Nail polish organiser (!)

[Outrun_uk]

Hi all,

While shopping earlier in Poundland my girlfriend spotted these in the cosmetics section. I have a suspicion they will be very useful on the bench for holding screws etc when stripping something down. Bought a couple, one for work too.

Cheers,

Kev

Don't forget the eyelash tweezers to get said screws out again. They wouldn't allow those where I work, not antistatic. Good find. On the subject of nail varnish, it's cheaper than RS locking varnish.

[Outrun_uk]

Yes, should have mentioned the nail polish itself! I'd bet the chemical composition is pretty similar to threadlock apart from the colourings. The tweezers in the pound shop aren't fantastic but the fine make-up brushes are great for dusting off LCD's and the inside of the display window on multimeters/test gear etc.

[BottleMan]

When I was in the power supply manufacturing business, we used nail varnish to lock the potentiometers. Very effective and also removable if needed.

Graham

[Malcolm G6ANZ]

I've used black nail varnish to resecure octal valve bases. A small dribble between the plastic base and the glass, this stops the glass rotating.
Malcolm

[Dickie]

I use cardboard egg boxes for temporary nuts and screws storage. They have sloping sides and a curved base. which makes getting that last washer out with a stubby finger much easier!

[AC/HL]

One post moved to a different thread.

[Oldcodger]

Originally Posted by Dickie

I use cardboard egg boxes for temporary nuts and screws storage.

I found in the main, that it's easier to pick up small washers if you lick the end of a finger and apply damp finger to washer. Washer will stick to finger.

[ColinTheAmpMan1]

Originally Posted by Oldcodger

I found in the main, that it's easier to pick up small washers if you lick the end of a finger and apply damp finger to washer. Washer will stick to finger.

That sounds like a good idea, the only problem being Murphy's Law coming into force when you are just about to locate the washer where it's supposed to go and it drops off the end of your now dry finger, and into the most inaccessible place imaginable. (Edit: I should realise that there is no such thing as a "most inaccessible place imaginable" - they get more and more inaccessible as time passes - Murphy's Law again).

[greenstar]

Further ot but blue tack is good holding screws to the end of drivers to get them to those remote corners. Of course one always drops off. I use those long artery forceps to hold washers, bolts etc and are an alternative to blue tack - such forceps can be had from fishing tackle shops. I have used nail varnish to secure coils and insulate fine wire when mending coils.

When disassembling I put the screws nuts etc. in a sellotape roll which is flat on the bench, when you want one of the items in it, lift it up, easy. I have seen 'multi drug dispensers' wit lots of lidded compartments, they sound useful too, such as http://blog.patientslikeme.com/wp-co...aller-file.jpg

[happytiger]

In my radio service days I was shown some red wax from Edam cheese,just dab some of this on the tip of screwdriver and push onto screw head.
This wax is a godsend, I use it for all sorts of jobs now.

[Oldcodger]

I find that over time ( if I don't intentionally magnetise one), my screwdrivers become magnetic and getting screws off them is more of a problem than holding them on . Possibly as I only use top grade ones, and the steel is easier to magnetise and holds it better.