Ever struggled to loosen a bolt or a nut only to find you were turning it the wrong way?
Today you’ll learn how to tell which way is which, and when to reverse and switch.
The easiest way to remember which direction tightens and which one loosens is the old axiom, Righty-Tighty and Lefty-Loosey. This means that turning most threaded things right, or clockwise, tightens them (Righty-Tighty), and turning them to the left, or counterclockwise, loosens them (Lefty-Loosey).
However, there are exceptions to this rule, like left-handed threads on things that are used to secure things that also turn clockwise (like the blade on a table saw).
So, if you run into a nut that just won’t give, before muscling it anymore, try switching direction.
