Allen key screw heads

Hi Guy,

I am presently building a Stuart V10 steam engine and am a relative beginner. I chose to use BA fasteners rather than metric.

U Tube's Tinker John suggested using screws with Allen key heads to ease trial assembly, an excellent suggestion, in my view.

Does anyone have any Idea where I could obtain miniature screws, either BA or Metric with Allen key heads suitable for the above task?

Thank you for your interest

Regards

The uneven numbered socket head screws are very hard to find so you will have a job getting the 5BA and 7BA sizes that you need. Even 2, 4 & 6 are a bit easier to get but not much use to you.

You could get slotted cheese head screws from most of teh ME suppliers.

Hi, Try Items mail order, brilliant little firm, ( 01427848880) I use them on a regular basis, and quick

response, regards Peter

Frank,

RS components is worth a look ... They stock some very small sizes.

**LINK**

http://uk.rs-online.com/web/c/fasteners-fixings/screws-bolts/socket-screws/#esid=4294956105&applied-dimensions=4294855863,4294855866

I'm sure there are suppliers who will sell you smaller quantites, maybe at better unit prices.

I would, however, recommend using only high quality screws [Unbrako or Allen for example] at small sizes.

MichaelG.

The sort of socket screws i have are completely useless, the head twists off under any sort of pressure, looks like i'll be going back to old fashioned studding and nuts!

Michael W

Hi Frank

Even if you are able to find a supplier of socket cap screws in the smaller BA sizes I think you will find the cost prohibitive.

Emgee

I'd forget about using BA sizes unless you happen to find a convenient source of supply. Metric are much easier to find now, and eBay will usually throw up a number of suppliers in the small quantities needed.

It all rather depends on whether you've tapped the holes in your engine already!

There was a supplier at the Doncaster show who sold stainless steel metric fasteners from about M1,6 upwards at about a quid a bag. (Turbo Trade UK 07926 256551, www,turbotradeuk.co.uk according to my programme).

My last couple of locos have all sorts of fasteners both metric and BA, because that's what I happened to have at the time. I've often tapped out BA nuts to the next larger metric size as this often gives a good "scale" appearance.

4-40 UNC might be a useful size

**LINK**

http://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/socket-screws/3763956/

MichaelG.

Actually just looked at my 10V and its almost all 7BA which will be very hard to find. So its either a case of use the provided fixings from the start or if you have not started yet then change to M2.5 and get easily available metric cap heads. Then once complete make up some studs and use small hex nuts from Polly or direct from GHW

As you say using the cap heads during construction is easy particularly with a ball hex driver and saves marking teh nuts when you will be taking things apart and reassembling several times. I do the same.

I am actually using the supplied fixings - 5 & 7 BA; I have just received a 12" length of 7 BA studding...  a pack of 7BA x 1" studs, plus a pack of 7 BA 1/2 nuts ( lock nuts  ) x 50 - £2.24, from EKP supplies. Also a pack of 10 of 5BA x 1/8" cup point socket grub screws GKN, for model Eng./steam from e bay seller 'boxesfull' ... £3.85p... usual disclaimers, so they can be had fairly easily.

George.

Edited By mechman48 on 11/08/2016 16:16:15

Just out of interest, can I ask why some of you are using BA fasteners rather than metric? Metric are so much easier to get hold of and I suspect in most cases much cheaper. I can sort of understand if you're of advancing years and using up old stock though.

Stuarts supply fasteners so you may as well use them

7BA cuts quite nicely onto supplied 3/32" stock and 5BA onto 1/8" stock

Unless you track down the small hex metric fixings that I linked to earlier standard size metric nuts and bolt heads look out of place on a period engine and there may not be enough room for them

Thats 3 reasons.

Verily I be one of those of advancing years... have BA & ME taps & dies... & fittings came with the kit... so...

George.

Reminds me that Screwfix seem to have dropped their very useful 6mm M3 countersunk allen key screws - ideal for 'hidden' fixings.

Hex socket countersunk screws can be very prone to the hexagons rounding off - you need well-fitting Allen keys of the right size, and a good fit in the socket. Remember that one way to remove a hex socket screw with a rounded-off socket is to batter in a suitably-sized Torx driver and unscrew it with that. Done that a lot with chewed-up screws!

Or just use regular M3 cap heads into a counterbored hole for hidden fixings, the larger hex socket is less prone to damage

...and free next day delivery on £10 or more.

FWIW, for fasteners I've also been using AHC Camberley via their Amazon store AHC. They're worth a look.

HTH

Jon

Toolstation is co-owneI by Screwfix and Travis Perkins. I second AHC Camberley, but can pop in there as required.

When was that? Travis Pekins owns Wickes and Toolstation, Kingfisher still owned B&Q and Screwfix a couple of months ago, is it something recent?