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TOPIC: Ideas for Retention Screws

Ideas for Retention Screws 4 months 3 days ago #73317

  • Heliolord
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I want to add a couple more retention screws to my saber and I'd like to make a pair of thin thumb screws with a narrow, ridged, black plastic cap sort of reminiscent of a valve cap like you'd see on tires or a cap from a toothpaste tube. I'd like to just cut the head off a normal 8-32 screw, drill out a hole in one end of the plastic piece, and screw the screw in with some glue to hold it.

Any ideas on what I could use for the black plastic cap?
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Ideas for Retention Screws 4 months 3 days ago #73318

  • For Tyeth
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Hi Heliolord,

This might not quite be the answer you were looking for but have you considered making your own using casting acrylic? That way using acrylic you could make/use a mold for any shape you want and you can set the 8/32 shaft straight into it. I think you could make kill key caps that way too.
The resin can be coloured and when set, sanded etc. Just a thought and something different.

Kind regards,
For Tyeth
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Ideas for Retention Screws 4 months 3 days ago #73319

  • Gorobulus
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Heliolord wrote:
I want to add a couple more retention screws to my saber and I'd like to make a pair of thin thumb screws with a narrow, ridged, black plastic cap sort of reminiscent of a valve cap like you'd see on tires or a cap from a toothpaste tube. I'd like to just cut the head off a normal 8-32 screw, drill out a hole in one end of the plastic piece, and screw the screw in with some glue to hold it.

Any ideas on what I could use for the black plastic cap?

You can actually buy all manner of retention thumb screws from the custom saber shop.
I believe most saberforge sabers use an 8x32 thread, but don't quote me on that.

http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/8-32-Thread-C43.aspx

(Cant seem to make it hyperlink. Apparently, I suck at forum skills)
Last Edit: 4 months 3 days ago by Gorobulus.
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Ideas for Retention Screws 4 months 3 days ago #73320

  • Heliolord
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Gorobulus wrote:
You can actually buy all manner of retention thumb screws from the custom saber shop.
I believe most saberforge sabers use an 8x32 thread, but don't quote me on that.

http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/8-32-Thread-C43.aspx

(Cant seem to make it hyperlink. Apparently, I suck at forum skills)

I looked them over, but I'm looking for something thinner than the half inch thumb screws they already have.
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Ideas for Retention Screws 4 months 3 days ago #73321

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For Tyeth wrote:
Hi Heliolord,

This might not quite be the answer you were looking for but have you considered making your own using casting acrylic? That way using acrylic you could make/use a mold for any shape you want and you can set the 8/32 shaft straight into it. I think you could make kill key caps that way too.
The resin can be coloured and when set, sanded etc. Just a thought and something different.

Kind regards,
For Tyeth

That's an interesting idea. I hadn't thought of casting something. And it would be useful to eventuallyake a custom kill key for my saber. Guess I can look into casting acrylic. I guess I can look into finding a fairly small toothpaste cap.
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Ideas for Retention Screws 4 months 3 days ago #73322

  • KelbornX
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Gluing the body of a screw to a cap should work, just need to be careful not to break the glue when tightening it.

I used a Red Acetal Thumb Screw from TCSS on my Dark Crusader ASP. I thought it would be too wide at first, but it actually looks really good. The knurled metal ones at the top of that page on TCSS are all .55" across and look a bit odd, but the acetal ones are just the right size. I think the stainless knurled one at the bottom of the page is smaller than 1/2" but I could be wrong.

You could also use the sockethead screw for a Covertech wheel if you just want something small. I believe that, or similar, is what GCS uses on their sabers. I did that on my latest ASP.

Bad angle and I'm too lazy to take a different pic, but you can kind of see the sockethead screw under the emitter right up against the stand. It's an option, at least.

Aeon, Arbiter, Bastion, Consular, Gladius, Phoenix, Resilient (staff), Vanquish, Vengeance, Xiphos (2)
ASP Dark Crusader, ASP Claíomh Solais
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Ideas for Retention Screws 4 months 3 days ago #73323

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KelbornX wrote:
Gluing the body of a screw to a cap should work, just need to be careful not to break the glue when tightening it.

