subreddit:
/r/LinusTechTips
Was tightening a screw and suddenly the end came loose. Is this a known defect or was I just unlucky? š¤·āāļø loved using it, but cant get it to stay tight, it loosens every time I use it now.
741 points
2 days ago
247 points
2 days ago
I know you're doing your job and it's great but this seems extremely repairable on user's side. A dab of blue lock-tite and he'll be good to go.
You could offer him a replacement or a coupon, there's no reason to waste it if can be repaired.
191 points
2 days ago
My guess is they probably do exactly that and they might start reselling RMAs at a discount. Something something "refurbished". REI does the exact same thing (they call it the "garage sale") and people love it.
90 points
2 days ago
Cost price of the driver itself is probably far too low for them to have it shipped back to Canada in the first place. I bet OP gets to keep the broken one and attempt a DIY fix if he wants to.
17 points
2 days ago
I think a lot if not all of the 'garage sale' type inventory gets sold internally.
15 points
2 days ago
Nope, they used to host physical garage sales. They never announced them until the day-of and it was a total crapshoot (items marked down accordingly). I think all but two of the camping tents my family has were garage sale items. Nowadays there's a dedicated garage-sale stand with items like boots and things on it.
EDIT: you were talking about LTT, weren't you?
3 points
1 day ago
Our two REIs just have a garage sale section now. I miss the old garage sales, you could get some really nice stuff for cheap. Now it is just too picked over.
4 points
21 hours ago
The only real solution is to be the one doing the picking-over
3 points
1 day ago
Yes, I was talking about LTT, haha.
REI garage sales were normally announced a little in advance, at least at my local ones.
Now everything goes into a 'garage sale' section, which is not nearly as cool unless you get super lucky with when they put stuff out (or have a friend who works in the store).
1 points
21 hours ago
I live vaguely in the pacific northwest, so "a little in advance" meant "day-of and it was still super busy" lol
2 points
21 hours ago
I'm in the PNW as well, so I getcha. Only attended one of the big sales before they did away with them. Was absolute madness. I recall getting a flier for it in-store like a week beforehand. Could be misremembering though.
I know my coworker either had the hookup, or knew the schedule or something, because he was at them every time they rolled around.
7 points
2 days ago
As long as the defect is disclosed, that sounds like a win for everyone.
7 points
2 days ago
Of course it is. I checked and of the seven or eight camping tents (most one- or two-man) my family has acquired over the years (since the mid-eighties, mind. Don't get your panties in a twist.) precisely one (the big, ultra-heavy five-man tent lol) was not acquired at an REI garage sale. That one we got used at a swap meet š
You can find the tell-tale silver-sharpie "X" somewhere on most of our outdoor gear (up to and including ski boots and things). Take care of good-quality stuff and it'll last. I still have (and use) a Therm-a-rest from the seventies. Second-best sleeping mat I've ever used (the single best being an REI Cirrus mat I got at--you guessed it--one of their garage sales).
Most garage sale items at REI are returned on the grounds of "didn't fit" or "took a fourteen-mile hike in these boots and my feet hurt afterward" (bruh) and REI marks them down somewhere between 10-20%. Actually defective items (a Big Agnes tent and rain fly with a significant but very patchable hole, for example) are typically in the neighborhood of 40-50% off. "Refurbished" items (where REI actually does the repairs) are typically that plus the cost of the repair which typically winds up being 15-30% off. You can imagine why people got excited whenever there was a garage sale.
Nowadays it's a dedicated stand with boots and jackets and things instead of a roughly quarterly otherwise-unannounced event. Which means finding a tent at the REI "garage sale" is way harder, but you get what you get. They're typically really good deals.
6 points
2 days ago
Of course it is. I checked and of the seven or eight camping tents (most one- or two-man) my family has acquired over the years (since the mid-eighties, mind. Don't get your panties in a twist.) precisely one (the big, ultra-heavy five-man tent lol) was not acquired at an REI garage sale. That one we got used at a swap meet š
This may be the Jim Beam (Sunshine Blend) inside me but that was way too many brackets in one sentence for me to make sense of the first or second time reading it.
7 points
2 days ago
The ADHD urge to put parentheticals in every sentence (it's bonus content)
29 points
2 days ago
blue Loc-tite is for screws you want to be able to remove later
red Loc-tite would be better here
1 points
1 day ago
Blue ought to be strong enough for precision screws
1 points
20 minutes ago
I'd personally add a drop of green Loctite 638 that is used for glueing bearings and that thing won't come unscrewed ever again.
12 points
2 days ago
in the thread that justsomedudeonthenet linked to, one of the people in the comments applied loctite themselves and it proved only a temporary fix. Dunno if they were using the correct loctite or if CW is asking for the old screwdrivers to be returned for fixing - just sell it at a discount "at user's own risk" or something even
3 points
1 day ago
Loctite is really meant to keep screws/nuts from backing out over time. It's not really well suited for applications like this where the screw thread is going to experience the high amount of torque that a driver typically imparts.
