Split Body Cord Screws

[Beowulfman6]

Does anyone know any tricks for getting a split body cord screw (one side of the screwdriver slot has broken off) out of a french plug?

Please excuse me if this has been discussed before, but my searches found nothing usefull.

[Purple Fencer]

Does anyone know any tricks for getting a split body cord screw (one side of the screwdriver slot has broken off) out of a french plug?

Please excuse me if this has been discussed before, but my searches found nothing usefull.

Probably via a screw extractor, but I've never been able to do it.
See...this is EXACTLY WHY the screws in MY body cords are stainless steel...I've yet to have this particular problem.

[Beowulfman6]

Probably via a screw extractor, but I've never been able to do it.
See...this is EXACTLY WHY the screws in MY body cords are stainless steel...I've yet to have this particular problem.

It seems so simple to me to just use steel screws. Half the stupid copper (I assume that's what they are) screws in my clubs body cords arrived split, making it nearly impossible for me to work on them.

I think I'll invest in some of your American body cords next time I buy cords. Do you sell just the plugs?

[Purple Fencer]

It seems so simple to me to just use steel screws. Half the stupid copper (I assume that's what they are) screws in my clubs body cords arrived split, making it nearly impossible for me to work on them.

I think I'll invest in some of your American body cords next time I buy cords. Do you sell just the plugs?

Actually, I believe hte Prieur screws are brass.
As for selling the parts...not at this time. I;m down tot he last four or so of the original prototypes and won't produce mroe until the redesigns are done....we're working on it.

Once that's done, I should be able to sell replacement parts as well as complete cords.

In the meantime, if you are able to get the broken screw out, I could send you a couple of the steel screws.

They're longer than I'd intended (8.2mm vs 5.5), but they WILL fit in a Prieur pin (same threading...3.5 x 0.6). The extra length means they'll stick out of the top of the block a little. They're also pointed (since they're designed to pierce the wire insulation), but if you strip and tin the wire, that'll give the point something to bite into.

Lemme know.

[Beowulfman6]

In the meantime, if you are able to get the broken screw out, I could send you a couple of the steel screws.

Our club president is so fed up with the french cords (Prieur) and tips (Sport 7) that he's ready to switch everything (plugs, sockets, and tips) over to German as it needs to be replaced. I personaly think this is a overkill, but since I'm the armorer and the one constantly repairing the things I proably won't argue, although simply using steel screws should fix the body cords. I'll let you know, but I may just wait and try a few of your cords when you get them in production.

[Purple Fencer]

Our club president is so fed up with the french cords (Prieur) and tips (Sport 7) that he's ready to switch everything (plugs, sockets, and tips) over to German as it needs to be replaced. I personaly think this is a overkill, but since I'm the armorer and the one constantly repairing the things I proably won't argue, although simply using steel screws should fix the body cords. I'll let you know, but I may just wait and try a few of your cords when you get them in production.

He he......I'll keep the board advised...


How's the club set for communal gloves? I can send an example of the Armor One when I get them in the next week or so...if he wants to order some in a little bulk.
Bigger cuff closure for those big arms or rolled up jacket sleeves...1/8" padding on top from fingertip to the back of the cuff...additional 1/8" padding on the back of the hand.

FatFencer has one of the earlier prototypes...you might ask him about it.

[Beowulfman6]

Our club is prety well set on communal gloves right now, but I alwayse like to experiment with equipment, especialy new and inovative stuff, so if I order some cords I may get a few gloves too (although there isn't much money left in the club budget at this point in the year).

[fencerbill]

Does anyone know any tricks for getting a split body cord screw (one side of the screwdriver slot has broken off) out of a french plug?

Please excuse me if this has been discussed before, but my searches found nothing usefull.

Take a dremel with the thin cutoff disk(0.025 inch). Line it up with the original slot and just cut down through everything until you deepen the slot enough to get it out. I have done it with a number of Prieur plugs but you can also do it with other makes.

What have you got to lose? If you can't get the screw out you can't use it anyway.

[Purple Fencer]

But if the top surface of the screw is below the surface of the plug body he'll probably damage the plug body too much too much.

Tim Loomis called me a couple of hours ago...he suggested finding a small drill bit you don't want anymore and tapping it in with a hammer and SLOWLY working it out....

Tim, perhaps you can post the specifics on this, since you're done it before?

