Re: [gentoo-user] [OT] mounting screws
On Monday, 21 February 2022 10:20:42 GMT Peter Humphrey wrote: > On Sunday, 20 February 2022 22:53:02 GMT Miles Malone wrote: > > The standard is #6-32 UNC for 3.5" harddrives, and most case-related > > stuff including motherboard standoffs. It's M3 standard for 2.5" > > harddrives, 5.25" optical drives, etc, etc. > > Useful info - thanks. > > > The lengths arent standard in general, though I imagine there's a > > fairly standard harddrive length. > > > > So you presumably want countersunk phillips head #6-32UNC screws of > > appropriate length > > Countersunk - that's the operative word here, so I ended up googling for "M3 > x 5 countersunk", taking a guess at the M3, and found a specialist > supplier. > > They should arrive today, so fingers crossed. They did. They have hex socket heads - but I have an Allen Key! Nope - these stand proud as well. So I followed Mark K's link and found an equivalent at Amazon UK. They should arrive tomorrow. (Another tomorrow.) Last time this happened, two or three years ago, I asked the system builder where I could buy these screws - he just bunged a few in the post. If all else fails I'll have to do the same again. -- Regards, Peter.
Re: [gentoo-user] [OT] mounting screws
On Monday, 21 February 2022 18:14:09 GMT Steven Lembark wrote: > On Sun, 20 Feb 2022 17:24:44 + > > Peter Humphrey wrote: > > I have a couple of vertically mounted easy-swap disk caddies in the > > back of my workstation, and I'm having trouble finding screws to > > mount the disk in the caddy. Clearance is nil, so the screws must be > > countersunk so they aren't proud of the surface. They seem to be m3 > > perhaps 5mm long. > > Sanity check: Do you have at least one of the screws? > > The threads will be defined by your disk drives, which means > they are possibly imperial threads (vs. SI). Many of the same > sorts of screws are used on autombiles; you might find that a > local parts store can dig up a pitch guage that'll at least > tell you what you're looking for. I see I over-simplified. In fact, the 2.5" drive is in a 3.5" adapter, and it's that that I'm having trouble with mounting in the caddy. But the screws are arriving this morning, so all should be well. -- Regards, Peter.
Re: [gentoo-user] [OT] mounting screws
On Sun, 20 Feb 2022 17:24:44 + Peter Humphrey wrote: > Hello list, > > This has nothing to do with Gentoo, but I don't know where else to > ask. > > I have a couple of vertically mounted easy-swap disk caddies in the > back of my workstation, and I'm having trouble finding screws to > mount the disk in the caddy. Clearance is nil, so the screws must be > countersunk so they aren't proud of the surface. They seem to be m3 > perhaps 5mm long. Sanity check: Do you have at least one of the screws? The threads will be defined by your disk drives, which means they are possibly imperial threads (vs. SI). Many of the same sorts of screws are used on autombiles; you might find that a local parts store can dig up a pitch guage that'll at least tell you what you're looking for. -- Steven Lembark Workhorse Computing lemb...@wrkhors.com +1 888 359 3508
Re: [gentoo-user] [OT] mounting screws
On Monday, 21 February 2022 15:10:21 GMT Neil Bothwick wrote: > On Mon, 21 Feb 2022 10:20:42 +, Peter Humphrey wrote: > > Once again I must apologise for polluting a software list with common > > hardware. > > If it was common, you wouldn't have needed to ask the list where to find > it :-O I meant look-down-your-nose common. :) -- Regards, Peter.
