PVC Remodel Box Variant

Running the threads is a given with those Carlons (and similar). But when I examined the box during callback, the ears were gone. Only the lower half of the plastic barrels, around each screw, remained. The impression was almost like crumbled UV disintegration. With client watching I asked dumbfounded - ‘did someone take this apart?’ Like I said I’ve never seen this nor ever heard of this happening. Maybe I’ve stumbled across deformed or semi cracked ears / wings when opening someone else’s work but that’s even rare.
Not sure Slater is addressing any issue other than marketing but now I’m ‘that’ guy. (not quite Buchanan territory).
 
marmathsen said:
Unfortunately those metal wings have their faults too. I've had several that get twisted around the screw. It's a major pain to try and straighten it back out again and get it to release it's death grip on the screw.

Rob G
Seattle
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Came to post this, below, but I see I missed your comment before

“… just tested to see if these also benefit from or require easing threads… they’re not as easy as you would hope but they don’t suffer any alignment or philips head stripping issues if you choose not to break in the threads.
Took another box and hit one screw with drop of silicone spray and the other screw touched the smallest dab of silicone grease. Without running threads first on either both were smooth after initial turn.
Not sure what happens to old stock left in trucks in damp conditions.”

Mine of course are new but maybe they do suffer from mild corrosion if not lubed / protected ?
 
I had a couple give me a fit this week and just figured it was me or I picked some up that were scrapped. I outright sprayed the screws in a couple to get them to go.
 
Eddie702 said:
Isn't that the truth. Even the new metal boxes you have to fight all the screws. I carry around taps and chuck them in my drill. Takes less time to tap them yourself then fight them all the time. I recently took out some older meta boxes Installed in the 60s and the screws ran in and out with no issues, the boxes just were not large enough. Panel screws and ground screws the same thing. I tried a few Cantex, (Canex?) boxes as Lowes carries them and I thought they were junk. Nothing worse than doing a fixture on a plastic box overhead and fighting with the screws. I have trouble with overhead stuff due to disk issues anyhow
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I've seen a lot of metal Raco boxes in recent years where the ground screw hole isn't threaded, or barely threaded. I see a lot of poor quality material out there & it's getting worse. Most of you see far more than I do now, since I work multi trade maintenance. I don't do as much electrical as I did but I see similar with plumbing parts & I've had plumbers agree that their stuff is poor quality as well. All this despite rising prices all the time.
 
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