[pianotech] Brass Plate Tap Sizes

Joseph Garrett joegarrett at earthlink.net
Fri Feb 22 20:03:02 MST 2013


Well, I kinda/sorta have solved some of the mystery. The old screws for
Kimball type brass plates, that were threaded, is very close to a 2.5 X
.45mm tap. It isn't a perfect fit as you have to slightly force the screw
to go all the way through! sheesh! There is no other tap size that I can
find that even comes close to some of the old screws I have "salvaged" over
the years. However, at THE Hardware Store in my area, (otherwise known as
Wink's), they had, in stock fillister head w/slot 2.5 X .45mm in the right
length!!! (Not some of those WAaaaaay too long ones that we've been getting
from a known source.<G>) I ordered two more boxes of 100 each to get my
stock up for these kinds of jobs. 
It would have been nice if we could have used the existing screws, but they
are some "other" size that no gauge or machinist or hardware supplier has a
clue for. Go figger. The 3 x 0.5mm is way too big and the 3-48 is smaller
and was only used on a few actions as near as I can tell.<G> 
Well, at least I'll be able to do those plates and have a source for
screws. However, unless I notate on the action somewhere what the screw
size is, the next tech will go through the same nonesense. Gosh we're
having fun.<G>
Joe


Joe Garrett, R.P.T.
Captain of the Tool Police
Squares R I
http://gpianoworks.com/



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