Taps, Dies for tiny screws

Model Railroader Layouts and layout building
1

What’s the lowest cost source? The price on these is hefty.

2

David,

What size taps and dies are you talking about? Smaller than 4-40? Online: McMaster-Carr is a great source and the prices are very good.

Two other sources are Production Tool Supply and Small Parts Inc. They won’t be as inexpensive but they will have what you are looking for.

Tom

3

When they are really tiny, the cheapest will cost the most. These tend to break at the worst times. Get a good set, and they will last. I got mine from my Grandfather’s tool cheast, he was a machinest and they lasted, so I don’t know where to get them now.

4

Got my drills and taps from Micro mark. My LHS source in New Jersey has all of it in stock. Model Railroad Shop in Piscataway N.J. Old school, have to call but they do have about anything.

5

thanks, guys.

Micromark set is about $86. A bit steep.

I might start out with 1 die. I need to make screws from 14 gauge copper wire. But, I don’t know which one will do it!

Also, I’d like the next 2 smaller ones.

Any advice appreciated!

6

David,

14ga is 0.117 OD. That would be the threads of a 4-40 screw on the “heavy” side. (The major OD for a 4-40 screw is 0.112.)

David, if you are making screws, what are you going to use as the head of the screw? If the 14ga wire will be the OD of the head of the screw, you will need to turn down (make smaller) the OD of the 14ga wire - which ain’t gonna be an easy job. In order to cut threads into your wire with a die, it has to be at the correct major OD. (The major OD is the OD of a given thread size when measured with a caliper.)

Lastly, do your screws really need to be copper? Copper is an excellent conductor but poor at sustaining threads. (They will wear out VERY quickly.) Have you considered brass screws? Not as good as copper electrically but still better than steel and aluminum. It will also hold a thread much better than copper.

My [2c]…

Tom

7

Dumb Question, what are the screws for? micro Mark has all kinds from 00-90.

8

I hesitated to tell you what the screws are for since a lot of the “scale” guys don’t like 3-rail toy trains. However, you asked so I’ll let you know.

I don’t want heads on the screws b/c I’m soldering them to Romex grounding wire (same material as the screws). I lay my own track using 027 outside rails. Look closely at the center wire and you’ll see the upright supports that would be the screws.

I built 2 rails in the garden (see the signature photo and avatar) but still want to do another indoor layout using my homemade track. I wish to screw the screws into the ties. In the photo, I cut the wire diagonally and pressed it into the ties.

Also, I want small dies and taps to do other scratchbuilding stuff

9

Man, I’m in HO, but I can appreciate nice work in 2-rail or 3. I like it. A lot of the value of these forums is in “expanding your horizons,” so things outside of our normal “little” worlds are definitely a plus.

I sold my Lionels almost a half-century ago, and I still miss them. If I’d saved just that GG-1, I’d probably be in O-gauge today.

10

Hey FJ and G,

Nice looking O gauge stuff… Not all of us HO’ers are THAT bad. I love my lil O gauge set we run around the Xmas tree or under the deck in the summer. My sons love it even more! Gosh, I just saw how expensive these taps are! JEESH… I am sure glad my father and grandfather gave me a set down to 0-96… I have seen them occasionally at garage sales…

Brian

11

thanks for your kind replies. The taps and dies are still very expensive. You’re lucky a set was handed down to you from the family.

BTW, Tom thanks for the lead. Seems Walthers might have some