There are at least 2 thread pitches for most metric screws. My local hardware store has samples on a chain you can screw your test screw into to find the size and pitch. If not there is Metric Screw and Tool in Wakefield,MA. Pretty helpful when I needed longer mounting screws for the Pearl lugs on my Eames shells.

What he said... keep this stuff up and you'll come to adore hardware! Unless they are different in your area, don't even try for some of this stuff at the big box hardware stores. You're going to need a well stocked mom and pop or a specialty store.

If you need a lot of them, you might be SOL; I was missing one for my Star made Apollo set which uses M5- 0.90 pitch. I tried such hardware suppliers as Fastenal and McMaster-Carr, and even googled variations on that description- nothing. They might've been common in Japan 40 years ago, but you'll have a devil of a time finding them now. Best bet is another drum you can steal them off- that's what I did.

My Pearl lugs from the 70's are 4 mm, 7 pitch.

But some of the older Pearl lugs are a proprietary thread size.

I could not find them anywhere.

So I re-tapped them to 8/32.

Worked well.

ggd

Thanks Mookie, you're right, they are unobtanium. Easiest to just rob Star orphans.

Right on greenglass. These lugs have very thin-walled lug bosses though, such that tapping them out to an M6 would break them.

Not sure if this will help but you can try this place also. They are pretty good. And you can buy just what you need.

http://www.nutty.com/

*Edit to add.... give them a call if you don't see what you need on the website.

My first post! Thanks for posting this so long ago. It helped me find I had more common problem than one might think. I came into the same issue with a set of 1970s Pearl fiberglass shells. Long story and lot of searching later I found that the Japanese had/have a different set of standards that they use in some of their fasteners. "Japanese Industrial Standard." To find the size and pitch I took the screws to Fastenal (Who won't have your screws) and had them use their pitch an thickness gauges. I'm trying to get hold of some of the m5 .9 pitch and m4 .75 pitch screws for the Pearl lugs. The list of possible suppliers looks short right now.

After more hours of searching I've found that the JIS apparently changed things about 1967. The m4 screws changed from .75 to .7 pitch. The m5 changed from .9 to .8 pitch. Looks like nobody has made this size screw in over 40 years. Somebody please prove me wrong. The lugs on my 1970s shells must have been from a large stock of lugs. It is a good thing for vintage Japanese drum owners to know. Don't buy a vintage replacement part without screws. And until you are sure of the size don't throw ANY screws away no matter how ugly they are.

Forum member Tris66 is correct in his answers.

I seem to recall that most of the Star teardrop lugs I've worked with used 5mm. x .9mm screw thread size with large rounded Phillips heads. That being the case, it's also quite possible that some of them were made using the more common 5mm. x .8mm threading. The .9mm thread screws appear to the eye slightly more "coarse" than the .8mm threads, almost like the 10-24" screws found on vintage U.S. kits. Unfortunately the vast majority of all drums being sold today fasten their lugs with 4mm x .7mm. screws. I strongly suggest purchasing both standard and also metric pocket thread gauges from any quality hardware supply. Very inexpensive tools which you'll find yourself using a lot. I'm unable to provide any links, but feel certain that an online search will provide "bolt and fastener" supply houses which can ship you quantities of most hard to find metric sizes screws and parts. Best of luck in your restoration!