Small addition / correction. Nearly all consumer electronics is produced using metric hardware, mainly because it comes from Asian sources. With the exception of the odd drive types (Torx, one-way, etc.), the sizes roughly approximate the American standards in terms of TPI, torque settings, etc.
As Don points out, one has to have a double set of tools for some of this, but generally a screwdriver is a screwdriver. Nutdrivers and sockets, nope. I was forced many years ago to buy dual sets of combination wrenches and 3/8" / 1/2" inch sockets for automotive work I did as a hobby. If you do this, buy Craftsman or Snap On. 73, matt On Sat, 09 Apr 2011 08:43:22 -0400, you wrote: > Pf, > >Most of the screws in the K3 are #4, and the thread size is in turns per >inch (4-40). These are standard sizes here in the US - no metric size >hardware is used in the K3 as far as I know. >You have the reference link correct. > >There is also some #2 hardware used in the K3 - it is the smaller >diameter, and has 56 threads per inch (2-56). > >#6 hardware has a larger diameter and will have 32 threads per inch (6-32) > >The length of the screw threads will change depending on whether the >head is flat or not. For flathead screws, measure the entire length of >the screw including the head. For the others, measure from the head to >the end of the screw. > >The washers are designated by the size of the hole. Other dimensions >may exist if important, but often just the hole size and the washer type >(flat, internal tooth lockwasher, split lockwasher) suffice for the >description. > >Sorry for those in "Metric Land" who do not understand the US hardware >system. We tried to go metric many years ago and failed. Most of the >auto industry is now metric, but for small hardware, the US sizes >predominate here. We have to keep two sets of wrenches if we are to >have a complete set. > >73, >Don W3FPR > >On 4/9/2011 1:51 AM, Pierfrancesco Caci wrote: >> Hello, >> while lenght of the screws is given in the manual in mm also, I'm >> trying to figure out how to read the screw and washer diameters >> that are given as "4-40" and such. Is this the relevant standard? >> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unified_Thread_Standard >> >> For washers, the first number should be the size of the hole, right? >> >> Pf >> >> >> >______________________________________________________________ >Elecraft mailing list >Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft >Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm >Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net > >This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net >Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
