Fixing Brass Points Covers

[Folkie]

The brass points covers from Extreme Custom Engraving are great:



But I don't think they look right with stainless steel screws holding them on. Brass covers need brass screws! But what screws to use? You can't get brass socket (allen) countersunk screws (that I know of), and philips or slotted screws don't look right (IMO), as well as being an invitation to someone to unscrew the cover and steal it.

After much searching I found R J Leahy, who have these 'spanner screws':

(clickety click)

No doubt there are other places that sell them, but this is the only internet source I've found that sell small quantites to the general public.

Here's my brass points cover with these screws:



I fitted that quite some time ago, but I've just been dealing with R J Leahy again to get some screws for my impending brass(ish) derby cover.

They are really nice people to deal with, and if anyone wants screws like these I'd suggest you give them a try.

[TechRep]

Folkie, That's a slick looking cover.

I visited the web site... The prices seem reasonable. Now I think I need to order something. Thanks for the link.

[Sporting Lad]

Originally Posted by Folkie

The brass points covers from Extreme Custom Engraving are great:
But Brass covers need brass screws!

After much searching I found R J Leahy, who have these 'spanner screws':

(clickety click)

No doubt there are other places that sell them, but this is the only internet source I've found that sell small quantites to the general public.

They are really nice people to deal with, and if anyone wants screws like these I'd suggest you give them a try.

I just had a boo at their site. So now that you've got me this far, why not just tell me the size fasteners I'll need? We do have a fastener outlet here, but they won't sell in quantities of less than a gross. I haven't checked if they even stock that type of fastener.
Did you also order one of their tools?

[FoxsterUK]

Here's a daft idea...If you need some screws like these again, how about plating some steel ones yourself with copper or gold? This would take some experimentation but if you have the time it could be fun.

When I was at school we did an experiment with two pieces of dissimilar metal in water and a big battery connected with a terminal to each. The cathodic action moved atoms from one metal and coated the other.

God knows if this would work for you but I just thought I'd throw it in there .

[Folkie]

Originally Posted by Sporting Lad

I just had a boo at their site. So now that you've got me this far, why not just tell me the size fasteners I'll need? We do have a fastener outlet here, but they won't sell in quantities of less than a gross. I haven't checked if they even stock that type of fastener.
Did you also order one of their tools?

Sorry, for some reason it never occured to me that you wouldn't know the size of the screws. They're: 8 - 32 UNC × ½".

I bought one of the screwdriver type tools, and one of the bits.

I used ¼" - 20 UNC × ½" screws for the brass plate on the clutch cover.

I'm now looking for some M6 countersunk brass screws, but so far haven't found anything other than the regular slotted and philips heads. Any ideas?

[Sporting Lad]

TANKS AGAIN!
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Around here we find mostly metric fasteners (because of all the Asian machines and mod-cons). I'll see if I can find some M6s. How many do you need? Length? Flat tops.

I got so pissed off with the OEM clutch cover torx bolts heads stripping, that I went out and got a box of 50 SS buttonhead Allen heads c/w split lock washers and replaced the 6 torx. Gave a bunch to my Sporty friends as well, and still have enough to replace the new ones should they fail. None have so far.
Ah, but you need brass ones!
Do you have "Roberts" head screws in Old Blighty?
I'm more likely to find them here. They may be a 'Canada only' fastener. It's a (slightly) tapered square hole. Far superior to anything else I've used.

[Folkie]

Tom, I'm looking for M6 brass countersunk screws, 20mm long (four of 'em). I don't really want slotted or philips heads, because to me they'd look more like something that should be in a piece of furniture. I was thinking of something like an Allen head. No, I haven't heard of 'Roberts' head screws, but they certainly sound interesting.

This is what I want them for, to replace these steel screws (in the ends of the pegs) with brass:

[Sporting Lad]

OK, but what about the shifter peg? Is that a standard thread? That's longer than 20 mm.

I'll poke around here and see what I can find for you.

Mister Leahy implies that metric can be had as a "special order".
He appears to have the Roberts heads, but he refers to them as "square drives" and they're deck screws. We've got billions of them up here...
"OK for tunnels and Queen Mary's funnels, but no good for Rodeen School"...

BTW-- I went whole hog last night and ordered 16 of the points cover screws, a bit, and a driver. I suppose I'm a bit of a belt and suspenders man.
The fasteners are going to end up costing about half the price of the brass points cover!

[Folkie]

Actually, Roedean is just down the road from me.

I wonder how many constitute a 'special order'? I bet you have to buy shed loads.

Originally Posted by Sporting Lad

I suppose I'm a bit of a belt and suspenders man.

Me too. I always buy extra screws above what I actually need. I don't but 16 when I want 2 though. 3 or 4, maybe.

OK, I'll come clean, I did get 10 of the Leahy points cover screws, as I thought they might come in useful for something else (as proved to be the case), and I can't get them anywhere else.

Originally Posted by Sporting Lad

The fasteners are going to end up costing about half the price of the brass points cover!

You should try adding on the shipping to the UK.

Originally Posted by Sporting Lad

OK, but what about the shifter peg? Is that a standard thread? That's longer than 20 mm.

The screw threads you see at one end are not the same screw as the head you see at the other end. The screw threads are a stud, standard shifter peg thread: 5/16" - 24 UNF. I've taken those out and will be putting in longer studs, because I'm extending the pegs with 7/8" long turned, tapped, brass spacers.

The head at the other end is an M6 × 20 screw that's just there to hold the end cap on.

Originally Posted by Sporting Lad

I'll poke around here and see what I can find for you.

Thanks.

[Sporting Lad]

Originally Posted by Folkie

The screw threads you see at one end are not the same screw as the head you see at the other end.

Of course not. What was I thinking?
I've got one of these on now: http://www.harley-davidson.com/media...10_M_2505c.jpg