stripped screw hole 1

[Raulz1]

What is the latest solution for a stripped screw hole in plastic, where a sheet metal type screw is used to assemble and hold parts together? I am looking for a solution other than using a larger size screw or adding a spring type nut. Thanks,
Raul

 

[insideman]

As a wise man said "it depends...". Among other things it depends on the type of plastic involved. For amorphous resins like styrene, abs, or polycarbonate solvent bond a plug of the same material into the hole and drill a new hole. For crystalline resins like polyethylene, polypropylene, nylon, acetal you will probably have to find a more mechanical solution. Maybe you could use a rivet instead of a screw?

Pat

http://www.aquasite.com/skonkworks

 

[chaving]

Yes, you can bond and drill a plug in amorphous material. Alternativly you can use heat and weld some material into the hole.
Using a sharp craft knife trim some thin stips of plastic off from an internal rib or a spare part.
Then heat up a soldering Iron and melt the strips into the hole.
Re-drill the hole and put your screw in.
You may evan get away with just heating up the old hole with the iron and recutting the thread with the screw.