Stellafane ATM: Parts Page

The page provides photographs and descriptions of parts used in our projects that you may not be familiar with. Unless otherwise noted, all of these parts should be available at your local hardware store, lumber yard or home center.

	Carriage Bolts Carriage Bolts have round, smooth heads, and threaded their entire length (other bolts are often only threaded at the end). They are useful to the ATM as adjustable feet or as a lead screw to push against a sliding stage.
	Dial Indicator The Dial Indicator show has a 1" strokes and indicates 0.100" inch-per-revolution. With 100 dial graduations, this unit measures to 0.001". High quality, name brand units are in the $100 (U.S.) range, but this imported unit cost under $10 (one vendor has had this item on "permanent" sale for the last 5 years, marked down from a $15 list price) and can be used for light duty service in Foucault testers. Mail order companies such as MSC Direct, Enco, Harbor Freight Tools or Grizzly Industrial carry these items in the stated price range.
	Drywall Screws Drywall Screws are made to attach sheet rock to studs, but they are great as a flat-head wood screw also. They come in coarse (left) or fine (right) thread, in a variety of sizes. 1", 1-1/4" and 1-5/8" sizes were used in these projects.
	Radio Knob Many Radio Knobs accept 1/4" diameter shafts and attach using one or two set screws. They are ideal for adding an easy grip to 1/4" bolts. They can be found at electronics parts retailers, such as Radio Shack.
	Tee-Nuts Tee-Nuts are used to easily put threads in wood. The threaded shank slips into a hole, and the four sharp prongs are hammered into the wood. Shown are three 1/4-20 Tee-Nuts (They take a 1/4" bolt with 20 Threads-per-Inch). They fit into a 5/16" hole in the wood. Other bolt sizes are available, as well as ones with longer shanks.
	Teflon Furniture Sliders Teflon™ Furniture Sliders are now widely available at retail locations, and provide any easy source for Teflon pads. The heavily promoted Magic Sliders brand is shown, but many alternative brands are available at home centers, hardware stores and discount retailers such as Wal-Mart. Most come with double-sided foam tape to attach the sliders.
	Miniature Toggle Switch This miniature toggle switch mounts in a Ľ" mounting hole.
	Van Clamps Van Clamps (sometimes called Bell Clamps) are copper plumbing parts used to support copper pipe. The ˝" units shown are securely screwed onto a wood support through the central hole in the bell. The pipe is then clamped between the straps, hiding the screw head.