I used a Red Acetal Thumb Screw from TCSS on my Dark Crusader ASP. I thought it would be too wide at first, but it actually looks really good. The knurled metal ones at the top of that page on TCSS are all .55" across and look a bit odd, but the acetal ones are just the right size. I think the stainless knurled one at the bottom of the page is smaller than 1/2" but I could be wrong.

You could also use the sockethead screw for a Covertech wheel if you just want something small. I believe that, or similar, is what GCS uses on their sabers. I did that on my latest ASP.

Bad angle and I'm too lazy to take a different pic, but you can kind of see the sockethead screw under the emitter right up against the stand. It's an option, at least.


Hey KelbornX I was thinking of getting the black acetal thumbscrew for my Arbiter I just got. Could you maybe pop your red one in your Arbiter and let me know how it fits? How it looks and your opinion on if you think its a good choice?
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Ideas for Retention Screws 4 months 3 days ago #73324

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I won't have my Arbiter for a few more days since Jas-Ot just finished the repair on the LED.

But I can say that the acetal thumb screw will most likely end up sticking out past the emitter a bit, since the retention screw is so close. If you measure 1/4" from the center of the hole, that will be the radius of the acetal screw. Putting it on my Consular, I think they're a bit large for the Apprentice sabers. I plan to use a black sockethead screw on mine.
Aeon, Arbiter, Bastion, Consular, Gladius, Phoenix, Resilient (staff), Vanquish, Vengeance, Xiphos (2)
ASP Dark Crusader, ASP Claíomh Solais
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Ideas for Retention Screws 4 months 3 days ago #73325

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KelbornX wrote:
I won't have my Arbiter for a few more days since Jas-Ot just finished the repair on the LED.

But I can say that the acetal thumb screw will most likely end up sticking out past the emitter a bit, since the retention screw is so close. If you measure 1/4" from the center of the hole, that will be the radius of the acetal screw. Putting it on my Consular, I think they're a bit large for the Apprentice sabers. I plan to use a black sockethead screw on mine.

Hmm, yea the screw hole is very near the top of the emitter. Although I don't think its really the end of the world if the thumb screw itself is a bit above the emitter. Its for easy tool free twisting more than looks.

What about this one? You think its smaller than the acetal?
http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/8-32-x-38-Stainless-Steel-thumb-screw-P538.aspx
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Ideas for Retention Screws 4 months 2 days ago #73333

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It looks like it should be. I'll find out in a few days since I just added one onto my order of misc stuff. :silly:
Aeon, Arbiter, Bastion, Consular, Gladius, Phoenix, Resilient (staff), Vanquish, Vengeance, Xiphos (2)
ASP Dark Crusader, ASP Claíomh Solais
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Ideas for Retention Screws 4 months 2 days ago #73334

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If you're looking for more thumb screw options, you may want to check out the Grainger or McMaster-Carr websites. On the McMaster-Carr website, you just go to "Screws and Bolts":




Then "Thumb Screws":




Here are some knurled thumb screws in 8-32:



If you're looking for a smaller diameter head, the "narrow head" thumb screws might work for you. Or you can check out the multitude of other screw types. Unfortunately, some of the screws need to purchased in larger packs, but some you can buy individually.
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Ideas for Retention Screws 4 months 2 days ago #73338

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KelbornX wrote:
It looks like it should be. I'll find out in a few days since I just added one onto my order of misc stuff. :silly:

I actually found a socket head that I had lying around very similar to the one you're using on your ASP. Turns out it isn't using an allen wrench I didn't like, it was hunting for that tiny screw hole in the dark lol.

Im probably going to order a variety pack of different thumb screw/retention screws just to have some options to play around with. Having various screws lying around is never a bad thing anyway.
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Ideas for Retention Screws 3 months 3 weeks ago #73526

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Gorobulus wrote:
What about this one? You think its smaller than the acetal?
http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/8-32-x-38-Stainless-Steel-thumb-screw-P538.aspx

Got in my last TCSS order of random bits and this screw actually fits the Arbiter emitter perfectly; it comes flush to the top edge. It's about 2/3 the size of the acetal screw head. So if you want a larger screw than the little covertec sockethead ones, this one is nice.
Aeon, Arbiter, Bastion, Consular, Gladius, Phoenix, Resilient (staff), Vanquish, Vengeance, Xiphos (2)
ASP Dark Crusader, ASP Claíomh Solais
Last Edit: 3 months 3 weeks ago by KelbornX.
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