• papertowels@lemmy.one
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    1 month ago

    I use the right hand rule - ball up your fist with your thumb sticking out, and turning in the direction of your fingers curling will result in the screw going the rest your thumb points.

    • MelodiousFunk@slrpnk.net
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      1 month ago

      Me learning this about electromagnetism: huh, neat.

      Me learning this about something I actually use in day to day life: 🤯

      • papertowels@lemmy.one
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        1 month ago

        It’s especially helpful when you’re looking at screws (or nuts!) from the back or any other weird frame of reference.

    • Classy Hatter
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      1 month ago

      Right hand for right-handed threads and left hand for left-handed. If unsure, it’s most likely right-handed.

      • ripcord@lemmy.world
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        1 month ago

        The assumption in this whole post is that it’s right-thread, since left is so uncommon.

        • addie@feddit.uk
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          1 month ago

          Most common example would be a bicycle, I think - your pedals tighten on “in the same direction the wheel turns” as you look at them. So your left pedal has left-hand thread, and goes on and comes off backwards.

          The effect of precession also means that you can tighten the pedals on finger tight and a good long ride will make them absolutely solid - need to bounce up and down on a spanner to loosen them.