# hi new here. with question,



## duki (Feb 28, 2010)

hi, 
my parents recently returned me all my old train stuff (and mounds of other stuff) and for the most part everything is sound. however, there were two engines that needed minor repairs. 
my question is where can i get these impossibly small machine bolts? and what sizes do they come in?
one bolt is needed to hold the bottom plate on to a HO narrow gauge roco mine engine.
any help appreciated.
john


----------



## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

My local hobby shop has a decent supply of very small machine bolts, nuts, etc. I'll bet yours does, too.


----------



## duki (Feb 28, 2010)

i went to one train store in brooklyn they told me HO was basically disposable, like a razor was his analogy. is there anywhere on line?
john


----------



## tkruger (Jan 18, 2009)

duki said:


> i went to one train store in brooklyn they told me HO was basically disposable, like a razor was his analogy. is there anywhere on line?
> john


That depends largely on what you have. The entry level Bachmann, Life Like and Model Power are like that. Tyco require cannibalism to make most repairs requiring a part. Older (cast metal pre Tyco) Mantua engines can be repaired and parts are available online. Athern locos also have parts available.

What is the manufacturer of your trains? Do you have pictures? There might be common issues that we have solved already and can tell you what is needed. I have seen locos repowered with motors from CD ROM drives. I fixed a Tyco Chattanooga Choo Choo with a dab of solder on a gear.


----------



## Doneldon (Mar 11, 2010)

Your Roco piece will need metric fasteners. You might find it easier to drill and tap for slightly larger SAE fasteners. Tiny SAE parts are hard enough to find; metric must require a real search.


----------



## duki (Feb 28, 2010)

what is SAE ?

I noticed walthers has metric screws I'm just ignorant as to how to know which one I need. 

btw thanks for the responses they are appreciated.
john


----------



## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

Metric is based on the meter.
SAE is based on the yard but uses fractions of an inch. 
It may stand for society of american engineers.


----------



## duki (Feb 28, 2010)

ah, the english system....
in walthers screws are described as, for instance, 1.4 x .43 x 2 mm
i would guess 2 of the dims are width and length but the third?

maybe i'm belaboring this too much?
john


----------



## Reckers (Oct 11, 2009)

No, duki, all knowledge is valuable. First, though, welcome to the forum! Now...screws and bolts. American stuff...SAE, or Society of American Engineers, as T-Man mentioned, is based on the inch, foot, yard and mile. If you are in the USA, it's the stuff you grew up with. Metric is the European standard, based on the milimeter (mm), centimeter, meter and kilometer.

A machine screw or bolt is defined by material, head style, diameter, length, and thread pitch. Let's ignore material and head style, since most people know steel from brass and a phillips head from a blade-tip head. One of America's favorite bolts is the 1/4-20. That means it's 1/4" in diameter and has 20 threads per inch. Add the length you want for the shaft (2", for example), and you have a 2" 1/4-20 screw or bolt. For metrics, I quote a website: "For metric threads, the thread pitch is given in millimeters per thread. Thus, an M2 x 0.4 screw has threads every 0.4mm". Here's the site: http://www.wikihow.com/Read-a-Screw-Thread-Callout

Hope that helps!


----------



## Mit (Feb 12, 2010)

It worries me that your hobby shop calls HO scale disposable; considering this stuff is ranges in price from a few dollars to a few hundred dollars! I would consider, seriously, of not buying anything from that shop, since he considers his wares as "disposable" (trash) you will get nothing from him if you buy a 200 dollar locomotive and it doesn't work from the box. Wonder if this guy sells his "disposable" wares on ebay?


----------



## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

John,

Do a quick web search for "tiny machine screws" ... add "metric", too. You'll find lots of supplier sources.

MicroMark (which sells hobby stuff) has tiny metric screws ... either by individual type, or via an assorted kit like this ...

http://www.micromark.com/MICRO-SCREW-ASSORTMENT-10-SIZES-100-EACH,8545.html

Follow Reck's advise to see if you can determine (count, really) the thread spacing ... 20 threads in 10 mm would be a thread pitch of 0.5, for example. Do you have access to a micrometer? (Accurate small-distance measuring tool.) If so, determine the screw "major" diameter, i.e., the diameter to the outside edge of the threads.

You can certainly go the "drill and tap" route, too ... but you'll need a proper thread-tap.

Good luck!
TJ


----------



## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

I started with cheep tap and die sets so now I have the thread rulers. Screws can be found at a good hardware store. Fastenal is another company if they are in your area. I would not mail because of cost.


----------



## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Mit said:


> It worries me that your hobby shop calls HO scale disposable; considering this stuff is ranges in price from a few dollars to a few hundred dollars! I would consider, seriously, of not buying anything from that shop, since he considers his wares as "disposable" (trash) you will get nothing from him if you buy a 200 dollar locomotive and it doesn't work from the box. Wonder if this guy sells his "disposable" wares on ebay?


I agree is that shop in Brooklyn, NY City?


----------



## duki (Feb 28, 2010)

wow thanks reckers and tjcruiser and T-man that helped alot! i'll check follow up on all this advise.

yes trainland in long island, they have a sister store in brooklyn. trainland is heavily invested in bigger gauge trains, and trainworld (brooklyn) is a discount place with good prices. I'm not knocking them, but when i was a kid it seemed there was a bigger emphasis on modeling as opposed to, more or less, toys.

I can see from this site though modeling isn't dead.



john


----------



## Reckers (Oct 11, 2009)

Modeling is far from dead, Duki. I'd like to give you the addy for another site to check out: http://ogaugerr.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a/frm/f/3681097934
Our guys are no slouches when it comes to modelling, but these guys are elves or something. *L* Nice to have you with us!


----------



## duki (Feb 28, 2010)

wow cool site thanks
john


----------



## Reckers (Oct 11, 2009)

Anytime. You ask, we deliver. *L*


----------



## imatt88 (Jan 31, 2010)

Welcome aboard, Duki:thumbsup:

I agree with Mit, since when are HO items considered disposable?

Kinda scary

Cheers, Ian


----------



## bradimous1 (Mar 3, 2010)

Reckers said:


> Anytime. You ask, we deliver. *L*


can I get $600... I am looking to upgrade to DCC and get a nice turntable. I am not looking at top of the line stuff, but decent stuff.


----------

