Small woodscrews needed for repair

[Matt Bigwood]

I'm nearing the end of the restoration of my Houghton 'The Queen' half-plate and need four small screws to reattach the front standard via the brass hinges. The original holes are on the bottom of the front standard, though other photos I've seen online show them attaching to the front. I've looked at the usual suspects like B&Q but they only sell them in large bags, and the local hardware shop near me, where you could literally buy individual screws, has long since closed. Any suggestions?

 

[Ian Grant]

You need an old-fashioned family run hardware store. I was walking past one in Eynsham a few months ago and my sister said the shop was brilliant and sold everything. I went in and came out with all their last small brass screws. I cleared out my local store a few years ago, they can't get any more from their suppliers.

The only place I've found online was in the US, until just now. I have plenty 1/4", but the heads are too small for that hinge, and also slightly too short as well.

I've just bought £29 worth of slotted head brass screws from here. If you can wait a few days I can take a screw out of my Houghton Duchess to check the size, to march.

Ian

 

[Matt Bigwood]

You need an old-fashioned family run hardware store. I was walking past one in Eynsham a few months ago and my sister said the shop was brilliant and sold everything. I went in and came out with all their last small brass screws. I cleared out my local store a few years ago, they can't get any more from their suppliers.

The only place I've found online was in the US, until just now. I have plenty 1/4", but the heads are too small for that hinge, and also slightly too short as well.

I've just bought £29 worth of slotted head brass screws from here. If you can wait a few days I can take a screw out of my Houghton Duchess to check the size, to march.

Ian

Thanks Ian, I've just been doing some searching and I see there is an old-fashioned hardware store north of Bristol so I might head down there later and see if they have anything suitable

 

[AnalogueWendy]

I get mine from Westfield Fasteners, and I also restored and now use a Houghton Whole-Plate. Westfield sell them in slightly larger bags but if you are going to use a folding field camera regularly you will need some spares. Mine all shed screws routinely

 

[Matt Bigwood]

I managed to get 20 screws in different sizes for 80 pence this afternoon so hopefully these will do the job.

 

[Ian Grant]

I managed to get 20 screws in different sizes for 80 pence this afternoon so hopefully these will do the job.

For that price in the UK it's quite old stock, well done.

Ian

 

[Ian Grant]

Most of the screws I've bought in Hardware stores have been made by Nettlefold, they pulled out of the fastener market in the early 1980s. I found plenty of Nettlefold brass screws online yesterday, prices vary from £7.30 for 10 to the £5.99 I paid for 50. All new (as in recent production) small brass screws sold here in the UK are Philips head.

In the US you can buy brand-new small flat head brass screws for between $4 to $8 per hundred.

Ian

 

[Alan Clark]

Can't see what the problem is. There are loads of small brass screws available out there. A company called Screwsline has thousands of them in a full range of gauges and lengths, and a variety of head shapes.