Screws, screws, screws help!

[Chiro75]

I'm a screw moron. Here's what I want to do:

Attach carbon fiber or G-10 (1/8" thick) to titanium liner material (I think it's 0.040" and it's milspec 6Al/4V). I'd like to tap the titanium (in another thread someone mentioned 8-36, but I don't know what that means) and countersink the holes in the CF so that the screws are below the surface of the material. My questions:

1) Can this be done?

2) What does x-yz mean when dealing with screw measurements? (Like what's the diff between 2-56 and 8-36?)

3) I'm envisioning those little microscopically tiny T6 Torx screws or the really tiny hex screws like on REKAT et al folders. Should I use something more robust? This will be for holding the CF/G-10 on the Ti for balisong handles.

4) What size screw should I use?

5) What type of screw should I use?

6) What size drill bit do I use?

7) What size and type of tap do I use?

8) Where do I buy all this stuff?

I'd prefer smaller/as small as reasonable screws for this project.

I know this is a lot to ask and I should go back to high school and take shop, so I apologize for the knuckleheadedness ahead of time.

 

[mete]

Threads have two numbers , the first refers to outer diameter of the screw and the second is the number of threads per inch. Larger threads have the dia in inches [ 1/4-20] smaller than 1/4" have a number system.There is also a fine and a coarse system [1/4-20 and 1/4-28].I addition there are different heads ,round, fillister, flat etc and different screwdriver types ; slotted, phillips, torx etc. ..An 8-36 is a bit over 1/8" and has 36 tpi.In a .040 thick piece that would give you just over one full thread, which is not very much to hold on.Dropping in size to a 4-40 thread would give you about two threads per inch....Buy a Sebenza, it already has scres in it !!!!...Do a computer search on 'screw threads' for more info.

 

[Droppoints]

An 8-36 screw is unnecessarily large for what you want to do. A 4-40 or 3-56 would be plenty adequate and give you much better thread purchase in the liner material as Mete mentioned above.

A 4-40 requires a #43 tap drill and a 3-56 a #45 tap drill. These are small screws and the recommended drill bits and taps are thin and unforgiving of poor technique.

Also, be aware that Ti, particularly 6/4, is notoriously difficult to machine so you have to be very careful while drilling and tapping it. Be sure to use a tapping fluid (lubricant) specifically recommended for Ti and use plenty of it.

Reading a book on machine shop practices would be a good investmentof time before you go much further.

 

[Don Hanson III]

R.B. Johnson has everything you need, he can tell you what size you need and how to use them. I've been buying my folder supplies from him for years.
He's a wonderful guy to deal with.
320-558-6128
r.b. johnson

I have not looked at his site yet, I just call him and order what I need.

Don Hanson lll