M5 screws

[shafty85]

So, I'm looking at, hopefully, improving the ramp angle on my dynafit radicals and looking to get screws to go with my inserts. To make use of the inserts, I need M5 flathead/smallhead screws that are 16mm +height of shim. Contacted BF about future production of screws 20-24mm in length to accommodate shims and they said, while in the plans, it isn't happening right now. They suggested I use Tacoma or any other manufacturer I like.

http://www.tacomascrew.com/results#!...tainless-Steel

Found these on the Tacoma website. I can get 20mm screws to use with a 4.6mm shim - will confirm the length will work, though 21mm might be the ideal length. To use a 6.4mm shim, I would need ~22-23mm screws. Closest I'd be able to get are 25mm. Anyone have any experience grinding down screws? Seems to me that doing so without damaging the threads and making install difficult/risk damaging the inserts, would be difficult.

Definitely like the price compared to BF.

Thoughts?

[adrenalated]

You can get 22mm screws from McMaster Carr. Gotta buy in quantity though.

316 stainless, box of 25: http://www.mcmaster.com/#93395a312/=w6k6t3
18-8 stainless, box of 50: http://www.mcmaster.com/#92125a215/=w6k75n

[timmaio]

Can buy from fastenal, no min quantity in my experience. Anybody know where to find torx head(not torx security) m5 screws in less than 1000 quantity.

Best I can find is here: http://www.mutualscrew.com/Metric-18...985-99070.html

But I am much more interested in quantities closer to 100

[Muggydude]

McMaster is good, I've used some of their 22mm screws

[meter-man]

Shafty, thanks for posting - I was just about to ask the same thing!

[tavis]

Cutting down a screw is pretty easy. I recommend threading a nut on before you cut the screw. Cut the screw to length, file the cut edge to roughly a 60 degree angle, and back the nut off to help clean up the threads. You'll need to be more careful putting them into the inserts to make sure you don't cross-thread them, but it's not too bad.

[shafty85]

Can buy from fastenal, no min quantity in my experience. Anybody know where to find torx head(not torx security) m5 screws in less than 1000 quantity.

Best I can find is here: http://www.mutualscrew.com/Metric-18...985-99070.html

But I am much more interested in quantities closer to 100

Not exactly wanting to use torx heads as they don't match with the screws I currently have in stock at the house, but thanks for the info (some people may prefer these!).

You can get 22mm screws from McMaster Carr. Gotta buy in quantity though.

316 stainless, box of 25: http://www.mcmaster.com/#93395a312/=w6k6t3
18-8 stainless, box of 50: http://www.mcmaster.com/#92125a215/=w6k75n

Thanks!

What's the difference between 316 and 18-8?

Nice thing about the Tacoma screws is that they appear to work with a pozi-head, so matching with the current line-up from BF. I, fortunately, have both the pozi-head screws and their prior hex screws, so I'm pretty easy either way in regards to those two.

[1000-oaks]

Boltdepot.com is the shiznit, their prices are so good I bought a box of 100 of each of the common lengths. Any grade stainless is fine (A2 is most common), no need for 316.

[adrenalated]

What's the difference between 316 and 18-8?

The short answer for insert screw purposes: it doesn't matter. The 18-8 is going to be cheaper per screw, but comes in a box of 50, which is more expensive than the box of 25 316 screws.

The longer answer: 18-8 is essentially 304 stainless, but doesn't necessarily have the exact chemical composition required to actually call it 304, so they use 18-8 as a generic term to describe it. 316 is more corrosion resistant than 304, particularly to chemicals/solvents/salt water/etc, but also more expensive. Either is fine for ski screws.

The fully geeked out version is here: http://www.portlandbolt.com/technica...ainless-steel/

Edit to add: I've even used zinc-plated alloy steel screws and found them resistant enough to corrosion to hold up fine for insert screws. YMMV.