[jjefferies]

Does anyone know any tricks for getting a split body cord screw (one side of the screwdriver slot has broken off) out of a french plug?
[/I]

What I've done is to take my Dremmel tool with a cutting disk and cut a new slot into the screw perpendicular to the old. And yes it does cut into the Prieur plastic body. But before trying to remove the screw make sure you soak it with WD-40 or some other kind of light penetrating oil or you stand a good chance of breaking it a second time. You can get away with this kind of cut into the plastic body once if you're careful.

[jjefferies]

Probably via a screw extractor, but I've never been able to do it.
See...this is EXACTLY WHY the screws in MY body cords are stainless steel...I've yet to have this particular problem.

Does anyone know where stainless steel screws suitable for the Prieur body cords can be found? I've gone looking but haven't located a decent source yet.

[yeoldearmourer]

What I used is a pair of needle nose pliers that are long a thin and work in between the plastic and the other half of the screw slot that not broke off and turn it slowly to work it out. The drill bit method Sam mention is you take a bit smaller then the head of screw and slowly drill it in and then reverse the drill and back it out. This method takes practice. I also have a small drill I got from my local Hooby Store hand type and have use this as well to get screw out.

[Purple Fencer]

Does anyone know where stainless steel screws suitable for the Prieur body cords can be found? I've gone looking but haven't located a decent source yet.

From me....my design.

If the threading was 3x0.6 I could've just bought exactly what I wanted commercially....but because the threadings 3.5 X 0.6 (which IS an existing standard size...just not as common), I had to have them fabricated.

As said before, they're longer than what I'd wanted and will project above the plastic body a little bit, but they'll still do the job. In fact, if you don't want the pointed end, youcoudl always carefully cut off the pointed end untill the overall length is 5.5 mm (the length of the Prieur screws) and it'd be fine.

If anyone wants some, drop me a line...let me knoiw if you want the points or if you'd like me to cut them shorter and flat pointed. Note: if you can insert unstripped wire up INTO the receiving end of the point where you can see the insulation through the screw hole, you can do the pointed version...the only difficulty in mounting them would be you'd have to push the screw down really hard until 1) the point pierces the insulation and 2) the threads engage. My block design has the holes in the plastic body tapped so the act of turning the screw performa both functions.

[Beowulfman6]

What I used is a pair of needle nose pliers that are long a thin and work in between the plastic and the other half of the screw slot that not broke off and turn it slowly to work it out. The drill bit method Sam mention is you take a bit smaller then the head of screw and slowly drill it in and then reverse the drill and back it out. This method takes practice. I also have a small drill I got from my local Hooby Store hand type and have use this as well to get screw out.

I tried the needle-nose pliers, but mine are too big to fit in there.

[JMcC]

Does anyone know any tricks for getting a split body cord screw (one side of the screwdriver slot has broken off) out of a french plug?

Please excuse me if this has been discussed before, but my searches found nothing usefull.

Very tricky, but with a screwdriver you can sacrifice (or similarly sized object,) crazy glue the the screwdriver's face against the remaining side of the broken screw in the position it would be if the screw were not broken; let dry; and slooolwy unscrew.
Requires a very steady, slow hand.

[yeoldearmourer]

Go to Sears and look at the different types of long Nose and check out a Hobby store as well. When work on a equipment you have to learn to think outside the box for tools for fencing. These are very thin needle nose. I trying to think of way to describe the type I used.

[fencerbill]

[QUOTE=Purple Fencer]But if the top surface of the screw is below the surface of the plug body he'll probably damage the plug body too much too much.

QUOTE]

It doesn't matter whether the top surface of the screw is below the surface of the plug body. You won't damage it that much. I am still using some Prieur plugs I did this to about 5 years ago.

If you are really worried, use one that has been ground down a little. The smaller radius means that there is less cutting into the plug body for the same effect on the screw.

don't waste too much time with other methods, you have other things to do. Cut the slot and get it done.

[DHCJr]

Tim suggestion is the one most Armorers use. The method suggested by JMcC is scary. Suppose the super glue gets into the threads. Do I need to say more?

[PeterGustafsson]

Hi!

They're longer than I'd intended (8.2mm vs 5.5), but they WILL fit in a Prieur pin (same threading...3.5 x 0.6).

If the screw is made of a softer material than steel, why not try to drill it? If one drills into a 3.5 outer diameter screw with a 2.5 or 2.8 mm drill, would one one drill out almost all of the screw core, leaving only the threads to pick out?

No risk of glue going the wrong place, and no cutting disk making slits in the wrong places. Quite picky to get out the threads, though.


Have a nice time!

Peter Gustafsson

[penguin_2000]

Hmm... maybe I've lucked out in the past, but I just used a screw driver:
Find the biggest screw driver you can find that will still fit in the hole... turn... screw comes out.