Yes, I have seen some cheap tap and die sets in tool cataloges that include both M3*05. (the normal one) and M3*0.6. I have also found companies that sell the die (and taps) on their own, so presumably it's used for something. FWIW, M3.5 (used for HPIB jackscerews, and slso to fit wall switches and socket outlets to their moutning boxes over here) is normally a 0.6mm pitch, which makes it more difficult to search for the screws I want... Err, I am in the UK. We have draconian regualtions about firearms [1] which mean that such shops are very uncommon. In any case, spare parts for particualr items are (at least over here) a form of legalised robbery. As I need quite a few of the screws, I'd much rather get them from a company that deals in such things nad who will sell be a packet of 100 or whatever than as a spare part for soemthing at a rather high cost for one. [1] I've never held a gun, I have no desire to hold a gun. But I am also of the opinion that guns do not of themselves do any harm. Misuse of them does, of course. But that is not a reason to have the regulations we have. -tony

Yes, I spotted that one. Unfortunately, I want to keep the telephone as original as possible (I don;t want to drill out and re-tap the holes, if I did, I'd pick something more common than 5BA :-)) Nor do I want to replave the termianl strips with new ones if I can avoid it. I 'only' have a manual lathe, but needless to say I can set it for cutting a 0.6mm pitch htread if I want to. However on something this size (and where precision is not that critical), I think a die in a tailstock die holder would be a lot easier. And I am pretty sure I can get the die. Although, perhaps it doesn't fit with my normal cheacter, this time I'd rather buy the screws than amke them :-). If I cna;'t then I start machining metal... -tony

Thanks, I will take a look... Probaly no-tnaks :-) I need 14 terminal screws for the barrier strips (say 6mm long), and 4 longer scres (say 10mm or 12mm long) to fix the baseplate on. I would be happy to buy many more though (if they were cheap enough...) -tony

Right... That explains a lot. I've not looked, can you still get the tap and die in the right pitch? If not, M5 is large enough in diameter to be not too difficult to screwcut on a lathe. I guess that would be OK if you need 1 or 2 of them, less fun if you need 100. -tony

If that's M5*0.9mm pitch, the tap and die are available in the UK. For example Chronos list them. Be warned that soem of the suppliers over here have somewhat crazy ways of lisitng these tools. OFten 'Metric Coarse' means the stnadard one (for example M3 * 0.5). 'Metric Fine' includes eveythings (in this case both M3*0.45 which is the real 'fine' one and M3*0.6 which is coarser than the normal one. Go figure). -tony

Can you suggest a supplier (web site, etc), please -tony