Paraclipse thumbscrew
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I know it well. I wondered when I adjusted mine what I would do if I broke one...LOL...
Sorry I ain't more help for ya.
make one:
Making a new one is probably not a big deal.
I'd start out with a big bolt of the appropriate size.
First you need the thread size and pitch.
Take it to a hardware store, and try to fit a nut to it.
Ya need the length.
Do the threads have to go all the way to the head?
What does the end need to look like?
What does it rest against?
We can customize it as required.
What about that hole down the middle?
Why is it there? Is it critical?
We can drill ya one if necessary.
Is it a hex-, spline-, or torx- head bolt?
Is the knurled head all that big a deal?
It -can- be chucked up in a lathe and the hex corners knocked off.
And it could be knurled or grooved vertically to give you a grip.
Maybe get some in-focus pictures of where it goes.
ALSO, look through the on-line catalogs of hardware suppliers.
They have outlets in large cities.
We have a bunch around LA, and I drop in occasionally for odd goodies.
They're also very friendly about getting my part from another store or headquarters if necessary.
Making a new one is probably not a big deal.
I'd start out with a big bolt of the appropriate size.
First you need the thread size and pitch.
Take it to a hardware store, and try to fit a nut to it.
Ya need the length.
Do the threads have to go all the way to the head?
What does the end need to look like?
What does it rest against?
We can customize it as required.
What about that hole down the middle?
Why is it there? Is it critical?
We can drill ya one if necessary.
Is it a hex-, spline-, or torx- head bolt?
Is the knurled head all that big a deal?
It -can- be chucked up in a lathe and the hex corners knocked off.
And it could be knurled or grooved vertically to give you a grip.
Maybe get some in-focus pictures of where it goes.
ALSO, look through the on-line catalogs of hardware suppliers.
They have outlets in large cities.
We have a bunch around LA, and I drop in occasionally for odd goodies.
They're also very friendly about getting my part from another store or headquarters if necessary.
If you're near a big city you can probably find one. Here in the Cincinnati area we've got a bunch of supply houses, some that specialize in fasteners, nuts, bolts etc...keep looking there's something out there that will work...I'd skip the big box stores though. Good Luck Blind
I know it well. I wondered when I adjusted mine what I would do if I broke one...LOL...
Sorry I ain't more help for ya.
Yeah, I thought it was a poor design. Some people love the Paraclipse but it hasn't really impressed me.
I know it well. I wondered when I adjusted mine what I would do if I broke one...LOL...
Sorry I ain't more help for ya.
Stogie,
My thoughts on that thumb screw are as follows, and I would like your opinion.
I was going to purchase some steel bolts (prefferably stainless steel) of the same size.
I do not have a lathe so I was going to go to the scrap metal place and pick up some solid aluminum stock maybe two inches in diameter and three inches long.
I was then going to drill a 1/4 inch hole approximately centered in that aluminum stock and completely through it.
Then I was going to enlarge the hole in the stock on one end to the same diameter as the bolt. The hole was only going to be large enough to accomodate the shank of the bolt, not all the way through to the other end of the aluminum.
Once that was accomplished I was going to insert the new bolt in to the stock, clamp it in a vise and use the smaller hole as a guide for the drill bit on my drill press.
My thinking is that this will allow me to center drill the bolt.
What do you think???
I dont know a whole helluva lot about machining, but I know about aluminum...but it will make a POOR drill guide, its WAY too soft. Your bit will likely walk all over trying to get it drilled right....most of the drill guides I ever used were carbide, at the least, to keep the bit straight.
To be honest, if one of mine broke I was just going to get some plastic spacers from the hardware and use them with some washers to make the distances exact. I already use them on my Paraclipse now, along with the nylon bolts we're speaking of....
If you remember when you were helping me with mine I asked you about those nylon bolt/spacer things....
I'd be willing to BET, SOMEONE in the wide,wide,world of hardware sells bolts with holes drilled through the center....
what's the hole for?
I was a couple of blocks from a nice industrial fastener store today.
But, since nobody gave me any specs, I had no reason to go look.
What's the purpose of the hole?
And , is the original part in nylon??
I was a couple of blocks from a nice industrial fastener store today.
But, since nobody gave me any specs, I had no reason to go look.
What's the purpose of the hole?
And , is the original part in nylon??
The hole is for a bolt that is secured with a nut, obviously, after the focal point has been set with the thumbscrew. The original thumbscrew is nylon. I don't know what the equivalent bolt size is.
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I'd be willing to BET, SOMEONE in the wide,wide,world of hardware sells bolts with holes drilled through the center....
Probably. But no one around here was able to help me with this even though I took one of the thumbscrews with me to show them what I'm looking for. A Menards employee mentioned some kind of superstore in Michigan that might have what I need but I don't know if I want to wade through several web pages looking for this.
If you can find a steel bolt of the same size and thread, it will be a simple task to cut it to length then drill the center hole on a lathe.
If the hole does not have to be perfectly centered, you can clamp a bolt securely in position on a drill press, and drill away after marking the center with a punch. A drill press vise would make this easy, but you can use a block of wood with a hole drilled in it to hold the bolt perfectly upright, and locking pliers on the bolt head to keep the bolt from spinning while you drill it.
If the hole does not have to be perfectly centered, you can clamp a bolt securely in position on a drill press, and drill away after marking the center with a punch. A drill press vise would make this easy, but you can use a block of wood with a hole drilled in it to hold the bolt perfectly upright, and locking pliers on the bolt head to keep the bolt from spinning while you drill it.
If you remember when you were helping me with mine I asked you about those nylon bolt/spacer things....
I'd be willing to BET, SOMEONE in the wide,wide,world of hardware sells bolts with holes drilled through the center....[/QUOTE]
Yeah, I recall kicking that topic around a little. I have not done much looking for suitable replacements because I have another paraclypse laying around disassembled. If a need a replacement I can use that and then go looking for new thumbscrews.
I'd be willing to BET, SOMEONE in the wide,wide,world of hardware sells bolts with holes drilled through the center....
[/QUOTE]Yeah, I recall kicking that topic around a little. I have not done much looking for suitable replacements because I have another paraclypse laying around disassembled. If a need a replacement I can use that and then go looking for new thumbscrews.
not rocket science:
I visited a local store of the Fastenal chain.
You should check if they have one near you.
They had big metal bolts, well beyond whatever size you need.
BUT, they also have nylon bolts of the socket-head variety.
They have a ribbed edge as in your picture.
I had to guess the proper size, but taking a 2" long, 1/2" diameter as a baseline, I checked the price.
Around 69¢, I believe.
You'd only have to choose the proper size, and drill a hole down the middle.
This link should get you close to the right area on their site.
edit:
having some trouble with my link to their site
Try this: Product Details | 1/2-13 x 2-1/2 Nylon Socket Head Cap Screw | Fastenal
Please do not assume I've linked to the correct screw you need.
I still don't know the proper diameter nor thread pitch.
I visited a local store of the Fastenal chain.
You should check if they have one near you.
They had big metal bolts, well beyond whatever size you need.
BUT, they also have nylon bolts of the socket-head variety.
They have a ribbed edge as in your picture.
I had to guess the proper size, but taking a 2" long, 1/2" diameter as a baseline, I checked the price.
Around 69¢, I believe.
You'd only have to choose the proper size, and drill a hole down the middle.
This link should get you close to the right area on their site.
edit:
having some trouble with my link to their site
Try this: Product Details | 1/2-13 x 2-1/2 Nylon Socket Head Cap Screw | Fastenal
Please do not assume I've linked to the correct screw you need.
I still don't know the proper diameter nor thread pitch.
Last edited:
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