Is it Murphy's law

[Plummet]

I have a house full of hammers, but can I find one when I need it?

When my mother-in-law was alive we would ring her up before we visited her and ask if there was anything that needed doing. Sometimes there was, and I would put any needed tools in the car before driving half way across the country.

Only she would often tell us that there was nothing needed doing, so we didn't take the tools. When we arrived she would come out with "Could you just ... "

I would have to go to Wickes and get whatever was needed to do the job - which several times included a hammer.

On our return it would eventually be put into a safe sensible place - and thus be lost!

Plummet

[Piers Bowlan]

I have a 'policy' bourne of experience. If removing the screw from a servo horn I move the horn to it's new position on the spline then, without delay, replace the screw. That way it won't get lost! A couple of days ago having removed said screw the phone rang, it was a call I was expecting. True to my unwritten rule I must replace screw before taking the call. Except ... ping, in my haste it magically jumped off my bench and duly disappeared from view! I started moving benches around and a 'square search' of the laminate flooring soon followed. Nah! A more detailed search, centimetre by centimetre failed as well and then I checked for it hiding in the narrow gap under the skirting board with a model knife and torch (getting desperate now!). Finally, in disgust, there was nothing for it but to 'borrow' a replacement screw from another servo.

Eureka! By chance I spotted the little blighter grinning and waving at me from the safety of a narrow 4mm wide ledge a few inches from the top of the bench (apologies for the mixed units!). I couldn't have got it to land there had I tried a thousand times, yet by chance it landed there by accident on the first attempt. Murphy's Law?

[kc]

To stop you dropping the servo screw in the first place buy a 'pearl catcher' also called a pick up tool. A tiny gadget with three wire prongs available from Maplin etc and These will grip a servo screw firmly enough to start the screw in the thread or start inserting into wood if there is a pilot hole.

[Glyn44]

Yea, sure I've got one somewhere!

[Dave Bran]

Replacement Servo Screw?................. There s nothing wrong with a No 12 wood screw and a lot of force.

[Mike T]

Have you noticed how gravity starts to work horizontally as you get older? Many's the time I've put something down firmly on the bench, only for it to roll insistently to the edge and fall off!

[Don Fry]

I have a plastic micrometer. Good enough for this game. No batteries involved. Yellow and grey front, grey rear. Put it down on its front, and you have to clear the bench to find it. And we are looking at a lot of bench clears over the years.

PS, it is wearing out. Are they still available?

[Don Fry]

and I have just looked on e Bay, 4 quid delivered from China, and its grey and yellow. Result.

[Glyn44]

Hey Donald,

Hope it doesn't get lost in the post, before you have a chance to lose it yourself!

[Ronaldo]

Whilst on the subject of servo screws, all my servos are metal geared, so when ever possible I replace all the servo screws with the equivalent allen key head bolts.

Don't you just hate it when the cross head type round over making it nigh on impossible to tighten or loosen them off when you need to alter the angle or change a servo arm !  Problem solved by using allen key head bolts !

So far the servos I use take 2.5mm and 3mm diameter threads. So you would have to try a couple to see what length and thread size fits. I get mine from 'Model Fixings' or 'ebay', which means you can have a few spares handy (god knows how many must be hiding in the dark dusty corners of my workshop floor!).

I honestly don't know why the manufactures don't provide the servos with sturdy allen headed bolts instead of the soft crosshead type, they could even provide a cheap allen key with them instead of some of the useless servo arms I end up throwing out . Would make life a lot easier and my workshop language a lot cleaner. ..... Ok, rant over ... lol  

Ronaldo

(ps ... I can't believe I've had to edit this post 3 times, must be the Famous Grouse I'm drinking!)

Edited By Ronaldo on 05/04/2017 22:26:36

Edited By Ronaldo on 05/04/2017 22:34:55

Edited By Ronaldo on 05/04/2017 22:39:28

[Martin Harris - Moderator]

I'm sure this doesn't apply to you but it makes me wince when I see people using the wrong screwdriver on crosshead screws. How many people are unaware of the major differences between Phillips and Pozidriv for example? There are also less common forms such as Frearson and JIS (Japanese Industry Standard) which are common on motor bikes and they are all designed to use their own dedicated screwdrivers.

Edited By Martin Harris on 05/04/2017 23:02:16

[Ronaldo]

You are correct Martin. I have both Phillips and Pozidrives, and a couple more 'unknown' types I have had for years. More often than not, it is by using the wrong screwdriver that damages the screw heads making them unusable, or vice versa the screw damages the screwdriver tips. There are many different types, and its easy to choose the wrong tool for the job.

Very good point Martin.

Ronaldo

[Mowerman]

I guess we all have similar problems, I got this from another modelling forum

But my rememberer is broke
To you that may seem funny
But, to me, that is no joke.

For when I'm 'here' I'm wondering
If I really should be 'there'
And, when I try to think it through,
I haven't got a prayer!

Often times I walk into a room,
Say "what am I here for?"
I wrack my brain, but all in vain
A zero, is my score.

At times I put something away
Where it is safe, but, Gee!
The person it is safest from
Is, generally, me!

When shopping I may see someone,
Say "Hi" and have a chat,
Then, when the person walks away
I ask myself, "who was that?"

Yes, my forgetter's getting better
While my rememberer is broke,
And it's driving me plumb crazy
And that isn't any joke.

[ASH.]

Good one Man

Reminds me to nuture my rememberer.. don't want anything broken!