Stupid new guy question

[oldcrow]

OK I've just about exhausted the search engine thing looking for a simple minor part. We always called them studs and I can't find them    I'm building a dedicated volt/amp meter to use with an old TripLight power supply I use to drive a battery charger and other stuff on the volts bench that use 12volts +- a couple volts.

Now this is no project for an engineer but I'm running into a block when it comes to the simplest part of this whole project. The insulated studs for the output terminals. The 1/4-20 simple old insulated studs. I CAN"T FIND ANY  I had a bunch in a junk box at one time but that box "disappeared" in a move some years back and now i go to Digikey and Jameco and nothing. I can find some super heavy duty insulated terminals from marine suppliers but all I need are simple 1/4-20 studs with the through hole insulators with a couple nuts. 

What is the "technical" name for these things that would result in a positive result in the Jameco or Digikey catalogs?

This is embarrassing! I've been a tech for 35 years and I'm drawing a total blank on a simple part.

[lapm]

banana plugs, terminal posts?

[oldcrow]

Not banana plugs This is a 15A supply and I'm driving some radios and battery chargers that pull some good current. I'm looking for heavy threaded studs 1/4 or 3/8 size for use with ring terminals.

I've tried terminal studs, bolts with no luck. When I search on terminal blocks I get the heavy duty marine blocks. I could use one of them but the things cost more than the LCD panel meters. STUPID!

I wish Radio Shack was still the Radio Shack I remember when I was a kid.

[Rory]

Are you talking about a feed-thru?

Example, split ceramic goes through hole, threaded stud through ceramic bushing:

http://www.surplussales.com/antennas/antennas-6.html

[lapm]

http://www.digikey.fi/product-search/en/connectors-interconnects/banana-and-tip-connectors-binding-posts/1442302

Something like these maybe? or  are you talking some sort of block connectors more often used in forklifts and suchs?

[oldcrow]

It would be a feed-thru if it were RF but I'm looking for the "stud" on the back of an old linear power supply.

The idea is to put a shunt and a couple panel meters in a project box that will live on top of the PR-15. Easy peasy right?

Everything but the terminals.

[oldcrow]

http://www.digikey.fi/product-search/en/connectors-interconnects/banana-and-tip-connectors-binding-posts/1442302

Something like these maybe? or  are you talking some sort of block connectors more often used in forklifts and suchs?

Close, very close.

[Rory]

It would be a feed-thru if it were RF but I'm looking for the "stud" on the back of an old linear power supply.

The idea is to put a shunt and a couple panel meters in a project box that will live on top of the PR-15. Easy peasy right?

Everything but the terminals.

Like the split black and red plastic insulators on the back of say, an Astron 12V power supply, right? 1/4" brass or copper threaded rod with pairs of nuts and washers on each side? 

Try a google image search on "threaded bulkhead terminal". Does that help?

[oldcrow]

Like the split black and red plastic insulators on the back of say, an Astron 12V power supply, right? 1/4" brass or copper threaded rod with pairs of nuts and washers on each side? 

Try a google image search on "threaded bulkhead terminal". Does that help?

EXACTLY!!! Gad the simplest things can be the toughest to get right!

[oldcrow]

Well I did get this figured out. Might not be the most "professional" or elegant solution but it shopuld work. I could make insulators out of a piece of derlin turned on a lathe. But I don't have a lathe and it's not in the budget for the immediate future.

But after a bit of thinking and a bit of looking at the old neighborhood hardware store I found a selection of nylon washers and standoffs that could be put together with a bit of CA to make a serviceable insulated bushing then a piece of allthread for the stud.

That is until I invest in a 700 dollar lathe to make 50 cent parts.   

[michaelym]

When I am looking for the "Technical" name of a mechanical part usually Google image search is the first place I go.

[SeanB]

$700 lathe needs $500 in cutting tools to work properly. But it can cut PTFE and nylon very well then. Just made a chuck for mine out of a very dead drill, had to cut the taper, and mostly got it right.