Tiny, rounded-out allen screw - Page 2

pwillie · April 9, 2010, 06:49 AM

Place gun in deep freezer,leave for two hrs.Take gun out an immediatly use EZ out of size that fit before freezing.

brickeyee · April 10, 2010, 12:29 PM

Quote:

McMaster-Carr stocks screws and wrenches.

Quote:

Assuming I can get it out, how/where do I find a torx set screw to replace it with? Wonder what the size/tpi is for this little screw?

Very few gun manufacturers have more than a single style of each screw.

Developing a drawing and finding a sub (or setting up in house) to make more than one screw style is very expensive.

You will also not find that gun screws conform to any standard sizes available from places like McMaster-Carr or other industrial suppliers.

Many gun screws are very fine but shallow threads useable in only the hardest steels with well known composition and heat treat.

Microgunner · April 10, 2010, 12:41 PM

Substitute epoxy for the Loc-Tite.

frumious · April 12, 2010, 08:58 PM

Short version...I'm taking it to a smith this weekend.

Long version: Went to hardware store. Took shroud with me. Bought smallest screw extractor they had. Barely fit. Turns out, didn't fit far enough. Wouldn't bite. Heated end of shroud with soldering gun a few times and after it cooled, drove small flathead screwdriver in and attempted to turn. Nothing. So I punched out the rear pin and removed the sight blade that way. Could then see the pointy end of the screw. No visible damage and appeared to be straight. Filled slot with WD-40 and let sit overnight. Next night heated shroud again. Once it cooled, drove screwdriver back in, attempted to turn. Nothing. Then made the mistake of using a cheap drill bit and turning it by hand clockwise to see if it would bite and i could just screw the screw all the way in and let it fall our the back side. Bit broke off in screw of course.

There's a smith that comes to the bimonthly (monthly?) gun show here...I've talked to him before and he seems to specialize in 1911's, but he does other work too, I think. I'll either take it to him or maybe take it to another guy I've heard does good work that has a shop not too far from me.

Thanks for the advice, guys. I realize I did not listen to it all, thanks anyway. At least I have 3 more "working" barrels I can use while I wait for this one to be fixed.

-cls

frumious · April 19, 2010, 10:22 PM

Well this weekend I took the shroud to the smith that has the shop not too far from me. He got the screw out with an end mill according to the guy behind the counter today when I went to pick the shroud up. The smith was not available to talk to...he had left for the day.

So I guess I'll call him back tomorrow and ask him how much to tap the hole and put a new set screw in. I'm already into it for $85, which I guess includes a hefty "stupid tax"

But I am somewhat reluctant to tap it myself, as I've only tapped metal once, and that was tricky until I fashioned a jig to help guide the tap.

-cls

orionengnr · April 29, 2010, 09:13 PM

Yep.
After training as a machinist and a lifetime spent as a mechanic, I have finally learned one invaluable lesson:

When you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop digging. You might be amazed at what a difficult lesson this is to fully internalize.

Even after all this time, and all the lessons supposedly learned, I still have to re-learn it from time to time.

April 9, 2010, 06:49 AM	#26
pwillie Senior Member Join Date: June 8, 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 115	Place gun in deep freezer,leave for two hrs.Take gun out an immediatly use EZ out of size that fit before freezing. __________________ "Happy to be here"

April 10, 2010, 12:41 PM	#28
Microgunner Senior Member Join Date: March 6, 2006 Location: Central Florida Posts: 3,324	Substitute epoxy for the Loc-Tite. __________________ *Proud NRA Benefactor Member* Last edited by Microgunner; April 10, 2010 at 01:30 PM.

April 12, 2010, 08:58 PM	#29
frumious Senior Member Join Date: May 13, 2009 Location: Carrollton TX Posts: 521	Short version...I'm taking it to a smith this weekend. Long version: Went to hardware store. Took shroud with me. Bought smallest screw extractor they had. Barely fit. Turns out, didn't fit far enough. Wouldn't bite. Heated end of shroud with soldering gun a few times and after it cooled, drove small flathead screwdriver in and attempted to turn. Nothing. So I punched out the rear pin and removed the sight blade that way. Could then see the pointy end of the screw. No visible damage and appeared to be straight. Filled slot with WD-40 and let sit overnight. Next night heated shroud again. Once it cooled, drove screwdriver back in, attempted to turn. Nothing. Then made the mistake of using a cheap drill bit and turning it by hand clockwise to see if it would bite and i could just screw the screw all the way in and let it fall our the back side. Bit broke off in screw of course. There's a smith that comes to the bimonthly (monthly?) gun show here...I've talked to him before and he seems to specialize in 1911's, but he does other work too, I think. I'll either take it to him or maybe take it to another guy I've heard does good work that has a shop not too far from me. Thanks for the advice, guys. I realize I did not listen to it all, thanks anyway. At least I have 3 more "working" barrels I can use while I wait for this one to be fixed. -cls

April 19, 2010, 10:22 PM	#30
frumious Senior Member Join Date: May 13, 2009 Location: Carrollton TX Posts: 521	Well this weekend I took the shroud to the smith that has the shop not too far from me. He got the screw out with an end mill according to the guy behind the counter today when I went to pick the shroud up. The smith was not available to talk to...he had left for the day. So I guess I'll call him back tomorrow and ask him how much to tap the hole and put a new set screw in. I'm already into it for $85, which I guess includes a hefty "stupid tax" But I am somewhat reluctant to tap it myself, as I've only tapped metal once, and that was tricky until I fashioned a jig to help guide the tap. -cls

April 29, 2010, 09:13 PM	#31
orionengnr Senior Member Join Date: July 9, 2004 Posts: 5,177	Yep. After training as a machinist and a lifetime spent as a mechanic, I have finally learned one invaluable lesson: When you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop digging. You might be amazed at what a difficult lesson this is to fully internalize. Even after all this time, and all the lessons supposedly learned, I still have to re-learn it from time to time.