[Elecraft] Phillips "hold-tite" screwdriver mod

[Ron D'Eau Claire]

A magnetized screwdriver does a FB job as well, and it'll hold the lock washer on the screw in the process. There's nothing in the K3 that will be damaged by a magnetized screwdriver. 

I should point out that the test K3 was assembled using ONLY the tools listed in the manual. That's my rule for validating the procedures. In that test the long-nose pliers listed in the tools were sometimes used to hold the screw while it was positioned then the driver threaded it into the nut. 

Ron AC7AC

-----Original Message-----
From: elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net [mailto:elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Brendan Minish
Sent: Tuesday, November 25, 2008 4:45 PM
To: ac5p at sbcglobal.net
Cc: Elecraft at mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Phillips "hold-tite" screwdriver mod

I have been using beeswax for years to do this job.
A small lump of beeswax will last for pretty much ever in this role.
Just stick the point of the screwdriver in it when you need to hold
screws to the tip 

73
Brendan EI6IZ

On Tue, 2008-11-25 at 15:50 -0800, Barbara Maloney wrote:
> Hello list members,
> I found a trick for holding small screws on the end of the screwdriver
> until you can get them into a tight place and started.   A small
> amount of electrical connector black seal mastic or putty shaped on
> the end of the driver takes up the gap enough to hold the screw until
> you get it thru the hole and started.  Once pulled away, the
> putty stays on the screwdriver. 
> Great for removing screws also.  Once in a while the mastic needs
> reshaped to the tip of the screwdriver to hold the screw securely.
> It beats fingering the tiny screws into close spaces and hoping you
> dont drop it before you can get the screwdriver head on it. 
> I was able to complete assembly on my K3/2170 today and didnt drop a
> single screw in the process, thanks to this method.  
> Mike, AC5P  
> _______________________________________________