Where is the best place to buy 2-56 screws 1/8 inch long? E-bay and others really take advantage of modelers if one buys packaged screws from athearn... I need these for my athearn BB cars to hold the coupler covers in place. Will 1/8" always be the correct length or should I also purchase longer screws as well?
You may find them at Walthers or Kadee. I've got just slightly larger screws from both.
Kerry
I buy mine off Ebay. Many different sizes available. The seller I use has packages of 100 for under $7, with free shipping.
I believe forum rules prevent me from posting his Ebay ID.
I don't think that price with free shipping is being taken advantage of.
If you don't like Ebay, I think any of the on line train stores, along with Walthers sell miniature hardware.
Mike.
My You Tube
Bolt Depot. You can get a hundred of 'em for $2.17
I just checked that place out, cool.
I don't see anything for a #2, do you have to call?
Some train shows have vendors for small hardware. Not every show, but check a few. The guy I remember had a large selection of Accurail kits.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Nittany, good find with Bolt Depot! Shipping can be the deal breaker with small parts unless you're ordering several different items. Price + shipping for 100 screws is over $7 to my location.
Mike sent you a Message.
mbinsewi I just checked that place out, cool. I don't see anything for a #2, do you have to call? Mike.
Thanks. I'll probably stick with the Ebay guy. I've bought from him for a few years now.
Nice to know of another source.
Reply sent.
Micro Fasteners is another good source. It’s been a while since I ordered anything from them, but they were advertising in MR and/or RMC. Here’s a link to one variety of 1/8” long 2-56 screws they carry:
https://www.microfasteners.com/msppk0202-2-56-x-1-8-pan-head-machine-screws-phillips-steel-with-black-oxide-plating.html
Dan Stokes
My other car is a tunnel motor
I found stainless screws, washers, and nuts down to 0-80 at the local Aubuchon Hardware store. They are not cheap, but if you only need a few, and you want them right now, it's a good option.
I found an interesting item on ebay. The seller is offering a package with 100+ screws of several different sizes. He describes the sizes as being useful for:
2-56 x 1/8 pan head - useful for coupler box lids on Roundhouse, Bowser and Walthers cars.2-56 x 3/16 round head - Replaces plastic truck pin on most Accurail cars. 2-56 x 1/4 round head - Fits Athearn flat cars, gondolas, boxcars and reefers.2-56 x 3/8 pan head - Fits Athearn covered hoppers and passenger cars.#2 x 3/8 round head - Self tapping screw, useful when threads are stripped.2-56 x 1/2 pan head - Fits Athearn open hopper cars.
What do you think, is it a good buy to have a wide variety of screws for various MR uses? Do you agree with his size/use descriptions?
My current layout is small but will increase after retirement in two years.
RR_Mel I buy my 2-56 screws and nuts at Home Depot, they stock 1” long round and flat head and I size them myself with a Dremel cutoff disk. Mel
It seems like a good mix to me. I have seperate bags of most those around anyway.
If you start body mounting couplers, and using Kadee coupler boxes, or anybodies coupler boxes, you'll find a good selection is handy to have around.
IDRick Doesn't the cutting action mess up the threads?
I do the same, and you might too, even though you have the selection mentioned above. Sometimes you need to make adjustments.
The only time a messed up thread is going to matter is if your going to put a nut on it, or use it to screw into something that already has threads taped in. And, if that part is plastic, it still won't matter.
I use a file and kind of cone shape the very end of a screw that I have cut off with the dremel, if I think the slightly messed up thread will make a difference.
I haven't run across that situation yet.
You'll find a Dremel tool a very handy item to have, either battery or corded, your choice.
Lately, I've been dressing the ends of shortened fasteners by simply filing them off square. As long as you take off half a thread length or so, the resulting thread end will be quite clean. Filing to a cone or beveling seems to leave a burred thread often. Maybe my technique, but I've had better luck filing off square.
I'll second putting a nut on first, then shortening and filing.
Genesee Terminal, freelanced HO in Upstate NY ...hosting Loon Bay Transit Authority, run through Amtrak and CSX Intermodal
CP/D&H, N scale, somewhere on the Canadian Shield
Why not Amazon? That place had a graet price on 2-56 screws. They arrived without issues.
We Japanese are advantageous in two ways. One is easier to tap off the coupler shaft because the metric M2 thread is 5% thinner than UNC2-56. If you can get tap of M2, I recommend 3mm long pan head screw.
Another one is to be able to obtain the optimum straw in Japan to thicken the thinner shaft than the genuine Kadee. If the coupler shafts of your Athearn BB models remain thin, the restoration of the coupler is uncertain. This is an idea by Tamio Usui.
I have found screws etc on Amazon too!
BN7150Another one is to be able to obtain the optimum straw in Japan to thicken the thinner shaft than the genuine Kadee.
Thanks for that BN7150, I could have used that straw idea in other coupler restorations. A few times, I have used the screw that holds the cover on as the pin for the coupler. This straw idea would seperate the coupler from the screw. I like it.
There is this jig out there for drilling the center pin:
https://ppw-aline.com/collections/bulls-eye-drill-tap-jigs
But, that's getting off topic as far as a source for screws.
Micromark. Source of small screws
Marlon
See pictures of the Clinton-Golden Valley RR
Some follow-up related questions.
I will be adding a screw to the coupler box on Athearn and other freight cars. I have a pin vise, a #50 tap drill, a #43 clearance drill, and a 2-56 tap. Is it a wise move to purchase self-tapping 2-56 screws over standard threaded screws?
I have never installed a kadee draft gearbox. What hardware do you use: self tapping screws, threaded screws, or threaded screws + a nut?
The one problem with the self taping, you still need to get the hole the proper size, or, as you screw in the self tapping screw, it tends to expand the part your screwing into, which could cause problems, by splitting the part.
If you have the right drill and the right tap, do it that way.
The self tapping will work good if the hole is already there, and a machine screw won't hold because the threads are stipped, as the self tapping threads are wider apart, and more agressive than the fine machine screw, and will make there own threads as you screw it in.
Thats all from my experience, anyway.
A caution on cutting those 2-56 longer screws to shorter length. I was using a Xuron knock off copy flush cutter (from Harbor Freight) to trim them. After a few nios, the next cut broke one of the nipper edges completely off. I now use a 6" diagonal cutter (larger with better grip) and hold my hand around it to protect against the cut piece flying away.
Cedarwoodron