a pin-vice to hold it...drill by hand) or sharpen a small enough nail to do the job chucked in a cordless tool.

[Gary Keedwell]

Do you have dial calipers? Most finish nails are bigger then 1/16th. I just measured my smallest brad and it was .047. (1/16 = .060) They do make alot of bits smaller then 1/16.
Gary

[Earl Reid]

I used small nails for many yrs, but I put the in the drill and ground the nail to size on the grinder. works very well
Earl

[Gary Keedwell]

I used small nails for many yrs, but I put the in the drill and ground the nail to size on the grinder. works very well
Earl
:) Yep, more then one way to skin the proverbial cat.;)
Gary

[Dale Lesak]

If they are brass screws, get some steel ones from the hardware store when you get the drill bit. get them longer so they will be easier to work with and after drilling the hole run the steel screws in first to "Tap" the hole. A good hobby shop will carry everything you need too. They do make screw starters. They look like a "T" handle with a screw thread on the end. I don't know if they make then down to the #2 your working with. I would not even try to put the small screws in with out pre drilling and tapping first. :)

[Lee Schierer]

I highly recommend pilot holes. Most industrial supply places and real hardare stores should have smaller bits. For a #2 screw use a #54 or #55 drill. AND rub the threads on a lump of beeswax before trying to screw them into the wood. The screw will drive with half the effort and most likely won't break off in the hole. Paraffin or soap don't work as well. Soap may stain the wood.

[Art Mann]

Lee is offering good advice on the beswax. Brass screws of that size are especially bad about twisting the head off. The wax will keep that from happening.

[Doug Shepard]

Cant recall where I got mine, but these are real handy for the small wire gauge drill bits. Mine came with a 30-40 pc set of bits as well, but cant remember who had it.

Oops
Lost the link
http://www.garrettwade.com/jump.jsp?itemType=PRODUCT&itemID=106088

[Bill Huber]

If you have a good plumbing supply house around get a set of orifice drills, this are little, I mean little bits with handles on each you just spin between your fingers.

As has be stated use bees wax on the screws when you go to put them in.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

Heat a sewing pin and use that (with pliers) to burn a pilot hole

If your screwdrivers are too big you can grind them OR use an exacto knife or razor blade that you ground to shape.

[Chris Barnett]

Electrical supply house should have the small bits for drilling holes in PC boards for pin and wire soldering. Mine each came in a small glass vial.

[Tim Sproul]

but I'm dreading trying to install the tiny #2 screws. Any good ideas on how to do this?


For small screws like that, and keeping them in the traditional aesthetic of solid brass, I use machine screws. I get the screws from McMaster Carr (slotted, brass flathead machine screws) and I got drill and tap sets from Lee Valley. Lee Valley also sells a good screwdriver set with small philips and slot head drivers. The butt of the driver rotates, allowing you to apply pressure into the screw head and turn the screw at the same time.....a pivotal feature required when driving very small brass screws....waxed or not. Machine screws are also better, IMO/IME than wood screws for very small screws because the length is almost always very short in addition to the gauge being relatively fine. A wood screw that is only 1/2 inch long only has a few threads holding it in (the tip of the screw offers no holding power) ..... a #2-56 machine screw will have threading that holds onto the wood all the way to the tip. The threading is very fine at 56 tpi, but I find these work more reliably than a #2 wood screw, especially in more dense woods.

Lee Valley tap set (http://www.leevalley.com/hardware/page.aspx?c=2&p=40057&cat=3,41306,41330)

Lee Valley Jeweler's driver set (http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=49733&cat=1,43411,43417&ap=2)

[Rick Levine]

Hire an elf. They should be available for work after tomorrow.

[Alfred Clem]

Poke the tiny screw almost through a slip of paper instead of trying to hold the little thing between fingers. First, of course, drill a pilot hole. Then put a same-size steel screw in place and start it in. Withdraw the steel screw, and then put the tiny brass screw (using the paper) over the hole and gently screw it in after applying a bit of beeswax to the screw threads. Should work like a charm.

[Paul Girouard]

Hire an elf. They should be available for work after tomorrow.



As a ELF union rep I can assure you the Elf's will not be avaiable for work until next Dec. :D

[Jesse Cloud]

Wow - what a great response! Lots of ways to skin a cat!

Given that its Christmas Eve and most things have already shut down in this neck of the woods, I'll try grinding down a nail. For future use, I'm definitely gonna get that LV tap and die and some machine screws!

