Which Pliers Should I Buy?


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Hi, I recently bought a new Mini-ITX motherboard and wanted to install a mini PCI-e card. The board comes with standoffs that can be repositioned for full or half height cards. I don't need to reposition the standoffs, but I want to unscrew the included screws from the standoffs to mount a new card.

The problem I'm having is that I am able to remove the standoffs, but the screws are stuck in the top of them. When it was manufactured, the machine must have tightened the screws hard into the standoffs. I managed to get one undone, but I'm having trouble with the other. I need something to grip the standoff whilst I use a screwdriver. The other I managed to grip with my shirt, but I'm not being so lucky with this one :(.

The thing is, I don't own a pair of pliers as I've never actually needed any, but I think that I should get some for this problem, but also to have handy should I have any similar problems. There seems to be quite a few different pliers out there though, but which would be the best for the purpose that I mentioned? Any suggestions please?

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I have found the best way to remove stubborn stand-offs is not a pair of pliers but to use one of those screwdriver socket sets. Mine isn't nearby at the moment so I can't tell you which size socket fits stand-offs.

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A small pair of Needle Nose should work.

http://www.irwin.com...ose-with-spring

Thanks for your reply. I was wondering if I should get combination pliers, or needle nose, but needle nose seem like the best choice.

I have found the best way to remove stubborn stand-offs is not a pair of pliers but to use one of those screwdriver socket sets. Mine isn't nearby at the moment so I can't tell you which size socket fits stand-offs.

I don't think I explained myself very well, but I meant that the screw is stuck in the standoff, but thank you for your help anyway. If only the screw was as easy to remove as the standoff was :(.

EDIT: Unless you mean I put the screw tip end of the standoff in a socket driver and hold it that way? I think I have one of those... I'll go see!

EDIT x2: It worked!, you're a genius! :D

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Thanks for your reply. I was wondering if I should get combination pliers, or needle nose, but needle nose seem like the best choice.

I don't think I explained myself very well, but I meant that the screw is stuck in the standoff, but thank you for your help anyway. If only the screw was as easy to remove as the standoff was :(.

EDIT: Unless you mean I put the screw tip end of the standoff in a socket driver and hold it that way? I think I have one of those... I'll go see!

It should still work. A socket that fits the standoff + a screwdriver should tell it who's boss. :)

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It should still work. A socket that fits the standoff + a screwdriver should tell it who's boss. :)

Yeah, I just went to try it, and it worked a charm. Problem solved :D.

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I thought the standoff was stuck in the mobo tray and the screw was stuck in it, hence the need for pliers of some sort. If the whole standoff & screw will come out of the tray, a 5mm socket and screwdriver will work

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I've found that the best way to fix stuck screws like that is usually with a drill.

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I thought the standoff was stuck in the mobo tray and the screw was stuck in it, hence the need for pliers of some sort. If the whole standoff & screw will come out of the tray, a 5mm socket and screwdriver will work

I should have explained a little better, but here are the offending pieces which I managed to sort out:

dZSch47.jpg

I've found that the best way to fix stuck screws like that is usually with a drill.

I only just got this motherboard and I didn't want to damage anything.

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I only just got this motherboard and I didn't want to damage anything.

Perfect time to use the drill. If you're careful you won't damage anything. I had to use it when I had a screw get stripped while swapping something in my fairly new T530 (was new in Nov when this happened). And I took the drill to it and set the drill to the drill out setting* and went to town. It was the most effective method I used, seriously. I tried everything else from using stripped screw removing screw drivers to super gluing the screw driver to the stripped screw lol. The only thing that worked for me was the drill and it left no marks at all.

As long as you use once that is smaller than the screw channel your only risk is digging into the screw deeper. So you're pretty safe. Just use a metal safe bit so you don't ruin your drill bit.

* I'm pretty sure I used the drill out setting, but, obviously, use your judgement based on what you're seeing in front of you.

The biggest risk you have is the standoff itself coming loose. But I'm not sure what you can do to mitigate that risk in any scenario.

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Hello,

One thing that also works good in a situation like that are curved hemostats, as they can grip the standoff behind the MiniPCIe card while still allowing you access to the screw on top.

Regards,

Aryeh Goretsky

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  • 6 months later...

I would buy a tool kit - always handy to have, whether it comes to computers or needing it for things around the house/apartment/etc. I actually bought a "computer" tool kit that was cheap - has served me well when I'm working on my builds or helping family/friends. Outside of it being a normal tool kit - it has anti-static wrist straps, wire cutter, a box with standoffs/jumpers/washers/etc. 

 

Edit: what a bump.

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