Plastic Enclosure Case Screws

[RodLightning]

Apologies if this subject has been covered elsewhere, but I haven't found a specific topic on it.

 

Is there any kind of general guide to figuring out what kind of case screws are used in the pvc plastic enclosures of classic systems?

 

For example, my Atari 520STFM is missing a few screws that hold the top and bottom case pieces together. I also have an Atari 600XL being held together by two screws. Various other items I have found, are missing screws needed to hold everything together tightly. I have learned that it is easy to mangle up a plastic case by trying to drive the wrong thread into it!

 

Is there a specific type of screw used with plastic or are these just sheet metal and wood screws?

 

 

[RodLightning]

Ok, answering my own question, I found this thread here on AtariAge from 2009: http://atariage.com/forums/topic/145265-screws-for-800xl-case/

 

 

A hardware store would have them. 5/8 inch, 15 mm sheet metal screw. Not too fat, not too skinny.

I use #6x5/8 philips pan head.

 

You can use 1/2in screws (which I use to hold the m/b) in a pinch.

 

3/4in for the 1050.

 

Thanks russg and bob1200xl, who revived that old thread last year with good info. This is useful, at least for Atari 800XL hardware and perhaps similar products of that era. I plan to get an assortment in the suggested size ranges and determine what works best on various enclosures I have that are missing screws.

Edited September 4, 2014 by RodLightning

[bobotech]

For future reference, what I do is whenever i have some item that uses a plastic case that I am disposing of, I will rob all the self threading screws used to hold the plastic case together before I toss it. I have a tupperware container full of those little self-tapping screws from old thrown away crap.