Special Nuts?? Or Do I need a Machine shop?

[hddennis]

Fellows, I just finished recreating an ammeter for my 1916 Maxwell dashboard from the damaged original and another mint Weston ammeter off eBay. After taking my original case and the internals from the Weston I ended up with a perfect recreation of my missing gauge. When I went to hook up the wires I find that the studs appear to be some obsolete 10-40 thread. Anyone have nuts, thumbscrews or some other idea of how to fasten my wiring to this gauge. Local machine shop says I'm looking at hundreds of dollars to make 4 nuts!!

Thanks, Howard Dennis

[Bhigdog]

Quote:

Local machine shop says I'm looking at hundreds of dollars to make 4 nuts!!

Those guys are just don't want to be bothered unless you make it VERY worth their while. 10-40 taps are readily available, albeit a bit pricy.You can easily make your own nuts, thumb screws, whatever. I reccomend using brass. One quick way is solder a brass screw in a #12 or 1/4" brass nut. Cut off screw and file flush. A quick drill and tap and away you go. Not counting the trip to the hardware store you should be able to make all 4 in less than an hour......Bob

[nickelroadster]

A place that is nearbye where you can get a special size of tap is "Threads for the South" In Marietta GA. Last ones I had made were 39.95. Number is in the phone book.

[nearchoclatetown]

McMaster-Carr has a 2 flute 10-40 tap for 18.63, if you are sure that's what it is. They have an online catelog.

[simplyconnected]

C'mon guys, we can do better than that.
http://www.victornet.com/cgi-bin/victor/...s:618,1170,1171
These guys want $9.50 for their #10-40 tap (TAST-10-40).
Victor Machinery Exchange, Inc.
56 Bogart Street
Brooklyn, NY 11206-3817

[hddennis]

Thanks for all your help and suggestions. I knew you folks would have a better solution to what seemed like a real problem.

Howard Dennis

[hddennis]

Just for future reference Victor Machinery Exchange has a $25.00 minimum.

Howard Dennis

[Bob Call]

Howard:

Hey, this is not rocket surgery. Go to the big orange box store or to Harbor Freight, if there is one in your area, and you can get a Chinese tap and die set for about $30 that has 6-32, 8-32, 10-40, etc. screw sizes and fine and course from 1/8 to 1/2 inch, 1/8 and 1/4 pipe thread, and thread gauges. My set also has metric sizes.

These aren't the best quality but work great for projects like yours and for cleaning up threads that are slightly banged up.

[Friartuck]

The 10-40 screw size is not standard and doubt that Harbor Freight has that. 10-32 yes, 10-40 no. Suggest Travers Tool in Long Island at 1-800-221-0270, https://www.travers.com/Default.asp, page 140 of their catalog for taper, spiral or bottoming, $12.10 each and no minimum. Drilling out brass 8-32 nuts should work as the stock.

Chris

[hddennis]

Chris, you were right about Harbor Freight, I already checked my set and no 10-40. As a last ditch effort I sent some online requests to various hardware suppliers for 10-40 nuts and when that fails I'll order the tap from Travers Tool.

Thanks again fellows, Howard Dennis

[simplyconnected]

Guess what, Chris... Travers has a first-time order of $25 minimum, too. They end up being even more expensive than Victor.

[PMAN1959]

Maybe if someone has one of these taps they could loan it to him. If it is put in an envelope with a stamp on it I' sure that it would get returned promptly adn that would solve a problem. Any takers on this idea?

phil

[Bhigdog]

If I had one I would have been the first to just make him the 4 nuts he needs. Seeing others spend the time researching sources and offering ideas is what i really like about the hobby........bob

[hddennis]

I really appreciate the efforts put forth by all you folks. Yesterday I found out Travers does indeed have a $25.00 minimum. After spending 2 days on the computer and wasting a lot of your time I just caved and took the daily special allen wrenches and the tap for $30.00 + an unknown amount of shipping and handling and decided to get on with my life. Maybe if nothing else the poor economy will make some of these business practices obsolete, I'd think some business is better than none.

