How do you index wood screws ?

[Carvel]

Have you tried different screws, the slots are not always oriented the same. Carvel

[B. Dudley]

Originally Posted by Carvel Whaley

Have you tried different screws, the slots are not always oriented the same. Carvel

That's fine for guys (like me) that have like 50 trigger guard screws laying around. But what if you only have one? Or maybe Tom is just looking to learn some.

As a side bar FYI, the trip cap screw is the same as the trigger guard screw. Just flat headed instead of profiled. Sometimes if I need to fit up a "new" screw, I use a used grip cap screw and just file the head to profile the guard.

[Tom]

Brian kind of hit the nail on the head. I have no screws, the original ones were horrible and I grabbed these two out of my LC smith. I should actually find a source and stock up on a few, that might offer some options on slot location.
Thanks for the replies, Tom

[Thomas Nelson]

sometimes I drill an under sized hole next to the screw hole and push in a small brad. Put the wood screw in its hole,screw it in until the slot is a little short of north and south. The trigger guard will push the brad in. With a small dab of acra-glass tinted a little brown in the brad area, let it set up. Don't forget the parting agent on the trigger guard! Now you have the right spacing for the trigger guard and the screw slot will be correct. Works every time. tom N

[Nicholas Sarro]

My Parker has all it's screws lined up in what was called 'North, South" alignment. When installing a screw into a newly drilled hole, first use a piece of scrap wood of the same type of wood. Drill your pilot hole with the same diameter drill bit. Start with the slot in the screw in the position you want it to end up in & tighten it. Most likely it will tighten up in some other position. Note the angle of the slot. In a new hole, start the screw minus the angle it ended up in before & it should be very close to N, S when tightened down, at least with in an 8th of a turn. That's not too much to force to N,S. Don't forget to use the trigger guard on the trial fits in the scrap wood.

[paul stafford jr]

I buy old screws and springs when ever I can find them from people that are parting out guns. watch ebay , in time you will have spare parts for this gun and other guns as you collect more , nobody has one parker. you may even find a useable stock that can be fitted, a little time and money is all it takes. or just have brian Dudley make you a new one he does fine work.

[paul adams]

As a newbie I'm a bit confused as to what is trying to be accomplished. Are you addressing a flush condition of the screw head to whatever is being fastened or are you addressing screw slot orentation??? Maybe I'm just a bit slow on this cold night in Michigan.

[B. Dudley]

Both items is what is being discussed.

[Nicholas Sarro]

My comment was focused on the screw slot orientation. When they're North-South, they're all orientated the same way.

[Thomas Nelson]

well two things need to happen to have the trigger guard flush with the wood and the screw slots line up north and south as the gun came from the factory. There are two problems here. One is using the old screws and the other is using new screws. If you can use the old screws and the screw is stripped out,drill the stripped out hole with a 1/4 inch drill bit,plug the hole with a glued in 1/4 inch dowel and start over. Put the trigger guard in place. Carefully find the exact center of the hole in the trigger guard, mark it on the wood and drill a small undersized hole in the plug being careful to get the pilot hole perpendicular on two axis to the face of the trigger guard. Proceed from here with my last posting. If you are using new screws. To make it really correct you will need a screw with a narrow screw slot. Gazalan has them. On a new screw that has not been filed to the curve of the trigger guard, you have a 180 degree chance of hitting it close. From here go back to my original post. Tom