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01-2-2017 21:55:41  #1


Booger Tight

A sticking carriage return lever was discussed somewhere on this Forum.  I weighed in.  Our Illustrious Moderator also weighed in--with a good point:  It could be perhaps that the lever was tightened down too tight, and backing off a little with the bolt holding it in place will perhaps remedy the problem.

This brings us to the topic I have chosen for discussion here:  Tightening screws, nuts, bolts, or some other fasteners too tight--or as we call it in Texas--"Booger-Tight."  Booger-Tight is so tight, you blow on the bolthead, and it'll snap right off.  Often, the slot or phillips holes will be so badly chewed up, you won't be able to budge that sucker ever again.  You'll probably have to break it off and/or drill it out and start over.

Now this is a problem not only in small machinery such as typewriters--I've worked in heavy equipment rental where they repair bulldozers and excavators.  Yes, booger-tight lives there too.  I've seen Catbolts broken off--done it a few times myself, and then I found two magic words--Torque-Wrench!!

It makes me wonder--even though after a few decades in typewriter repair--do they have a torque wrench small enough to use in typewriter repair, or any other small machine for that matter.  I know it's a silly question--to which I should know the answer.  But, since I have no need of such a tool myself, and it would probably be too rich for my blood to obtain one.  But, still, I wonder if one does exist.


Underwood--Speeds the World's Bidness
 

01-2-2017 22:25:40  #2


Re: Booger Tight

I bought many years ago now from Sears a torque wrench that measures in foot-inches, so it was for lower torque jobs. I got it for assembling bicycles, specifically the bolts holding the cranks onto the bottom bracket assembly, which need to be very tight, but not too tight. This is one of the ones with the needle that deflects, rather than the newer heavier duty kind that allows you to pre-set the torque amount and clicks when you get there.

Maybe a torque wrench has some limited applications for typewriters, but I'm not sure what offhand. I've always thought that nuts and screws needed only to be snugged by hand.

 

01-2-2017 23:31:24  #3


Re: Booger Tight

That's what I thought.  Back in my early days, I've snapped a few, but then "Booger Tight," was all a teenager knew.  I learned how to just snug them up with the right amount of English about the wrist when I got a little older, and I hadn't snapped anything off since.


Underwood--Speeds the World's Bidness
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