[Farmall] K5

[Karl Olmstead]

I put in a big order for fillister head screws to MSC several years ago when 
I started working on magnetos, carbs and fuel pumps.  I got #8s, #10s and 
#12s in coarse and fine threads.  I replace every screw as I rebuild the 
magnetos.  Mainly because I'm too doggone lazy to sandblast and paint all 
those old screws.  It makes a big difference in the appearance of the 
rebuilt parts.  A fellow asked me last week where I got the NOS fuel pump on 
my F-14.  It was just one I had rebuilt.

I hadn't realized that #12 screws were no longer offered until you mentioned 
it, Steve.  My MSC catalog skips from #10 to 1/4".  That's not good; some 
old tractors used #12s.  In this case, it was just the right diameter 
(0.210") to replace the rusted off stop.

Just checked.  Taps for 12-24 and 12-28 are still offered in the catalog, 
but screws aren't.  Hmm...

Having a lathe and a mill opens up a lot of opportunities that I was not 
aware of before.  So far most of what I've done on them has been manufacture 
of tools, primarily for magneto assembly and disassembly.  F-4 impulse 
puller, tools to press in new bearing races, a big screwdriver to undo a 
special screw on a JD-H, etc.

It's hard to believe how well you can remove twisted off screws and bolts 
once you have a mill.  Orient the piece properly, center punch the old 
screw, drill it out, run in the tap, and the threaded hole is restored, with 
virtually zero damage.

-Karl
----------------

> Wow, nice work, Karl!  12-24 screw, huh?  You don't find
> those laying around every day.  We still use #12 screws on
> certain products at work but they're an oddball 12-32 UNS
> that was spec'd many moons ago, specifically to be
> 'different'.  There's nothing like having a milling machine,
> is there?
>
> Best regards,
> Steve O.
>