[BizCopperhead]

Hi,

I've had some conversation with folks here and on other forums about being afraid of stripping screws on GI Joes.

There are some precautions you can take to avoid this. It will avoid stripping out screws 99% of the time, unless previous damage was already there.

The Screw Itself
A couple of things to note about Joe screws:

One, a rusted screw does not mean it's weak, or is more prone to stripping. It does, however, mean there could be crud in the actual indentation in the screw.

It's always best to use a magnifying tool to look at the screw before attempting to remove it.

Even better, buy an endoscope. $40 is nothing compared to what some of these figures are worth now.

Here is one from Amazon.

It's important to get any crud out of there before you remove the screw. If the screwdriver can't get all the way down in the slot in the screw, you are GUARANTEED to strip it. If there is something in there, pick around with a clothespin needle (the kind with the ball on the end) to remove any crud that might be in the slot. You won't damage the screw with the needle, because you can't apply enough pressure with a tip that small to damage the area.

A can of air comes in handy as well for blowing any loose material out of the hole.

The next thing to know is that the screws were all made by different manufacturers, so there are different tolerances in the slot size. This means the end of the screwdriver might need to be different

The Screwdriver

The screwdriver has two important aspects:

The screwdriver head MUST NOT FLEX OR MOVE.

This means if you are using a screwdriver bit set, if that bit moves in the screwdriver AT ALL when it's in there, it's NOT appropriate for working on O-ring Joes.

This follows in to my next point.

The screwdriver head MUST NOT MOVE IN THE SLOT.

This is why it's imperative you choose the right screwdriver size.

The ones I used are either PH0 or PH1. In rare cases (usually where the screw has been replaced with a bigger one, or a non-Joe screw) I need to use a PH2 head.

Not every screwdriver will work for every Joe screw. You will need to try different screwdrivers or bits until the head is absolutely snug in the slot. It should not move at all.

IMPORTANT: THE TEST FIT

This is where bit-based screwdrivers can damage your Joes if the bit isn't absolutely snug - when you are test fitting, you will be unable to feel the slip of the screw tip in the slot, leading to a stripped screw.

I recommend using a solid-head screwdriver, like the metal jewelers sets:

Here is a cheap one on Amazon, $11 at the time of this writing.

When you test fit the screwdriver, the screwdriver should feel completely solid in the slot. If you gently try to turn the screwdriver, there should be no movement or slip in the screw slot at all. If there is, you have the wrong head. Try another size.

The Screw Mounts:

Removing the screw is one thing, but replacing it is another.
This is where you can end up stripping the screw.

First, make sure you put away any screwdrivers or bits that you might have tried previously to avoid mixing it up with the wrong one.

Second, inspect the screw mount hole on the opposite side of the mount point (inner legs or font of torso) for any debris before reassembling. You can use a toothpick to check for this to avoid scratching the mounting hole threads. Do not force the toothpick into the hole. If you can't see anything, it's always safe to use canned air in the hole to blow out any invisible debris.

Rusted Screw Tops:

I mentioned earlier that screws that are rusted do not necessarily mean they are weak. It's important to just make sure no debris has clung to the screw or the slot.

What I like to do is rub the screw end before reinserting it in the Joe with either a rough cloth or 1000 grit sandpaper. This removes any surface patina on the screw. Check the slot again with a needle to make sure it's free of debris.

You may also want to check screw fitness while it's out of the Joe. See how it moves on the screwdriver tip. If you can move the screwdriver tip inside the slot while it's out of the Joe, replace it with a more suitable screw. You really should do this with all Joe screws, but the rusted ones are usually the worst offenders of being damaged.

One final note: if a screw THREAD is rusted, throw it away. It my introduce debris into the screw hole and damage the mount. Thankfully screws with rusted threads are fairly rare in my experience.

Reinstalling the Screws:

This is the part where most people damage the screw mounts. If you've followed all the other steps before this, then the screw mounting holes should be clean.

When you reinstall the screw, you are looking for the screw to just stop. There should be a little bit of friction as you reinstall the screw, but then at the end the stop should be sudden.

If you still see a gap in the torso, DO NOT continue to tighten the screw. The screw is either too long, you have debris in the screw mount, debris between the two parts you are screwing together, or one part is warped or damaged. Take it apart and inspect.

AND FINALLY:

If you have recently washed a GI Joe, DO NOT attempt reassembly until the figure has had at least 12 hours to dry, and longer in humid climates. Water will allow all kinds of damage to reoccur on assembly, as water is a lubricant.

I hope this helps y'all be more confident in your Joe hobbying. I know it's helped me. Happy servicing!

[Otomo]

I've got a stripped screw in my 1987 Tunnel Rat.

I tried all the recommended tricks...rubber band, crazy glue, needlenose pliers. No luck.

The only other option is a power drill, no? I don't have one.

[Itchweed]

This is great Biz. I have a stripped 83 Zap.

[GoodGuy9]

That's nice of you to post this to help us out, thanks

[BizCopperhead]

Would it be helpful if I added a list of all tools at the end of the article?

There are a couple more I could add.

[Itchweed]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BizCopperhead

Would it be helpful if I added a list of all tools at the end of the article?

There are a couple more I could add.

Yes please! For sure. This is very helpful man. VERY!

[Dusty Ayers]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BizCopperhead

Hi,

I've had some conversation with folks here and on other forums about being afraid of stripping screws on GI Joes.

There are some precautions you can take to avoid this. It will avoid stripping out screws 99% of the time, unless previous damage was already there.