Thanks, Howard Dennis

[simplyconnected]

Count your blessings, Howard. In good times, you could have called a Simpson Meter service center and they would have sent you two nuts for free. NOW, all those places are gone. This Travers company is willing to accept your transaction, if you spend $25. Ok, you bought something extra, (that you could use later), but you also found the tap at a reasonable price. By the way, Travers doesn't have a minimum charge for your subsequent purchases.

My point is, if you lived anywhere else in the world, you'd never find a source for that tap. Even here, it is extremely rare. Sure, a tool company could grind you one, if you are willing to buy a "run" of 50. Otherwise, it's not worth THEIR time, either.

Originally Posted By: hddennis

...Maybe if nothing else the poor economy will make some of these business practices obsolete, I'd think some business is better than none.

I agree. I sense you believe the economy will somehow reverse, and industry will return to America (even though Americans continue to buy Communist Chinese goods at Walmart). How much do you think car parts will cost when GM folds?

[nearchoclatetown]

Originally Posted By: nearchoclatetown

McMaster-Carr has a 2 flute 10-40 tap for 18.63, if you are sure that's what it is. They have an online catelog.

I guess $25 is cheaper then $18.63?

[Layden B]

Or buy another ebay ammeter.

[rsb]

You know a little googling goes a long way. I found a place called Herman's Central that has the 10-40 tap for $9.69.

http://www.hermanscentral.com/produc...cfm?sid=google

There's always MSC Industrial Supply as well.

Regards,
Ron

[Friartuck]

A little Googling can go a long way, and so does some experience. I've placed orders with MSC, McMaster-Carr, and Travers and Travers has not let me down, yet....There's a differance between in the catalog and on the shelf. I usually try to consolidate my orders so no wonder why I've never had the $25 minimum problem. Sorry if I mislead anyone.

I pretty much agree with Simplyconnected, at least we still have the ability to purchase some of these odd type tools and cutters. Howard Dennis just stumbled upon an odd size. Look at early Harley-Davidson hardware, 1/4-24! They had to split between 1/4-20 and 1/4-28! The fun of car collecting!!

[simplyconnected]

Originally Posted By: rsb

You know a little googling goes a long way. I found a place called Herman's Central that has the 10-40 tap for $9.69.

Hey Ron, know how much this costs from NY to Detroit?

Items in Cart : 1
Sub Totals : $9.88
Tax : $0.00
Shipping :
Ground Transportation $12.95

Order Total : $22.83

$25 doesn't sound so bad, if you actually get something for it. I called the guy at Herman's. He said, "..you gotta pull it, wrap it, box it..." They're all crooks! That tap will easilly fit in an envelope, and could go First Class for under a buck!

[rsb]

Ok, I admit I didn't check the shipping rate and $12.95 sounds high. Still, a person must decide whether this is a one-time purchase or whether the $12.90 Travis entry fee ($25-$12.10) would save money in the long run on future orders.

Best Wishes,
Ron

[simplyconnected]

Got my new Travers catalog today. Even though I've never bought from them, they HAD to spend $20 on this full-color catalog, and God knows how much they spent in UPS shipping. I don't have any love for this company, and I don't want to sound like a commercial, but their catalog is real professional, and they sent me one for free. (I would try them.)

[Bhigdog]

Speaking of catalogs.......Does anyone have any idea of what you need to do to get a McMaster-carr catalog. Everytime I order from them I request one and everytime a get a letter about a week later saying "NO". My son is the maintence manager for a company and I thought sure he could get one for me. He requested one for his company and they told him "NO"..........WTF.............Bob.

[Layden B]

McMaster-Carr catalog is online! Who would want to print and ship a 4" thick book that is going to be obsolete before it gets to you!

[Bhigdog]

Quote:

Who would want to print and ship a 4" thick book that is going to be obsolete before it gets to you!

Grainger, Fastenal, MSC, Aircraft spruce and Supply to name just a few. It's also pretty tough scrolling through my computer out in the shop or sitting on the crapper........Bob