Re: [gentoo-user] [OT] mounting screws
On Mon, 21 Feb 2022 10:20:42 +, Peter Humphrey wrote: > Once again I must apologise for polluting a software list with common > hardware. If it was common, you wouldn't have needed to ask the list where to find it :-O -- Neil Bothwick deja vous - the act of forgetting someone's name /again/ despite being introduced to them several times. pgpe6rQaRy4uv.pgp Description: OpenPGP digital signature
Re: [gentoo-user] [OT] mounting screws
Peter Humphrey wrote: > On Monday, 21 February 2022 10:55:41 GMT Dale wrote: >> Peter Humphrey wrote: >>> Once again I must apologise for polluting a software list with common >>> hardware. >> I don't see this as polluting myself. It is computer related. I've >> asked hardware questions here quite often, even a windoze question a >> couple times. After all, there is some very knowledgeable people here >> to get help from. All of us know something someone else may not. I've >> even asked about hardware I should buy or avoid, CMR verses SMR hard >> drives for example. > Perhaps you didn't notice the implied wink. > Guess I missed it. Still, I learned something. I'm not complaining. :-D Dale :-) :-)
Re: [gentoo-user] [OT] mounting screws
On Monday, 21 February 2022 10:55:41 GMT Dale wrote: > Peter Humphrey wrote: > > Once again I must apologise for polluting a software list with common > > hardware. > > I don't see this as polluting myself. It is computer related. I've > asked hardware questions here quite often, even a windoze question a > couple times. After all, there is some very knowledgeable people here > to get help from. All of us know something someone else may not. I've > even asked about hardware I should buy or avoid, CMR verses SMR hard > drives for example. Perhaps you didn't notice the implied wink. -- Regards, Peter.
Re: [gentoo-user] [OT] mounting screws
On 21/02/2022 10:55, Dale wrote: I don't see this as polluting myself. It is computer related. I've asked hardware questions here quite often, even a windoze question a couple times. After all, there is some very knowledgeable people here to get help from. All of us know something someone else may not. I've even asked about hardware I should buy or avoid, CMR verses SMR hard drives for example. Provided it doesn't swamp the list, I actually see it as a good thing. I'm on quite a few other lists where they've tried to clamp down on "off topic" posts. It's VERY noticeable that VERY quickly, the traffic volume dwindles to nothing, and usually stays there :-( Cheers, Wol
Re: [gentoo-user] [OT] mounting screws
Peter Humphrey wrote: > On Sunday, 20 February 2022 22:53:02 GMT Miles Malone wrote: >> The standard is #6-32 UNC for 3.5" harddrives, and most case-related >> stuff including motherboard standoffs. It's M3 standard for 2.5" >> harddrives, 5.25" optical drives, etc, etc. > Useful info - thanks. > >> The lengths arent standard in general, though I imagine there's a >> fairly standard harddrive length. >> >> So you presumably want countersunk phillips head #6-32UNC screws of >> appropriate length > Countersunk - that's the operative word here, so I ended up googling for "M3 > x > 5 countersunk", taking a guess at the M3, and found a specialist supplier. > > They should arrive today, so fingers crossed. > > Thanks all. > > Once again I must apologise for polluting a software list with common > hardware. > I don't see this as polluting myself. It is computer related. I've asked hardware questions here quite often, even a windoze question a couple times. After all, there is some very knowledgeable people here to get help from. All of us know something someone else may not. I've even asked about hardware I should buy or avoid, CMR verses SMR hard drives for example. Although I may mention I'm cutting trees out back or planting trees on occasion, It's usually in a P. S. or something and a reason for a slow response. I don't know about others but I'm not complaining. I learned something. I learned that optical drives and hard drives are indeed different. Someone else posted the specs. That helped you but it also helps me because I'm making a note of it. Since my memory isn't great, I'm writing things down. I've accepted I can't trust my memory all the time. lol Hope the new hardware works. If possible, post and let us know what you got and if they do indeed work and with what. I may order or check the specs on what I've got. Dale :-) :-)
Re: [gentoo-user] [OT] mounting screws
On Sunday, 20 February 2022 22:53:02 GMT Miles Malone wrote: > The standard is #6-32 UNC for 3.5" harddrives, and most case-related > stuff including motherboard standoffs. It's M3 standard for 2.5" > harddrives, 5.25" optical drives, etc, etc. Useful info - thanks. > The lengths arent standard in general, though I imagine there's a > fairly standard harddrive length. > > So you presumably want countersunk phillips head #6-32UNC screws of > appropriate length Countersunk - that's the operative word here, so I ended up googling for "M3 x 5 countersunk", taking a guess at the M3, and found a specialist supplier. They should arrive today, so fingers crossed. Thanks all. Once again I must apologise for polluting a software list with common hardware. -- Regards, Peter.
