BA sizes

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Are some of the nuts made with the one size smaller hex bar to make the nuts look more in scale. So a 4BA nut would be made with a 5BA hex size. Kennions still sell these and also bolts.

Cheers

John

Very many thanks to everybody for their comments

I will manage with a 1/4" Screwdriver Bit handle for the time being.

The cost of postage often makes buying things from Ebay uneconomic - apart from NOT knowing if any descriptions are fair and accurate.

I recently bought a book from an overseas bookseller - although he described it as "Acceptable" many of the pages had been scribbled on and I told him that a fair description would be "Poor". The stress of doing this has convinced me to be VERY cautious about buying anything by Mail Order from anywhere, especially from overseas.

4ba nut spinner. Come on lads you’ve missed a trick, make it from a socket head with a 1/4 socket.

Like wot John Haine said on the previous page

MichaelG.

I'm looking out for a 1/4 screwdriver bit handle at a reasonable price since it's been shown that 4BA is almost exactly 1/4" AF.

I tried looking for 1/4" Nut spinners - but I think it would be easier to buy Hen's Teeth

With best wishes and thanks again.

MC

Hi MC, some at CPC but the postage for a single item may put you off.

Regards Nick.

P.S. you get free delivery for orders for £17.50 or more, currently, excluding VAT

Edited By Nicholas Farr on 12/05/2021 07:16:21

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Yes, that’s what I had in mind when I suggested it

Google ‘image’ or ‘shopping’  search for

1/4" multi bit screwdriver handle

gives many options, and they are also commonly available from ‘bargain stores’ and market traders.

MichaelG.

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 12/05/2021 07:29:55

That seems a bit overly cautious perhaps. Millions of people worldwide buy millions of things online every day with relatively few problems. If you buy from one of the reputable UK suppliers that advertise on this site or in ME magazine etc, you should be pretty safe. Most have eBay shops too. And if you have an unsatisfactory purchase eBay will organise a refund etc, as will Paypal. Pretty much no risk these days.

Postage costs within UK surely are not that much are they? I get most of my ME supplies from the UK and I live in Australia. Postage costs are not prohibitive. And if you are prepared to take a punt on some of the cheap as chips stuff on Aliexpress etc, postage from our highly esteemed trading partners in the Orient is mostly free.

Just seems like it should not be that hard to get a 1/4" nut driver, or a full set of BA drivers for that matter.

If you do get a 1/4" screwdriver handle don't forget to remove the magnet otherwise nuts will get pulled in and unlikely to engage on short studs.

I usually find postage is less than petrol and parking costs so cheaper to stay home than go and get the item.

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Good point, Jason ... although some of the drivers have removable spring clips instead of magnets.

MichaelG.

Thank you for taking the time to write.

I tried to find the cost of delivery for orders under £17.50 but failed!

I was thinking of a "screwdriver shape" nut spinner. I do not think that the extra torque provided by a T-shaped handle would be needed for 4BA nuts.

With best wishes and thanks again.

MC

Hi MC, no problem. Delivery charges for under £17.50 is £4.99 ex- VAT which is found in their T&C's 6. Orders paragraph.

Regards Nick.

I was taught to be cautious at University !

Postage costs within the UK are NOT unreasonable but the "P+P" charges made by some sellers ARE, in my view, way too high.

I don't think it's fair to charge £5.00 postage for something that will fit in a "Large Letter" and could be sent for less than a pound.

And I don't want something that I've bought for a pound or two to be delivered by somebody in a White Van.

I have bought things from the far east in the past but only very cheap items. Sometimes, I've abandoned the project by the time the item has arrived.

I am currently thinking of buying some electric candles for another (theatrical) project but there's insufficient information as to whether it will prove suitable so, even though the postage will be less than petrol, I'm thinking of visiting the seller's premises to actually try the various candles in the chamberstick. Since I've NOT used my car for 14 months, it will do it good to have a run of 100 miles. Since I have a Blue Badge, I am rarely required to pay to park.

I appreciate that many readers will disagree with my views but please do NOT attempt to persuade me to change them.

I hope that you and your families are, and will remain, safe and well.

MC

Edited By Dr. MC Black on 12/05/2021 09:53:04

Thank you for taking the time to respond.

That sounds like the voice of experience!

Any suggestions as to how to remove the magnet, please?

Very many thanks for your prompt, helpful and courteous response.

In my view, Companies should make the postage charge for small orders visible next to where it advertises "Free delivery for orders over..."

This exemplifies what I wrote about something fitting in a "Large Letter" for less than a pound!

With best wishes and thanks again.

MC

I have resorted to Tubal Cain's Model Engineers' Handbook (3rd Edition).

Going through the table of BA hexagon sizes (page 4.13), it's clear that 4BA is about the only size at 0.498" that is close to a regular size in both inches and millimetres.

However the table's notes state two points:

1) BA is a metric range but British Standards called for it to be specified in inch-equivalents.

2) The diminishing availability of hexagon bar in non-integer sizes means many of the nuts are nearest-metric sizes.

It does not say if this is also true of the bolt-heads, but to avoid having to use two different tool ranges for the same joint, we may as well use standard M-series fastenings, either the Fine or the common Coarse range. (Them Coarse threads - right common they are... Sorry! )

It also adds that commercial 0BA nuts are sometimes made to 1/4" BSW / F size - but whether this still applies some 18 years after the book's publication is another matter. 0BA is actually very close to standard M6 Coarse, but they are not interchangeable.

There is or was a range of metric fastenings dimensions suited to fine model-engineering, for better scale fidelity, produced in 1981. Though it could not adopted as a trade standard it was allowable under British Standards auspices, by Guidance Note PD6507-1982. Does anyone know what happened to this? (For example, does the ISO Metric Fine range provide acceptable alternatives?)

'

It would seem many model-engineers now use "ordinary" (Coarse range) ISO fastenings anyway. The larger the model scale, the less the scaling effect.

As an example, though intending to use all-BS fasteners from 1/4" upwards on my 4"-scale steam-wagon, an M6 hexagon (10mm / 0.394" A/F0 looks more reasonable on the metric HRS chassis members with their over-scale thicknesses, than that of 1/4" BSF. UNF (7/16" AF for 14" ) would approach the effect, and UNF bolt heads tend not to be marred by the rough forging and clumsy embossing typical of M-series bolt-heads.

Many other subscribers have indicated that 4BA is 1/4 inch AF.

I'm sorry to appear dense but exactly which dimension of an 4BA nut is 0.498", please?

MC

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Don’t worry, MC ... I’m sure Nigel will acknowledge the typo.

MichaelG.