Fan Oven Screw Won't Grip

[InMyHO]

The cover for the fan in our fan oven has fallen off. This is a stamped plate with two tongues at the bottom and one screw at the top to hold it. The single self-tap tapered screw appeared to have been secured into the insulation behind the lining as the hole in the metal is much too large for it to have provided any purchase - it is larger than the hole in the plate! How the screw ever held is a mystery to me as the insulation looks to be white powdery stuff incapable of gripping the screw.

Anyone got any ideas as to what I can do to get a new screw to hold?

 

[alan333]

Fit a 'nut' behind the "hole in the metal", and screw your screw through into it. When I say 'nut' I mean anything which would hold against your screw threads, like a small piece of flat metal with a hole drilled in it etc.

 

[InMyHO]

This makes sense Alan. Of course the only thing I can insert behind the hole in the back of the oven is something smaller than the hole. This then means that the nut can come out again.

Getting around behind that plate would mean completely removing and disassembling the oven. Even if I did that though I am worried that the insulation is actually non-removable and that I just can't get behind the plate at the back of the oven anyway.

 

[rsgaz]

The quick and easy fix would be to drill and tap the hole and just use a machine screw in place of the self tapping one. Just don't overtighten the screw or you'll be back to square one (but with an even bigger hole!). For something a bit more heavy duty you need something like these rivnuts...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/182064840166

They are meant to clench up behind the sheet metal, like this...

But the diameter of the hole needs to be pretty dead on or it will just rotate instead of clenching up.

Gaz

 

[Diyisfun]

Drill a new hole in both parts.

 

[InMyHO]

For something a bit more heavy duty you need something like these rivnuts...

Thanks for the advice Gaz. I need to work out what size the hole is now and what clearance I have at the back. Have you any idea whether these nuts are OK at 500 degrees centigrade?

I know this is hot compared with most ovens but it is the temperature ours goes up to.

 

[rsgaz]

whether these nuts are OK at 500 degrees centigrade?

Well, they are steel, so yes, just don't get the aluminium version!! (whilst 500°C is below the melting point of aluminium, metals will soften well below their melting point)

 

[rocks1]

Or drill a small hole 2 MM. Near the other hole and use the same screw all your doing is moving the screw hole a few cm.

 

[Diyisfun]

Or drill a small hole 2 MM. Near the other hole and use the same screw all your doing is moving the screw hole a few cm.

That's what I said, cant see what the fuss is about.