3x4 Anniversary Speed lens board screw size ???

[peter k.]

Any idea of where we can purchase a couple of small screws, that attach and hold the lens board to the camera via two metal plates, top and bottom. Uses four o them.
Checked our local Ace hardware, no luck.
The service manual does not indicate the size, ... just a part number so you can order them from Graflex. ;-)
They are 6mm long, but my tread gage is not small enough to give me is tread size.
Any ideas or suggestions?
thanks p.

 

[juan]

I’d look first at southbristolviews.com and see if he has a parts manual. Then I would look up the posts here by shutterfinger. He is an expert on Graflex and frequently posted links to manuals. Unfortunately Charles has health issues and has left the forum, I hope temporarily.

McMaster.com has small screws. Amazon sometimes has small quantities of small screws. You may have to buy a mixed batch and hope you get the right size.

 

[Dan Daniel]

They are 6mm long, but my tread gage is not small enough to give me is tread size.
Any ideas or suggestions?
thanks p.

If you have calipers, you can measure the diameter of the screw if you have one on hand. If not, measure the hole itself. Or the width of the slot in the metal plates- the screw will be slightly under this size. From there, the odds are that it will be a standard American size, so a threading chart should lead you to the actual screw size. As to thread pitch, a magnifying glass and patience should get you an estimate that will then be close to a standard threading.

I am assuming that they used standard threading, of course.

American screw thread gauges

American inch-based screw thread series, used in bolts, machine screws, threaded holes in castings, and so forth. Threads per inch, diameters of clearance holes, size of tap drills, and size of nuts.

www.sizes.com

 

[peter k.]

I’d look first at southbristolviews.com and see if he has a parts manual.

Nope, just the service manual that gives the part #, but thanks for the reference to McMaster.com.

 

[peter k.]

If you have calipers,

Yep.. its a little wider than .2 mm. So converted about 5/64 ″
So referring to your link, that would be a #1 .0730 + diameter screw size?

 

[Dan Daniel]

.2mm is about .008 inch.

 

[Mamiya_Repair]

The Anniversary 3x4 Speed graphic uses 1-72 machine screws on the sliding lock plates. Keep in mind that these are not standard screws as they have a shoulder that is about 2mm in length.

 

[peter k.]

Yes the originals do have a shoulder, but not really necessary, so thank you for the size will see if we can find some.

 

[Dan Daniel]

McMaster-Carr

McMaster-Carr is the complete source for your plant with over 595,000 products. 98% of products ordered ship from stock and deliver same or next day.

www.mcmaster.com

 

[peter k.]

McMaster-Carr, yes we checked they have them in stock, and sell by a box of 50 + shipping. Had to go back to Ace for a garden PVC fitting, and now that we had the right size thought we check again, and guess what they did.

Got two of them and they fit.. HeHawwww.. .25 cents each ;-)
Thanks everyone for ur help.

 

[Donald Qualls]

the originals do have a shoulder, but not really necessary,

That depends on whether you intend to recreate/replace the original sliding lock plates, which will not slide if the screws don't have that shoulder (unless they're left loose, which will make them prone to wander off), or plan to carry a tiny screwdriver and bag of extra screws (to replace lost ones) in order to change a lens in the field if you attach the retaining plates to your lens boards.

If you own or reasonably might own more than one lens, I'd strongly suggest doing it the way Graflex did it in the first place.

Shoulders on screws can be simulated by super gluing a small sleeve made from brass or aluminum tubing under the screw head, but those screws also most likely have an oversize head for their thread size, in order to provide bearing area for the plate.

 

[AgX]

They are 6mm long, but my tread gage is not small enough to give me is tread size.

What kind of thread gauge do you use?

I use such (kind of industry standard by design, the under half contains gauges for 55° Whitworth threads):

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41IBvRGajhL._AC_SS450_.jpg

 

[peter k.]

That depends on whether you intend to recreate/replace the original sliding lock plates, which will not slide if the screws don't have that shoulder

Well that's true, but not...
The two new, non shoulder, ones will work on the bottom of the lens board. All one has to do is loosen them, slide the upper lock plate up and tilt lens out. And yes, .. have always had a tiny screw driver in my LF kit to change lenses.

Shoulders on screws can be simulated by super gluing a small sleeve made from brass or aluminum tubing under the screw head, but those screws also most likely have an oversize head for their thread size, in order to provide bearing area for the plate.

Boy that's a great idea, but with my eye sight and age now.. with such a small tread size and length, most impossible for me.
The original heads do have an oversize head, but we got creative.
Happen to have a short piece of 1/2" drip black hose lying around from wife's garden projects. So drilled a hole in it, knifed it down to about 1/4" size and placed the 1-72 thru it and attached it. Creating an oversize head, for the lock plate, plus the fact if it falls off, when losing up to change lenses, it can easily be seen on the ground.
Its black with the screw stuck in it. ;-)

 

[peter k.]

What kind of thread gauge do you use?

Didn't have one small enough as stated in the first post. So went to Ace and tried small nuts to get thread size. Didn't work. Sigh.. so a blessing that we got the info on its size.

 

[AgX]

You mean small enough by pitch and not by length, as hinted at.

 

[peter k.]

You mean small enough by pitch and not by length, as hinted at.

Yes... we had a caliper for length and dia.. but nothing for pitch

 

[AgX]

What I hinted at costs only few dollars and is a lifetime, most practical investment.

 

[peter k.]

Yes we agree, and we have one that came with my tap and die set, but the smallest pitch on is 36. So couldn't measure the pitch of this screw.
For me this is the first time that we needed such a small screw.. so if purchased it would just disappear from lack of use ;-)

 

[Dan Daniel]

McMaster-Carr, yes we checked they have them in stock, and sell by a box of 50 + shipping. Had to go back to Ace for a garden PVC fitting, and now that we had the right size thought we check again, and guess what they did.

Got two of them and they fit.. HeHawwww.. .25 cents each ;-)
Thanks everyone for ur help.

NIce! And the shoulder thing and such will work well. Back on the road again!

One of the nice things about the older cameras- you aren't limited to what they did as long as you solve the problem.