[timmaio]

sorry shafty, I wasn't posting the link suggesting you use it, I was suggesting you use fastenal. pretty easy website to use. go to a local store and order through them in order to not pay any shipping.

http://www.fastenal.com/web/products/fasteners/screws/machine-screws/_/Navigation?term=&termca=&termpx=&sortby=webrank&so rtdir=descending&searchmode=productSearch&filterBy VendingMachine=&r=~|categoryl1:%22600000%20Fastene rs%22|~%20~|categoryl2:%22600051%20Screws%22|~%20~ |categoryl3:%22600059%20Machine%20Screws%22|~%20~| sattr02:^M5-0.8$|~%20~|sattr03:^%22Stainless%20Steel%22$|~

http://www.fastenal.com/web/products/fasteners/sockets/button-socket-cap-screws/_/Navigation?term=&termca=&termpx=&sortby=webrank&so rtdir=descending&searchmode=productSearch&filterBy VendingMachine=&r=~|categoryl1:%22600000%20Fastene rs%22|~%20~|categoryl2:%22600039%20Sockets%22|~%20 ~|categoryl3:%22600043%20Button%20Socket%20Cap%20S crews%22|~%20~|sattr04:^%22M5%20-%200.8%22$|~%20~|sattr03:^%22Stainless%20Steel%22$ |~

AFAIK 316 is softer than 18-8 but IANAE

[adrenalated]

AFAIK 316 is softer than 18-8 but IANAE

316 is harder than 304 but not by enough to matter.

[timmaio]

316 is harder than 304 but not by enough to matter.

Thanks for correcting that for me. Another thing my engineer friends were talking about is to avoid the same alloy of stainless for insert and bolt as it can cause galling. I have no idea and couldn't figure out what alloy BF inserts are machined from, but also have not had any galling issues either.

[adrenalated]

Thanks for correcting that for me. Another thing my engineer friends were talking about is to avoid the same alloy of stainless for insert and bolt as it can cause galling. I have no idea and couldn't figure out what alloy BF inserts are machined from, but also have not had any galling issues either.

I haven't had the screws gall to the inserts, but I have had the screws weld themselves to the binding a couple times. Both times was on my Radicals, and the screw welded itself to the crampon holder on the rear toe holes. Fortunately I have a drill press and was able to just drill off the head of the screw. I know the screw was sticking to the binding rather than the insert because the remaining stud screwed out of the insert by hand, but needed a punch to knock the remnant of the screw head off the crampon holder.

[galibier_numero_un]

You can get 22mm screws from McMaster Carr. Gotta buy in quantity though.

316 stainless, box of 25: http://www.mcmaster.com/#93395a312/=w6k6t3
18-8 stainless, box of 50: http://www.mcmaster.com/#92125a215/=w6k75n

I use McMaster for 90% of my company's fastener needs. Whomever you order from, take note of screw dimensioning conventions. McMaster will show you a dimensioned engineering drawing, and you'll always see the following:

• Flathead (countersunk) screws are specified by their entire length - from the end of the thread to the top of the screw
• Panhead and socket head are specified by the length of the shaft. I specifically said "shaft" and not threaded section because longer screws have their shafts only partially threaded.

[edit] For my audio business, I keep copies of either the CAD drawings or the .jpgs of the standard screw sizes I use, to quickly reference the various dimensions. Of course, in this application (if you own and swap multiple bindings across skis), a spreadsheet might be more helpful - tracking screw type and length. Keeping track of this stuff can otherwise get confusing. No one ever accused me of being OCD

Cheers,
Thom

[shafty85]

Anyone ever order these things in Canada/from a Canadian distributor? I guess I could check out fastenal, but would rather do it online, if possible...

[auxym]

As a Canadian, I've generally found it easier to source specialty fasteners from local industrial supply place. If you're in mid sized city you should have one. You could also check out if spaenaur has a distributor around you. I think ackland-grainger sells online though.

[endure]

I had troubles finding online canadian stores a few months ago. +1 for local fastener stores. Blackfoot Industrial Supply Centre in Calgary had all sizes.

[Shorty_J]

I've cut screws down with a dremel, but never bolts (where thread integrity is more important). I suspect a cheap tap and dye set from crappy tire would clean up the threads if you didn't mangle them with the dremel, but the bolt idea is pretty neat.

[abraham]

The m5 dilemma when shopping for screws at the hardware store is a crapshoot most times.

Ace for small numbers or tacoma screw for a box of 50-100. Or pm me and I may have spares at work

[adrenalated]

I've cut screws down with a dremel, but never bolts (where thread integrity is more important). I suspect a cheap tap and dye set from crappy tire would clean up the threads if you didn't mangle them with the dremel, but the bolt idea is pretty neat.

I've cut a lot of bolts shorter in my day. Never anything as small as an insert screw, but still.

You could use a die, but a thread file set works way better. And yes, you definitely need to clean up the threads after cutting the bolt shorter. Ideally, you'll have a bench grinder with a soft wheel handy as well and can put a nice chamfer on the cut end, then use the thread file to clean up the threads. Those two steps make a bolt that's every bit as good as a purchased one.