Stripped Out Screw Post Repair Question

[thegamezmaster]

Hello, I just bought a used joystick and one of the posts that a screw that holds the bottom on is stripped out and I'm not sure what to use to put in it to be able to tighten down the screw but to be able to take the screw out if it needs cleaning in the future. Anyone know what to use that won't damage the post but do the job? Thanks.

[oldgames]

You might try filling the hole with epoxy, letting it cure, and then drill and cut threads in the epoxy. You might even be able to cut the threads with the screw if you don't have a thread tap.

 

Another fix would be to find a non-working controller and swap out the bottom from it.

[CPU64]

keep it simple, use a slightly thicker screw.

If you must use the same screw, and want to use the epoxi idea, coat the screw with some PAM or baby oil. Fill the hole with the epoxi, and set the screw all the way into the stripped post. Once its cured, take out the screw and you have new treads.

But be jentle to them from now on.

[A.J. Franzman]

As long as the plastic is not cracked, just go to a well-stocked hardware store and find a product called "Mr. Grip" by Woodmates (for wood but works great in plastic too). It's often in the glue or screw section of the store, in blister card packs with black and yellow or black and orange printing on the cards. It's a thin steel strip that's punctured from both sides to form raised conical "teeth" with open points. You'll need sheet metal snips or some heavy-duty scissors that you don't care if they get messed up to cut it into a tiny strip that will fit in the screw hole - for screws this small, you don't need to go down to the bottom of the hole and back up the other side like the package shows. You only need about 1 row of the teeth by maybe 1/2 inch long. Drop this into the hole (making sure it doesn't stick out) then drive the screw in. It will form around the screw, and the teeth will grip the threads and the side of the hole. Do not overtighten the screw, make it just barely snug.

Edited August 26, 2005 by A.J. Franzman