Back box screw

Hm I will have to try it sometime John, ... by saying I had never considered it I meant that I had never given that one a serious thought.
I must say that I thought it was a pretty common practice/'bodge'!
If I had and had actually tried it I might have been surprised by the result (or I might have still be apprenhensive about the strength or lack of it ) of being able to hold a switch or socket in place to a reasonable practical degree.
As I've implied, I think you might be a little surprised. As I've said, it really does not need much 'strength' at all - indeed, I think that just 'the other screw' will usually be enough to hold a faceplate on "to a reasonable practical degree"!
I will put it on my bucket list of things to actually try and test, although now retired the opportunity to come across suitable candidates has diminished - a little test run with some metal boxes when I have a couple of hours spare though should suffice.
It ought not to be difficult to create a "suitable candidate", if you attach some old metal faceplate to a metal box and fairly vigorously 'over-tighten' one of the screws (maybe with an 'electric screwdriver' - which one should normally never use on such things!), you will probably fairly easily 'strip the thread' of the lug.

Kind Regards, John
 
I possess a "Dremel" type tool, so would cut a slot right at the bottom of that lug, drill a clearance hole all the way through the back for the screw and glue a nut in the slot. If I didn't have a nut I'd salvage a lug from a metal back box (50p from Screwfix).
That would, indeed, be another way to do it. However, it would only really make sense if one felt (I would suggest 'pretty bravely'!) that one could get the tool in and cut that slot with all the wires in it, with the box 'in situ' without damaging any of the wires. If one felt (as I probably would) that it was only safe to do as you suggest after removing the box, then one might as well put a new box in! To remind you of 'access' ...
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I must say that I thought it was a pretty common practice/'bodge'!

As I've implied, I think you might be a little surprised. As I've said, it really does not need much 'strength' at all - indeed, I think that just 'the other screw' will usually be enough to hold a faceplate on "to a reasonable practical degree"!

It ought not to be difficult to create a "suitable candidate", if you attach some old metal faceplate to a metal box and fairly vigorously 'over-tighten' one of the screws (maybe with an 'electric screwdriver' - which one should normally never use on such things!), you will probably fairly easily 'strip the thread' of the lug.

Kind Regards, John
Hmm - I have an auto-dislike of "bodges" although yes I admit , sometimes it might depend on the extent and the what ifs. The one screw only I am totally opposed to - twin socket, pull plug out on the unsupoorted side is capable of not just pull but comparent leverage magnifying it, I would err away from it.
I might favour the ball bearing as being capable of sending some meat of the thread material (metal box) back into the whole say even half way for a bit of full circular thread if possible.
 
Hmm - I have an auto-dislike of "bodges" although yes I admit , sometimes it might depend on the extent and the what ifs.
I imagine that the majority of us feel much the same as that - although, of course, there will be differences of opinion as to what constitutes a 'bodge' (with some regarding anything which is 'less than totally ideal' as being a 'bodge')
The one screw only I am totally opposed to - twin socket, pull plug out on the unsupoorted side is capable of not just pull but comparent leverage magnifying it, I would err away from it.
I wasn't suggesting that one should accept a 'one screw only' situation (as you say, particularly for a double socket) - I was merely pointing out that the task of holding the faceplate on is shared between the two screws.

Kind Regards, John
 
I possess a "Dremel" type tool, so would cut a slot right at the bottom of that lug, drill a clearance hole all the way through the back for the screw and glue a nut in the slot. If I didn't have a nut I'd salvage a lug from a metal back box (50p from Screwfix).

View attachment 414153

View attachment 414154
You may find when you cut it open the original brass threaded insert is just pushed inside, they sometimes tend to just push in if screws forced, if you want a 3.5 thread buy a dry linjng box and cut the brass insert out of that
 

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