Replies: Looking for prosthetic pin 1/4"-20 to M6 reducer

Replies: Looking for prosthetic pin 1/4"-20 to M6 reducer

Jeremiah

7/9/2009

Original question:

(Looking for prosthetic pin 1/4-20 to M6 reducer)
I'm looking to use an OWW PeaPod liner with the IceLock 700 series lock.
I know of the Alps LDA-694, 1/4-20 to M10 reducer. Does anyone know of
a 1/4-20 to M6 reducer? Is this something I could get at a hardware store
if not?

Thanks, everyone.


1. Coyote Lock Systems also carries a reducer.

   I called Cyote Design and confirmed they make a 1/4-20 to M6 reducer.
   (CD104-QMA)

2. I did this exact combination a couple of months ago, and could not find
any
   reducers, talked with everyone including both OWW and Ossur, I am nearly
   positive it does not exist.

   What I did, is get the appropriate tap for the pin, M6, and simply tapped
out
   the threads by grabbing the distal umbrella in my other hand, and
carefully back
   and forth tapped it out. I ground off the end of my tap so that it was
flatter,
   not so pointy, to poke through the liner. You can also purchase what are
called
   bottoming taps at fastener stores, they are flat on the bottom, to tap
out a
   hole that doesn't go through something. The thread size on both are
similar
   enough that I didn't need to drill out the threads prior to tapping, and
the tap
   will start in the threads, then begin to cross thread, (which with the
tap, will
   cut through to the right size).


   Follow up email regarding which tap to use (Re: M6 x 1 tap)
   -----------------------------------------------------------
   That does sound like the right tap, but I would try it on a seperate
piece first.
   I did not use a drill and it worked fine. I wouldn't suggest it. It may
have been
   slightly looser, but the high points are wide enough on the pin threads
to engage
   the threads that are tapped into the umbrella. Basically, they grab, but
do not go
   all the way to the bottom of the original threads. This isn't a problem
so much,
   because you are cutting a new thread channel across the old one, so the
threads are
   engaged fully at the high points of the old umbrella threads. I think I
tried it
   in a piece of aluminum bar stock prior to tapping the umbrella, or if I
didn't, my
   backup plan was to use JB weld or something else to fill in the
difference, and just
   screw the pins in with that. Fortunately, I didn't need to. I would
suggest
   getting both tap sizes, tap a piece of aluminum to the umbrella threads
first, then
   just re-tap to the pin threads second and see how it works.

   I guess I had the advantage of it being my son, so if it looked a little
diff after
   it was done, wouldn't have mattered. Probably not the case for you. If
it felt too
   loose to you, probably could do as I said and then add JB weld as you
screwed it in
   to fill in the gaps. I didn't feel it necessary with how it turned out.

   I did this a couple of months ago, and haven't had any problem with them
backing out.
   The patient is my son, so I would know if it were a problem.


3. I suggest using the OWW mini G lock or G lock with the PeaPod liner. If
you can't find
   the reducer you might call Dunlop Machinists, ESP, or Euro International.
They might
   have a reducer.

4. There is a company that makes screw products at a reasonable rate in
   Canton, Michigan. I don't know how soon you need it but Give Robert Leist
of
   Swiss American Screw Products a call (734)397-1600.
   Let me know what you end up with.