Front bed brace pin (say that ten times fast)

ShutterSpook · May 28, 2023

Hello all,

This is going to be a shot in the dark, but I feel confident someone here will have an answer.

The pin that attaches the brace/arm for the front bed, after many years of use, bent and the tiny screw will no longer screw into the pin.

I've attached photos; the pin being the silly shaped object on the far right.

The teeny, tiny screw is still fine, as is the brace and tension spring attached to the brace.

How would I go about replacing this and what would my options be? This is my throw around 4x5 and I'm not precious about it, so am wondering if 3D printing might be the only option.

The camera is a Press King, which I think is a Canadian version of a Burke and James.

epatsellis · May 28, 2023

google sex screw or binding screw. numerous options.

MattKing · May 28, 2023

epatsellis said:
google sex screw

You best be careful with that search!

epatsellis · May 28, 2023

I hesitated, honestly. But that is what they're called.

ShutterSpook · May 29, 2023

I've actually been considering what I'm going to ask when I go into the hardware store.

reddesert · May 29, 2023

I'm not familiar with this camera. I think the Burke & James Press uses a different fitting to fix the bed brace to the bed. In your picture, the sleeve is part of the aluminum bed, and it's visible that the outer edge of the sleeve is worn at an angle, possibly from years of the steel spring rubbing on it. That angle or resulting slop might be why the binding screw bent. Just something to watch out for. Check the other side as well.

A nice property of a binding screw is that when tightened, it has a fixed length, so it can form an axle without clamping the parts that need to pivot. In a pinch, you can make such a thing with a bolt and two nuts, however here, I suspect the thin head of the binding screw helps it clear the body when the camera is folded.

Jojje · May 29, 2023

"Thread rivet". Like pop rivet but with female thread.

Maris · May 29, 2023

I thought things like that were called Chicago Screws.

ShutterSpook · May 30, 2023

Lots of good options here. I will report back after I visit my local hardware store tomorrow!

ShutterSpook · May 31, 2023

Screwfix and other hardware stores proved unhelpful. But my local hardware store came through. Something called an 'interscrew', which the fellow cut down to the right size. Got it home and with only minimal force was able to get the arm attached again. I suspect it will break again in another 70 years.

Front bed brace pin (say that ten times fast)

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