Model sized nuts

[dazz]

BA Fasteners were widely used, especially in electrical equipment. They are still readily available.
BA tap and die sets are still available new.

 

[Nick Worrall]

Kennions, Stuart models and EKP are all based in the UK. They all stock really good quality bolts etc. and their shipping is quite fast.

 

[petertha]

I use a freight forwarder that has a US address. Sellers ship to it without needing to know that the item will be exported to my country. That worked great with McMaster until I went to pay with my credit card. McMaster refused to accept it (their right), so the excuse they give about customs documentation is just that, an excuse.

Been there, done that. And even with a USA based CC, I've heard of cancelled order/account by them checking web domain origin. Who knows what the real reason is. Maybe reduced profit on foreign orders or maybe they got their knuckles wrapped with customs. Bottom line is its their decision. Frustrating because they are such a good 1-stop shopping resource. I'm surprised in the modern, hungry world of passive income, drop shipping, Ebay/Amazon fulfilment, yada-yada some enterprising individuals hasn't figured out an opportunity here. If Joe sends me a bag of MMC bolts, there is no customs issues. If MMC sends me the same thing, apparently that's an issue. My engine design is metric so actually solved a lot of problems when it came to fasteners, bearings, gears, materials etc. That means alternative sources from Europe, Asia, wherever. Money flows to where its most appreciated.

 

[TubeTech]

Shipping shouldn't cost too much. BA is still very much alive in England, and Reeves 2000 sells fasteners of this type. They are made on sliding head automatic lathes, and their quality is a cut above what you can usually buy. They also sell "model engineers' special set screws" which are bolts with a hex head one size smaller.

Taps and dies can be bought readily from many suppliers here; I use a firm called Chronos. They sell high speed steel as well as carbon steel threading tackle; I use the latter, and I can buy a set of three taps and a die for less money than a pack of cigarettes. Carbon steel, if it doesn't get hot, is actually harder than HSS, and as a bonus, it's cheaper, too.

Reeves have been established since the beginning of time, and are the "go to" source for the majority of model locomotive builders in the UK. Chronos started up in the mid 1980s, and I remember when their shop was two garden sheds hidden behind a backstreet. They have since gone from strength to strength, in no small part due the the owners attention to customer service. Dispatch from either of these companies is PROMPT.

Usual disclaimers, of course.

Andrew UK.

And in Australia the go to place is EJWinter.com.au. They have a good online catalog and they ship fast.
DF

 

[Harglo]

Where can you buy model size nuts that look right on small engines? I am looking for 4-40 &6-32 in particular but could use other sizes if available. Thanks Colin

Mico Fasteners in Easten PA 800 892-6917. They offer a vast supply of small quantities from 0-80 up up. Encluding the scale model nuts your asking about. Are you in the US?
Harvey

 

[L98fiero]

Been there, done that. And even with a USA based CC, I've heard of cancelled order/account by them checking web domain origin. Who knows what the real reason is. Maybe reduced profit on foreign orders or maybe they got their knuckles wrapped with customs. Bottom line is its their decision. Frustrating because they are such a good 1-stop shopping resource. I'm surprised in the modern, hungry world of passive income, drop shipping, Ebay/Amazon fulfilment, yada-yada some enterprising individuals hasn't figured out an opportunity here. If Joe sends me a bag of MMC bolts, there is no customs issues. If MMC sends me the same thing, apparently that's an issue. My engine design is metric so actually solved a lot of problems when it came to fasteners, bearings, gears, materials etc. That means alternative sources from Europe, Asia, wherever. Money flows to where its most appreciated.

My understanding is that a couple of decades ago McMaster-Carr got a 6 figure fine for not filling out the required paperwork for export, the result was that they stopped shipping to anything but registered businesses and educational institutes though there may be other exceptions.

 

[SmithDoor]

FYI
If you do tapping 2-56 is about smallest you would want to tap.
Below 2-56 lead screw tapping work the best.

Dave

Where can you buy model size nuts that look right on small engines? I am looking for 4-40 &6-32 in particular but could use other sizes if available. Thanks Colin

 

[oldengineguy]

Smith Door: 2-56 is HUGE. I have built Doug Kelleys Snow that has 0-80 tapped into steel. 32 of them. Never broke a tap. Harglo : Micro fasteners does not list model size nuts in any listing I could find . Thanks Colin

 

[OscarII]

To add to the list of suppliers of BA nuts, bolts and washers, Hobby Mechanics (hobbymechanics.com.au) have a very large range.
Their range is larger than E J Winter, mentioned in earlier posts.

 

[nealeb]

If you are ordering from Europe anyway, these guys are good for model-size (i.e. reduced head) items.

