case screw(up)

[stopthekilling77]

i finally have my pc parts back together and working, but i discovered that 3 of my standoffs (build into the motherboard tray in the Antec P-180 model) have stripped, and the only solution i can think of is to get longer screws... the ones i have are what i'm guessing to be "standard" size for modern cases but i could be wrong and they're just Antec's standard.

NOTE: the screws WILL tighten with the motherboard OUT, but not with the board IN. and yes, they're all aligned perfectly when the board is in. NONE of the screws were messed up until i checked my rig out of a local PC shop last time i let some idiots mess with my machine.

i SUCK with hardware stuff (sizes and threads and all that) so i need to find out where i could get longer screws of the same thread and the same head so as to not interfere with the motherboard parts (some of the capacitors are a tight fit) my heatsink is too large/heavy to trust to any less than all 9 screws in there, so this is a rush thing for me. i don't care if i have to buy a pack of 50 or whatever just as long as i get the right screw.

help???

[vicaphit]

Take your short screws to the nearest hardware store and check out the screw bins. Just compare the different sizes to what you KNOW will fit the holes, only looking for longer screws.

[Methious]

Most of the screw isles in the hardware stores have thread guides, take the old screw and screw it into the guides and when you find the guide that fits you'll know you have the right thread pinned down.

I'd pick up the ones you think you need, then 3 slightly longer ones with nuts in case you need to go that route.

[stopthekilling77]

well i went to a Home Depot and they bounced me around a few sections before saying "sorry its too small, try Radio Shack"

so to Radio Shank i go (hate that store)
sure enough, nothing there either. they refer me to... WALMART x.x

i'm going to Lowes tomorrow. if they cant help me i'm gonna call around to some PC stores

[XstollieX]

I would recommend an ace hardware or a true value. Home Depot and the big stores wont have anything that small.

[stopthekilling77]

thanks, i'll check my area for those seeing how its been ages since i've seen an Ace hardware around here

[stopthekilling77]

bought a box of these http://www.amazon.com/6-32X1-Phillips-M ... 127&sr=1-4

~$10 shipped, will last me for eons xD let me know if any of you want some lol

these should definitely do the trick and catch the non-stripped threads

[Sporg]

Wow, that should last you... forever! Odd that Home Depot didn't have what you needed. I went through something similar over a year ago and found exactly what I needed there. I... umm... permanently misplaced the standoffs for my thermaltake armor and needed something around 10mm long. I ended up getting screws and cut up some plastic tubing to get the length right. Kind of ghetto, but it worked.

[stopthekilling77]

Wow, that should last you... forever! Odd that Home Depot didn't have what you needed. I went through something similar over a year ago and found exactly what I needed there. I... umm... permanently misplaced the standoffs for my thermaltake armor and needed something around 10mm long. I ended up getting screws and cut up some plastic tubing to get the length right. Kind of ghetto, but it worked.

yeah i was a bit disappointed in all the stores i went to - HD, Lowes, Ace Hardware, Radio Shack, and even tried Wal-Mart. oh well, the parts should be here in a day or two. until then my pc is stuck on it's side.

[bubba]

Man how did I miss this....

If you want small fasteners like that then you need to hit up a hobby shop or a mom & pop hardware store.

Also you could have drilled out the treads completely, bought a small bolt and nut like a #5 or #6 and 2 part epoxy. Rough up the back side of the try for the offending standoff with some 120 grit sand paper (so the epoxy has something to grab on to). Bolt the board in with the nut on the back side of the tray. With everything finger tight, epoxy the nut in place. Keep away from the threads of the bolt. Once everything has dried it should function like a regular standoff, just don't over tighten it or it could pop the epoxy loose.

[Mad_Goku]

yeah too bad i've been off the board. I would have recommended the mom and pop hardware store. You can usually find anything odds and ends at those. Hopefully you get it all together and it works.

[stopthekilling77]

yay!

found that the screws i'd had in there were CLOSE but no cigar. wikipedia: Computer Case Screws

It is a frequent mistake when building PC's to accidentally use 6-32 threaded screws into motherboard standoffs expecting an M3 screw.[citation needed] The result is that the screw will not go all the way, and the threads become stripped and "lock". The attempt to remove the screw by turning it the other way typically results in the entire standoff coming out of the case and potentially flexing the motherboard. In that case, the screw and the standoff cannot be separated without removing the entire motherboard and subjecting it to potential damage while it is flexed in place.

they didn't lock, but they were certainly too thinly threaded to hold on all but pitifully o.o

i am in AWE that my computer held together the way it did WITH THE WRONG DAMN SCREWS!
alls well that ends well though. my rig is back 100%, my workspace is clear again, and *ahem* i've learned to make sure you're using the right bleeping hardware when you're putting a computer together

[Mad_Goku]

w00t. Glad you got it back to 100%.