Brass tipped screws, how are they made?

[WobblyHand]

Occasionally I have seen brass tipped screws, like for a lathe spider. I'd like to make a spider and thought brass on the ends would be nice. McMaster has imperial socket head cap screws. Haven't found them yet for metric, but maybe I am searching for the wrong thing. I did find lots of metric set screws with brass tips, but not SHCS

How are they made? Is it just drill a hole in the bottom of the screw and press in a brass piece? I'm looking for M6 screws.

 

[jwmelvin]

Seems to me that an interference fit one way or the other would work. Or retaining compound. Not sure how commercial ones are made.

 

[markba633csi]

Yep that's it- you can make a threaded bushing to hold them in the lathe chuck for drilling, head end in
-Mark

 

[WobblyHand]

Yep that's it- you can make a threaded bushing to hold them in the lathe chuck for drilling, head end in
-Mark

I've made those threaded bushings before. Sure make things a lot easier!

For a brass pin to steel socket interference fit, how much larger should the pin be? 0.0005"? 0.001"? The brass is going to be shaved off when pressed in, right?

 

[mksj]

As you mentioned, drill a hole in the bottom of the screw and turn the brass tip with a slightly wider tip. Just get some brass rod at a hardware store. Does not necessarily have to be a press in fit, I usually use a small amount of red Loktite. I use a a 5C collet to hold everything, If you so not have one you could use two nuts on thread and chuck it up. Was a lot easier to make my own in the size I needed. Also have some that use fingers aganist the work and a ball bearing glued into the end of the bolt.

 

[epanzella]

I drill the bolt and machine the brass a few thou over with a larger button that will be exposed. The exact interference fit is not critical as I use a 20t press. The extra brass just sheers off. Then I turn the brass heads to make them perfectly concentric. Not really necessary but it makes them look nice.

 

[stupoty]

Someone ages ago had posted a small jig they made for holding bolts or threaded parts in a lathe chuck whilst doing this sort of thing. Can't remember who though.

I have done ok holding them by just the cap when doing this, I found the fit of the brass wasn't too critical as it's softness alows it to deform when tappy tap tapp'ed into the hole.

Stu

 

[jwmelvin]

Someone ages ago had posted a small jig they made for holding bolts or threaded parts in a lathe chuck whilst doing this sort of thing. Can't remember who though.

One approach is called a lantern chuck.

 

[stupoty]

One approach is called a lantern chuck.

Yeah was at least very similar to that if not the same.

Stu

 

[stupoty]

One approach is called a lantern chuck.

Thanks to your memory of the name , I have found the thread

Lantern Chuck

The Lantern Chuck shown is not my design. It was modeled after a Lantern Chuck from Model-Engineer in the UK which in turn may have originated from information gleaned from Tubal Cain’s Book, “Work holding in the Lathe”. There were no drawings for this tool only two photos’ showing a general...

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