I’m slowly assembling my Maslow… running into more little issues than I expected (I’m making notes and will add to the wiki if I can). Anyway, one problem I hit last night was the need for long machine screws (1+/-" length) that extend through the temporary sled and into my Ridgid router (the recommended one). I don’t recall seeing this as a “need to buy” before I too shipment of Maslow. Did I miss something?
If not, does anyone know what size screw I need to buy? I made a quick drive to town last night and thought I found the right screws but it turns out they weren’t quite right.
I’m slowly assembling my Maslow… running into more little issues than I
expected (I’m making notes and will add to the wiki if I can). Anyway, one
problem I hit last night was the need for long machine screws (1+/-" length)
that extend through the temporary sled and into my Ridgid router (the
recommended one). I don’t recall seeing this as a “need to buy” before I too
shipment of Maslow. Did I miss something?
I think that there was a note saying that you would need to buy something for
that, but that since these varied router to router, no specific size was listed.
If not, does anyone know what size screw I need to buy? I made a quick drive
to town last night and thought I found the right screws but it turns out they
weren’t quite right.
take either the old (short) screws with you, find a nut that they fit and go
from there, or take the router with you so you can test with it.
I countersunk mine too, but it would be nice to answer the OP’s question about what size and thread they are. Much easier to order up a box online. I’d check but I’m away from the machine
I’m well stocked with 6-32 and 8-32, but light on 10-32. I sense an order in the near future. About 1" flathead should work with the 3/4 ply sled.
I keep small machine screws in Plano SBR-10 boxes. Like squirrels they go through overpopulation and crash stages, but when available they’re a couple bucks US each. Handy to have it all the same size so I get them 10 at a time. Mooseville is a ways from the hardware emporium so it’s lots easier to keep a good assortment on hand.
6-32, number 6 machine, 32 threads per inch. Extremely common in the states. M3.5x0.6 might be interchangeable, if not they’re really close.
8-32 - M4x0.7
10-32 - M5x0.8
Unfortunately we’re stuck with them, fell on the British side of the French/English extremely political measurement system decisions of a few centuries back (pretty interesting history, actually). There’s no inherent advantage of either system despite rationalizations to the contrary, but it’s a tremendous annoyance that the dichotomy exists. The origins of both standards are purely arbitrary, body part sizes of a dead human or dimensions of an obscure planet, combined with powers of two or how many digits a particular animal species has. Personally I think we should have listened to the Sumerians.
As they say, thank (supreme authority of choice) that whitworth didn’t win.
they are 6-32, 8-32 and 10-32. there is no direct metric/imperial conversion for
machine screws, you can’t get something that fits from the other system. the
most you can do is look for something in a similar diameter
With the rise of China as a manufacturing power, this may still be true, but for
many decades, you would get different answers depending on which way you framed
the question.
Except when you’re in that 5% where the hardware is ubiquitous and metric both difficult to obtain on short notice and expensive. Didn’t pick the arrangement, and have no power to change it. Plus, if it fits the hole and tightens who cares, and if it’s already tapped the decision is made, and you still use what fits. Both systems designed and maintained through politics.
Keep what I can on hand in both persuasions and practice pragmatism. If I buy an electrical outlet cover plate it comes with a 6-32 screw, the box holding it takes 8-32, not gonna retap and confuse the next guy to work on it. OTOH I did bring home a bunch of euro-style 220 outlets and plugs from Azerbaijan for the 220 power tools, wish we’d convert here but not hopeful, think it’s a lot more practical. Tired of the travel bag of adapters - GB, euro, some I can’t figure out, then having to buy more for oz and NZ. Worse than screw threads.
Let’s not think about bsp, npt, NPS, metric pipe threads…
You’re right moose. This is Zootalaws, I’m writing to you from the future and I’ve learned a few things about tact and kindness over the years. (It’s a long story but the advent of some pretty cool technologies has allowed us to virtually travel back in time, we use something called Modified Internet Time Travel, there’s a little more information in my profile. I’m sure you’ll be seeing more people from the future communicating in the past (which is your present) from time to time.)
Anyway I’m sorry for passive aggressively attacking you for saying there’s no inherent advantage of either system. I see now that it all has to do with perspective. For someone who’s life is entirely within that 5% it stands to reason that the imperial system works and makes sense for them. I realize that a unit is a unit, no matter how big it is or what it’s called. In fact, I have since learned that those in the U.S. who use both the imperial system and the metric system are actually more well rounded than those of us who are entirely unfamiliar with the imperial system all together (which is why I used to say egotistical things like “What the heck are they in 95%-of-the-world-speak?”). I know that it would have been easier and faster for me to have just googled it to find metric equivalents instead of trying to make a fool of you.
On the topic of metric and imperial: as of right now the U.S. still uses mostly the imperial system but I hear they’ve enacted a long-term changeover plan. They actively teach fluency in both systems and have a plan to phase out the imperial system once an entire generation (or two) is fluent with metric. The intent is to ease the “pain” of changing an entire country overnight. Who knows how many hundreds of years it will take for imperial to truly go extinct?
The good news is, coming from the future, I can tell you that I do eventually learn to treat people with the respect they deserve. Thanks for being so patient with me, you were a big part of that!
We’re either the geniuses that kept the superior system, or the recalcitrant idiots that didn’t learn better. Depends what the missing screw that isn’t in the bin is.
It’s still a big pain. Universal US metrication was a hot topic while I was in high school, then it fizzled out. Wish it didn’t, but I was learning one’s complement 36 bit systems and not paying attention. Don’t really know why. Both Canada and the Brits are still struggling a bit, gas comes in liters but beer in pints. I can glance at a bolt and know it’s a 1/2" x 4" coarse thread but an M12x100 is a nut matching mystery. My 1967 GMC is all inch, my 2006 Pontiac Vibe is all metric. Sells a lot more tools, I guess.
I love how you can always manage to equate any situation to animals.