1/4" threaded inserts in UK

(someone suggested I report here,
since you guys make "things")

bugbear wrote:
In order to build assorted camera gadgets, one
often runs into the hallowed 1/4" x 20 thread.

This is (actually) the old Whitworth standard,
but it's also used in all (smaller than medium format)
size cameras.

Since the UK has followed Europe, and most
connectors use metric threads, I am struggling
to find a source for these:

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.a...,43455&p=52800

Note the wide range of knobs, nuts, buts,
threaded inserts etc.

Can anyone advise me of a mail-order source
for anything similar in the UK with sane
prices (including postage)?

BugBear

bugbear wrote:
(someone suggested I report here,
since you guys make "things")

bugbear wrote:
In order to build assorted camera gadgets, one
often runs into the hallowed 1/4" x 20 thread.

This is (actually) the old Whitworth standard,
but it's also used in all (smaller than medium format)
size cameras.

Since the UK has followed Europe, and most
connectors use metric threads, I am struggling
to find a source for these:

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.a...,43455&p=52800

Note the wide range of knobs, nuts, buts,
threaded inserts etc.

Can anyone advise me of a mail-order source
for anything similar in the UK with sane
prices (including postage)?

BugBear
Not from one source.

A2 stainless, do lots of simple bolts in 1/4 Whit.
Elesa, have both a UK operation, and a US one. The UK part, will ship
anything from the US catalogue (with a slight delay).
Some specialist suppliers. 'Group Components' in Waltham Abbey ESSEX.
For some things, aviation suppliers (though tend to be expensive).
Some old traditional Ironmongers who still have stocks (Marshalls in
Cambridge for example).
Jncan plastics in Bristol. They do thumbwheels and knobs, and will do
custom stuff at quite reasonable prices, but also stock a lot of unusual
sizes.

Beware, that you may also get caught in the Whit versus UNC problem. The
camera thead, is defined as 1/4*20 Whit. However stuff made in the USA,
tends to have 1/4*20 UNC (Sbig cameras for example). This has a
different 'shape' too the tooth (basically 60 degree, rather than 55
degree, with a slightly different cutoff at the top and bottom). This
leads to threads that don't fit well, and can be either stiff, or loose
(depending on which way 'round' the error is), and weaker connections
than they should be...

Best Wishes

Roger Hamlett wrote:
bugbear wrote:
(someone suggested I report here,
since you guys make "things")

bugbear wrote:
In order to build assorted camera gadgets, one
often runs into the hallowed 1/4" x 20 thread.

This is (actually) the old Whitworth standard,
but it's also used in all (smaller than medium format)
size cameras.

Since the UK has followed Europe, and most
connectors use metric threads, I am struggling
to find a source for these:

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.a...,43455&p=52800

Note the wide range of knobs, nuts, buts,
threaded inserts etc.

Can anyone advise me of a mail-order source
for anything similar in the UK with sane
prices (including postage)?

BugBear
Not from one source.

A2 stainless, do lots of simple bolts in 1/4 Whit.
Elesa, have both a UK operation, and a US one. The UK part, will ship
anything from the US catalogue (with a slight delay).
Some specialist suppliers. 'Group Components' in Waltham Abbey ESSEX.
For some things, aviation suppliers (though tend to be expensive).
Some old traditional Ironmongers who still have stocks (Marshalls in
Cambridge for example).
Jncan plastics in Bristol. They do thumbwheels and knobs, and will do
custom stuff at quite reasonable prices, but also stock a lot of unusual
sizes.

Good info - thanks.


Beware, that you may also get caught in the Whit versus UNC problem. The
camera thead, is defined as 1/4*20 Whit.

From another (USENET!) thread, apparently not;
further, I emailed Cullman (a reputable tripod
maker in Germany)

Dear Paul,

Thank you very much for your e-mail and your interest in CULLMANN-products.

Yes, we confirm for our camera threads 1/4" - 20 UNC and M16-1.