The Screw Itself
A couple of things to note about Joe screws:

One, a rusted screw does not mean it's weak, or is more prone to stripping. It does, however, mean there could be crud in the actual indentation in the screw.

It's always best to use a magnifying tool to look at the screw before attempting to remove it.

Even better, buy an endoscope. $40 is nothing compared to what some of these figures are worth now.

Here is one from Amazon.

It's important to get any crud out of there before you remove the screw. If the screwdriver can't get all the way down in the slot in the screw, you are GUARANTEED to strip it. If there is something in there, pick around with a clothespin needle (the kind with the ball on the end) to remove any crud that might be in the slot. You won't damage the screw with the needle, because you can't apply enough pressure with a tip that small to damage the area.

A can of air comes in handy as well for blowing any loose material out of the hole.

The next thing to know is that the screws were all made by different manufacturers, so there are different tolerances in the slot size. This means the end of the screwdriver might need to be different

The Screwdriver

The screwdriver has two important aspects:

The screwdriver head MUST NOT FLEX OR MOVE.

This means if you are using a screwdriver bit set, if that bit moves in the screwdriver AT ALL when it's in there, it's NOT appropriate for working on O-ring Joes.

This follows in to my next point.

The screwdriver head MUST NOT MOVE IN THE SLOT.

This is why it's imperative you choose the right screwdriver size.

The ones I used are either PH0 or PH1. In rare cases (usually where the screw has been replaced with a bigger one, or a non-Joe screw) I need to use a PH2 head.

Not every screwdriver will work for every Joe screw. You will need to try different screwdrivers or bits until the head is absolutely snug in the slot. It should not move at all.

IMPORTANT: THE TEST FIT

This is where bit-based screwdrivers can damage your Joes if the bit isn't absolutely snug - when you are test fitting, you will be unable to feel the slip of the screw tip in the slot, leading to a stripped screw.

I recommend using a solid-head screwdriver, like the metal jewelers sets:

Here is a cheap one on Amazon, $11 at the time of this writing.

When you test fit the screwdriver, the screwdriver should feel completely solid in the slot. If you gently try to turn the screwdriver, there should be no movement or slip in the screw slot at all. If there is, you have the wrong head. Try another size.

The Screw Mounts:

Removing the screw is one thing, but replacing it is another.
This is where you can end up stripping the screw.

First, make sure you put away any screwdrivers or bits that you might have tried previously to avoid mixing it up with the wrong one.

Second, inspect the screw mount hole on the opposite side of the mount point (inner legs or font of torso) for any debris before reassembling. You can use a toothpick to check for this to avoid scratching the mounting hole threads. Do not force the toothpick into the hole. If you can't see anything, it's always safe to use canned air in the hole to blow out any invisible debris.

Rusted Screw Tops:

I mentioned earlier that screws that are rusted do not necessarily mean they are weak. It's important to just make sure no debris has clung to the screw or the slot.

What I like to do is rub the screw end before reinserting it in the Joe with either a rough cloth or 1000 grit sandpaper. This removes any surface patina on the screw. Check the slot again with a needle to make sure it's free of debris.

You may also want to check screw fitness while it's out of the Joe. See how it moves on the screwdriver tip. If you can move the screwdriver tip inside the slot while it's out of the Joe, replace it with a more suitable screw. You really should do this with all Joe screws, but the rusted ones are usually the worst offenders of being damaged.

One final note: if a screw THREAD is rusted, throw it away. It my introduce debris into the screw hole and damage the mount. Thankfully screws with rusted threads are fairly rare in my experience.

Reinstalling the Screws:

This is the part where most people damage the screw mounts. If you've followed all the other steps before this, then the screw mounting holes should be clean.

When you reinstall the screw, you are looking for the screw to just stop. There should be a little bit of friction as you reinstall the screw, but then at the end the stop should be sudden.

If you still see a gap in the torso, DO NOT continue to tighten the screw. The screw is either too long, you have debris in the screw mount, debris between the two parts you are screwing together, or one part is warped or damaged. Take it apart and inspect.

AND FINALLY:

If you have recently washed a GI Joe, DO NOT attempt reassembly until the figure has had at least 12 hours to dry, and longer in humid climates. Water will allow all kinds of damage to reoccur on assembly, as water is a lubricant.

I hope this helps y'all be more confident in your Joe hobbying. I know it's helped me. Happy servicing!

Amen to finding the perfect screw driver. I found one with a perfect fit and it touches nothing but vintage Joes.

A tip that has worked for me is if the screw isn?t coming out, don?t keep adding torque to it as you are headed for pain. Back off, apply torque to it but just hold that. Use the torque you have in the twist to just start working that screw out. Be patient and it will work.

[BizCopperhead]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dusty Ayers

Amen to finding the perfect screw driver. I found one with a perfect fit and it touches nothing but vintage Joes.

A tip that has worked for me is if the screw isn?t coming out, don?t keep adding torque to it as you are headed for pain. Back off, apply torque to it but just hold that. Use the torque you have in the twist to just start working that screw out. Be patient and it will work.

I agree, but that screwdriver should not move AT ALL when you insert it into the screw. It should be a perfect fit.

There is no "one size fits all" for Joe screws. Given wear over time and that screw slot tolerances were all over the place, it's physically impossible to have a screwdriver that works for everything without slippage at least in some of the screws.

An O-ring afficionado needs to have at least 2 screwdrivers, if not 3 for service.