Screw grommit and the tool to turn it?

[Quourteous]

Hi all,

What do we call this kind of screw grommit and the tool or key used to turn it?

This one is about 3/8" or 9mm outside diameter.

Thanks!

 

[AC Power]

Those are cam locking screws/bolts for furniture. You don't normally unscrew these from the side you've pictured. If you can't unscrew the bolt from the other side, you'll have to make-shift a flat blade screwdriver by grinding the center portion of the flat portion off. This way, the "sacrificial" flat blade screwdriver can "straddle" the bolt and seat itself so as to loosen the nut.

 

[Quourteous]

Oh, that's clever. Well done, thanks. A pal elsewhere suggested a 'spanner-head' driver, this sort of thing...:

Amazon.com : spanner head screwdriver

...but I can't find one with a big enough span, that 3/8" / 9-10mm. But yes, 'modifying' a flat-blade screwdriver with a hacksaw, then a bit of Dremel if i want to get fancy, should do the job. And relatively cheaply.

Great thinking. Thanks again!

 

[AC Power]

Even just buying a piece of flat iron (1/2"W x 1/8"D x minimum length L), will work. Even an old standard kitchen knife with solid metal handle....

Hope it works for you.

 

[Quourteous]

More good thinking. I'll get to it tomorrow... and have a fossick around in my junk drawer to see what I can find before making a trip to H Depot...

 

[Quourteous]

So it worked! I cut a tool like you suggested out of an old piece of closet hardware in my junk drawer:

Then I lopped off the bottom across that hole and refined the 'fork' with sandpaper and the Dremel.

The result worked. Not perfectly – the material was hardly high-carbon steel (if it had been, I likely wouldn't have been able to work it with my simple tools) so it bent a bit:

But it did the job: it tightened that valve grommet, whatever we call it, and the thing is now gas-tight again as it's meant to be.

Terrific. Thanks ACP!

 

[AC Power]

Well, I am really happy it worked, and the pictures of your "make shift" tool was nice!

I do spend a fair amount of time trying to help people in this website. Most people don't come back after I offer them the suggestion/answer....so it was very thoughtful of you to respond....it makes me want to offer help!!

 

[Quourteous]

The least I could do – thanks so much!