2-56 and other small screw cutters or compatible tool for modification

[coppercone2]

I have a ATS brand screw cutter guilotine and some milwakee shears that can cleave screws, the idea is you thread in a screw and close the pliers or strike it with a hammer to cleave the screw. My stuff only goes down to 4-40. I wanted this capability for smaller screws.

I cant find a tool to purchase for this job.

Does anyone know of a tool that will handle 2-56 , and smaller? Like a watchmakers tool?

Or have an idea how to modify a existing tool to handle this? I doubt I can mod the ATS cutter which is hardened steel, but perhaps I can drill and tap some holes in some other tool to add this capability?

[themadhippy]

but perhaps I can drill and tap some holes in some other tool to add this capability?

ive an old crimp tool with a screw cutter that does a pretty good job,smallest it goes down to is 6ba ,but looking at it theres room to add a couple of smaller threads,the cutting edge dont look anything special either,just a hole slightly bigger then the screw.

[coppercone2]

Hmm well there is a issue of burr.

I figure if you use a counter sink it won't work right. But you don't want a crappy hole either. Best I thought is to clamp it flush with a block of steel, and drill the hole. Like normally you only do this for wood and thin metals, but if you do it with a thick metal you might end up with a good hole. And then ream it.

Maybe mod one of those cheap electricians tools for crimping and stripping?

And should you attempt to harden the hole some how? I thought induction.


I heard you can hook up a inductor heater to a chipped ferrite core (like dangerous coil) to make a high flux at the damaged area, which can heat edges.

I am guessing a torroidal core with a nibble in it or something like that?

[KE5FX]

For cutting 2-56 and smaller, just use a beefy pair of dikes.

If you thread one or two nuts onto the screw first, the act of unscrewing them will repair any deformation nicely. 

[coppercone2]

they are nice you can tune it to a 1/10 of a turn its worth the effort to build one if you can.
I am in love with the ATS cutter. it feels like using a banana as a screw driver if you have the real tool

If you care about if the end of screw is flat, then you need to still file a bit. but if you just need length its nearly perfect

side cutters leave an annoying bur, its not smooth to screw in, and you need to fixture and file it, you can't file it in the hole you plan on using, since it can damage threads of the recpetacle


And I guess the nut can make it similar, but its still a bullshit way to do it. there should be a tool. Its too fiddly and annoying.  I hate it. That is how you get fat from stress eating


I also feel extreme agitation if I have to thread nuts on little screw and stuff like that, it makes me procrastinate and avoid the work as much as possible.

[KE5FX]

I mean, we're talking 2-56.  10 seconds with a file will make it look as good as you want, and unscrewing the nut(s) will do the rest.

[coppercone2]

do 10 screws 

lets say a tiny RF can then you might need 20

I don't do screw minimization for my projects like modern a corporate design effort does

and my drill holes and poor manufacturing technique often means I need a bunch of different screws because maybe a drill slipped in a collet or something.

[brichards42]

I have also looked without success for a screw cutter that works on <4-40.  I wonder if it is because screws smaller than 4-40 tend to be made out of stainless which may be to hard to cut with a shearing action.

I 3d printed a small U shaped device with an embedded #2 nut on one side an a #8 on the other.  I use the #8 as a stop to maintain consistent length.  I clamp the thing in a vise and cut with a fine pitch hacksaw. 

[thm_w]

I guess a dedicated version like this with smaller threads https://www.amazon.co.jp/-/en/EA545AK-10-M3-M6-inches-Small-Cutter/dp/B0BSFLLB1F
This one does M2: https://www.dazmode.com/shop/modding/modding-tools/6-in-1-multi-purpose-wire-pliers-and-m2-m5-screw-cutter/
So switch to metric.

Small screws are so cheap though, if you are doing 10-20pc I'd rather have a set of varying lengths ready to go.
Its <$1 for 50pc on aliexpress... $50 buys you a LOT of screw lengths.

[T3sl4co1l]

Easy:

1. Get a pair of hardened nuts.  Or one long one and cut it in half.
2. Grind the faces down to remove chamfer, exposing the thread cross section in sharp detail.  This becomes the cutting edge.
2a. Also grind one or both so that the faces are just touching (or within whatever clearance you can achieve in subsequent steps) while the hex bodies are aligned / parallel / same angle.
3. Get/make a shear mechanism; punch, broach, drill* or file a hex hole through both jaws, to mount the nuts in.  They don't have to be bonded in place, but they do have to be lined up to the shear plane, and held straight while shearing.  (Note they can't be welded or brazed, as that would ruin the heat treatment, and soft solder is probably too weak.)
4. Thread the nuts onto the victim, slide the assembly into the shear, and wrench away.  Tink, done and done.

The usual filing and chamfering on the thread will be needed anyway, and a cutoff wheel will do all of this a heck of a lot faster.

*There is such a thing as a polygonal hole drill, though it's a bit obscure / esoteric / of a curiosity; I don't know how practical it really is, or accurate.

Tim

[coppercone2]

this is ridiculous. I wonder if you can make it out of old gauge blocks. I like the hammer mechanism.