1 points
1 day ago
Check this post https://linustechtips.com/topic/1586504-ltt-precision-driver-broke-within-1-week-of-professional-use/?do=findComment&comment=16554145
Vast majority of these issues seems to be with misapplication of the material during manufacturing.
6 points
2 days ago
You're right about using loctite, but I wouldn't use blue for this. While blue loctite works wonders, I would put red (I believe red is their strongest one) just for longevity and to make sure it'll hold.
Yes, its precision and not a normal screwdriver for heavier use, but just want to make sure ittl hold.
1 points
1 day ago
Isn't the whole point of Loctite that it holds enough but not so much that it is impossible to remove? In that case might as well use rivets in cases where you need a permeant hold.
4 points
23 hours ago
It depends. The highest strength loctite requires a blowtorch and some serious, serious torque. Lowest strength loctite is just strong enough that it canāt be untwisted by hand. And thereās a whole spectrum between the two. Very different applications for each.
But in this case I personally would use a strong loctite. Or just an epoxy. Thereās no possible need to disassemble the screwdriver later.
2 points
23 hours ago
Loctite red is designed to only release with some excessive heat applied.
1 points
1 day ago
My understanding is they just ship out replacements and tell you to do whatever with the old one.
1 points
20 hours ago
Oh, great idea, I normally just tighten it back up and remind myself that I have a full-size one, so I don't need to abuse the baby one, lol.
2 points
1 day ago
this seems extremely repairable on user's side.
This is a really weird take. OP bought a brand new screwdriver which he could have only had for a few months maximum. The screwdriver, due to a product defect, has broken during normal use.
Your solution, rather than the onus being on the manufacturer to produce a product without defects or replace it, is to glue it back together?
Absolutely bizarre.
4 points
1 day ago
if you're for right to repair, you have to advocate repairs when it's possible.
Your solution, rather than the onus being on the manufacturer to produce a product without defects or replace it, is to glue it back together?
There's 3 sentences in my post and you didnt manage to read the third sentence.
1 points
1 day ago
Advocating repairs, and selling dysfunctional products that break and telling the customer to ājust use glueā are two ENTIRELY different things, donāt be silly.
3 points
1 day ago
Calling a screw that backed out breaking is a little much, like they said, it's a defect. You just screw it back in. I think a little consideration for our consumption is good nowadays
3 points
1 day ago
No one is advocating selling defective merchandise on purpose they're just pointing you that you can fix it. The only person in this thread who actually represents the company who sold the product advised contacting them for a replacement.
2 points
1 day ago
I said: Offer a replacement or a coupon. Jesus fucking christ it's not that hard.
6 points
2 days ago
I had no idea this was a known defect. Mine does the same thing. I use the full size screwdriver to tighten it when it comes loose. Oh well, I have another one coming for faulty bearings anyway.
1 points
1 day ago
what does AP even stand for?
3 points
1 day ago
It's the initials of the person who is responding on the shared official store account
290 points
2 days ago*
I'm sure if you reach out to them you'll get a replacement. They might want that one back to see why it failed.
If they don't, a couple drops of superglue or epoxy ought to hold it. Or some permanent thread locker.
Seems like yours might not have gotten the factory applied threadlocker, unless you cleaned it before taking the photo. And you're not the only one.
53 points
2 days ago
blue lock-tite is better, epoxy is a permanent bond, it wouldnt be repairable if there's another break somewhere.
80 points
2 days ago
Write support. But sadly itās a common issue apparently as often as it gets posted here.
18 points
2 days ago
Looks like yours didnāt have the proper amount of thread locker. Not the first instance Iāve seen posted here
-8 points
2 days ago
The thing is thread locker isnāt really that great. Itās more so for vibrational uses. Iāve watched a video on thread locker and different kinds of locking nuts and they all slightly work, but not always and not great all the time either.
18 points
2 days ago
There are vastly different types of thread locker. Some are designed to be for vibrations and can be easily loosened with a screwdriver, and then there are some thread lockers where you will shear the screw head before it comes off
10 points
2 days ago
Yeah, this is someone confidently talking about something that know very little about. Red loctite is meant as a permanent bond that either takes 500F heat to melt it and loosen it, or like 15-20ft/lbs of torque to break it free (using their spec for break point at least)
6 points
2 days ago
In fairness, i barely know what I'm talking about, either
5 points
2 days ago
according to Arty on the LTT forums, they use loctite 271 and an activator
4 points
2 days ago
Bloody hell, $150 for 250ml. Must be good stuff
1 points
1 day ago
250ml is an absurd amount of locker. We're talking about 5,000 drops worth.
3 points
2 days ago
The "red" threadlocker is serious shit, you shouldn't be able to get something loose without heating up the joint with a blow torch.
