Geeker's Corner

I hope to fill this page with items of interest to those technically-minded. A little of a resurrection of my Weird Science page of yore, but with some engineering reference that I've used quite often at work and don't feel like hunting it down over the net anymore. Besides, perhaps one of you internet travellers will find it useful as well...
Project Abstracts: Past, Present, and Future

Adapter O-ring Seal Design & Selection

Design and Analysis of Stacker Frame

Sideview Mirror Bracket

SARA Design Project

Technical Reference

The Engineers' Drinking Song/Hymn

History of the Iron Ring

Tap & Clearance Drill and Counterbore Sizes

American Wire Gauge and Ampacity

Common Battery Cell Sizes

 

I found this interesting song earlier today written by the FASS (Faculty, Alumni, Students, and Staff) Theatre Company of UW in 1991, and just thought I'd share it with you:

I Don't Want A Mech Eng Man
(Only The Good Die Young)

Mech Engineering is not what it seems
There's more to its structure than girders and beams
Like all-nighter parties and boat-racing teams
And a healthy supply of men
They've been raising enrolment of women for years
It brings gender equity to engineers
And perpetuates couples with matching careers
But they took away all the fun
Cause Mech men are just too dumb

I'll get a nice iron ring and a party after graduation
I want to find a beau
With a hand to hold
And Bernie I know that this is more than just infatuation
It should be plain to see
I want a boyfriend from Biology

Now come on Bernie, don't make me wait
You scientist types can be fun on a date
But sooner or later you'll need a good mate
And I could be your biggest fan
Cause I don't want a Mech Eng man

 
o Back to My Corner o

 

Tap & Clearance Drill and Counterbore Sizes (inches)
for Socket Head Cap Screws (1960 Series)

Screw & Diameter

Tap Drill Size (fraction & decimal)

Roll Form Tap Drill Size & Hole Size Required (65% Thread)

Nominal Drill Size Close Fit

Nominal Drill Size Normal Fit

Counterbore Diameter* (fraction & decimal)

Countersink Diameter 60o 82o FHMS

0-80

0.0600

3/64

0.047

#54 or 1.4mm

0.0552

51

0.067

49

0.073

1/8

0.1250

0.074

0.138

1-64

0.0730

53

0.060

#51 or 1.7mm

0.067

46

0.081

43

0.089

5/32

0.1560

0.087

0.168

2-56

0.0860

50

0.070

#47 or 2.0mm

0.079

3/32

0.094

36

0.106

3/16

0.1880

0.102

0.197

3-48

0.0990

47

0.079

2.3mm

0.091

36

0.106

31

0.120

7/32

0.0219

0.115

0.226

4-40

0.1120

43

0.089

#39

0.101

1/8

0.125

29

0.136

7/32

0.2190

0.130

0.255

5-40

0.1250

38

0.102

#33 or 2.9mm

0.114

9/64

0.141

23

0.154

1/4

0.2500

0.145

0.281

6-32

0.1380

36

0.107

3.1mm

0.125

23

0.154

18

0.170

9/32

0.2810

0.158

0.307

8-32

0.1640

29

0.136

#25 or 3.8mm

0.150

15

0.180

10

0.194

5/16

0.3120

0.188

0.359

10-24

0.1900

25

0.150

11/64" (.1719)

0.172

5

0.206

2

0.221

3/8

0.3750

0.218

0.411

10-32

0.1900

21

0.159

#16 or .176"

0.176

5

0.206

2

0.221

3/8

0.3750

0.218

0.411

1/4-20

0.2500

7

0.201

5.75mm

0.227

17/64

0.266

9/32

0.281

7/16

0.4380

0.278

0.531

1/4-28

0.2500

3

0.213

A

0.235

17/64

0.266

9/32

0.281

7/16

0.4380

0.278

0.531

5/16-18

0.3125

F

0.257

7.25mm

0.287

21/64

0.328

11/32

0.344

17/32

0.5310

0.346

0.656

5/16-24

0.3125

I

0.272

.293"

0.294

21/64

0.328

11/32

0.344

17/32

0.5310

0.346

0.656

3/8-16

0.3750

5/16

0.313

S or 11/32" (.3438)

0.347

25/64

0.391

13/32

0.406

5/8

0.6250

0.415

0.781

3/8-24

0.3750

Q

0.332

9.0mm

0.356

25/64

0.391

13/32

0.406

5/8

0.6250

0.415

0.781

7/16-14

0.4375

U

0.368

Y

0.405

29/64

0.453

15/32

0.469

23/32

0.7190

0.483

0.844

7/16-20

0.4375

25/64

0.391

Z or 10.5mm

0.416

29/64

0.453

15/32

0.469

23/32

0.7190

0.483

0.844

1/2-13

0.5000

27/64

0.422

.463"

