FU***NG SPRING!!!

[ltdbjd]

I know we've all been there, I'm just venting my frustration.

Pulling apart a Folger Adam electric strike yesterday. Keep in mind, it's winter in Wyoming, and I'm working on an exterior door. It's not a place I want to hang out for very long, especially since I can't wear gloves because I need the dexterity. I know what's going to happen because it usually does 50% of the time despite almost every precaution short of wrapping myself and the lock in Saran Wrap before attempting the maneuver. I go to put the deadlock lever spring back in (which is a pain because it's a small space and has to fit into recesses in both sides), and PING, there it goes. F**K!!!!!! I don't have an extra one, so spend the next 20 minutes on my hands and knees looking for it. There are cameras everywhere, so I know at least two people are watching me on the monitor, laughing, and calling all of their buddies over watch the fun. My only saving grace was that it was larger than a cylinder spring, and I was in a loading bay, so it had to be somewhere on the concrete floor of a 3 truck loading bay.

I've bent a few springs trying to put the spring in place freehand, so now I compress the spring in small needle nose pliers, set it in the open space and slide it out of the pliers with a small screwdriver. When it works, it's the easiest thing ever. When it doesn't, the spring goes from fully compressed in the pliers to launching at warp speed, landing in the very last place you search.

Okay, I've ranted. I feel better. Time for my traditional Christmas Eve morning breakfast ... Fruit Loops, Apple Jacks, or Lucky Charms. Depends on what I have open in the pantry. It's actually my traditional every morning breakfast, but in any event, I'm hungry.

[Tyler J. Thomas]

I rarely handle a spring at a door that isn't already enclosed inside of something (Adams Rite push paddles come to mind as a popular exception) but I have dropped and temporarily lost MANY, MANY screws. I keep a Klein canvas bag with spare screws, washer, nuts, and various other hardware. It only took me about 7-8 years to realize that I should keep an assortment of screws on me at all times to avoid wasting time hunting down the armor front screw, or whatever, that just fell to the ground.

And I can't empathize with you on the temperature situation. It's going to be in the 60s in Atlanta today - I've only been cold once this year (~20s and windy a few weeks back). But I will say the coldest I have ever been in my life was replacing a Rixson floor closer in a high-rise lobby when it was somewhere between 0 -10 degrees with wind gusts exceeding 20 MPH. We only worked in 10 minute increments before our hands were useless. We removed the door, took a break, removed the closer, took a break, etc. An hour long job became three.

Enjoy your Christmas!

[billdeserthills]

I understand a good way is to use a large enough plastic bag, to hold the lock in and work. Then if the spring pops out, the bag catches it