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source for low quantity custom bolt
2

source for low quantity custom bolt

source for low quantity custom bolt

(OP)
I'm looking for a prototype source for a custom bolt.  I need to obtain a small quantity of an 18-18 bolt.  According to the information I could dig up (which isn't much), this is a thread that was standard a long time ago but has since been obsoleted.  I looked in a Machinery's handbook from 1964 and this thread wasn't listed so I assume it went obsolete before then.

This thread is somewhere between a 1/4-20 and a 5/16-18 - I've seen 5/16-18 threaded rod re-tapped on the end to make an 18-18, but that's not what I want.

We've got production quantity quotes in and the lead time is understandably rather long.  We have an immediate need for some of these bolts to go on customer samples of a new product and I'm looking to get my hands on a small quantity of these.  If anyone could point me toward a shop that does this kind of custom work I'd be most appreciative.

RE: source for low quantity custom bolt

Try Wecall.  Talk to Paul Doherty @440-437-8202

RE: source for low quantity custom bolt

BrianRost... does Wecall do custom bolts.  If they do, I'll keep their name and number on file.

Dik

RE: source for low quantity custom bolt

(OP)
I just spoke with Wecall and was told they typically only do nuts - big ones at that.

RE: source for low quantity custom bolt

Any job shop in your area should be able to make the bolts for you.

John Nabors

'Heaven is the place where the police are British, the chefs are Italian, the mechanics are German, the poets are French, and it is all organized by the Swiss.

Hell is the place where the police are German, the chefs are British, the mechanics are French, the poets are Swiss and it is all organized by the Italians.'

RE: source for low quantity custom bolt

dgowans,

    Is there any reason you cannot take this to a machine shop?  If you can somehow specify the thread, this sounds like a perfect job for a CNC lathe.

                    JHG

RE: source for low quantity custom bolt

(OP)
I've got calls into several local places on this.  It's kind of a situation where we got caught with our pants down and we're now scrambling to meet immediate needs.  I was just looking for sources that some of you may have used in the past for this sort of thing.

RE: source for low quantity custom bolt

These guys did a great job for me on some tapered dowels:
lots of custom & aerospace stuff
http://www.reidproducts.com/

RE: source for low quantity custom bolt

I guess I just want to know why you are using a completly non-standard thread form?

RE: source for low quantity custom bolt

(OP)
My product is a field retrofit to existing equipment that is in some cases 60-80 years old.  Believe me, my life would be a lot easier if I could spec a 5/16-18........

RE: source for low quantity custom bolt

OK, that makes sense.. I was thinking it was some lame attempt to prevent reverse engineering, or user replacement of these screws...

Soem generally useless questions follow:

Is this a "whitworth" thread?

Can you drill and tap this out to something only slightly bigger? M8x0.8?

Dang thats gotta be a PITA! Good luck!

RE: source for low quantity custom bolt

(OP)
Some generally useless answers........

What's a Whitworth thread?

Nope, drilling and tapping is not an option for various reasons that I won't go into.  Suffice it to say that all the arguments against drilling and tapping are 100% valid.

RE: source for low quantity custom bolt

Whitworth - old British thread form with 55 degree angle instead of 60 deg for current unified and ISO metric threads.

http://www.boltscience.com/pages/screw4.htm

Regards,

Cory

Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips Fora.

RE: source for low quantity custom bolt

A Whitworth thread is a mostly obsolete British thread standard that has a 55 degree flank angle and specified root and crown radii sort of like the Unified J-thread.  The specification is covered in the British standard BS 84:1956.

John Nabors

'Heaven is the place where the police are British, the chefs are Italian, the mechanics are German, the poets are French, and it is all organized by the Swiss.

Hell is the place where the police are German, the chefs are British, the mechanics are French, the poets are Swiss and it is all organized by the Italians.'

RE: source for low quantity custom bolt

Yeah- what Cory said!  ;>P

John Nabors

'Heaven is the place where the police are British, the chefs are Italian, the mechanics are German, the poets are French, and it is all organized by the Swiss.

Hell is the place where the police are German, the chefs are British, the mechanics are French, the poets are Swiss and it is all organized by the Italians.'

RE: source for low quantity custom bolt

(OP)
Thanks for the info on the Whitworth, but that's not what I'm looking for.  We've seen documentation on the product we're fitting to that specifically calls out an 18-18 thread.

Not enough expletives in the world to describe my loathing for this thing......

RE: source for low quantity custom bolt

2
I can probably make you a small quantity of whatever you need. Some questions: too what does the "18-18" refer? If the second "18", pitch, is 18 tpi, what does the first "18" mean?
Do you have a requirement for head size, material quality i.e. tensile and yield or other specs these need to fulfill?

My hovercraft is full of eels.

RE: source for low quantity custom bolt

(OP)
Cliffy,

The first 18 refers to what is now an obsolete size, similar to #8, #10, etc.  I probably should have described this crazy thing as #18-18.

If you've got a website with contact information we can discuss this off-line.

RE: source for low quantity custom bolt

http://www.praxairservices.com/

go to "contact us" then down to Tucson, AZ to get one of our numbers. Ask for Brian

My hovercraft is full of eels.

