Obscure screw added so appliance cannot be disassembled ( lemmy.world )

Basic blender went bad (motor ran but spindle wasn't rotating). I wanted to disassemble to see if it could be repaired. Three of the four screws were Phillips head. I had to cut the casing open in order to discover why I couldn't unscrew the fourth. It was a slotted spanner.

Crackhappy ,
@Crackhappy@lemmy.world avatar

What brand?

NoneYa ,

Yeah we should be shaming companies that do this sort of shit.

OP, please tell us which brand designed this. I’d love to know to stay away from their crap as much as possible.

guylacaptivite ,
@guylacaptivite@sh.itjust.works avatar

All of them.

an_onanist OP ,

Kenmore

acockworkorange ,

Can less

radicalautonomy ,

Barbieless

TheFriar ,

There is a screwdriver that you can get at the hardware store for this type of screw. You shouldn’t have to, I definitely agree. But fuck ‘em, repair your shit with the $5 screwdriver.

uis ,
@uis@lemm.ee avatar

Comon, do some reading:

I had to cut the casing open in order to discover why I couldn't unscrew the fourth.

downpunxx ,
@downpunxx@fedia.io avatar

hahahahahaha, about three years ago now, I bought a hunting knife from Amazon that came with a sheath which had a belt clip that was held on by one of these fucking screws.

at the time, i couldn't figure for the life of me what it was or if there was a tool for this so I went to Home Depot, bought a .99 cent flathead our of their bargain tubs, took it to their tool rental department where they also will cut metal for you if you ask nicely. had them make a notch in the top of the flathead, brought it home and after some filing got it to get in there and loosen up this devil screw top.

now i know it's called a U or H type screwdriver. my way was cheaper, but nice to know the real solution now.

lettruthout ,

Wow, doing a MacGuyver with corporate assistance. I like it!

jawa21 ,
@jawa21@lemmy.sdf.org avatar

That belt clip is there to make the knife technically legal in some areas. A 3"+ blade can't be concealed by putting it in your pocket, so the workaround is to have the clip showing on the outside of your pocket, making it visible. That's why they use screws like that. At least that is my understanding - I could be wrong.

uis ,
@uis@lemm.ee avatar

a belt clip that was held on by one of these fucking screws.

Wow. This needs to be shown to all "ThIs Is FoR yOuR sAfEtY" idiots.

venoft ,
@venoft@lemmy.world avatar

Just a basic security screw. It's so kids (and people who don't know enough about repairing appliances to know about security screws) don't disassemble the dangerous machine.

Sethayy ,

Though it should be noted this does raise the bar above most people, especially on a budget, single use tools are hardly ever worth it.

Arguably more dangerous things have easier screws too, like electricity outlets

Dultas ,

But they're in no way single use.

Sethayy ,

I can't say personally any of my appliances have had this screw, so again relative to someone not doing this for a living it very well could be

lightnsfw ,

I have a set of these that was part of a larger set of precision bits I was buying anyway. I've only ever used one of the security bits in like a decade of having them. I wouldn't have bought the security bits alone.

Dultas ,

That's more than some sockets or crescent wrenches I have from sets. I don't know that I've ever used an 11mm of either.

nova_ad_vitum ,

Grinding a notch into a flathead screwdriver is annoying but it'll still work fine as a flathead even afterwards. I would probably just grind the bulge out of the screw though.

lemmyhavesome ,

In this case the screw was at the bottom of a narrow slot, and they only found it after breaking things.

lightnsfw ,

It's a blender... As long as it's unplugged you'll be fine.

some_guy ,

PLUG IT IN UNDER WATER!

lightnsfw ,

Well your blender problems would be over at least.

Mossheart ,

Don't forget to use your toaster as a bath toy at the same time.

Bytemeister ,

I think the concern is that you would re-assemble it with the safety bypassed, not that you would harm yourself while disassembling the appliance.

Cris_Color ,
@Cris_Color@lemmy.world avatar

Seriously. I'm not sure why people think it's so dangerous. Unplug it and remove the blades. Its just a motor for God's sake

uis ,
@uis@lemm.ee avatar

Comon, do some reading:

I had to cut the casing open in order to discover why I couldn't unscrew the fourth.

HaywardT ,

Harbor freight has sets of tamper resistant bits. They are also handy for regular Allen and torx heads.

ThrowawaySobriquet ,

This right here. I bought their security bit set and, true, I've only ever opened the case three times in the few years I've had it, but in those three times nothing else would have worked without a more destructive solution

nilloc ,

Here’s the link, it’s helped me out a bunch of times in the 6-8 years I’ve had it.

2 notes though

  • these are hard cheese grade metal. Don’t plan on removing any high torque, Rusty or partly stripped screws with them, they’ll either break or round off.
  • if the screw is too recesses down a narrow hole, these won’t help. The bit holders are too wide to fit in. I have a Honeywell Air Purifier with one security Torx that is 3-4” down a hole that this set failed me on.
Godnroc ,

Just to add to your comment, the sell a smaller set for a few dollars less and also a "precision" screwdriver set that has some similar bits not but the full set. Both are very handy to keep around for this exact thing.

lettruthout ,

It's called an "H-type" head. I found some tools for that on eBay but was reluctant to spend any money on something I'd probably never need again, ever. But this video shows a hack using scissors.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GA6_S9YkZEc

I didn't have a pair laying around that worked but the video inspired me to MacGyver my way to remove that aberration against all that's good in humanity.

lurch ,

in a case i only needed it once, i would solder or power glue something to it to use as a wings handle.