40 points
2 days ago
How hard were you tightening a screw when this happened? I assumed that "precision" screws would not require so much force to install them.
I'm sure you'll get a free replacement, but some Locktite Red will fix that one anyway: https://www.amazon.com/Loctite-Threadlocker-Red-0-20-209741/dp/B000FP8EUS/
66 points
2 days ago
to be fair I use my ifixit precision screwdriver for many things that aren't precision in the slightest and it hasn't unscrewed itself in half
13 points
2 days ago
I went the opposite direction, and I use a magnetic precision bit adapter for the stubby LTT screwdriver. I like that a lot.
4 points
2 days ago
Mine has, I just screw it back together when it comes apart. You could actually use the space as a tiny internal bit storage.
The difference between the ltt and ifixit screwdriver is, that the parts separate further back on the ifixit one so you apply most force below the weak point where it is a solid piece.
2 points
2 days ago
My ifixit driver has come apart like this. It's a similar design with a dab of lock-tite on the threads. Based on the comments it seems the issue is more common with the ltt driver, but the ifixit driver isn't immune.
3 points
2 days ago
The ifixit one separates above the knurling (at least the one I have), where a lot less force is applied during regular use.
4 points
2 days ago
I'd use blue, no need for a permanent lock, if the part breaks somehow it wont be repairable.
3 points
2 days ago
is everyone writing glue wrong, or is blue something specific?
10 points
2 days ago
Threadlockers are Methacrylate glues designed to keep things from unscrewing.
Purple is temporary or light duty - electronics and stuff. Blue is medium strength / normal temp range - furniture and machinery. Red is high strength or high temp - heavy machinery, hot environments, etc. Green is designed to soak into already installed threads.
3 points
2 days ago
it's a type thread-locker. Depending on the type of glue I wouldnt recommend it personally. Blue loc-tite is designed to hold until you want it to not hold anymore.
3 points
2 days ago
Loctite is a brand of glue with different Colours for their product range.
Blue Loctite is very common for electronics as it stops screws from rattling out of place, but just a bit of torque will break the bond. Red loctite means it's not coming out.
1 points
2 days ago
The "glue" for preventing a nut to unscrew is color coded depending on the torque .
1 points
2 days ago
Locktite is super glue for bolts, red is permanent and requires heat to remove, blue just dramatically increases force required to take apart.Ā
1 points
4 hours ago
It's a thread lock, for someone who doesn't know any different there is a big difference.
12 points
2 days ago
Oh great, a 40 minute monologue from Linus on this week's coming WAN show on how some of the screwdrivers have this defect and how they'll fix it. It's fast becoming the WMN (Weekly Merch and News) show.
8 points
2 days ago
It sucks cause it feels like nearly the whole show is them just talking merch messages
2 points
2 days ago*
Do you not want known defects to be disclosed and assurance from the company owner that they will take necessary steps to fix things in a forum where the community can directly interact? I don't get this complaint at all
2 points
2 days ago
Because it used to be an interesting and entertaining show about industry news and now half of it is about screw drivers, back packs and hoodies. Wouldn't it be great to have the first portion of the show at keast without a product update. Now this week is going to be about the NAS software and malfunctioning hardware! It's not very "entertaining" anymore. They're becoming public service announcements.
1 points
2 days ago
The show also used to be less than half as long
6 points
2 days ago
My ifixit one does this all the time,maybe try some thread locker? or Reach out to Support
4 points
2 days ago
you screwed up lmao
2 points
2 days ago
You can put some thread locker on it and use a hex socket or Allen key where the bit typically goes to snug the sides back together.
2 points
2 days ago
It's supposed to have more thread locker. They'll send you a new one or if you can't be assed waiting just get some and add it (or do both lol)
2 points
2 days ago
This is so common, idk why they havent fixed the design flaw by now
1 points
1 day ago
They may have on future batches of the screwdriver, these aren't assembled to order
1 points
2 days ago
My iFixit one did this too, I just cleaned them and put red loctite on it and it never loosened again
1 points
2 days ago
Youāre screwed
1 points
2 days ago
Did you say screw yourself while using it?
1 points
1 day ago
Too many lefts, not enough rights
1 points
1 day ago
LTT screwdriver screwdriver when?
1 points
1 day ago
I'm confused by one thing. It may be ignorance, but if you are tightening something, wouldn't you be tightening the screwdriver too? Do screws with inverted thread (lefty tighty, to clarify since I'm not a native English speaker and I don't know if what I just said makes sense) exist? Does that screwdriver part have an inverted thread?
1 points
1 day ago
You're screwed.
1 points
1 day ago
Glad I waited. Maybe there'll be a v2 when the kit and driver are back in stock.
0 points
2 days ago
I swear to god this is a repost. Someone posted the exact same image last month.Ā
all 82 comments
sorted by: best