Door handles from 1930s\1940s - where would I find some spindle screws?

Forums › Home Workshop DIY › Door handles from 1930s\1940s - where would I find some spindle screws?

geekIT

762 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 263

Topic # 223555 5-Oct-2017 17:38

My daughter bought a house in Dunedin that was built mid-30s. She's renovating it, but wants to keep all of the existing door furniture. Some of the screw\bolts that anchor the handles to the square spindles are missing. (So the handles fall off :-))

Anyone know what the thread type is (ie, whitworth, bsw) or where I might find some replacements?

She bought some 12mm x 3\16 from M10 but the thread is way too coarse.

Advice please :-)

k1w1k1d

465 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 140

Reply # 1878027 5-Oct-2017 18:05

Try Black Fasteners in Orari Street.

Rickles

1826 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 130

Reply # 1878374 6-Oct-2017 10:53

Here in Wellington we have a few housing second-hand/recycle places that have boxes of that sort of stuff ... must be a couple somewhere in Otago?

Post pic and I'll be happy to look if no luck down that way.

DarthKermit

4414 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 2427

Trusted

Reply # 1878377 6-Oct-2017 10:58

Take a screw out of a door knob that still has one, as a sample of what you need. You might be able to get some from a business that specialises in fasteners.

geekIT

762 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 263

Reply # 1878472 6-Oct-2017 13:44

Much thanks for the tips, guys. I'm at home in Otautau (Southland) and didn't bring a sample back with me.

But I'll get my daughter to take a pic and record the dimensions of a typical screw (I'd call them a machine screw)

BTW - where's Orari?

Cheers

Just had a belated thought: I should get her to count the threads over a set distance - like 10 threads over 12mm, for example. That, coupled with the diameter, should be enough description, maybe.

Shucks, back in the 'good old days' you could go to a place like B.W.Herbert in Auckland, or, even earlier (50s-60s) John Burns down near the Auckland waterfront. You could find most anything in their stores, AND buy 1 or 2 or 3 of what you wanted, not half a kilo or so that'd just rust away in storage.

linw

1916 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 374

Subscriber

Reply # 1878473 6-Oct-2017 13:53

Like DarthKermit says, the only really good way is to take a sample in to a fastener specialist. You can't realistically measure them yourself as you don't have the gauges used to assess thread type.

DarthKermit

4414 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 2427

Trusted

Reply # 1878474 6-Oct-2017 13:54

MM won't work. You'll be guaranteed those threads are imperial, so that would be threads per inch.

sleepy

259 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 11

Subscriber

Reply # 1878476 6-Oct-2017 13:57

One person supports this post

Shaws yard in south Dunedin might have some they recycle building bits

Rickles

1826 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 130

Reply # 1878481 6-Oct-2017 14:05

Shaws ... 15 Waverley St, South Dunedin

Technofreak

2853 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 491

Reply # 1878554 6-Oct-2017 16:30

The other option is to get a length of square shaft of the same size cut it to the correct length and drill and tap new threads.

Sony Xperia X running Sailfish OS. https://sailfishos.org The true independent open source mobile OS
Samsung Galaxy Tab S3
Nokia N1
Dell Inspiron 14z i5

k1w1k1d

465 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 140

Reply # 1878648 6-Oct-2017 19:53

Blacks Fasteners, 20 Orari Street, South Dunedin.

Get your daughter to take a sample screw to them.

Orari is on Highway 1 about 30km north of Timaru.

elpenguino

672 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 238

Reply # 1879153 7-Oct-2017 17:16

Another option is to drill out and tap to the next larger metric size. You don't need great mechanical strength since the force is sideways on the screw.

You'd just have to check the head size of any metric screw you plan to use matches any depressions on the handles.