source for the narrow head screws used for Dunlop straplock buttons?

[Jimbilly]

You know, those rounded and small phillips head screws that just fit inside a Dunlop strap button. I seem to be short a couple, I'm sure they're only a few bucks for a ten pack on ebay, if I can find them.

[RobB]

On 5/14/2024 at 12:08 PM, Jimbilly said:

You know, those rounded and small phillips head screws that just fit inside a Dunlop strap button.

Have you tried contacting Dunlop?

[Jimbilly]

No, at this point, I think I'll just make a few of my own, by making a standard phillips head a little smaller with a file or dremmel. - next time I'm at the hardware store.  Speaking of that sort of thing, I have had mostly good luck contacting the mfg for otherwise hard to source parts, -  good suggestion!

[HSB0531]

Go to McMaster-Carr

They have nearly every kind of screw made, as well as many other parts.

https://www.mcmaster.com/products/screws/tapping-screws~/

https://www.mcmaster.com/products/screws/wood-screws~/

[JGale]

NICE! Thank you. Solved a problem with link.

[HSB0531]

3 minutes ago, JGale said:

NICE! Thank you. Solved a problem with link.

👍👍👍

[RobB]

This is the screw:

I couldn’t find this on the McMaster site. 

[Tortious]

You can get the buttons only with screws on Amazon (or probably ebay too - the seller for this one, Arkansas Musicworks - sells through ebay, or did?)

https://www.amazon.com/Dunlop-Buttons-Design-Strap-System/dp/B01BZBAGFG/

[hamerhead]

On 5/19/2024 at 4:23 PM, Jimbilly said:

...I'll just make a few of my own, by making a standard phillips head a little smaller with a file or dremmel....

I've done that, but on a belt sander. Goes pretty quick, but they get kinda hot.

[stonge]

The stock Dunlop screws are pretty soft; I've torn up the Phillips head trying get them out. If you rub a little bar soap into the threads before installing its a lot easier to install and not tear up the screw. Also easier to remove them later if you want to.

[scottcald]

This was a few years back, but I just wrote Dunlop and I think they just sent them to me. 

[Jimbilly]

Coincidentally, some smaller screws fit just fine in the Dunlop button, like the wood screws that are stock with a Tokai LC60 (the gold one on the left), and it's better to use the stock screws than to drill out the holes to fit the bigger screws, or force the bigger Dunlops in. The stock screws do go a little bit deeper than with the original buttons, but not too much of a force-fit.

Edited May 31, 2024 by Jimbilly

[Jimbilly]

a couple of final thoughts on this, after a trip to the hardware store:  

It seems that a #5 wood screw fits in the strap button, and holds in the guitars (6 head is too big).  Most of my guitars have the Dunlop straplocks, but not all.  I have hesitated to 'hog out' the strap button holes for the bigger Dunlop screws in a couple of guitars: the stock screw in the '81 Special, the Proto ii, and the '84 Tokai all seem to be a #5 wood screw, and a 5 x 3/4 (photo) holds fine in those guitars. It would probably be better to drill a little bit deeper and use the 5 x 1 screws to avoid any failures, I think I will put those in the Proto and the Special.  I like this idea better than drilling out the guitar bodies for the larger (#8?) Dunlop screws.

 The heads on the Dunlop screws might be "trim" heads, these longer "trim" screws look like they would fit, but I did not try them, I couldn't find any loose in the bins to try out in the Dunlop button I brought in. I also didn't see anything shorter than 1 1/2" with the trim head.  

[Jimbilly]

photo of the "trim" head screws

 

[hamerhead]

#5s seem too small to me. When it's just 2 screws between you and $1000+ hitting the floor, I'd feel a lot more comfortable with something a little more substantial.

How's that saying go - "Go big or go break your neck"?

[Cboss]

I'll use whatever screw seems to fit the guitar body best and offer good security, and then one slow twirl on a bench grinder always lets it fit inside that strap lock button, easy :-)

[Jimbilly]

1 hour ago, hamerhead said:

#5s seem too small to me. When it's just 2 screws between you and $1000+ hitting the floor, I'd feel a lot more comfortable with something a little more substantial.

How's that saying go - "Go big or go break your neck"?

I feel pretty good about the 1" number 5s into Mahogany or similar, those take some pretty good torque on the screwdriver, but I'd probably want more/bigger into Alder.