Best regards

Marion Derbali
Export Department
CULLMANN Foto·Audio·Video GmbH
Kapell-Leite 2
90579 Langenzenn
Germany


Apparently the camera/tripod thread is 1/4 UNC.


However stuff made in the USA,
tends to have 1/4*20 UNC (Sbig cameras for example). This has a
different 'shape' too the tooth (basically 60 degree, rather than 55
degree, with a slightly different cutoff at the top and bottom). This
leads to threads that don't fit well, and can be either stiff, or loose
(depending on which way 'round' the error is), and weaker connections
than they should be...

Quite right UNC != BSW, although most camera sockets
are So... slack, they both tend to work (well enough)

BugBear

bugbear wrote:
Roger Hamlett wrote:
bugbear wrote:
(someone suggested I report here,
since you guys make "things")

bugbear wrote:
In order to build assorted camera gadgets, one
often runs into the hallowed 1/4" x 20 thread.

This is (actually) the old Whitworth standard,
but it's also used in all (smaller than medium format)
size cameras.

Since the UK has followed Europe, and most
connectors use metric threads, I am struggling
to find a source for these:

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.a...,43455&p=52800

Note the wide range of knobs, nuts, buts,
threaded inserts etc.

Can anyone advise me of a mail-order source
for anything similar in the UK with sane
prices (including postage)?

BugBear
Not from one source.

A2 stainless, do lots of simple bolts in 1/4 Whit.
Elesa, have both a UK operation, and a US one. The UK part, will ship
anything from the US catalogue (with a slight delay).
Some specialist suppliers. 'Group Components' in Waltham Abbey ESSEX.
For some things, aviation suppliers (though tend to be expensive).
Some old traditional Ironmongers who still have stocks (Marshalls in
Cambridge for example).
Jncan plastics in Bristol. They do thumbwheels and knobs, and will do
custom stuff at quite reasonable prices, but also stock a lot of
unusual sizes.

Good info - thanks.


Beware, that you may also get caught in the Whit versus UNC problem.
The camera thead, is defined as 1/4*20 Whit.

From another (USENET!) thread, apparently not;
further, I emailed Cullman (a reputable tripod
maker in Germany)

Dear Paul,

Thank you very much for your e-mail and your interest in
CULLMANN-products.

Yes, we confirm for our camera threads 1/4" - 20 UNC and M16-1.

Best regards

Marion Derbali
Export Department
CULLMANN Foto·Audio·Video GmbH
Kapell-Leite 2
90579 Langenzenn
Germany


Apparently the camera/tripod thread is 1/4 UNC.


However stuff made in the USA, tends to have 1/4*20 UNC (Sbig cameras
for example). This has a different 'shape' too the tooth (basically 60
degree, rather than 55 degree, with a slightly different cutoff at the
top and bottom). This leads to threads that don't fit well, and can be
either stiff, or loose (depending on which way 'round' the error is),
and weaker connections than they should be...

Quite right UNC != BSW, although most camera sockets
are So... slack, they both tend to work (well enough)

BugBear
Unfortunately, this is one of those 'not quite' standards.
Historically, in the UK, we changed from using Whit, to UNC, in the
second World War, where it was needed for compatibility with stuff being
imported from the US. The tripod bush, was defined and used for years as
1/4 Whit. After the War, a lot of kit used (and some still uses) the
Whit thread form. However so long as the 'nut' is Whit, a 1/4UNC 'bolt',
will fit it. Where there is a problem, is if the 'nut' is UNC, and you
try to use a Whit tripod bolt. Since a lot of kit now uses UNC, most
tripod manufacturers elect to use the UNC form, often with the tooth
shape slightly ahortened, which works in both (but with slightly reduced
potential strength...). Nobody now, would advertise kit as using Whit
for this thread, but suprisingly it is the better fit on quite a lot of
equipment (Nikon, Leica, Fuji etc.).
It is a real example, of how some 'standards', which have changed over
the years, can be a 'pain'.

Best Wishes