Combination square springs

[Geordie Joe]

I have 3 12" combination squares, one stanley bought in the mid 70s that lost it's spring years ago, and two cheap chinese ones that didn't have springs when they were bought.

I would like to buy three springs for these squares, but don't know what to buy. I did look at springs a few months ago, on ebay, but all the listings I looked at listed a lot of numbers without explaining what they were or what they meant. So I couldn't work out which ones to buy, or if it was worth buying them.

Can anyone help me with spring sizes?

Or suggest an everyday item which may contain a suitable spring? I did try pens but none were wide enough.

 

[NazNomad]

What size is the hole?
What size is the pin?
How long must the spring be?

Would these springs fit?

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Quite often you can find find packs of 100 or whatever mixed sizes in place like Halfrauds.

 

[Geordie Joe]

What size is the hole?
What size is the pin?
How long must the spring be?

Would these springs fit?

I don't know if those springs would fit, I have wooden pegs and they have a different kind of spring.

All three pins are M6. The hole on the Stanley is 7mm, as best I can measure, but the holes on the chinese ones are around 8 to 8.5mm. Length for the Stanley min 6mm max 12mm, the chinese min 6mm max 20mm.

 

[MikeG.]

Here:https://www.screwfix.com/p/hilka-pr...ng-assortment-200-pcs/63863?_requestid=563290

 

[Geordie Joe]

Quite often you can find find packs of 100 or whatever mixed sizes in place like Halfrauds.

Yep, I saw a pack on the bay £4.99 for 150. No details of the contents except a picture of the box which showed pictures of the springs but only gave the length and what length they would stretch/compress to. I would have to actually see the box to know if any would be suitable.

 

[Geordie Joe]

Here:https://www.screwfix.com/p/hilka-pr...ng-assortment-200-pcs/63863?_requestid=563290

Thanks but it seems toi be the same as the ebay one, only giving lengths.

30 years ago I would have just walked into my local hardware shop and told the man what I wanted. He would have opened a little drawer and took out three springs.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I've bought mixed bags before - different lengths, diameters, strengths, compression, tension ...... hunt around.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Here:https://www.screwfix.com/p/hilka-pr...ng-assortment-200-pcs/63863?_requestid=563290

Thanks but it seems toi be the same as the ebay one, only giving lengths.

30 years ago I would have just walked into my local hardware shop and told the man what I wanted. He would have opened a little drawer and took out three springs.

That's why he went bust.

 

[Geordie Joe]

Here:https://www.screwfix.com/p/hilka-pr...ng-assortment-200-pcs/63863?_requestid=563290

Thanks but it seems toi be the same as the ebay one, only giving lengths.

30 years ago I would have just walked into my local hardware shop and told the man what I wanted. He would have opened a little drawer and took out three springs.

That's why he went bust.

He went bust because he knew what size spring I needed and which drawer it was in! The b@gger told me it was because a large diy shed opened up 500 yards down the road.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

30 years ago I would have just walked into my local hardware shop and told the man what I wanted. He would have opened a little drawer and took out three springs.

That's why he went bust. [/quote]
He went bust because he knew what size spring I needed and which drawer it was in! The b@gger told me it was because a large diy shed opened up 500 yards down the road.[/quote]

Yes ............ and unfortunately they make money and he didn't.

 

[AndyT]

You're taking the wrong approach here with all this talk about buying stuff.
The better way is to start when you are about 10. Whenever you see things being chucked out, take them to bits first. You'll learn a lot about how things work, which is useful when they need mending. You should keep a lot of the little bits - screws, washers, brackets, wheels and especially springs. Sort them into a collection of your Dad's old tobacco tins.
40 or 50 years later, you'll stand a good chance of having something suitable!

 

[NazNomad]

I think Andy has been in my garage. :-D

 

[Sheffield Tony]

My sister laughed at me, saying only I would have a tins labelled "Springs", "Self-tappers", "plastic washers", etc etc I was sure she was wrong, glad to know I am in good company.

 

[MikeG.]

You're taking the wrong approach here with all this talk about buying stuff.
The better way is to start when you are about 10. Whenever you see things being chucked out, take them to bits first. You'll learn a lot about how things work, which is useful when they need mending. You should keep a lot of the little bits - screws, washers, brackets, wheels and especially springs. Sort them into a collection of your Dad's old tobacco tins.
40 or 50 years later, you'll stand a good chance of having something suitable!

Presackerly!

Need a spring? Go to the spring box, and find something from pegs, washing machines, chairs, mechano, kids' toys, and on and on....... Just a tip, though. Don't fill the spring box to the point where the lid doesn't go on properly, and then drop it off a 7 foot high shelf onto a floor full of shavings and sawdust. Because that wouldn't be fun.

 

[Geordie Joe]

You're taking the wrong approach here with all this talk about buying stuff.

No I'm not, I'm taking the only approach left to me.

The better way is to start when you are about 10. Whenever you see things being chucked out, take them to bits first. You'll learn a lot about how things work, which is useful when they need mending. You should keep a lot of the little bits - screws, washers, brackets, wheels and especially springs. Sort them into a collection of your Dad's old tobacco tins.
40 or 50 years later, you'll stand a good chance of having something suitable!

I'm 58 and have been doing that for years. The problem is I don't have any springs that are anywhere near the size I need and I have been looking for months. Length isn't a problem, but the diameter has got to be large enough to go over the pin, but small enough to go into the hole.

When you have been doing it long enough you will learn that sooner or later you will need something you just haven't got, and can't find. In my case it is the right size spring.

 

[ColeyS1]

This may or may not help.

Just took the spring out of my combination square

The short dark bit on the left is from the square. The one on the right is similar diameter, it's just nowhere near as strong as the one from the square.
If you buy this set

It's probably not gonna have one that's suitable.


Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

 

[Racers]

Why not make one?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Piano-Wire-3 ... 3245334031

Just wind it round a form and bobs your uncle.

Pete

 

[AndyT]

Joe, I've got two springs that might be what you need. One is a nice fit over a 6mm screw, about 10mm long and fairly stiff. It's a close match to the spring on an old Rabone square. I also have a long, softer slightly wider spring - about 90mm uncompressed. You should be able to cut one or two bits off to suit. It would be easy to wind it in a bit tighter if needed. It's similar to the spring on a cheap no-name square.
If you'd like them, PM me your address and I'll pop them in the post.

 

[ED65]

No I'm not, I'm taking the only approach left to me.

Pete beat me to it, there's one other option and that's to make your own. If you don't fancy giving it a go the previous thread may provide some ideas for things you can scrounge springs from that you hadn't thought of yourself.