Bummer that the elves are on sabbatical.;)

Happy holidays all!
Jess

[Gary Keedwell]

For small screws like that, and keeping them in the traditional aesthetic of solid brass, I use machine screws. I get the screws from McMaster Carr (slotted, brass flathead machine screws) and I got drill and tap sets from Lee Valley. Lee Valley also sells a good screwdriver set with small philips and slot head drivers. The butt of the driver rotates, allowing you to apply pressure into the screw head and turn the screw at the same time.....a pivotal feature required when driving very small brass screws....waxed or not. Machine screws are also better, IMO/IME than wood screws for very small screws because the length is almost always very short in addition to the gauge being relatively fine. A wood screw that is only 1/2 inch long only has a few threads holding it in (the tip of the screw offers no holding power) ..... a #2-56 machine screw will have threading that holds onto the wood all the way to the tip. The threading is very fine at 56 tpi, but I find these work more reliably than a #2 wood screw, especially in more dense woods.

Lee Valley tap set (http://www.leevalley.com/hardware/page.aspx?c=2&p=40057&cat=3,41306,41330)

Lee Valley Jeweler's driver set (http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=49733&cat=1,43411,43417&ap=2)
Tim...A 2-56 thread requires a #50 drill bit which is .070 , which means the screw is even bigger.. The original poster said that a 1/16" (.062) nail was too big therefore he can't use machine screws.:o
Gary

[Tom Kelley]

Jesse I use a Dremel. They sell tiny drill bits that sound like they would work for you.
Tom

[Jude Kingery]

Jesse, lots of excellent suggestions for you, like several, I use a finishing nail to do a pilot hole, usually deep enough for a very tiny screw, then one other thing is for a tiny phillips screw driver, I magnatized it so the screw sticks to it and I don't drop it and spend time looking for it, ha! Best to you and Merry Christmas! Jude

[Mike K Wenzloff]

Like Tim, I drill and tap for brass machine screws. They are stronger, the threaded portion that actually holds into the wood longer (no taper with miniscule threads) and work far better in thin wood such as a jewelry box lid that is thin (yeah, not you aplication).

I use them for any hinge on furniture that is in a hard wood. I use Brusso knife hinges a lot and use them for those applications as well. The machine screws are not as soft as a brass screw and that helps make it near impossible to snap the buggers or strip the wood out.

As to sizing...I use size for size. Never had a mis-match problem. The holes in a hinge are larger than needed for the screw size. I use bolts for all my hinges on small jewelry boxes. However, if needed I would drill a slightly larger hole and re-countersink just to use machine screws if I ever needed to.

Take care, Mike

[Gary Keedwell]

Re-drilling( opening existing hole) and re-countersinking using a 82º countersink is definetly another option. I always keep a few countersinks around.:)
Gary

[Tim Dorcas]

Auger Gimlets

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=32206&cat=1,43411,43422&ap=1

[Gary Keedwell]

Auger Gimlets

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=32206&cat=1,43411,43422&ap=1
Tim....Smallest one is 5/64ths which is .078. Still much bigger then Jess (OP) needs for existing hardware.
Gary

[Mark Singer]

These work well and leave a thread for the screw...

http://www.leevalley.com/images/item/woodworking/assorted/33j2001s1.jpg

[Gary Keedwell]

These work well and leave a thread for the screw...

http://www.leevalley.com/images/item/woodworking/assorted/33j2001s1.jpg
Mark...That link was already given...read my post above.

Merry Christmas

GK
http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/36/36_15_61.gif

[Eddie Darby]

Could be repeating this, but here we go anyway.

Pre-drill with these:

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=32297&cat=1,180,42337&ap=1

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=41753&cat=1,180,42337&ap=1

[Gary Keedwell]

Could be repeating this, but here we go anyway.

Pre-drill with these:

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=32297&cat=1,180,42337&ap=1

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=41753&cat=1,180,42337&ap=1
Eddie..Very interesting ...Glad you brought this up because alot of drill chucks that come standard with drills do not hold bits smaller than 1/16th (.062) . I just checked my Festool chuck and It is scribed 1/16- 1/2 capacity. I tried a #58 ( .042) and it wouldn't close enough.
I do have a couple of nice machinists chucks that have a 0- 1/2 cap. though. I just checked my Jet drill press and it held the .042 drill bit fine.They do sell small chucks with a shank that will actually fit in your cordless drill chuck. A chuck in a chuck, so to speak.

Gary

[Mark Singer]

Mark...That link was already given...read my post above.

Merry Christmas

GK
http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/36/36_15_61.gif


I am just being repitious :rolleyes:

[Tim Sproul]

...... I just checked my Festool chuck and It is scribed 1/16- 1/2 capacity. I tried a #58 ( .042) and it wouldn't close enough.

This is probably one area where a Dremel is actually worthwhile. I use a Dremel for boring small holes. I use it for small hardware items, small pins for pinning panels into frames and in making shaker oval boxes.