Pro Tips

[Carmine A 1330]

This Thread needs a real Pro Tip every now and then.... 

HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE STRIPPED SCREW THREADS IN PLASTIC??? 😲  (be honest!!) 

I came up with this while watching a Video on how to 3D Print... 

Really needed this solution, because I had just stripped the Threads on BOTH sides of my Wraith AR60 Axle!!! 😠😖  They're actually notorious for stripping Screw Holes. 

These are Brass Thread Inserts. In the U.S. you can get them here. They're inexpensive:   https://www.ebay.com/itm/292174792941 😉

Many China Sellers have them, and I'm fairly certain that they can be had in the UK, Europe, even Australia!  

Here's the Dimensions: 

I Drill a 5.2-5.3mm hole in the Plastic, depending on how soft the Plastic is.  Then I take a SMALL amount of Epoxy or Gorilla Glue, and put it around the knurled area. Fit a SHORT (3mm x 4mm) Screw into the Insert, to protect the Threads...

I will then push the insert into the Hole with Pliers or Vise Grips, (from the INSIDE if at all possible) until flush with the surface. 

REMOVE the Screw right away, give the adhesive time to Cure.  Use like nothing ever happened!! 😁😊 

The Inserts in my Wraith Axle has so far held up for over 5 years, on 4S Brushless Power!! 😊💯👍👍  It's really a much better than new fix, and I can recommend them in high stress areas. 

....... IRONICALLY, People I've talked to who have used these in 3D Printing, have said they were RUBBISH! Not so on the Plastic applications I've done.

[Pablo68 575]

22 hours ago, Carmine A said:

This Thread needs a real Pro Tip every now and then.... 

HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE STRIPPED SCREW THREADS IN PLASTIC??? 😲  (be honest!!) 

I came up with this while watching a Video on how to 3D Print... 

Really needed this solution, because I had just stripped the Threads on BOTH sides of my Wraith AR60 Axle!!! 😠😖  They're actually notorious for stripping Screw Holes. 

These are Brass Thread Inserts. In the U.S. you can get them here. They're inexpensive:   https://www.ebay.com/itm/292174792941 😉

Many China Sellers have them, and I'm fairly certain that they can be had in the UK, Europe, even Australia!  

Here's the Dimensions: 

I Drill a 5.2-5.3mm hole in the Plastic, depending on how soft the Plastic is.  Then I take a SMALL amount of Epoxy or Gorilla Glue, and put it around the knurled area. Fit a SHORT (3mm x 4mm) Screw into the Insert, to protect the Threads...

I will then push the insert into the Hole with Pliers or Vise Grips, (from the INSIDE if at all possible) until flush with the surface. 

REMOVE the Screw right away, give the adhesive time to Cure.  Use like nothing ever happened!! 😁😊 

The Inserts in my Wraith Axle has so far held up for over 5 years, on 4S Brushless Power!! 😊💯👍👍  It's really a much better than new fix, and I can recommend them in high stress areas. 

....... IRONICALLY, People I've talked to who have used these in 3D Printing, have said they were RUBBISH! Not so on the Plastic applications I've done.

I've seen this done on 3D printed projects where they were melted into to object using a soldering iron.
They do work well.
Your method is probably better on factory produced injected plastics though.

[Pablo68 575]

Ok, now THIS TIME I'm gonna just do a light clean, repair, and install of electrics on this 2nd hand buggy I bought just to get it running quickly, no need to go overboard.

Some time later: (looks at collection of parts from completely stripped buggy).......oh well, complete clean and resto it is then......

How does that happen?

[Carmine A 1330]

2 minutes ago, Pablo68 said:

I've seen this done on 3D printed projects where they were melted into to object using a soldering iron.
They do work well.
Your method is probably better on factory produced injected plastics though.

It absolutely is, because the Plastic is stronger than any 3D Printed media so far... But that's subject to change. 😉

[Carmine A 1330]

Amendment to my earlier post... I've found a even BETTER fix for Stripped Threads in Plastic RCs! 

3mm x 0.5 HeliCoils!! 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/143464887201 

$6.95 for 10, so it isn't as cost effective, but requires a much smaller hole. It can be used in far more applications! 😊

[Lee76 603]

33 minutes ago, Carmine A said:

Amendment to my earlier post... I've found a even BETTER fix for Stripped Threads in Plastic RCs! 

Those are tanged for easy insertion, but can be brutal if you need to knock the tang off (pass the bolt through) easy to damage the parts. Ok if your bolt selection is shorter than the insert.. you can normally get 1, 1.5 and 2 xD  lengths. They can also wind out if you use a thread locker so best for fit and forget applications. Not sure about M3, but in larger sizes they do a self locking version with some distorted threads, these are mostly ok but will damage fasteners, especially cheap cheesy ones so high loaded fasteners can fail from the damage.

The brass inserts you had are great if you have space too, but are a bit weighty. The are normally vibrio welded into place but the glue works fine too in most applications. If you’re using a base material that doesn’t like glue.. the Keensert is in between these two types, it fits into a threaded bore M5 size, it can be bonded in too if required and has tangs which once installed are hammered in to resist rotation.

[Carmine A 1330]

@Lee76 I can see your point in blind hole applications. I've used the HeliCoils in through holes, secured with Epoxy, with no issues so far. I've also only used good quality Hex Screws. I can see how the HeliCoils can damage soft, inferior Screws. 

.... Used in only a few select locations, the Brass Inserts, don't really add significant weight (and Tamiya Cars tend to be too light anyway - for non-Pro applications). For durability, they are the best option. 😉

Thanks for pointing that out. Others can benefit from that info. I'll have to check out Keenserts. Never used them before.

[Lee76 603]

2 minutes ago, Carmine A said:

HeliCoils can damage soft, inferior Screws. 

No worries, the damage is only from the self locking version because it uses a deformed thread as an interference device. I love a good threaded fastener... thread  It’s straight out my day job so unlike most of the RC world where I have limited experience I feel I can contribute more to the conversation.

[Carmine A 1330]

Another Real Tip for you Guys....

😉 Thought of this on the fly..... If you have Diabeetus or know someone who does - SYRINGES might just be the best Tire Glue Applicator I've ever used!!! 

Ultra Thin CA sucks right into it, and with a teeny weeny 32 Gauge needle, it NEVER releases too much Glue, and goes EXACTLY where you need it. No waste, no gluing Tyres to your FINGERS!! 😁 

Best of all, when done, the Needle is protected by a Cap, that after you fit the Cap, it's almost instantly glued to the Syringe - protecting little hands and big Trash Collector hands! Try it out! 

Of COURSE I had to try them out! 😉 

[Mad Ax 3036]

Don't waste time unplugging your expensive LiPo from the Hobbywing Crawler ESC to plug it into the discharger.  Just leave it plugged into the Crawler ESC for 7 days, it will not only discharge itself completely but also puff up like a little balloon.

I suppose I could have stuck it on the NiMH charger on 5th November, we'd have had the best fireworks of anyone