RE: source for low quantity custom bolt

dgowans: I just found some info on the thread mentioned above. You may get a die made for this application at Western Tap Manufacturing, http://www.westerntap.com/  
if you want to do this yourself.
I spoke to Rob (he's a genius with this stuff) and he knew exactly what I was talking about.
This old designation, which goes up to #22 or so, is the number of 0.013" times the number plus 0.060".
Confused? Me too! In your case, 18 X 0.013 + 0.060 = 0.294" gives the major diameter.
Western also offers full engineering services for this sort of thing. Rob said it would run you about $50 or so.

My hovercraft is full of eels.

RE: source for low quantity custom bolt

(OP)
Cliffy,

That's awesome!  I think I may have found local people to do this, but this is at least a confirmation of what I've found on the 'net.  Needless to say, I was going to verify everything from this highly reliable source.

I found a link that gave the major diameter of .294 and the minor diameter of .2218 but until this point haven't taken the time to inspect the few samples we do have.  I needed to find someone who at least said they thought they could do it.....

RE: source for low quantity custom bolt

Dgowans-

I've been at this crap for 26 years and never knew that was how that major diameters of numbered threads was derived.  I emailed my Dad (a retired tool and die maker) and asked him if he knew about that formula.  I then went on and (the Devil made me do it) told him that it is just possible that he made your really ancient piece of equipment.

He hasn't answered me yet, but I'm sure this will be good.  We worked for the same company at the time of his retirement, and when one of the machinists would come to him for help with a trig problem he would reply, "Well, the way Pythagoras explained it to me was..."

John Nabors

"Against stupidity the very gods themselves contend in vain." - Friedrich von Schiller

RE: source for low quantity custom bolt

Good news. BTW where/what is the link where you found the info? I couldn't find anything on the 'net.
PS how many parts of what length/configuration do you need?

My hovercraft is full of eels.

RE: source for low quantity custom bolt

We think we can do it. I checked with the shop.   However they can only thread about 2".

Let me know if this helps.

tom  

Thomas J. Walz
Carbide Processors, Inc.
www.carbideprocessors.com

RE: source for low quantity custom bolt

dgowans (Mechanical)
I found some thread information on your screw thread in an old Starret book (1934) it gives the thread standard as ASME special. The standard was #18-16, #18-18 and #18-20
 The thread details for the #18-18 are: Outside diameter .302". Size of drill for outside diameter of screw letter N. size of drill for tapping hole #1-.228"
If this is useful here it is, however I suspect you already know this.
B.E.

RE: source for low quantity custom bolt

The following manufacturers typically will produce Aerospace bolts and screws to NAS, MS, or NA specifications, as well as custom fasteners.

Air Industries, Garden Grove, CA. (714) 892 5571
Ameritech Fastener Mfg. Inc., Houston, TX (713) 939 7638
B&B Specialties Inc., Anaheim, CA. (714) 993 1600
BEK Level 1 Inc., Huntington, WV (304) 697 2323
NDT certs from BEK Level 1 Fasteners not acceptable.
Butler Inc., Gardena, CA (310) 323 3114
California Screw Products, Paramount, CA. (213) 633 6626
CBS Fasteners, Anaheim, CA (714) 779 6368
Champion Fasteners, Inc., Mount Holly, NJ (800) 755 2693
Fairchild Fasteners, Torrance, CA (310) 784 3453
Fastener Innovation Technology (FIT) Inc., Gardena, CA (310) 538 1111
Fastener Technology Corp., N. Hollywood, CA. (818) 764 6467
Federal Manufacturing Corp., Chatsworth, CA (818) 341 9825
Hi-Shear Corp., Torrance, CA (310) 326 8110
Huck Aerospace Fasteners, Lakewood, CA (310) 421 3711
Ideal Fasteners Inc., Anaheim, CA (714) 630 7840
J.I. Morris Co., Southbridge, MA (508) 764 4394
LFC Industries, Inc., Arlington, TX (817) 640 1322
Maney Aircraft, GS Aerospace Division, Ontario, CA (909) 390 2500
Mercury Aerospace Fasteners, N. Hollywood, CA (818) 982 4800
Use of fasteners currently in stock only
MS Aerospace, Burbank, CA (818) 953 9080
P.B. Fasteners, Gardena, CA (310) 323 6222
Pilgrim Screw Corp., Providence, RI (401) 274 4090
1.0 GSFC APPROVED MANUFACTURERS, continued
Quality Aircraft Screw, Corona, CA (909) 270 3210
Rocket Air Supply, Inc., Arlington, TX (817) 640 5340
Saturn Fasteners, Burbank, CA (818) 846 7145
Screwcorp/Fairchild, City of Industry, CA (818) 369 3333
SPS Technologies, Jenkintown, PA (215) 572 3133
SPS Technologies-Western, Santa Ana, CA (714) 545 9311
Valley Todeco, Sylmar, CA (818) 367 2261
Van Petty, Inc., Newberry Park, CA (805) 498 4594
3V Fasteners, Corona, CA (909) 734 4391
West Coast Aerospace, Wilmington, CA (310) 518 3167

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