Screw for Chinese Co-Ax Indicator Probe?

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SteveHGraham
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Screw for Chinese Co-Ax Indicator Probe?

Post by SteveHGraham »

During my recent adventure with the broken drawbar, my CDCO co-ax indicator fell out of the collet. I thought it was undamaged, but it turns out the tiny screw that holds the probe in snapped. The body of the screw is still in the indicator. I'm not worried about that, because it's very loose, and I'm sure I can find a way to turn it. But where am I going to get a replacement? I can't measure the threads because it's so small.

I guess I can go to a good hardware store and root through every small screw they have. I have a feeling the Chinese indicator company is not too excited about supplying parts.
Every hard-fried egg began life sunny-side up.
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seal killer
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Re: Screw for Chinese Co-Ax Indicator Probe?

Post by seal killer »

SteveHGraham--

Is this your indicator?
Fowler Coaxial Indicator-cropped.jpg
If so, here is the screw . . .
Fowler Coaxial Indicator Screw-cropped.jpg
I am not familiar enough with millimeter screws to tell you what it might be. Maybe 2.5 something? (If such even exists: M2.5?) My recommendation is, based on my picture compared to your broken screw, buy a bunch of teeny millimeter screws in an ordered sequence of size and use the one that fits.
--Bill
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seal killer
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Re: Screw for Chinese Co-Ax Indicator Probe?

Post by seal killer »

SteveHGraham--

My screw is 0.114" in diameter. That would be 2.8956mm.

--Bill
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SteveHGraham
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Re: Screw for Chinese Co-Ax Indicator Probe?

Post by SteveHGraham »

Thank you for the help. I'll bet it's the same. I'll run by the store on the way home from church tomorrow and get an assortment.
Every hard-fried egg began life sunny-side up.
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mcostello
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Re: Screw for Chinese Co-Ax Indicator Probe?

Post by mcostello »

It would help a lot for people to buy one of every size metric nut and bolt while at the hardware store. That way you might have something to match up to when a metric fastener is needed.
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seal killer
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Re: Screw for Chinese Co-Ax Indicator Probe?

Post by seal killer »

SteveHGraham--

I'm bugged by your screwy problem. (Plus, I am HIGHLY bored.) I measured my screw at 0.114". The closest metric size is 3mm, which is 0.118".

Here's a table. Scroll down.

--Bill
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warmstrong1955
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Re: Screw for Chinese Co-Ax Indicator Probe?

Post by warmstrong1955 »

I just measured mine. M3 x 0.5
I tested it in a die....too.

Bill
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J. Randall
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Re: Screw for Chinese Co-Ax Indicator Probe?

Post by J. Randall »

Can't help with your problem, but have to admit when I read your thread title, I thought, is he trying to buy one, or has he got another option.
James
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SteveHGraham
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Re: Screw for Chinese Co-Ax Indicator Probe?

Post by SteveHGraham »

Desperation can be an ugly thing.
Every hard-fried egg began life sunny-side up.
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ctwo
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Re: Screw for Chinese Co-Ax Indicator Probe?

Post by ctwo »

I take things apart and keep hardware. PC hard drives, printers, scanners, etc. have good usable components. Many screws too...
Standards are so important that everyone must have their own...
To measure is to know - Lord Kelvin
Disclaimer: I'm just a guy with a few machines...
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tornitore45
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Re: Screw for Chinese Co-Ax Indicator Probe?

Post by tornitore45 »

I take things apart and keep hardware.
We are affected by the same sickness. There is no cure.

Electronic hardware is full of small metric screws such as M3.
Hardware stores around here stop at M4.

Steve if you do not find a suitable replacement, I can send a plain SHCS or even make a knob for you. Just PM.
Mauro Gaetano
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Torch
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Re: Screw for Chinese Co-Ax Indicator Probe?

Post by Torch »

seal killer wrote:I am not familiar enough with millimeter screws to tell you what it might be. Maybe 2.5 something? (If such even exists: M2.5?) My recommendation is, based on my picture compared to your broken screw, buy a bunch of teeny millimeter screws in an ordered sequence of size and use the one that fits.
About 3 years ago Jose Riviera recommended a program called "Screen Calipers" (http://bit.ly/caliperIco). Using that program, and assuming your ruler is in metric, I believe that is a 3mm x 0.5 pitch x 5mm long metric machine screw. In that diameter, 0.5mm is considered coarse thread.

Note: I measured the scale in pixels across 4 divisions, then calibrated by creating a custom unit, 4 of which were that number of pixels. This provides a fairly accurate set of calipers in scale with the displayed image. Until or unless you zoom in/out, of course. Then you have to recalibrate again. A handy piece of software, well worth the $10 over the years.
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