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Bolts
About 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.
Tips on how to buy Nuts and Bolts Online
Choosing the right nuts and bolts can be harder than you think. This is because there are hundreds of different varieties of them. So how do you select the right one for a particular project? If you are a DIYer who doesn’t want to pay for professional help, then you can select the right combination using a few criteria. Here are some tips that you can follow when you are shopping for nuts and bolts. Using these simple tips, you will be able to figure out the type of nuts and bolts you will need for your home projects.
- Diametre of the bolts – This refers to the diameter of the shaft of the bolt. Firstly, the diameter should be equal to or less than the size of the hole on the surface. In some cases, it is okay to use one that has a smaller diameter than the size of the hole.
- Length of the bolts – This depends on the purpose of using a bolt in the first place. If you want to join together multiple pieces of wood or metal, then it should be long enough to pass through all the pieces and should have a bit of extra length after that.
- Size and shape of the head – It is the shape of the head that is one of the major factors in determining the size of the bolt. So, can you get a screw of any type of head for any kind of use? Well, technically, you can. But that doesn’t mean you should use one. It is better to use a bolt with a basic head type unless you need a special head.
- Material – The characteristics of a screw depends on its material. Iron screws are the cheapest among all. But they are not as strong as stainless-steel screws. Iron screws are also more prone to rusting. Then there are the aluminium screws that are almost as strong as stainless steel but only weigh a fraction of that.
If you are a DIYer, you will need more things than just nuts and bolts. Before you start working on any project, you need to make sure that you have all the right tools and accessories . That way, you can avoid your project grinding to halt because of the lack of tools. The great news is that you can find all of them easily using our product search engine . It will also help you compare the prices and features of different items and choose the best one among them. Finally, don’t forget to check out other products from the DIY category.
Question & Answer
How do you measure the size of screws and bolts?
Bolt size is a combination of a few different measurements. This includes the length of the shaft, the diameter of the shaft, and size of the head. If you want to measure the diameter of the screw, you need to measure the distance between the outer thread on one side to the thread on the other side. Measuring the length is pretty straight forward. But you will need to consider the length that has the thread and the portion of length that does not have the thread. Finally, you need to measure the size of the head. For a typical screw, the size of the head corresponds to the diameter.
How do you remove a screw without a head?
For a normal screw, there will be a grove where you can attach a screwdriver or a drill bit. But how do you remove a screw that has a broken head? Before you start working on the broken screw, keep in mind that it is going to take a bit of work. Also, you need to get a drill, and a special tool called an extractor. The first step is to attach the extractor to the broken head using a drill. After attaching the head to the screw, you can connect the end of the extractor to the drill. Then run the drill in the reverse direction, and the screw will easily come off.
How do you remove rust from nuts and bolts?
Even stainless-steel screws tend to get some rust. However, in most cases, it is not a big problem unless it gets stuck. But even if a nut is stuck because of rust, you can clean it easily just by using household items. If it is a mild case of rusting, you can try wiping it thoroughly with lemon and vinegar. The acidic quality of these will work great when it comes to removing rust from the bolt. Another combination for removing rust is baking soda and toothbrush. But in case if that too doesn’t work, then you will need special rust removers like a penetrating oil.
If you are looking to buy bolts online in the UAE, look no further as you are in the right place. There are more than 500 shops and brands offering them here on Shops.ae. These include brands like ASTM, Hilti, Allen, ARP, Toggler, and Fischer.