 

[Harglo]

Smith Door: 2-56 is HUGE. I have built Doug Kelleys Snow that has 0-80 tapped into steel. 32 of them. Never broke a tap. Harglo : Micro fasteners does not list model size nuts in any listing I could find . Thanks Colin

They call them small pattern nuts. Not sure what a scale model nut should be vs a normal size.
Harvey

 

[ozzie46]

My understanding is that a couple of decades ago McMaster-Carr got a 6 figure fine for not filling out the required paperwork for export, the result was that they stopped shipping to anything but registered businesses and educational institutes though there may be other exceptions.

I get orders from them and I have a residential address.
Live in Colorado, USA
Ron

 

[L98fiero]

I get orders from them and I have a residential address.
Live in Colorado, USA
Ron

The issue is in them exporting to Canada, etc.
I can order them from a Canadian residential address too, but then I run a registered business from home.

 

[SmithDoor]

The issue is in them exporting to Canada, etc.
I can order them from a Canadian residential address too, but then I run a registered business from home.

I have never problem ordering.
But I have found lower cost suppliers.
From Amazon to Surplus Center
Even auto suppliers too.

Dave

 

[Richard Carlstedt]

You can't go wrong with this supplier
Godshalls , American Model Engineering Supplies , and they will be at the Cabin Fever Show
https://godshallscustommachining.com/collections/frontpageGo to page 4
If you or some of your friends will be in Pennsylvania for the show in January , they can pick up some screws and nuts for you
I gave them an order for a friend of mine and picked up the screws at the show, the next day .
I have met quite a few fellows from Canada when I was there

I make my own, in fact have made hundreds in steel and brass ( to 1 mm ) but
I have two Geometric Heads and a home made bolt maker so it's fairly easy for me , along with a
supply of hex stock bought years ago
Rich

 

[ozzie46]

I have never problem ordering.
But I have found lower cost suppliers.
From Amazon to Surplus Center
Even auto suppliers too.

Dave

Didn't know you ran a business, I don't run a business.
Ron

Ooops meant for L98fiero.

 

[stevehuckss396]

I have never problem ordering.
But I have found lower cost suppliers.
From Amazon to Surplus Center
Even auto suppliers too.

Dave

Yes there are cheaper but some of the lower cost places sell cheaper hardware. They are often soft and the heads strip out much easier. Most of the stuff I purchase from them meet specific specs and are higher quality in size tolerance and material. They have to be abused for a while before they strip. Simply put, the hex key fits better, the material is harder, and the threads fit better. I would rather spend 3 bucks a hundred more and not have to try to drill a stripped screw out of a part I just spent 11 hours making.

Look up ASTM A574

 

[SmithDoor]

				The company name is Smith Door. I sold the company in 2004. When buy parts I had to look everywhere. The odds place I purchased was Pep Boys buy the front wheel bearing on Ford car. They had sale with no limits and cheaper than my supplier. Dave Didn't know you ran a business, I don't run a business. Ron Ooops meant for L98fiero.

 

[L98fiero]

You can't go wrong with this supplier
Godshalls , American Model Engineering Supplies , and they will be at the Cabin Fever Show
https://godshallscustommachining.com/collections/frontpageGo to page 4
If you or some of your friends will be in Pennsylvania for the show in January , they can pick up some screws and nuts for you
I gave them an order for a friend of mine and picked up the screws at the show, the next day .
I have met quite a few fellows from Canada when I was there

I make my own, in fact have made hundreds in steel and brass ( to 1 mm ) but
I have two Geometric Heads and a home made bolt maker so it's fairly easy for me , along with a
supply of hex stock bought years ago
Rich

A home made bolt maker? Can you elaborate a bit?

 

[Richard Carlstedt]

Tool I made 20 years ago. It was based on a friends project after he saw one which
I think was in Modeltec magazine Here are some pictures. The unit is a box tool of sorts

By having different bushings, I can do hex stock, Square stock ( for sq bolts ) or round stock
In the picture you can see some threaded sq stock.

In operation, I feed stock into the tool and it reduces diameter to thread Size and length .
Then I withdraw the tool while the Lathe is still running and place the die holder ( and die) on the
front boss and feed the tool back into the stock while holding the knurled die holder.
The stock is quick threaded and I release the Die holder when the thread needed is achieved.
My hand being a clutch . Stop Lathe and reverse and I pull the die holder off.
Now I can use a Parting tool to separate the finished bolt, but I prefer to do it in "sticks"
That is, do both ends of the stock and maybe do 6 sticks that way .
Then set the Lathe for parting off a bolt -one stick at a time ...much faster
The square stock in the picture is a "stick"
Rich