02-05-2023, 11:15 PM
About 15 years ago I inherited an old "bachelor chest" type dresser with a mirror swinging between uprights, probably 75-100 years old. I refurbished the solid-oak top, fixed all the drawers, and stripped/repainted the body. We used it in a spare bedroom for several years then loaned it to LOML's brother in 2019. Recently, when he moved from Florida to Virginia, we got back everything (including one drawer where the back finger-joints needed to be re-glued) EXCEPT the mirror hinge screws that held the mirror to the supports. Those, apparently, were lost in the move or lost in the mountain of stuff he moved.
The original mirror screws were turned-knobs with the screws (like hanger bolts) about 2" long. I could easily turn new knobs in some period fashion with inserted hanger bolts except I do not know the diameter and thread count of the threaded-inserts in the mirror frame. I must have 7 million screws and bolts of every known SAE or metric size and variety, but nothing I have will fit - 1/4 inch a little too small, 5/16 inch a little too large - regardless of Coarse or Fine thread count. I doubt metrics were used back in the day, but nothing I have in comparable sizes will fit.
The ideas I have so far is to measure the ID of the inserts to see if something comes up - like a 9/32" odd size (which may be hard to find). Or assume somehow the threads were mangled and try to re-tap with 5/16, maybe. Or try to extract the old inserts (who knows what that may entail) and use new ones with standard diameter/thread. The only other option I can think of is to abandon the old and use slightly-offset new threaded inserts and new holes drilled in the supporting columns of the dresser.
Any ideas or thoughts here? BTW, would it be possible to screw a hard-wax or wood dowel of about the right diameter in there to get at the dimensions?
Gary
The original mirror screws were turned-knobs with the screws (like hanger bolts) about 2" long. I could easily turn new knobs in some period fashion with inserted hanger bolts except I do not know the diameter and thread count of the threaded-inserts in the mirror frame. I must have 7 million screws and bolts of every known SAE or metric size and variety, but nothing I have will fit - 1/4 inch a little too small, 5/16 inch a little too large - regardless of Coarse or Fine thread count. I doubt metrics were used back in the day, but nothing I have in comparable sizes will fit.
The ideas I have so far is to measure the ID of the inserts to see if something comes up - like a 9/32" odd size (which may be hard to find). Or assume somehow the threads were mangled and try to re-tap with 5/16, maybe. Or try to extract the old inserts (who knows what that may entail) and use new ones with standard diameter/thread. The only other option I can think of is to abandon the old and use slightly-offset new threaded inserts and new holes drilled in the supporting columns of the dresser.
Any ideas or thoughts here? BTW, would it be possible to screw a hard-wax or wood dowel of about the right diameter in there to get at the dimensions?
Gary