Re: [gentoo-user] [OT] mounting screws
The standard is #6-32 UNC for 3.5" harddrives, and most case-related stuff including motherboard standoffs. It's M3 standard for 2.5" harddrives, 5.25" optical drives, etc, etc. The lengths arent standard in general, though I imagine there's a fairly standard harddrive length. So you presumably want countersunk phillips head #6-32UNC screws of appropriate length Why on earth it's split between imperial and metric threads is a mystery that shall go down the ages Regards, Miles On Mon, 21 Feb 2022 at 08:37, Neil Bothwick wrote: > > On Sun, 20 Feb 2022 15:05:09 -0600, Dale wrote: > > > I'll add this just to show how confusing this is. My old DVD burner and > > new Blu-ray burner uses a different screw than the hard drives. Luckily > > my case has slots for hard drives but my external enclosures require > > screws which is how I know they are different. Some will work fine with > > what looks like a bolt head while others, like yours, require a counter > > sunk screw head that sits flat. Generally, the local home type stores > > don't have any of this either. I checked my local Lowes once. They > > have tiny screws but either the head is wrong, the threads, length or > > something. > > > > It is annoying. I ended up getting two types of screws. One that fits > > my DVD/Blu-ray drive and one that fits a hard drive, so far at least. I > > mostly have WD and Seagate. Some other brand may have something > > different. The one I have that seems to work best is this: 6/32 6-32 > > 6#-32 I put all the combinations of that just in case. The most common > > is 6-32 but could vary by website. Your mileage may vary tho. > > > > My advice, buy a grab bag of hardware for puters. Then pray. Or, find > > what should fit, even if it is more than one type, order them all. I > > have collected a storage bin full of screws over the years. I got case > > type screws covered but drives seem to be different. > > > > Why can't they pick one screw type and make it the standard??? > > Why have one standard when you can have many? ;-) > > Seriously thought, there is a standard size for hard drives and a > standard size for optical/floppy drives. I've got plenty of each that > have accumulated over the years, so if Peter lives in my neck of the > woods he can come and help himself :) > > Otherwise, I've found Amazon a good source of fastener selection boxes. > > > -- > Neil Bothwick > > "Bad dog! Leave that wire alone.click.###@*##NO TERRIER
Re: [gentoo-user] [OT] mounting screws
On Sun, 20 Feb 2022 15:05:09 -0600, Dale wrote: > I'll add this just to show how confusing this is. My old DVD burner and > new Blu-ray burner uses a different screw than the hard drives. Luckily > my case has slots for hard drives but my external enclosures require > screws which is how I know they are different. Some will work fine with > what looks like a bolt head while others, like yours, require a counter > sunk screw head that sits flat. Generally, the local home type stores > don't have any of this either. I checked my local Lowes once. They > have tiny screws but either the head is wrong, the threads, length or > something. > > It is annoying. I ended up getting two types of screws. One that fits > my DVD/Blu-ray drive and one that fits a hard drive, so far at least. I > mostly have WD and Seagate. Some other brand may have something > different. The one I have that seems to work best is this: 6/32 6-32 > 6#-32 I put all the combinations of that just in case. The most common > is 6-32 but could vary by website. Your mileage may vary tho. > > My advice, buy a grab bag of hardware for puters. Then pray. Or, find > what should fit, even if it is more than one type, order them all. I > have collected a storage bin full of screws over the years. I got case > type screws covered but drives seem to be different. > > Why can't they pick one screw type and make it the standard??? Why have one standard when you can have many? ;-) Seriously thought, there is a standard size for hard drives and a standard size for optical/floppy drives. I've got plenty of each that have accumulated over the years, so if Peter lives in my neck of the woods he can come and help himself :) Otherwise, I've found Amazon a good source of fastener selection boxes. -- Neil Bothwick "Bad dog! Leave that wire alone.click.###@*##NO TERRIER pgpL1kVfkgrSN.pgp Description: OpenPGP digital signature
Re: [gentoo-user] [OT] mounting screws