... but that's just me. I'm like eccentric MacGuyver.

Wahots ,
@Wahots@pawb.social avatar

Buy a security bitset! It is surprisingly handly to have around. Sometimes, I've needed a certain screw size that they don't have in imperial, but they do have in metric at the hardware store. But it's a security bit only.

They also work on regular, non security bits in a pinch.

uis ,
@uis@lemm.ee avatar

Comon, do some reading:

I had to cut the casing open in order to discover why I couldn't unscrew the fourth.

Passerby6497 ,

If you haven't already, look into getting a ratcheting screwdriver with replaceable bits, and a pack of various bits for it. Idk where I got it, but I've got all kinds of screwy bits (including the H-bit head) that I need very infrequently, but I'm always happy when I do and I already have it.

I think the bit pack I got was for the security torx and it came with a bunch of other stuff.

MHSJenkins ,
@MHSJenkins@infosec.pub avatar

A complete set of security screw bits is ~20 bucks and they're far more useful than I realized until I acquired them.

MoonMoon ,

I think this was at the bottom of a deep hole, as you can see where the plastic was cut around it. A standard bit and holder wouldn't fit down that, I don't think. What the other guys said about a flathead and dremel/grinding wheel is the only option really, but you'd have to be able to ID the little fucker first.

uis ,
@uis@lemm.ee avatar

Comon, do some reading:

I had to cut the casing open in order to discover why I couldn't unscrew the fourth.

seathru ,
@seathru@lemmy.sdf.org avatar

Do some comprehending. Yes he had to do that. But it was because he was using the wrong bit.

uis ,
@uis@lemm.ee avatar

He had to see which bit to use

seathru ,
@seathru@lemmy.sdf.org avatar

That can be accomplished non-destructively.

NegativeLookBehind ,
@NegativeLookBehind@lemmy.world avatar

Grab a dremel tool and make that piece of shit into a flathead

NoneYa ,

A grinder to the center would make that compatible with a flathead screwdriver.

TropicalDingdong ,

Your gonna need a teeny tiny grinder. Maybe a dremmel?

Alteon ,

Everyone should have a Dremel. Damn thing is so useful.

Zipitydew ,

They really are and they're not prohibitively expensive either. Use mine all the time.

NounsAndWords ,

At that point you might as well just do it to the screw instead and use the normal screwdriver.

JayDee , (edited )

That's a flathead with a bead welded in the middle. Source a local dremel, some earplugs and eye pro, and do some quick converting.

Oh wait I think I understand the image. You had to saw the plastic apart to expose the screw. Yeah fuck those dudes. I guess another option would've been to get a cheap screw driver and modify it with a dremel? Either way, fuck Kenmore.

uis ,
@uis@lemm.ee avatar

Oh wait it think I understand the image. You had to saw the plastic apart to expose the screw. Yeah fuck those dudes. I guess another option would've been to get a cheap screw driver and modify it with a dremel? Either way, fuck Kenmore.

Wait... Oh.

bitchkat ,

I'd use my dremel to finish the slot that was only partially cut.

chonglibloodsport ,

Or use the dremel to cut a slot in the end of a flat screwdriver.

poopsmith ,
@poopsmith@lemmy.world avatar

If you have a Dremel, I bet you could take out the center bit and use a regular slotted screwdriver.

ironhydroxide ,

$10 says it was recessed before op cut the base off, making it impossible without damage to slot the screw with a Dremel.

viking ,
@viking@infosec.pub avatar

So you use the dremel to cut a groove into your screwdriver instead.

Nimrod ,

Damn, I didn’t even think of that. It would be ruining a good screwdriver, but you could just use an old worn flat-head drill bit.

Good call, either way.

brbposting ,

👆

Where’d you get such a big brain

Edit - ah, since you can’t see the screw until you cut away at the product, the company is still going to frustrate even the crafty DIYers

A_A ,
@A_A@lemmy.world avatar

make a print with a bit of putty on a stick ?

brbposting ,

Great idea! Much more reasonable than trying to get a fiberoptic kind of camera down there.

lud ,

At that point, just buy the correct bit for the job.

fraksken ,

Grind a flat

Etterra ,

I didn't even know that that screw type had its own name until I saw it in another comment, but the first thing I thought was to just do what you said.

Rivalarrival ,

How are you supposed to grind a flat on a screw recessed 2" in a hole?

Iampossiblyatwork ,

1" Grinding wheel. Duh.

fraksken ,

Take a flat screwdriver and moubt it on a vice. Take your angle grinder, mount a disk for metal grinding. Grind away the middle of the flat screwdriver head.
Done it before for the exact same purpose.

lightnsfw ,

Cut that middle bit out and make it into a flathead.

an_onanist OP ,

The screw head was at tho bottom of a 2 inch shaft. I destroyed the casing just to find out what the issue was.

lightnsfw ,

Wow that's terrible.

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