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measuring and cutting screws shorter
Where in the uk can I order a steel scale to measure my screws
accurately from below the head? like this one http://tinyurl.com/6lgmj How would I go about cutting screws to make them shorter, would a saw ruin the screw? what screw is best for screwing into steel? alu, brass, steel? It'd be good if the screw didn't conduct electricity. thanks |
(James Hanley) wrote in
m: Where in the uk can I order a steel scale to measure my screws accurately from below the head? like this one http://tinyurl.com/6lgmj like this one... http://www.tool-up.co.uk/shop/diy/FIS106.html Loadsa places, including high street tool shops How would I go about cutting screws to make them shorter, would a saw ruin the screw? Put a nut on the screw (I presume a better word is "bolt"} Saw it; tidy it up with a file, screw the nut off to reform the thread. what screw is best for screwing into steel? alu, brass, steel? It'd be good if the screw didn't conduct electricity. Any insulating bolt is so much weaker than steel it doesn't matter, otherwise, surely steel? mike |
In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
James Hanley wrote: Where in the uk can I order a steel scale to measure my screws accurately from below the head? like this one http://tinyurl.com/6lgmj Machine Mart and Screwfix (to name but a few) both have various measuring devices which will do what you want. How would I go about cutting screws to make them shorter, would a saw ruin the screw? Are you talking about woodscrews, or parallel-sided machine screws? If the latter, the trick is to screw a nut onto the screw *before* shortening it. Then cut it to length with a hacksaw. Then file the end as flat as you can. Finally unscrew and remove the nut. As it passes the cut end, it will clean up the threads. Woodscrews need a point on the end - and are never the same again once you start chopping them. what screw is best for screwing into steel? alu, brass, steel? It'd be good if the screw didn't conduct electricity. Are you talking about screwing into solid blocks of material, or thin sheets? If thin sheets, use self-tapping screws. You need to drill a pilot hole which is just a bit smaller than the screw. These screws are made of steel and *will* conduct electricity. For solid material, you will need to drill a pilot hole and use a tap to cut a thread in the material, in order to use machine screws. You can get machine screws in various materials - steel, brass, etc. - or even plastic if you want it to be non-conducting. A lot depends on what it has to hold - plastic screws are not as strong as steel ones. -- Cheers, Set Square ______ Please reply to newsgroup. Reply address is invalid. |
James Hanley wrote:
Where in the uk can I order a steel scale to measure my screws accurately from below the head? like this one http://tinyurl.com/6lgmj How would I go about cutting screws to make them shorter, would a saw ruin the screw? what screw is best for screwing into steel? alu, brass, steel? It'd be good if the screw didn't conduct electricity. thanks Do you want a steel tape measure? Is that what you mean? Steel scale? Tape measure? You can use a hacksaw if they are metal. Whatever sze the screw is, thread a nut of same size onto it first before you cut the screw, then you can un tread the nut off the screw which should keep the treads ok. All metal screws, brass, copper, steel, iron will conduct electricity. You need a nylon screw from an electrical outlet. Hope that helps -- Bob H Leeds UK |
"James Hanley" wrote in message m... Where in the uk can I order a steel scale to measure my screws accurately from below the head? like this one http://tinyurl.com/6lgmj Try: http://www.buckandryan.co.uk/ In my opinion the best source. How would I go about cutting screws to make them shorter, would a saw ruin the screw? Run a nut on to it, apply a fine hacksaw, unscrew the nut, file the end into a dome shape. what screw is best for screwing into steel? alu, brass, steel? It'd be good if the screw didn't conduct electricity. Use Nylon screws. thanks |
"Set Square" wrote in message ...
How would I go about cutting screws to make them shorter, would a saw ruin the screw? Are you talking about woodscrews, or parallel-sided machine screws? If the latter, the trick is to screw a nut onto the screw *before* shortening it. Then cut it to length with a hacksaw. Then file the end as flat as you can. Finally unscrew and remove the nut. As it passes the cut end, it will clean up the threads. machine screws. dunno if they're parallel sided. I'll be screwing them into HDDs and Cases and cd drives. That's why I want non-conducting, in case they're long and hit a PCB, and that's also why I want to shorten them. I'm gonna get/make thumbscrews. what screw is best for screwing into steel? alu, brass, steel? It'd be good if the screw didn't conduct electricity. Are you talking about screwing into solid blocks of material, or thin sheets? would a plastic nylon screw hold a HDD and CD drive securely without vibrations(seems like it should), dunno why they aren't standard - since metal ones can be too long, hit the PCB and short the device. |
"Set Square" wrote in message ...
Are you talking about woodscrews, or parallel-sided machine screws? If the latter, the trick is to screw a nut onto the screw *before* shortening it. Then cut it to length with a hacksaw. Then file the end as flat as you can. Finally unscrew and remove the nut. As it passes the cut end, it will clean up the threads. can I hacksaw and file a nylon screw? if not, then how would I shorten it? thanks |
In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
James Hanley wrote: can I hacksaw and file a nylon screw? Yes. -- Cheers, Set Square ______ Please reply to newsgroup. Reply address is invalid. |
In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
James Hanley wrote: would a plastic nylon screw hold a HDD and CD drive securely without vibrations(seems like it should), dunno why they aren't standard - since metal ones can be too long, hit the PCB and short the device. I don't see why you shouldn't be able to use nylon screws for this purpose. I always thought that the screw holes in HDDs and CD drives were blind - rather than going right through to the internals. Are you *sure* this is real problem? -- Cheers, Set Square ______ Please reply to newsgroup. Reply address is invalid. |
In article ,
James Hanley wrote: can I hacksaw and file a nylon screw? if not, then how would I shorten it? Scalpel. Assuming you can easily get nylon screws in American threads....... -- Tony Williams. |
"Set Square" wrote in message ...
In an earlier contribution to this discussion, James Hanley wrote: would a plastic nylon screw hold a HDD and CD drive securely without vibrations(seems like it should), dunno why they aren't standard - since metal ones can be too long, hit the PCB and short the device. I don't see why you shouldn't be able to use nylon screws for this purpose. I always thought that the screw holes in HDDs and CD drives were blind - rather than going right through to the internals. Are you *sure* this is real problem? definitely. I've often tried screws from 1 cd drive in another drive and the other one has shorted. Same with floppy drives. The hard drive specs on the seagate website for example (for at least one of their models and perhaps all of them), specify that screws be no longer than around 4mm long (well, the ones on the bottom - should one choose to screw the drive in from the bottom - can be about 5mm). Also, HDDs take #6 screws and CD drives #4 (in all the cases i've seen). So i'm going for an antec case with removable drive rails for the 5.25" bays and #4 nylon thumbscrews for the 3.5" bays. I'm going to avoid cases with 'screwless' designs. I'd like to use thumbscrews on removable drive rails in my 5.25" bays too but i'm sure the drive won't be able to slide out with those knobs in the way - since the drive(with rails screwed on) fits snugly and slides out snugly! |
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