Finding Tiny Metric Screw

[legallyginger]

I am redoing my portholes and have everything I need other than new screws. I have those beautiful brass frames that have an oval piece of glass encased in two brass frames. Those frames are held together by several tiny little screws.

I tried to salvage what I had, but they kept breaking off when I tried screwing them back in. I went to 10 different bolt/fastener stores to try to find these guys and the closest I got was a screw that literally falls into the holes. Another store told me they could order 250 of these for me but they might not be the right ones. I only need 40 or so.

I can not tap them because there isn't enough room for bigger screw heads.

It's a 1/4" flathead brass screw about .5" long, and yes its metric but I don't have a metric ruler although I should have one.

Do I need to have these custom made or something? It's the only thing stopping my portholes going back in.

Sent from my LGMS631 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[hellosailor]

Start with buying a metric thread measuring tool, probably ten or fifteen bucks depending on which one, on the web. Find out what the thread it. They look like saw blades, you match one up to the threads and read which size it is. There are metric standards, for any given diameter shaft there's a typical (but not guaranteed) thread pitch.
And an even cheaper metric ruler will tell you how long they are.


Then try Fastenal, the can order almost almost screw you need. If it is tinier, then you look for modelmakers and watchmaking suppliers online, the specialize in the tiny stuff.


But first buy some measuring tools, they last a lifetime.

[nigel1]

Did they tell you the thread size?
These are countersunk machine screws, and probably more available in Europe.
With a head diameter of 1/4" (about 6mm), they might be M3 or M4.
If you can find out the thread size it would make sourcing them a lot easier. Over here they are as cheap as chips (even cheaper)
M3,M4,M5,M6 SOLID BRASS MACHINE SCREWS SLOTTED COUNTERSUNK HEAD BOLTS. FREE P&P | eBay

[Nicholson58]

Originally Posted by legallyginger

I am redoing my portholes and have everything I need other than new screws. I have those beautiful brass frames that have an oval piece of glass encased in two brass frames. Those frames are held together by several tiny little screws.

I tried to salvage what I had, but they kept breaking off when I tried screwing them back in. I went to 10 different bolt/fastener stores to try to find these guys and the closest I got was a screw that literally falls into the holes. Another store told me they could order 250 of these for me but they might not be the right ones. I only need 40 or so.

I can not tap them because there isn't enough room for bigger screw heads.

It's a 1/4" flathead brass screw about .5" long, and yes its metric but I don't have a metric ruler although I should have one.

Do I need to have these custom made or something? It's the only thing stopping my portholes going back in.

Sent from my LGMS631 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

Try Jamestown Distributors or McMaster Carr. This Google search turned up several.
https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q...+screws+marine

Use a thread gauge or tap & die set to match the thread. You should be able to take a screw to a hardware store and have a clerk help you find a tap/die that fits.

[legallyginger]

Originally Posted by nigel1

Did they tell you the thread size?
These are countersunk machine screws, and probably more available in Europe.
With a head diameter of 1/4" (about 6mm), they might be M3 or M4.
If you can find out the thread size it would make sourcing them a lot easier. Over here they are as cheap as chips (even cheaper)
M3,M4,M5,M6 SOLID BRASS MACHINE SCREWS SLOTTED COUNTERSUNK HEAD BOLTS. FREE P&P | eBay

Nigel thank you so much for the link! These look right. I can easily find out what the thread size is, I don't remember of the top of my head. Thanks so much!

Sent from my LGMS631 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[nigel1]

Not to throw a spanner in the works, but they could be bronze and not brass, worth a little investigation.
Seems that Silicon Bronze is used in marine applications, but I could only find imperial thread sizes for silicone bronze screws.
May be worth a call to the boat manufacture.

[legallyginger]

Honestly nobody has been able to verify whether its bronze or brass, but I have some grease to keep the dissimilar metals from corroding eachother.

Sent from my LGMS631 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[paulajayne]

Brass frame- then most likely brass - from your picture they have a brass colour.

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Ginger.

[HappyMdRSailor]

McMaster Carr

Follow the link, and refine the search for your size

McMaster-Carr

An example:

http://www.mcmaster.com/#96686a258/=zkqdsv

[HappyMdRSailor]

Oh...

And welcome to CF!

[Regatta]

How many? In Italy m3 m4 is normal stuff


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[anacapaisland42]

Look in a computer shop/electronic
Bill

[QUOTE=legallyginger;1948693]I am redoing my portholes and have everything I need other than new screws. I have those beautiful brass frames that have an oval piece of glass encased in two brass frames. Those frames are held together by several tiny little screws.

[dahshore]

I have found that it is much easier to carry a tap and die set, with conversion table for matric to us standard, and just retap the hole. In the US it will take more time to find one than to retap and go to a hardware store!

[alctel]

Trying to find a 5mm cobalt metric drill bit in Canada is apparently like looking for the flippin' ark of the covenant