I wonder

How about a small plate of the AR500 steel (used for bulldozer teeth). That shit might work

The big ATS cutter is built really solid, but it can also cleave a hardened 1/4 inch bolt (I tried) with some effort.
For a smaller screw I think you could make it out of a few parts

maybe I will just try drilling a hole in steel, soldering some guide rails to the side and striking the bolt with a old gauge block I can sit in there. It might work

[coppercone2]

Actually maybe I got an idea from that hardened nut.

if you can solder hardened steel, then you can solder the nut to something that goes in a vise and then it can be filed nicely. Then you have a hardened holder that the file should skid off of once you get near level. i forgot i made one like 8 years ago for 1/4


for big bolts you can braze a washer into a nut to make a bolt that holds a smaller conical head screw and fits good in a vise

Better for filing might be to make the same mechanism but to have a big bolt that goes under the little nut so you can put the 2-56 bolt in there and tighten it from the bottom so it does not move like a clamp.

maybe

big nut -> small washer -> hardened nut. Then you put a big bolt into the big nut after you insert a tiny screw into the hardened nut to keep it absolutely stable.

But I wonder if it will hold or pop open.


Or instead of a nut you use a cap. maybe they call a full metal thread on cap a bolt protector or something, then its only one piece. Like a hydrualic cap with a hole drilled in it.

a large thread blind nut would work



drilled Brass flat top cap nut with a hardened 2-56 nut soldered on top over the hole. !!!!

or just thread the nut and glue a hardened washer on top to protect the brass then it should file flat and level. But the brass won't deburr and the hardened nut might help it after filing or sandin, and it can be real thin so long you hold it on the bottom with a bolt. I just dont wanna deal with making a hexagon cutout to secure it properly 


oh i know you can probobly use a circular broach nut and glue it in  to a cylinder bore, but that might pop out from the pressure from the back

needs nasa




or maybe you can spot weld the nut on. i bet that might work and leave it hard enough despite melting on the corners.

[coppercone2]

alright whatever this thing is it should work

1) 2-56 flange nut
2) spot weld to drilled flat cap nut
3) insert 2-56 screw
4) cut screw
5) lower screw till bearly sticking out
6) insert bolt or drilled bolt for longer 2-56 screw into back of cap nut
7) tighten
file in vise

at least its a good fixable holder

this process should be OK as in not mad irritating because of two tiny nuts or making some threaded in hardened or whatever. I can actually visualize using it so long you use a big cap nut like 3/8 at least so you dont have small things to deal with during screw production

yeah because if you try to use loose 2-56 nuts your gonna end up dropping them alot. I would need a little hand attached to me index finger to be able to work with those normally

[David Hess]

I have never seen sheer cutters smaller than 4-40 either.  I just cut the screw and then true the end up with a file or grinding wheel.  I have a 2-56 threading die if required to true up the threads.

[coppercone2]

there is one but the fucking thing is not been for sale. I think I looked 2 years ago. https://ticonnector.com/elishewitz-screw-cutter-2/

[mag_therm]

I use M2, M3, M4 mostly socket head cap. I tap holes in Al frames and chassis etc.
Use a set of ball end drivers.
Recently spent about $60 each at Bolt Depot and RTL Fasteners to top up the screw box.
Better for me than messing around cutting screws to length.
Check RTL, presently have 50% off sale on some kits.

https://app.box.com/s/q762g8h39d188n6u5c1g24ixoaj57o4i

[DiodeDipShit]

Add a 2-56 option to Your guillotine or Milwaukee crimp/shears : If you can file Your tools, you can drill and tap them.
 A) Line drill at lower RPM (with a drill press) through both sides with a #50 cobalt drill, use oil (for the guillotine, it's best put a block of hard wood or aluminum in the gap to prevent drill walking and flex)
 B) Next, tap one side with a high quality tap and oil. ( OSG #1651505608 or equiv. ) 2-56's can snap easy: Best to use a tapping block or experienced hand. (While tapping, carefully reverse the tap a few times to reduce chip clogging. A tap holder is recommended.
 C) Lastly, Open up the screw through hole side with a #44 drill. Be careful drill does not grab, feed with slight pressure.

OR, ask Your local machine shop for an estimate.

[coppercone2]

hmm I figured it would not file but I did not try.

Machine shops don't like tapping hardened stuff, I already had this problem with them. He remade the part (for small machinists vise), tapped and got it carburized (like professional service) then ground it instead of trying to tap it, or something like that. And that is in exchange for a favor I did, not for money... so I am pretty sure he was not doing that to 'run the meter'.

[mendip_discovery]

Just buy lots of bolts of the correct length.

Though when I do have ones to cut I thread on a nut, cut with hacksaw or use the Angry Grinder. File if needed. Then take off the nut, this should tidy the thread.

[coppercone2]

If I could get a trained squirrel to work with tiny nuts I would but I can't. I hate working with that BS. Hand tools should be big.

[jpanhalt]

If I could get a trained squirrel to work with tiny nuts I would but I can't. I hate working with that BS. Hand tools should be big.

See solution offered by memdip_discovery.  Why did you bother asking?  Just switch to 1/8" hardware and scale everything else up.