Jack wrote: > On 2022.02.20 16:05, Dale wrote: >> Peter Humphrey wrote: >> > Hello list, >> > >> > This has nothing to do with Gentoo, but I don't know where else to >> ask. >> > >> > I have a couple of vertically mounted easy-swap disk caddies in the >> back of my >> > workstation, and I'm having trouble finding screws to mount the >> disk in the >> > caddy. Clearance is nil, so the screws must be countersunk so they >> aren't >> > proud of the surface. They seem to be m3 perhaps 5mm long. >> > >> > I just can't find any via Google. Can anyone in UK please help out? >> > >> >> >> I'll add this just to show how confusing this is. My old DVD burner and >> new Blu-ray burner uses a different screw than the hard drives. Luckily >> my case has slots for hard drives but my external enclosures require >> screws which is how I know they are different. Some will work fine with >> what looks like a bolt head while others, like yours, require a counter >> sunk screw head that sits flat. Generally, the local home type stores >> don't have any of this either. I checked my local Lowes once. They >> have tiny screws but either the head is wrong, the threads, length or >> something. >> >> It is annoying. I ended up getting two types of screws. One that fits >> my DVD/Blu-ray drive and one that fits a hard drive, so far at least. I >> mostly have WD and Seagate. Some other brand may have something >> different. The one I have that seems to work best is this: 6/32 6-32 >> 6#-32 I put all the combinations of that just in case. The most common >> is 6-32 but could vary by website. Your mileage may vary tho. >> >> My advice, buy a grab bag of hardware for puters. Then pray. Or, find >> what should fit, even if it is more than one type, order them all. I >> have collected a storage bin full of screws over the years. I got case >> type screws covered but drives seem to be different. >> >> Why can't they pick one screw type and make it the standard??? > But that's the great thing about standards - there are so many of > them. (https://xkcd.com/927/ which I think has been posted here before) >> >> Hope that helps. >> >> Dale > Have you tried asking at a local PC shop? They might just hand you a > few from the piles on their workbench. > > I don't have any close to me. Closest one is about 75 miles or so from here. I've been there a couple times but don't find myself close enough to just drop by. As it is now, I've got plenty. I ordered 100 of a few types and even if I only ever use one type, that's enough to last me a good while. Good idea if one has a puter store close by tho. Dale :-) :-)
Re: [gentoo-user] [OT] mounting screws
On 2022.02.20 16:05, Dale wrote: Peter Humphrey wrote: > Hello list, > > This has nothing to do with Gentoo, but I don't know where else to ask. > > I have a couple of vertically mounted easy-swap disk caddies in the back of my > workstation, and I'm having trouble finding screws to mount the disk in the > caddy. Clearance is nil, so the screws must be countersunk so they aren't > proud of the surface. They seem to be m3 perhaps 5mm long. > > I just can't find any via Google. Can anyone in UK please help out? > I'll add this just to show how confusing this is. My old DVD burner and new Blu-ray burner uses a different screw than the hard drives. Luckily my case has slots for hard drives but my external enclosures require screws which is how I know they are different. Some will work fine with what looks like a bolt head while others, like yours, require a counter sunk screw head that sits flat. Generally, the local home type stores don't have any of this either. I checked my local Lowes once. They have tiny screws but either the head is wrong, the threads, length or something. It is annoying. I ended up getting two types of screws. One that fits my DVD/Blu-ray drive and one that fits a hard drive, so far at least. I mostly have WD and Seagate. Some other brand may have something different. The one I have that seems to work best is this: 6/32 6-32 6#-32 I put all the combinations of that just in case. The most common is 6-32 but could vary by website. Your mileage may vary tho. My advice, buy a grab bag of hardware for puters. Then pray. Or, find what should fit, even if it is more than one type, order them all. I have collected a storage bin full of screws over the years. I got case type screws covered but drives seem to be different. Why can't they pick one screw type and make it the standard??? But that's the great thing about standards - there are so many of them. (https://xkcd.com/927/ which I think has been posted here before) Hope that helps. Dale Have you tried asking at a local PC shop? They might just hand you a few from the piles on their workbench.