0.466

33/64

0.516

17/32

0.531

13/16

0.8130

0.552

0.938

1/2-20

0.5000

29/64

0.453

.476"

0.477

33/64

0.516

17/32

0.531

13/16

0.8130

0.552

0.938

5/8-11

0.6250

17/32

0.531

37/64" (.5781)

0.583

41/64

0.641

21/32

0.656

1

1.0000

0.689

1.188

3/4-10

0.7500

21/32

0.656

45/64" (.7031)

0.704

49/64

0.766

25/32

0.781

1 3/16

1.1875

0.828

1.438

7/8-9

0.8750

49/64

0.766

.823"

0.823

57/64

0.891

29/32

0.906

1 3/8

1.3750

0.963

1.688

1-8

1.0000

7/8

0.875

15/16" (.9397)

0.942

1 1/64

1.016

1 1/32

1.031

1 5/8

1.6250

1.100

1.938

* Note: Depth of counterbore for SHCS equals the screw diameter.    Courtesy of  Larry Childs at LC2 Engineering
The common nut, drilled out so that it only contains 50% of a full depth thread, will break the bolt before it will strip.  A full depth of thread in a common nut is only about 50% stronger than a 75% depth of thread; yet it requires three times the power to tap.  Drill sizes shown allow for 75% depth of thread, as this normally gives the maximum strength for safety and is also economical in tapping.

 

 

Common Wire Gauges

The common U.S. wire gauges (called AWG gauges) refer to sizes of copper wire. The resistivity of copper at 20 C is about

AWG wire
size (solid)		 Diameter
(inches)		 Resistance per
1000 ft (ohms)		 Resistance per
1000 m (ohms)		 Ampacity
24 0.0201 25.67 84.2 1.3
22 0.0254 16.14 52.7 2.1
20 0.0320 10.15 33.2 3.3
18 0.0403 6.385 20.9 5
16 0.0508 4.016 13.2 10
14 0.0640 2.525 8.28 15
12 0.0808 1.588 5.21 20
10 0.1019 0.999 3.28 30

 

Common Battery Cell Sizes
Cell Size Diameter Length Weight Alkaline Weight NiCad Weight NiMH
  mm mm grams grams grams
AAAA 8.4 40.2 6 10 10
4/3 AAAA 8.4 67   1312 13
1/4 AAA 10.5 14   4 4
1/3 AAA 10.5 20.5   5.5 5.5
2/3 AAA 10.5 30   6-8 8-9
4/5 AAA 10.5 37      
3/4 AAA 10.5 39.5   12 12
AAA 10.5 44.5 12 10 13
5/4 AAA 10.5 50   14 15
L-AAA 10.5 50   13 14
4/3 AAA 10.5 67   17 18
5/3 AAA 10.5 67   19 19
LL-AAA 10.5 67   17 18
3/2 AAA 10.5 67   19 20
6/4 AAA 10.5 67   20 20
7/5 AAA 10.5 66.5   15 15
7/4 AAA 10.5 76   19 20-21
7/3 AAA 10.5 80      
1/3 N 11.5 10.8   6 6
N 11.5 28 6.6 8-10 11
4/3 N 11.5 44.5   18 18
1/3 AA 14.2 17.5   6.5 7
2/3 AA 14.2 28.7   13-15 13-16
1/2 AA 14.2 30   12 15
4/5 AA 14.2 43   20 22
AA 14.2 50 24 21 27
L-AA 14.2 65   29 30
4/3 AA 14.2 65.2   30 30
7/5 AA 14.2 64.5   32-33 29-37
1/3 A 17 21      
2/3 A 17 28.5   18-20 20-23
4/5 A 17 43   26-31 32-35
A 17 50   32 40
4/3 A 17 67   50 55
L-A 17 67   48 53
Fat A 18 50   38 42
4/3 Fat A 18 67   56 62
L-Fat A 18 67   55 60
2/3 SC 23 26.3   25 28
4/5 SC 23 34   38 42
SC (sub C) 23 43   52 55
5/4 23 49.5   65-67 70
4/3 SC 23 50   60 66
L-SC 23 50   57 63
1/2 C 26 24   31 34
3/5 C 26 30   40 44
2/3 C 26 31   45 50
C 26 46 65 64-78 63-79
1/2 D 33 37   81-84 81
2/3 D 33 43.4   98-105 115
D 33 58 135 105-145 105-160
4/3 D 33 89   140-190 175
3/2 D 33 90.3   195-236 240
F 33 91.2   231 255
SF (super F) 41.4 89.1   393 425
G 32 105 181    
J 32 150 272    
6 67 172 998    
o Back to My Corner o