Okay, here is the situation: I have a pocketful of screws, 6-40 x .580" and I need to have 8 of the cut off to a LOA of .260" My usuall procedure is to spin a couple of nuts on the screw, slice it of with the Dremel and then use the nuts to chase he threads. Problem here is no 6-40 nuts.
What procedure do others use to cut screws to length and preserve the threads at the cut?
Regards,

Generally, I cut the screw just a bit long with the Dremel and file the end flat and to actual desired length with a medium cut narrow pillar file. Then file a slight chamfer on the thread edge and polish to suit. Never had a problem in losing the threads. Best to you.

[ 10-11-2003, 18:42: Message edited by: T Leeds ]

One could make a "nut" by taping thru a piece of steel. If the metal were the right thickness then just one piece would do.

The first suggestion is the easy way.

If they were very hard to get or expensive screws I would buy a 6 x 40 tap and tap a piece of steel .260 thick. Run the screws up and grind or file them flat, then back out. Since you have a dremel you could cut them off with a cutoff wheel and clean the threads up with a needle file or the edge of a knife.

Uhh, what Savage99 said.....

If you dont have a nut, cut it off and use a file to make a clean start into the threads.

I have been cutting screws to length for 45 years, since I was a little kid.

I am sure I am not doing it the right way, but it works.

I put on a nut, sometimes two before cutting the screw off.

Then I cut the screw off with a hack saw or Dremel cut off wheel.

Then I grind the cut smooth with the finer grit wheel on the grinder so the burr is very thin.

Then I uncrew the nut that is already on the screw until it is over the end of the screw.

I then work the nut back and forth in a 180 degree rotation until the burr is no longer giving the nut resistance.

For 6-48 threads on screws for scope mounts, I can't find any nuts, so I make them with a tap. I just buy 5/8" long 6-48 screws from Brownell's and shorten then to the length needed for each scope mount.

[ 10-11-2003, 23:48: Message edited by: Clark ]

i USE A SET OF ELECTRICIAN STRIPERS.
they come with the screw thread size4x thru 10x and all you do is screw the screw in to the sizze you want and squeeze the handle andwhen you screw the screw out it chases the thread..