resin in grub screw holes

Howdy.

I’m working on a new build.  It’s been slow because I’ve been reluctant to glass with the cold, wet weather we’ve had in Southern California lately.

I’m using FCS fusion plugs.  I’d had them lying around for a while and had lost the little stickers that cover the openings when you glass, so I just cut masking tape.  Well, on one box it seems the tape leaked.  The top of the holes have resin in them.  I’d say about three threads down.

 

Anybody ever have this happen?  How can I get the resin out?  I cut out what I could with an exacto knife but don’t know how to clear the threads.  Would a thread cutter (tap) work without ruining the plastic of the remaining threads?

…seems that you did not pressed well the tape; because most times this not occurs.

Also why you did not put the screws before?

1- if you did not put the screws, use a hand tap. I do not remember the measure. pour a drop of acetone and start to thread; reverse it and another drop of acetone, go again with the tap but another more thread, again with the reverse movement and so on.

2-with the screws there; a drop of acetone, wait, do it again, and start to remove the resin, carefuly with the FCS key. Takes several times, but always come out.

I had this happen to me when glassing over some  proboxes for extra protection.  I was able to pick it out with a steel pick.  Took a while, but wasn’t as bad as I feared it would be.

If you can cut a tiny slit into the resin drop, you might be able to use a jewelers screw driver and back out the resin. Sometimes resin won’t stick to the plastic, and you can dig it out without damaging the threads. If it’s stuck, you will need to use a tap and re-tap it.

I always leave grub screws down in and put a few drops of melted wax over them. I often fill the slots with flour, then top it off with wax when I put a layer of glass over the box on post lam boxes. Just heat up the hex key and push it into the screw to clean out the wax.

Sometimes you can pick it out and turn the screw.   But your best bet is reverb’s method with one drop of Acetone etc.   Next time;  run the screw down flush in the hole and tape or use a sticker.  When you sand the hotcoat, run the crew down below the surface.  Another trick is to run the screw down below the surface and put a little wax in the hole on top of the screw.  Then tape.   If any resin gets under your tape, the wax is your insurance policy.

Next time skip the tape and stuff clay down in the holes and flush to the top.  Works great.

Thanks for the tips. Next time.

Next stop- Ace Hardware for a tap.