Question: Eyeglass repair  Every couple of days, i have to retighten the little screw which fastens  that long skinny piece which goes back to the ear. Any ideas on how to keep  it tight, while still allowing movement so the glasses can be folded up when  not being worn? -- Erik Imhoff advaitan@hotmail.com  (Ref:0443)

Answer: you can buy a kind of superglue that is specially designed to lock threads on screws. A brand available here in Germany is Loctite. If you are careful you can use normal superglue. Be careful as some plastic lenses will shatter if they come in contact with cyanoacrylate glue. -- Richard Dorn -- Before you try this read the next posting -- Ed

Caution, Response: Removing superglue from eyeglass lenses: If only I had found this site before attempting to substitute superglue for Loctite to repair a loose screws my eyeglasses!!! The first three applications sealed the nosepiece and one earpiece screw in place quite nicely. But, alas!, Murphy's Law has struck and now I have a thin fog of superglue on 1/3 of one lens, that no amount of De-Solvit or elbow grease or cussing is going to remove! I've tried scraping it off with my fingernail but to no avail and I'm afraid to use anything sharper for fear of damaging the plastic lenses. These are uncoated lenses by the way, so they may tolerate chemicals / solvents that treated lenses may not... Does anyone have suggestions? Don't be shy - You can't ruin my glasses. I already have! =) I have a job interview this Wednesday so time is of the essence unless they are hiring for geeks - my backup pair are at least 7 years old!! Thanks for your input! Rachel K Sweet Mar 12 2005 (Ref:1089)

Answer: Superglue stuck on eye glasses: Try using acetone (conveniently available as nail polish remover). If you have coated lenses, it may damage the coating, but it will certainly remove the superglue. After removing the superglue, clean the lens with alcohol or normal lens cleaner to get rid of the residue. Hope this helps! Rene Pretorius' Rene.nospamPretorius@elpromnsp.co.za May 25 2005

Answer: Re; Eye Glass Repair: Have you tried clear nail polish? I used it on my son's, husband's and mine and it really works. Apply it after tightening the screw and let dry. Lasts for quite a while. -- 'Nancy Oickle' . Nov 7 2006

PLEASE BE CAREFUL  when you use solvents or superglue on glasses - ED

Question::  Stuck Glasses  We need help to solve a stupid problem. A small measuring cup was placed inside a larger one and now it is stuck -- we've tried oil, nuking them & now freezing them -- any suggestions on how to get them apart without breaking them?? Thank you -- Shirley Cooper nais1@aug.com  (Ref:0448)

Answer: Using hot and cold water heat the outer glass and cool the inner one, they will soon pop apart. -- Dave Klystron. 

Question: Silly putty  We have silly putty on light color berber carpet, it is right in a door way, so I hate to experiment & maybe leave a bigger stain. It had been there quite some time before we discovered it--that may make it harder to come up??  Thanks. Please don't use my e-address on the web. Thanks again. J Hammond -- jjhammo@nospam.com (Ref:0452)

Answer: We are not absolutely sure what will work but you could try applying ice or dry ice and breaking up the material ( the common solution for chewing gum) You would probably have to do it PDQ or the bits will soften and fall back in to the carpet. You could also experiment with cooking oil, white spirit or WD40 -- Fiona McIlroy  Please let us know if it works

Response: In regard to removing the silly putty from my carpet - I tried the ice cube - nothing happened. I have some GOO GONE , it says not to apply directly to carpet, so I placed some on a cloth & blotted the silly putty -- I worked! Took a little effort but can't tell where it was! Thanks for your help anyway -- J. Hammond JJHAMMO@nospam.com 

Response: Silly Putty  Put wd 40 on it let it sit for 10 minutes then using rubbing alcohol blot it until it is gone Jensuenspmay@aol.com   21 Dec 2003

Question: Paper creases   How do I get creases out of an important document? -- BGreen123@aol.com (Ref:0475)

Answer: Very careful ironing at a low heat can help. Photocopiers can work too, especially the older ones with very bright lamps. -- Dave Klystron

Question: STUCK BOWLS    How do you get two bowls unstuck that are one almost inside the other? -- loebl@hevanet.com  Louis Loeb (Ref:0476)

Answer: Using hot and cold water heat the outer glass and cool the inner one, they will soon pop apart. -- Dave Ed. 

Question: Old mirrors    I recently found an old mirror in the attic and would like to restore the  frame and mirror and make use of it on my dresser.  The problem is that the  mirror is hazy in spots.  I have tried cleaning front and back, I have tried  using a blow dryer on the mirror, front and back, but nothing seems to help.   Does anyone have any suggestions? --  Patriciapenton@aol.com (Ref:0492) 

Answer: Hi Patricia - Leave the mirror alone, mirror repair and renovation is a job for experts. Mercury used in mirror manufacture is one of the most poisonous materials in our environment. Some experts rate it at 5,000 times more toxic than lead and that should be avoided. Heating a mirror could allow some mercury to "gas out" and enter the lungs. Take care -- Ed. QZNAZ Webmaster

Question: Old mirrors 
Thanks Dave, I've been known to blow up a stove, so rest assured I'll leave this alone!! Besides, I'm getting used to the "antique" look. Again, thank you. -- Patti - Patriciapenton@aol.com  

Question: Sour smelling wood.  I found a wooden file cabinet at a resale store that I would love to buy. However, once I opened the drawers, the smell almost knocked me over.  It smelled sour.  Can this smell be "removed"?  How? -- Patriciapenton@aol.com (Ref:0493)

Answer: Hi Patricia some sodium bicarbonate in a saucer in each of the drawers will usually do the trick. -- Ed

Question: Tomato meat sauce.  how long can it keep in the refrigerator? --  Olegolfers@aol.com  (Ref:0494)

Answer: Hi, If it has just been cooked then it will keep for up to a week in a normal fridge. Keep it well covered or sealed in. -- Ed

Question: Unclog perfume atomizer. Can anyone offer a method of unclogging perfume bottle atomizers (not aerosol)? Thanks  -- cathyp@qsginc.com  

Answer: Hi Cathy, A single strand of wire taken from a piece of multicore wire usually does the trick -- Richie Cochrane

Answer: Perfume Atomizer. A long time ago I read to use alcohol--put it in the bottle and use the atomizer. Good luck --Fran Bornosghere Dec 13 2006