| tart --> | | | | dusty shelf in the garage that's full on odds and ends, |
| STEP THREE: SELECT YOUR FASTENERS | | | | you want something with course thread and a round |
| The reason we spend so much time finding studs is | | | | head. If the head is too small, you also want to find a |
| simply because that studs are MUCH stronger then | | | | washer. |
| wall board. Easier to work with too. The single nail | | | | What about flat-head screws you ask? There are |
| you bludgeoned in will hold up a lot -even if it hits | | | | nice because they finish flush with the case-back. But |
| only drywall- because it is stressed, (pulled on) in only | | | | in order to get them to finish flat -you need to |
| one direction -down. Screws and nails are very strong | | | | countersink the hole. This makes the hole weaker |
| in this direction -engineering types calls this shear. But | | | | and makes the whole she-bang weaker too. If you |
| a display case, having some depth, will also stress the | | | | have a nice strong case back -plywood instead of |
| fasteners in tension . This means to pull in the | | | | hardboard- go ahead and use flatheads. If you don't |
| direction of the fastener. You probably could pull out | | | | feel like schlepping down to the garage for a smear |
| our hypothetical little nail with your fingers -particularly | | | | of paint, use Liquid Paper to hide the screw head. |
| after it's been up for a while. The vibrations from | | | | Otherwise, use the pan head or round head and |
| your footsteps travel up the wall and loosen the nail. | | | | cover them up with something from your collection. |
| And if you live in an earthquake neighborhood? | | | | So much for the easy ones, the one with |
| Fur'get aboud-it. So we need something that is strong | | | | co-operative studs. What about the places with only |
| in both shear and tension. A nail into studs works, but | | | | dry-wall? For this you need hollow-wall anchors. Buy |
| a bear to get out again. Screws are strong in both | | | | the ones that look like a little rocket-ship |
| ways, and can be removed easily. A little more | | | | –about the diameter of a pencil and with a |
| effort, you say? Yep, but in the long run we are | | | | flange on one end. Some have a little (red) nose-cone |
| doing things the RIGHT way, right? | | | | that makes them easier to drive into the wall, but |
| For those fasteners that go into studs, I feel the | | | | this is not essential. What is essential, however, is |
| absolute best choice is a sheet-metal screw. This | | | | paying attention to the package label and what it has |
| particular screw has threads up it's entire length and a | | | | to say about grip length. You need something that |
| big-old pan-shaped head. If you are making a trip to | | | | will work for 1/2 inch material. There are all manner |
| the hardware store, a #8 x 1 1/4" would be a good | | | | of new fan-dangled hollow wall hangers. Some of |
| start for a small case. #10 x 1 1/2" would not be too | | | | them undoubtedly work, but I am old and I like best |
| big. If you are poking through a coffee-can from a | | | | what I know best. |