Timing - Good Times?
 

I am interested in understanding more detail on timing. Clearly the "clocking" of the screw slot is consistent on the Parker Shotguns.

The few Parker fasteners I have worked with seem to "bottom out" (full torque) at an exact vertical or horizontal position.

A) Was this achieved in the original manufacture using a torque tool?

B) Was the head rotation planned to that level of detail for a given thickness of grip length?

B) Was the vertical or horizontal position achieved by backing off from a fully torqued position?

C) Other method?

Thanks for any insight, observations you guys can provide on fastener timing.

You may be severely overthinking the whole thing.

The alignment of the screws is completely intentional ans is simply a function of aesthetics and quality of workmanship in the end product.

Brian, i think he is asking HOW the timing is accomplished?

Aescetics aside, there is a functional reason to time screws. You can easily tell if a screw is coming loose and can tighten it down before the screw is lost. I think that is the primary reason for the practice with ascetics being icing on the cake.

Use the search function and you will find Mr. Dudley gives an explanation of how this is done.

Screw Timing - A Constructive Discussion?
 

Looks like there has been some constructive discussion on this topic in the past. The search engine works! See "Default Screw timing, and dings" from 10-28-2013, 12:28 PM:

"If it needs more of a turn to go home, chuck the screw up in a drill press and while spinning file material off the underside of the head. Do this a little at a time and keep checking until the screw times correctly."

I suspect several screws will require replacement on my Great Grandfathers 10 Gauge when it is restored so it would just be helpful to know more about what goes into a successful and correctly timed screw replacement.

Having worked with and engineered a variety of complex fasteners for aerospace applications, including very high strength fasteners used on the Space Shuttle and other advanced military and defense applications - I do find it interesting to learn more about the physical process of ensuring the proper torque is achieved when the screw is at a specific point in the rotation.

But really? "Severely overthinking the whole thing"?
Guilty as charged!

Here is a link to the 2013 discussion:
http://parkerguns.org/forums/showthr...ghlight=timing

My thanks go out to Daniel Carter for the search suggestion.

bryan

What I mean about overthinking is when talk about torque specs come up and if the screws/threads are made specifically to line up slots when “torqued”.

The screws are installed to be tight. Not according to any specific measureable torque. And they are fitted also to have the slots aligned north/south when tight. This can be achieved a few different ways.

Right, and after tightening the new screws into their respective place they are marked for alignment, removed, trimmed, polished and then the slots are cut according to how they were marked.





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However, at the factory the screws had their slots cut before installation and the alignment was gained by fitting under the head. I know this due to several new old stock screws that I own that are high headed with slots cut in them already.

I personally prefer to cut the slots after the screw has been installed and tightened. And anyone wondering how this is done can use the search function and find threads on it.

Like Brian said more than one way to skin a cat. Lot depends on the fastener size and application.

Most times you time fasteners by removing material under the head. In a lathe you can just about get a screw timed by calculating how much it moves per turn and removing what’s needed to time. I like to get it close using a indicator then very light cuts to bring it into time. Best example I can give is installing a rifle barrel. It has to screw up tight and keep extractor cuts sight screws & dovetails properly alligned. How tight is more feel than measure with something like a torque wrench. Octagon barrels alignment is particularly critical. Round barrel often times not difficult, fitting the barrel and cutting for extractor and sights after. About the same idea as cutting the slot after the screw bottoms out.

It’s a important gunsmith skill.

Willam