Bolts

Nuts and bolts come under a category of tools called fasteners. All kinds of fasteners do a similar type of job that is to join things together. However, not all fasteners work in the same manner. Nuts and bolts are unique in this regard.

You might have seen other types of fasteners apart from nuts and bolts, like concrete anchors, inserts, threaded rods, rivets, and retaining rings. All though all of them help you join things together or fix things in place, they work on objects of different weights and different material. Bolts and screws are probably the most versatile among them. You can use them to fix things like wood, metal, and even small concrete. Read this article to know more about them. Having a better understanding of them will help you make the right purchase decisions when you are shopping for them.

Everything you need to know about nuts and bolts

The world of screws is quite large. There are literally hundreds of different types of nuts, bolts, screws, washers, and rivets out there. To know about all of and to learn how and where to use them, it will take years of experience and learning. And as you can imagine, it is impossible to cover all of them in one article. However, for a normal project in a home, you don’t need extensive knowledge about all of them. This article will give you a basic idea of the types of bolts you will need and the washers, and nuts that you will need for them.

Types of bolts

The most common types of bolts that you will find in furniture and most of the other household installations are carriage and hex head bolts. Then there are the machine screws that come in a wide range of sizes. You will find them in small to large electronics and also in machinery. Shoulder screws are more of speciality bolts. These screws only have a thread only up to half of its length. The length of the screw without the threat remains outside of the surface. This portion can function as a shaft or a dowel for moving parts.

Types of screws

Wood screws are what you need for fixing two pieces of wood together. It is easy to tell a wood screw apart from the rest of the screws because of a smooth shank. Deck screws, on the other hand, are very versatile. They work on walls, wood, and also on deck materials. Lag screws are special wood screws. The shaft of these screws looks very similar to wood screws, albeit being thicker. But the main difference lies in the head. The head is hexagonal and requires a wrench rather than a screwdriver. This is what you should use when you need to make a more secure fit.

Types of nuts

When people think of nuts, they only think of hex screws. But, in fact, nuts come in a few different shapes other than hexagonal shapes. Also, not all hex nuts are the same. There are castle nuts, coupling nuts, hex finish nuts, hex jam nuts, and heavy hex nuts; all of which are hexagonal in shape. Among these, castle nuts are for special application. They come with cotter pins that keep them fixed on any surface and prevent loosening. Cap nuts are not your typical hex nuts. They have a dome shape covering on the top that hides the sharp end of the screws.

Types of washers

Rivets or washers are something that works along with the bolts to keep the screws secure. Despite looking like a simple piece of metal, there is more to it than what the eyes meet. The most common type is the backup rivet washers. These washers help you fix smaller screws on wider openings. Fender washers have small inside diameters as compared to the outer diameter. Belleville conical washers are almost the opposite of fender washers. Their inside diameter is only a few millimetres less than that of the outer diameter.