doublegunshop.com - home Forums Thread Like Summary - Screw/Pin Blanks

For screws and pins: where do you all get blanks for threading, indexing and slotting? Most of what I see online doesn't seem to have enough excess on the head for the process.

I have gotten some from Trackofthewolf.com, but that was some time ago.

I have gotten machine screw blanks from Brownells in the past but Numrich Arms (do a search for Screw Assortment) sells a variety of both wood and machine screws in bulk (by weight) quite reasonably....
WBLDon

A worthy cause, indeed. Would you not need a wood screw for this purpose?

https://connecticutshotgun.co/0-468-wood-gun-screw/

https://connecticutshotgun.co/0-748-wood-gun-screw/

SRH

I do the inserts all the time. It is particularly nice on rifles that have multiple buttplates for different applications. I tend to avoid the brass threaded inserts now and just make them myself from a larger lag screw or bolt.

But now that I see where you are going, I think you could consider either buying a half dozen from Track for $0.30 each and then hope to get lucky or weld one shut and recut it as needed.

If your wood screws turns just past the proper indexing point you can put some accrglass in the hole and stop the screw at 11 o'clock, once the epoxy hardens you can tighten it to the proper position. Another method that works well at times is to relive the counter bore in the grip cap a bit to get your proper indexing point. I just used that method to time the buttplate screws on Brent's Greener and it worked very well, a 60 degree cpounter sink is handy for such a job. As for wood screws, I make them on a lathe using coarse dies, works slick and you just index the slot as needed like on any machine screw.

Certainly Bob,
I use 1018 for most screws and then case harden them. I first turn the whole diameter to just a touch larger than I want the head diameter to be, then turn the body and file a point on the shaft. I have a large selection of dies, speciality thread pitches can be purchased here: https://www.victornet.com/productpa...vzre37gIVTRitBh2zzgSHEAAYASAAEgIbRvD_BwE

I then thread the shaft and cut the proper angle on the head, usually 60 degrees on British screws, the blank is then parted off leaving enough materiel for a slave screw slot. The new screw is the fit up and the proper indexing postion(best to stop a bit shy and final fit to get it perfect) is marked and the cut on the mill using a slotting saw. The screw can then be put back in the lathe (a shop made threaded collect shines here), cut to the correct length and domed and polished.

Lots of work in properly making a new screw but a regular occurance in my shop.
Steve

You could always relieve the back side of the head.

I like 12l14 (screw stock) for making screws, machines beautifully and case hardens nicely

Thanks Steve and Mike. I’m going to try the die. Either metal works for me but have a couple tons of 1018 and not much 12L14, not that buying either is big deal for screw! Screws are lots of work but in the end worth it. Thanks for info Steve it’s appreciated. Bob