Home Improvement Stack Exchange
Home Improvement Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [bolts]

227 questions
95
votes
8 answers

Should a washer go on nut side, or the bolt side?

Often I take something apart and when I go to reassemble it, I don't remember which side the washer was on. When there's only one washer, does it generally go on the nut side (pressed up against the nut) or the bolt side (pressed up against the…
wim
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21
votes
15 answers

How can I stop bolts from loosening over time?

Here is a picture of what I intend to use: I believe (and could be wrong about this) that over time as the structure is moved, the nut that was fastened to hold the structure together will gradually loosen. Is there way to make the nut so tight and…
quantum231
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9
votes
5 answers

What is the name of this threaded tube with screws at each end?

I have been attempting to find the name of this object: The website where I got the picture from calls them "barrel bolts", however searching for that name on shopping websites has not shown any similar parts. Do you know of other names for this?
Milichip
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7
votes
3 answers

How can I tell the handedness of a bolt?

I have a craftsman lawnmower (with a Honda engine) and I'm trying to remove the lawnmower blade to sharpen it. It seems really tight. I'm wondering if I'm turning the bolt the wrong direction. Does anyone have a trick to determine if it's a 'normal'…
JeremyP
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5
votes
6 answers

What is the meaning of the letters on the top of a common hex bolt?

I recently drilled and tapped a 5/16"-18 in a piece of soft steel, then found that the 5/16"-18 bolt I had chosen wouldn't fit (the bolt was slightly too large). When I found that other 5/16"-18 bolts fit just fine, I got curious and eventually…
Edward L. Stauff
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4
votes
1 answer

Quick Release Pin spring mechanism

The kind of quick-release pin shown in the picture has a cap with an interior thread so it can be removed from the pin which has an exterior thread, revealing a center rod that extends axially down through the pin. My question is this: is the…
mr blint
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4
votes
2 answers

Are there different thickness heads/nuts for hex bolts?

The hex bolts in my local home depot (specifically the size 3/8-16) all have the same thickness of the hex head. It looks to me to be about 3/16 of an inch thick. I need to recess a hex screw inside an aluminum block and recess a corresponding bolt…
trying_hal9000
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3
votes
2 answers

How to tighten a carriage bolt?

I'm trying to assemble a glider patio chair which I ordered. The main pieces (seat, back, sides, etc) are assembled and I'm supposed to just screw the pieces together. How are you supposed to tighten these things? There's nowhere to use a…
user26270
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3
votes
1 answer

Help with strange type of bolt

I'm hoping someone can help me identify what type of bolt(if it is even a bolt) this is, what it is used for and most importantly how to remove it. This is used to attached a boat engine to a transom, there are three other normal bolts (one in the…
AidanO
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2
votes
7 answers

What kind of blow torch to use for a stuck bolt

I'm trying to remove a tire from a lawn tractor and the bolt is stuck. I've tried all kinds of penetrating oils and an impact driver with no luck. A lot of websites recommend heating the bolt. What kind of heat source should I use? Addition: …
StepByStep
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2
votes
1 answer

What type of bolt has a shoulder portion above and unthreaded region below threads?

I have a couple Rex folding lounge chairs: However, during my move one of the bolts connecting the base to the side came loose and was lost. I took out the one from the other side and I've never seen something like it and I'm not sure where to find…
s0rce
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2
votes
3 answers

What type of bolt should I use to maintain a movable joint?

I'm making a collapsible frame for a moses basket. The design is something like a deckchair, where two lengths of timber cross each other and are fastened with a bolt but can still move in relation to each other. My question is what type of bolt to…
Paul
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2
votes
2 answers

How can I securely fasten a carriage bolt?

I recently made a bracket for mounting a TV onto a custom pipe mount that I built. I was advised at my local hardware store to use a carriage bolt here for the following reasons: These counter-sunk holes will be flush against the back of the…
Naftuli Kay
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2
votes
1 answer

How to remove carriage bolts from a basketball backboard?

How can I remove these carriage (or perhaps round head) bolts? (How were they ever tightened to begin with?) There seems to be no way to access behind the backboard.
Patrick Szalapski
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2
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1 answer

What is this metal bookcase component called?

I have partially assembled a tree bookcase and have discovered that I have been supplied with an incorrect part. I was supplied with the part shown in the attached picture. The pictured part is 76mm in length, yet the assembly requires the same…
Adam
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