Thumb screws

Mr Ed · 25 Jun 2008

Rod

Its milled from a single piece of 3/4" brass round bar. I did consider making the head and then tapping and fixing a threaded rod into it, as Wayne Anderson suggested, but I was not sure if I would get a good enough connection between the 2 due to the depth of the head (8mm). I'm sure this works fine if you are an experienced machinist but I was not sure I could carry it off.

The downside of the way I did it is that it is a bit wasteful on material as you are turning away quite a bit of what you paid for. I had a bit of a shock on the price of brass - I paid £18 inc VAT for 500mm of 3/4" round bar. I don't know if this is the going rate or not but it seemed expensive to me.

I think I need a bit more prototyping before mass production starts, but I wouldn't rule it out at some point!

Cheers, Ed.

Paul Chapman · 25 Jun 2008

That thumbscrew looks excellent, Ed =D>

Cheers :wink:

Paul

Harbo · 25 Jun 2008

I wonder if you can get threaded brass rods ( My Norm's Deck Chair fittings from Rockler - see thread in Projects - comes with 2 lengths of 1/4" threaded bar)?
Then you would only have to mill the head and silver solder/glue together?

Rod

Anonymous · 25 Jun 2008

Why not use brass bolts? Already threaded so you only need to round and knurl the head.

Harbo · 25 Jun 2008

D'oh!!

http://www.fastfixdirect.co.uk/code...oryID=59328&fType=Fasteners&search=Show+Items

Probably other suppliers as well?
Great idea thanks.

Rod

Mr Ed · 28 Jun 2008

OK, one last post on this then I'll shut up about thumbscrews.

I have now equipped my marking gauges with brass thumbscrews, which makes them look a whole lot better but also slightly improves their function as it is easier to tighten fully and make adjustments.

I started this post thinking that someone would come along with a website I had missed that sold the exact thing I was looking for. That didn't really happen but as a result I've actually ended up a lot further on, having acquired machinery and skills I didn't have at the start of this thread. Thinking about it, thats how I got started in making furniture in the first place as I either couldn't find or afford the things I wanted, so I made them myself. I'm quite pleased to have applied this approach again here with something I couldn't find elsewhere.

Anyway, just off to register the domain www.brassthumbscrews.com.....(only joking)

Cheers, Ed