I hate home repairs!!!

[gsabc]

Especially when the supplied equipment doesn't work.

New shower curtain rod. Curved. Screw mounted, because the pressure-mounted ones we've used damage the paint. Used the template supplied to drill the holes, after measuring distances up from the tub several times. Drove in the supplied moly posts, long metal things with long bolts that screw into them. Tried to put the screws back into them. Could not do. Kept trying. Still no good. Looked into holes with flashlight. Instead of penetrating through the holes I had drilled into the plaster, the damned moly posts had collapsed entirely inward, blocking the paths for the screws and making them impossible to use.

Had to pull part of the metal out of the wall, enlarging the holes I had made while doing so. I now have putty drying in the holes so that I can use regular short plastic moly posts and regular screws (NOT supplied) to install the rod. I would have done less damage to the wall with the pressure-mounted rod.

I will now go and turn the vent on in the bathroom, in order to clear out the blue, ionized air from the cursing. I don't dare try to install the towel rods we bought.

[Bob Juch]

Always keep the screws in molly posts when inserting them.

[peacock2121]

Just think about all of the things you are learning!

Sorry you day is not going so well.

[kayrharris]

Sorry for all the trouble and frustration. I looked this up for you since I'm
not handy at anything...


To install a molly, first drill a hole the diameter of the molly in the desired location.
Predrilling is important even with "drive mollys" since they can be bent or distorted if the
wall is too hard. For smaller mollys, an awl can be used to form the hole as described for
installing plastic expansion anchors (above).

Tap the molly into the hole until the head is flush with the drywall. Molly's have metal
"teeth" that grip the drywall, and it is important these teeth are firmly embedded. Then
turn the molly's screw clockwise. This pulls the base of the molly towards the inside of the wall
while expanding the metal legs. A tip... though most molly screws have a combination
Phillip's/slotted head, use a slotted screwdriver... the Phillips may slip and cause damage to the wall!
Stop screwing when you feel strong resistance and the top of the molly has pulled tightly against the
wall. The graphic (left) shows what you can't see... inside the wall.

There is a pliers-like tool known as a molly setter that can be used to expand mollys without the
use of a screwdriver. The tool pulls the screw head straight out, expanding the legs. This tool is
a real timesaver for a pro, but is somewhat expensive for the weekend molly installer!

[PlacentiaSoccerMom]

Stop screwing when you feel strong resistance.

Something thats always good to remember...

[Estonut]

A tip... though most molly screws have a combination Phillip's/slotted head, use a slotted screwdriver... the Phillips may slip and cause damage to the wall!

Ages ago, my high school auto mechanics teacher said that Phillips screwdrivers were invented by the auto industry so that assemblers working on car interiors would stop damaging the interiors due to slipping screwdrivers. I don't know about that, but it seems to me that a Phillips head would tend to hold its driver better than a slotted head would.

I just thought of this. If the molly screws are just 2 crossed slots (without the depth of a normal Phillips head, then I could see this happening, as the Phillips driver might not be able to attain a depth where its splines? can engage the screw properly.

[gsabc]

Always keep the screws in molly posts when inserting them.

Did that. Didn't work. Could barely get the screws back out, then could not reinsert them at all.

And thank you Kay. Useful information. One of my few capabilities with handiwork actually is hanging stuff into drywall, which is what made this all the more air-ionizingly frustrating. These were the long, metal type of molly post, meant for medium duty. They were supplied with the curtain rod. I had never used them before. I will never use them again.

I visited Homer this morning on the way to work, to get some proper plastic medium-duty molly sets. The plaster patch should have dried by tonight. Maybe we can shower upstairs tomorrow. Also picked up light-duty sets for the towel racks and toilet paper holders.

GW has said that if there is still a problem, she can live with attaching a small block of wood to the wall and installing the rod onto that. Just realized that I'd meant to look for that at the Depot. I'll probably have better luck, though, at a crafts store. Homer is more likely to have to sell me a full-sized board, when all I would need is about three square inches.

[kayrharris]

Always keep the screws in molly posts when inserting them.

Did that. Didn't work. Could barely get the screws back out, then could not reinsert them at all.

And thank you Kay. Useful information. One of my few capabilities with handiwork actually is hanging stuff into drywall, which is what made this all the more air-ionizingly frustrating. These were the long, metal type of molly post, meant for medium duty. They were supplied with the curtain rod. I had never used them before. I will never use them again.

I visited Homer this morning on the way to work, to get some proper plastic medium-duty molly sets. The plaster patch should have dried by tonight. Maybe we can shower upstairs tomorrow. Also picked up light-duty sets for the towel racks and toilet paper holders.

GW has said that if there is still a problem, she can live with attaching a small block of wood to the wall and installing the rod onto that. Just realized that I'd meant to look for that at the Depot. I'll probably have better luck, though, at a crafts store. Homer is more likely to have to sell me a full-sized board, when all I would need is about three square inches.

You're welcome! My husband, the contractor, refuses to hand any type shower rod, towel bar or tp holder into sheetrock without using the block of wood. It's a hassle, it has to be painted, but it damn sure won't pull out of
the wall (according to him). Good luck!

[gsabc]

My husband, the contractor, refuses to hand any type shower rod, towel bar or tp holder into sheetrock without using the block of wood. It's a hassle, it has to be painted, but it damn sure won't pull out of
the wall (according to him).

I've been okay with hanging our towel racks, etc. The old ones stayed in fine with regular mollys.

The operative term there is "old". They were el cheapos and looked it. The new set, all coordinated, were expensive but are much nicer. The curtain rod is a different design, but goes well with the others.