painted up posi screws

[Bill Wright]

If you stick a hot soldering iron into the posi slots for a few seconds it softens the paint and then you can shove the screwdriver in and get a better purchase.

Bill

[alan_m]

I have a couple of screwdrivers set aside for this sort of problem. I heat the end with a blow torch before offering it up to the screw. With really stubborn screws it's often a tiny bit more than just softening the paint

[Brian Gaff]

Does not do wonders for the ability to use it as a soldering iron afterwards though. Its a bit like those people who use the iron to drill holes in plastic boxes. Brian

[newshound]

I bought my wife a soldering iron *especially* for making buckle holes in the nylon webbing used for horse headcollars, etc. I borrow it occasionally for plastic boxes!

[Brian Gaff]

Has she got a toxic vapour mask? Yes I know but this is the way we have to think these days. Brian

[Jimmy Wilkinson Knife]

It's the way we're TOLD to think. We don't have to though.

[Brian Gaff]

I told the assembled folk here some time ago about me, being visually impaired when young used to work on high voltage gear, and was quite safe as I obeyed simple safety rules, but the air we breathe is another matter for some years all the smoke emitted from the solder bath system near when a I worked could be smelled. I doubt that has done my lungs much good either. As with a lot of things it depends on the exposure. I used to work also with acetone and as I'm sure you are aware this is very dangerous as it evaporates and replaces the oxygen in the air. There are so many things we did before that are now frowned upon, like sawing down sheets of asbestos for example, as I did many times at home! Brian

[Jimmy Wilkinson Knife]

There's the odd thing like asbestos, but most stuff ain't that harmful. I go by what my body tells me, if it's difficult to breathe, then what I'm breathing is bad for me. Fibre glass for example, nobody seems to think that's nasty, but I'm sure it must be, it makes your skin itchy and you cough a lot. Why aren't lofts insulated with polystyrene?!