Copper flathead screws and nuts

How critical is the head size. You could start with these copper screws to get a Phillips head and then turn off the wood threads and run a die for the new threads it is just that the head will be a bit bigger than standard.

The nuts would be easy, hex stock, drill, cut to length and then tap. maybe touch both sides with a C'sink before tapping.

A few other tidbits I found in a quick google
 
Thanks for your research and these suggestions.

Greatly appreciated!

How critical is the head size.

The head size is the critical dimension. They must match #4 and #6.

You could start with these copper screws to get a Phillips head and then turn off the wood threads

Unfortunately, I can't use anything that is just a copper coating or plating. I need the entire fastener to be copper.

The nuts would be easy,

Agreed that I can cobble something together for these myself. The dimension and shape of the nut is not critical for this test, it just needs to match the thickness of #4 and #6.

hex stock
I could not find anybody who had hex stock in these sizes (1/4" and 5/16").

I found a U.S. mill that had a 5/16" die to extrude the hex bar but would need to fab the 1/4" die for the run, which they were willing to do.

Their minimum run was $5,000 USD for each die, so $10,000 USD total.

That's a lot more than I am willing to spend on this test.

The industrial minimums are completely understandable given their business model. This is true for all of the mills and fastener suppliers in general.

That's the reason I am posting here, in the hopes that somebody with the proper machines and available time could turn the #4 and #6 screws from some c145 bar stock.


A few other tidbits I found in a quick google

Thank you very much for the search and this link.

This web site looks familiar, but I am not 100% certain that I have seen them before. They all tend to blur together after a while... :)

I'll dig through my kazillions of "no quote / no bid" rejections and see if I can find them.



I contacted every single supplier for lots of "copper fastener" searches on FCH and they all either never responded or came back "no quote."


Thanks again for the suggestions, links, and the search.
 
Thanks for asking.

No, I was unwilling to pay for a die for a supplier to produce the minimum quantity of the hex rod.

That project is currently on hold.

At this point, it will probably wait until I get a mill and a lathe up and running and I'll just use it as a project to learn on.

You'll probably see me back on the forum plenty then, looking for beginner advice...
 
I only ask bc i am getting a little lathe running and would not mind giving it a go. I would try it on aluminum first to see if i can do it first. I unfortunately do not have my mill going yet so i could not help you with the hex nuts.
 
You couldnt find the size rod for the nuts?

Correct.

The offshore manufacturers, mostly in India, wanted very large minimums, which makes perfect sense given their business models.

The only U.S. supplier I could find who was willing to manufacture them had a lower minimum, but also needed to create the die to extrude the hex rod.
 
I have a jar with a few from estate sale find, came from a electrical control person if I recall.

Just used Google and many things came up, copper plated to solid copper.
I would think for electrical work they may be available.

We have a great place in Fresno that sources for home depot and others, mid-valley distributors, if is a fastener try either have it in stock or can get it.

Try them. 559 485 2660

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk
 
I would give them a shot but if not i am open with trying to make the screws for you if you want to chat
 
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