Things You Wanted To Know About Bolts, But Didn’t Know Who To Ask!

A Hex-head bolt – Photo Courtesy: James Bowe

Our world is filled with many inconspicuous things that are, as a matter of fact, indispensable. One of such “can fool by the size” thing is the fasteners. Fasteners allow the assembling of a variety of components with reliability and safety. One such fastener is a bolt.

The bolt forms an integral part of so many things that we use daily and despite that, not many of us are aware of the various basic types of bolts. It is the versatility in terms of shapes, sizes and uses of bolts that make it interesting!

Here, we take a peek into the fascinating world of bolts:

Carriage bolts

This is a bolt used generally for wood lumber construction like building furniture. They have a curved domed head and a square collar below it and are tightened by a nut and a wrench. The bolt is fitted by tightening into the wood and the square collar holds it into place and stops it from getting twisted. These bolts are used for a permanent use as they are difficult to remove even with the use of a tool.

Hex bolts

Hex bolt is the most commonly used bolt as it has the shape to help universal application. It has a six sided head and a threaded shaft. The threaded shaft requires a compatible nut to be fit snugly. A wrench is commonly used to attach or remove the bolt. It is commonly used in the construction and auto industries.

Machine bolts

An industrial lathe is shown set up to face and bevel a large machine bolt, which was held in a three-jaw chuck and a steady rest. Photo Courtesy: Darron Birgenheier

This is a bolt with a square or hexagonal head. Being wrench driven, these bolts are fastened with either square nuts or hex nuts. These are manufactured in large sizes and the diameter of the bolt increases with the length. They are coarse or fine threaded.  The diameters they are available in range from 1/4th to 2 inches.

Hollow wall bolts

Above: How to fix a Hollow Wall Anchor – Image Courtesy: Trutek Construction Fastening Systems of UK

These bolts are used for fastening lightweight objects like paintings and frames on hollow walls. Toggle bolts and expansion bolts are the two types of hollow wall bolts. Toggle bolts are affixed with the help of a spring in the wall whereas expansion bolts are fixed using an expansion jacket. This expansion jacket expands as the expansion bolt is fixed and that’s how the jacket holds the bolt in.

Stove bolts

Contrary to the name, this bolt can be used for various other purposes than just stoves. As a matter of fact, the usage of this bolt is quite versatile and they can be used to fasten almost everything. They are available in various shapes of heads like round, oval, and even flat. They are driven in by a screwdriver. Completely and coarsely threaded, these bolts also have a smooth shank near their head.

Getting the right nuts and bolts is crucial to insure that your project goes smoothly. Now that you know the nuts and bolts and about various types of bolts, you can make a wise choice next time you find yourself with a little DIY project on hands. Besides, isn’t knowledge the best thing to show off?

Jake Summers is a part time blogger and the supplier for a large Fastener Manufacturer. Apart from his work, he likes to take part in many sports activities and spends his free time reading comics.