Shear Pins ( What to use and where to buy them)

[Fox Flyers Rocketry]

Greetings! I'm working on my first dual deploy build. It's a modified Aerotech Mirage. I've almost finished building it, all that is left is the altimeter bay, and the shear pins for the nose cone. I was told that 2-56 nylon screws work great for shear pins, but I've had a hard time finding them. All I have found is bulk packs of 1500. I'm hoping I don't have to buy that many. Does anybody know a good place to get them, or a good substitute for them?

 

[conman13]

https://www.apogeerockets.com/Building_Supplies/Misc._Hardware/Nylon_Shear_Pins_20_pack

 

[cvanc]

Boyne City! Back in the day I left a few brain cells in that town LOL. Is the Horton Bay General Store still going?

Apogee can certainly help you but I suggest you look at the McMaster-Carr site www.mcmaster.com . They have all kinds of Nylon screws including 2-56. But give yourself, say, one hour to look around the site and you will ALWAYS come up with several more things you may not have known existed that you've just got to have. It's addictive like that. Good luck...

 

[JJSR]

This is the place to go https://www.missileworks.com/
good service

 

[chadrog]

Ebay usually has pretty good buys for them in quantity, though there isn't any "steals" listed right now. This one is a pretty good buy still.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/2-56-x-1-2...981?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4aad7cfaf5

 

[jsargevt]

Here is where i have purchased them from in the past:


https://www.microfasteners.com/nbpp0208-2-56-x-1-2-pan-head-screws-phillips-nylon.html
https://www.mcmaster.com/#machine-screws/=rrdumb

If you're purchasing some other stuff from Mcmaster then that is your best best - 100 pins for under 5 bucks. Shipping from Mcmaster tends to be reasonable and very fast. Plus, your $5 in pins will turn into a $75 order of stuff you didn't know you needed (eye bolts, PEM nuts, etc).

 

[chadrog]

Here is where i have purchased them from in the past:


https://www.microfasteners.com/nbpp0208-2-56-x-1-2-pan-head-screws-phillips-nylon.html
https://www.mcmaster.com/#machine-screws/=rrdumb

If you're purchasing some other stuff from Mcmaster then that is your best best - 100 pins for under 5 bucks. Shipping from Mcmaster tends to be reasonable and very fast. Plus, your $5 in pins will turn into a $75 order of stuff you didn't know you needed (eye bolts, PEM nuts, etc).

Not today McMaster! Kept it (just) under sixty...

 

[Wayco]

Crazy Jim has them listed with his lighters, which you will also need if you're doing dual deploy. Can't beat the price on the lighters:
https://www.rocketryforum.com/showt...-dual-deploy-ya-need-these&highlight=lighters

He posted up on page 3, post #79 about the shear pins, 100 for $5. You will have to PM him with your shipping data, follow the instructions on the first post. He's a great vendor and ships quickly.

 

[michigander]

I have some of these in my tool kit


https://rail-buttons.com/shearpins.html

 

[dosmithii]

While I am a big fan of the screws, you can also use styrene rod. I have used this .080 styrene rod successfully on a couple of my 4" rockets and it works quite good. I cut the pins to the length that I want, slightly heat one end and flatten it like the head of a nail. Once installed, I put a small piece of tape over them to make sure that they don't fall out. It's not the "prettiest" option, but it is quite effective, and you can get a ton of shear pins out of one package of styrene rod. You can usually pick it up at your local hobby shop, especially if they sell train supplies.

 

[Sailorbill]

One thing I have found is that the White nylon works much better than the Black nylon. The first time I tried nylon screws as shear pins the only place I could find them in a hurry was Hobby Town in the Model train section. They were black, very flexible and didn't want to shear. During ground testing I discovered they bent and stayed intact. The nose cone came off but I had to use more BP than I thought I should. After that I went with the white colored screws from Missile Works or McMaster-Carr and they always seem to work well. Just my :2: .

 

[Fox Flyers Rocketry]

Thanks for your help everyone! Got my shear pins ordered. Will start testing soon.

 

[Fox Flyers Rocketry]

Boyne City! Back in the day I left a few brain cells in that town LOL. Is the Horton Bay General Store still going?

Apogee can certainly help you but I suggest you look at the McMaster-Carr site www.mcmaster.com . They have all kinds of Nylon screws including 2-56. But give yourself, say, one hour to look around the site and you will ALWAYS come up with several more things you may not have known existed that you've just got to have. It's addictive like that. Good luck...

Yes I believe the Horton Bay General Store is still going, but I don't live in Boyne City anymore. I've been in East Jordan for about a year now...... Guess I forgot to update my profile.