oddball backplate screws for an old BBE Stinger pedal?

[Jimbilly]

I bought this used quite a while ago, messing around with it lately, it came with just 2 screws holding the back on, which don't seem to fit well. 

I brought it over to the local McLendon's, where they do have a pretty good fastener selection, but nothing that fits this as far as I can tell. It seems to be about a size 4 but with much coarser pitch than 40.  Boss and Ibanez don't fit either.

Suggestions?  The back photo doesn't really tell you anything, but I took one.

[Cboss]

You could just get the closest steel fastener and crank it in, easy to cut new threads in aluminum or magnesium this way

[hamerhead]

Self-tapping screws might be the way to go.

You could also fill the holes with JB Weld and drill and tap for something more standard.

Or glue toothpicks in there and use wood screws.

Duct tape.

Shipping tape (the kind with the threads in it is better).

Spot weld (makes it harder to change the battery).

Model airplane glue (won't work but you'll get a buzz).

 

[Jimbilly]

tips for removing a questionable quality hardware store screw that broke off in there? There's not quite enough sticking out to get a good bite with the needle nose vice grips. And of course it's pretty tight because I was trying to make new threads with it...

[hamerhead]

Take a slightly smaller drill bit and drill about an 1/8" deep pocket in the broke off screw. Create a slot (I usually take a crappy old screwdriver and smack it with a hammer). If you're lucky, the smack with the hammer will loosen it up a little, and the slot should allow you to unscrew it.

If that don't work, drill all the way thru the screw. And get a bigger hammer.

[Jimbilly]

All is well, without too much time or having to buy any new tools:

After giving up trying to back the broken screw out, I used my dremel with the bit in the photo to flatten out and make a concave in the busted off screw, - so that a drill bit would stay in the screw, and not wander into the pedal. I put some kitchen 'press&seal' plastic over the back of the pedal to keep metal bits out.

Started with a very small drill, and after 'stepping up' twice, the screw threads came out with a 7/64 bit.

  Threaded with a 3mm .50 pitch tap (because I already have that one, in a cheap Harbor Freight tap/die set), and 4 x $.50 at the hardware store I've got screws that go in and out, and hold the back on.