I needed to replace some screws in a metal door hinge where I work They must have used some odd ball size. I tried a #6 metric and it almost fit but didn't. Went to a 1/4 inch in the two number of threads and it was too big. The next size I could find was a # 12 and it did not fit. The #5 metric was too small. I found a new package of hinges with the screws and they fit fine.
What are they using for the screw size in a metal door ?
If you have new screws, satisfy your curiosity by taking them to the Box Store and seeing which size nuts will fit. Odds are your 6 mm was the one at fault and I'd bet the new ones you have are 6 mm. Remember the Chinese are prone to use machine cutting tools until they break, but not until they are worn off size.
Joe
Joe.
Which sizes of machine screw did you try ?
1/4-20 is the most common, but there is also: 1/4-28 and 1/4-32assuming steel door frame, you would drill two different sized holes depending on the thread pitch for a 1/4" machine screw:
for 1/4-20 you would use a 7/32" drill bit, for 1/4-28 or 1/4-32 you would use a #1 bit...
The same logic applies to a #12 size machine screw...
12-24, #12 drill bit, 12-28, #10 drill bit, 12-32, #9 drill bit...So the "size" of the fastener makes a difference as well as the thread pitch...
~~ Evan
Yes, I am aware there are diffent thread pitches. The holes were already in the door frame and the screws had fallen out over the years. They just needed to be replaced. This is in a very large plant and we have a good assortment of screws and bolts. They are stored all over the place and difficult to locate an exect size unless you know what it is and then we can look it up on a computer database. There are 3 storage areas with shelves that are about 40 by 80 feet. Nothing is in order. Real poor way to run a system of parts. I did try using a tap assortment to see if any of them would work. Nothing I had would work. I did not care what kind of head the screw had as I just wanted to find out what the thread size was.
I know how to read the screw drill charts and do the tapping, but the holes are already there. I thought the holes might be stripped out,but when I finally found a new hinge set that had the screws in it and the screws fit just fine.
I am an electrician and was working with a mechanic on this. This was on a night shift and there were only the two of us there. On the day shift there are about 20 electricians and 40 mechanics to do the work. That may give an idea of the size of the plant. We normally just work on emergency breakdowns at night , but also do other things while all the equipment is running.
Most commercial hinges, especially 4 1/2 x 4 1/2 butt hinges use
12-24 hinge screws. These are not readily available. Stop at a lock shop or other commercial hardware vendor. Make sure to use #3 Philips to install - #2 will just cam out the screw slots.
Sounds like your plant could do with trading a couple of mechanics for a couple of inventory control clerks to organize the parts and stock rooms...
If what you described is true and I have no doubt that it is as I have seen such environments before (the large poorly lit "warehouse" type storage rooms or cages in basements) then your group of 60 employees wastes more than 80 hours in a week just seeking out and fetching parts from amongst the 3 storage areas... Having a full-time person/people who do nothing but maintain and organize the stores means that fewer people will have input into ordering things that they can not seem to find even though the computer says they *should* be there somewhere... That is how you end up with many smaller caches of the same item in multiple locations as people order more of something that can not be found in the disorderly situation...
Your efficiency and productivity would be greatly improved if the three separate locations were merged into one central parts storage area where you could walk up to a counter and ask the parts people for whatever you need... That worked wonders for one of the sites I used to work for, as fewer people had access to the parts and supplies so a lot less of them were walking away or having the leftovers returned to the wrong place...
~~ Evan
They are most likely 12-24, most commercial door frames are tapped for12-24 screws!
replying to Ralph Mowery, Jam10207 wrote: Most likely they are #14-20" X 1" with a #12 undersized Phillips Flat Head. Which is why you were leaning towards M6-1.0 because they are virtually the same.
You are replying to a 15-year-old post.
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