... Screws

The three types of machine screws we've seen directly in an original Wah Chang communicator (in Alpha and Beta) are: 1) 1/2" brass 2-56 slotted oval head, 2) 1/2" steel 2-56 slotted round head, and 3) 1/2" brass 2-56 slotted pan head.  The "2" in the 2-56 number is the national standard (ANSI) reference diameter and the "56" is the number of threads per inch.

Here are Alpha's:

And these are Beta's:

Note:  Zeta's screws were lost by former owner Greg Jein prior to anyone else seeing them.

These three types, however, are not the only ones used in the comms.  All told, there were likely five (a pan head in not shown here):

In chart form, they sort out like this (as best as screencaps show):
   
 Left Front
Left Rear
Right Rear
Right Front
  
  ALPHA
 steel round
steel round
brass oval
steel round
  
  BETA
 brass pan
?
?
steel round
  
  GAMMA
 brass oval
steel flat
brass round
brass oval
  
  ZETA
brass round
brass round
brass round
brass oval
  
  KAPPA
brass oval
brass oval
brass oval
brass oval
  
 
Note 1: the left/right orientation is based on viewing the prop from the top (antenna) side.
Note 2: it is unknown if the brass rounds were regular slotted or Phillips.
 
 

Now then, if you were to choose the one quintessential screw type for your replica builds, that would have to be the 2-56 brass slotted oval head.  That's becaues the great majority of screws we do see clearly (on Gamma and especially Kappa) are all the brass oval head:

The above diagram is from measurements of the one on Alpha.

Where to get:
You'd think that finding this 2-56 machine brass slotted oval head screw would be easy.  Unfortunately it isn't made anywhere in the world!  That's right, the very one we seek the most hasn't been in production for years.

Your options are limited:

      1)  Search for someone selling an extra stash on eBay.
      2)  Use instead the brass or steel slotted round head, obtainable in small quantities from Micro Fasteners, Fastener Mart or Amazon.
      3)  Take a brass round or pan head screw obtained from eBay or Amazon and grind / file / sand the head to make it more oval:

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