Re: [gentoo-user] [OT] mounting screws
Peter Humphrey wrote: > Hello list, > > This has nothing to do with Gentoo, but I don't know where else to ask. > > I have a couple of vertically mounted easy-swap disk caddies in the back of > my > workstation, and I'm having trouble finding screws to mount the disk in the > caddy. Clearance is nil, so the screws must be countersunk so they aren't > proud of the surface. They seem to be m3 perhaps 5mm long. > > I just can't find any via Google. Can anyone in UK please help out? > I'll add this just to show how confusing this is. My old DVD burner and new Blu-ray burner uses a different screw than the hard drives. Luckily my case has slots for hard drives but my external enclosures require screws which is how I know they are different. Some will work fine with what looks like a bolt head while others, like yours, require a counter sunk screw head that sits flat. Generally, the local home type stores don't have any of this either. I checked my local Lowes once. They have tiny screws but either the head is wrong, the threads, length or something. It is annoying. I ended up getting two types of screws. One that fits my DVD/Blu-ray drive and one that fits a hard drive, so far at least. I mostly have WD and Seagate. Some other brand may have something different. The one I have that seems to work best is this: 6/32 6-32 6#-32 I put all the combinations of that just in case. The most common is 6-32 but could vary by website. Your mileage may vary tho. My advice, buy a grab bag of hardware for puters. Then pray. Or, find what should fit, even if it is more than one type, order them all. I have collected a storage bin full of screws over the years. I got case type screws covered but drives seem to be different. Why can't they pick one screw type and make it the standard??? Hope that helps. Dale :-) :-)
Re: [gentoo-user] [OT] mounting screws
On 2/20/22 10:24 AM, Peter Humphrey wrote: Hello list, Hi, I have a couple of vertically mounted easy-swap disk caddies in the back of my workstation, and I'm having trouble finding screws to mount the disk in the caddy. Clearance is nil, so the screws must be countersunk so they aren't proud of the surface. They seem to be m3 perhaps 5mm long. I just can't find any via Google. Can anyone in UK please help out? I consider screw / bolt / etc. acquisition to start with three primary things: 1) Thread identification; diameter and pitch of threads 2) Length identification 3) Head identification; what sort of screw head do you need? Once you have this information, chances are quite good that you will be able to find a screw / bolt (that you can modify) to fit your needs. I would expect the thread to be well known / documented for the type of hard drive you're using. Maybe even some of the length information related to how much goes into the drive body. You might be able to find out some head information from documents from the manufacturer of the drive sled, maybe some length information too. I have a micrometer that I use for measuring some things like this. It's an inexpensive plastic one from a local hardware store, but it gets the job done. (I'm only going to one decimal place on mm measurements.) -- Grant. . . . unix || die
Re: [gentoo-user] [OT] mounting screws
On Sun, Feb 20, 2022 at 10:25 AM Peter Humphrey wrote: > > Hello list, > > This has nothing to do with Gentoo, but I don't know where else to ask. > > I have a couple of vertically mounted easy-swap disk caddies in the back of my > workstation, and I'm having trouble finding screws to mount the disk in the > caddy. Clearance is nil, so the screws must be countersunk so they aren't > proud of the surface. They seem to be m3 perhaps 5mm long. > > I just can't find any via Google. Can anyone in UK please help out? > > -- > Regards, > Peter. > I've purchased a couple of kits like this link from Amazon a couple of times and generally found them helpful. Not expensive if they don't have exactly what you need. This is Amazon US but I suspect the UK has similar. https://www.amazon.com/QTEATAK-300Pcs-Notebook-Computer-Replacement-Toshiba/dp/B07LC74BC3
Re: [gentoo-user] [OT] mounting screws
On Sunday, 20 February 2022 17:24:44 GMT Peter Humphrey wrote: > Hello list, > > This has nothing to do with Gentoo, but I don't know where else to ask. > > I have a couple of vertically mounted easy-swap disk caddies in the back of > my workstation, and I'm having trouble finding screws to mount the disk in > the caddy. Clearance is nil, so the screws must be countersunk so they > aren't proud of the surface. They seem to be m3 perhaps 5mm long. > > I just can't find any via Google. Can anyone in UK please help out? Apologies - I meant to hit CTRL-S to save that, but muscle memory took over. -- Regards, Peter.
[gentoo-user] [OT] mounting screws
Hello list, This has nothing to do with Gentoo, but I don't know where else to ask. I have a couple of vertically mounted easy-swap disk caddies in the back of my workstation, and I'm having trouble finding screws to mount the disk in the caddy. Clearance is nil, so the screws must be countersunk so they aren't proud of the surface. They seem to be m3 perhaps 5mm long. I just can't find any via Google. Can anyone in UK please help out? -- Regards, Peter.
