Mounting a lens and Tiny Screws.

[Drew Bedo]

I need to mount a brass Petzval lens on a wooden lens board. The flange has these really tiny holes, so I went to ACE Hardware and spent 30 minutes or so picking through treys of little screws. Finally determined that a 2-56 size would fit. But Thay only had 1/2' long screws. I say screws, but what I mean is bolts. I want to through bolt this heavy lens with nuts and washers. Don't want to have tiny wood screws tearing out. What I bought there cost me $16 with nuts and washers!

Anyway, back at home I realized that 1/2 inch is not LONG enough. I got onto Amazon a tried multiple combinations of terms till finally the exact thing popped up. Looks great and in about any length I need. But the minimum seems to be 100 pieces! Well I bought 'em and that was just $19.

[BrianShaw]

Yes; that’s not uncommon.

The ACE price, though, is ridiculous. I hope you return them for a refund.

[jp]

Now you have a lifetime supply of that size.
Ebay has tons of materials like that too, and faster shipping for me.
Amazon takes a week minimum for all orders (yes i'm in the lower 48 states) and Ebay sellers generally do USPS priority or east coast ground shipping for just a couple days delivery.

[rfesk]

I purchase small screws, nuts, bolts etc occasionally for my projects from my local hardware store. I pay their price, tell them to keep the change, and thank them for having them in stock for me to buy. That is me.

It costs money to carry a very wide variety of small items in stock. You won't find this stuff at Walmart and even Lowes has less variety. "Turnover is too slow."

[Roger Thoms]

Another great source is McMaster Carr.

Roger

[Tin Can]

I use Amazon and eBay

Both had the same Made in USA thumb screw I needed this morning

I needed 50 for a ULF camera

[Tin Can]

oops

i use bolt and nut with washer for heavy lenses

[rfesk]

Another great source is McMaster Carr.

Roger

Yep, needed a few 3-48 x 1/4" flat head screws - couldn't purchase locally. Bought a 100 from McMaster-Carr. The shipping cost is terrible.

[Roger Thoms]

Yep, needed a few 3-48 x 1/4" flat head screws - couldn't purchase locally. Bought a 100 from McMaster-Carr. The shipping cost is terrible.

I agree with the shipping costs, but am will to pay the shipping for hardware and other items that I can’t get locally. Plus their hardware is high quality.

Roger

[David Lindquist]

I'm a fairly regular customer of McMaster-Carr. As far as shipping costs, I think you can see what that will be before you commit to your order but you will have to go through the process of filling out the order first. Then you can decide for yourself whether you want to pay. My impression is they charge no more than the various other machine shop and related supply places I've dealt with. Their website is very good I think and the quality and selection they offer is hard to beat.

In particular I see they have 2-56 flat head machine screws in longer lengths like 5/8 and 3/4, probably what you need for mounting flanges on wooden lens boards. And these are available in black oxide stainless along with black oxide stainless washers and nuts. Of course quantities tend to run 50-100 which can be hard to swallow unless you're a home shop machinist weenie like myself who likes having all those little boxes at hand I see the black oxide alloy steel hex-socket screws are mostly available in available in 25 count packages.

The flanges I've gotten from SK Gries have all been drilled and counter-sunk for 2-56 flat head screws.

David