Lyman 55 screw size

[tittlet]

I have a Lyman 55 powder measure and have been doing a fair amount of load development lately. With frequent powder changes it has become a bit tedious to deal with the little side plate screw, tired eyes and arthritis. I want to replace it with a thumb screw and wanted to know if anyone knew the thread size before I head to the hardware store and start scrounging the specialty bins.
It's item #4 on the parts diagram.

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

I have never took the side plate off mine. Curious why you take it off?

 

[tittlet]

I have never took the side plate off mine. Curious why you take it off?

I take the metering cylinder assembly out of the body to ensure I don't have any remaining powder stuck inside before changing powers.

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

Ok cool. Thanks.

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

I just thought of something. Take the barrel along. And match up a thumb screw to it.

 

[jmorris]

It‘s a finer thread than a 10-32 unified national fine thread, your probably not going to find anything like it at a hardware store.

 

[tittlet]

I just thought of something. Take the barrel along. And match up a thumb screw to it.

That's what I'm planning on doing if I don't get an answer before my next trip to the hardware.

 

[jmorris]

I think it’s a 10-36.

 

[Kaldor]

And if it is something weird you cant get locally, you can probably find it here if you know what it is

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[tittlet]

It‘s a finer thread than a 10-32 unified national fine thread, your probably not going to find anything like it at a hardware store.

That's what I was afraid of. I ran into the same thing with their choice of threads on the drop tubes.

 

[mkl]

Where was the powder measure made? Could be metric threads.

 

[tittlet]

Where was the powder measure made? Could be metric threads.

Mine is the Grey version, so made in USA in the 70's I believe. I doubt it's metric.

 

[.45Coltguy]

How about a call to Lyman?

 

[REB]

I checked mine and it is 10-36. Good luck finding a thumb screw with that thread pitch.

Edit
This got me looking and unless you can find one I think your best option is to drill and tap it to m5, its a standard size with thumb screws readily availably and not much larger that the 10-36. The next size up SAE screw that there seems to be available thumb screws would be 1/4 which is significantly larger.

 

[tittlet]

Thanks everyone who replied. I will have to think about my options. Drill and tapping might just be the way to go.

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

Maybe JB weld a small wing nut to the screw head?

 

[tittlet]

Maybe JB weld a small wing nut to the screw head?

That was my 1st thought. I was going to order a couple screws from Lyman to try that.

 

[FROGO207]

Silver solder a knurled brass nut to a correct size screw. Just countersink the nut to fit the screw head flush