Lining up the screw holes is one of my least favorite things to tinker with. The first time I ever did it I used the "if I just use a bigger hammer" technique and bent the screw.
Murphy's law ..............will go wrong.
My father was an engineer in the coal mines until the 80s, they were expected to experiment with equipment or systems in small ways and would be paid small amounts for innovations. Did the army have any similar programs?