Small screw thread gauge

**mklotz** · Dec 3, 2018, 11:38 AM

Despite years of working with tiny hardware, the inevitable decay of age has made it difficult to distinguish the smaller numbered screws by sight or touch.

The typical thread gauge doesn't include the smaller sizes so I decided to make myself a dedicated small screw thread gauge. A scrap of bronze (?) 1-3/8 x 1/2 x 1/8 was selected for its friendly threading behavior. (If you make one of these, by all means avoid steel, especially stainless; also aluminum for its gumminess.)

From left to right the screws are 00-90, 0-80, 1-72, 2-56, 3-48, 4-40, 5-40. For scale, the giant 5-40 is 0.125" diameter and the 00-90 is 0.047". I didn't include the even smaller 000-120 and 0000-160 since I seldom use them and the screws bend too easily on something that's going to be handled like this will.

**Jon** · Dec 3, 2018, 02:23 PM

Reminds me of one of my favorite mklotz tool builds:

Pocket Tools by mklotz

tags: magnet, measurement

**will52100** · Dec 3, 2018, 09:08 PM

Nice, and a very useful tool. I did something similar several years ago out of 1/8" annealed 1084. It's my cheat sheet for liner lock folders, got the tap size hole, tapped hole, and clearance for the screw hole, with sizes letter stamped so I know which is which.

**Beserkleyboy** · Dec 4, 2018, 03:38 AM

Marv, great work as always. I first looked at the photo and thought, yea, 3,4,5,6,7,8 and 9mm! Certainly my most used sizes! I'm afraid my dexterity is not what it once was, and have admitted defeat to the real small stuff...fortunately, I work wood, typically to 1/2 mm tolerance.. and my contact with metals is limited to hardware and bits and pieces for jigs and shop made accessories...and then, it's back to the 3,4,5,6,8 and 10mm staples. I still have (and buy) 'inferial' gear, as it still has a place in the DNA..thanks again for your inspirations, cheers.
Jim
30 yr expat in AUS

**DIYer** · Dec 6, 2018, 06:40 AM

Thanks mklotz! We've added your Small Screw Thread Gauge to our Measuring and Marking category,
as well as to your builder page: mklotz's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

Small Screw Thread Gauge by mklotz

tags: gauge, measurement