Aussie Engineers

[Graeme]

It's Sunday afternoon and I've spent most of the morning drilling and 'tapping' ½ inch holes in steel for my current project. I recently bought a tap and die set (from a Chinese import shop!) which has a ½ NC 13 tap.

I went to a local hardware store and purchased ½ inch bolts and to my horror found that they were binding after the first revolution. I re-tapped the holes but the problem remained.

I returned to the hardware store to seek answers only to be told that the likely cause is that the ½ inch bolts they stock are Whitworth thread. (I couldn't find any Whitworth tap and die kits).

Whitworth?

I tried a few other hardware stores but they all sell the same ½ inch bolt.
There are no engineering firms open.

A quick Google on Whitworth reveals…

"Most of the coarse threads share the same threads per inch which means BSW nuts can be screwed onto UNC bolts and vice-versa. The exception to this being ½ inch -- ½ inch BSW is 12 threads per inch and ½ inch UNC is 13 threads per inch."

British Fasteners

I was wondering if there are any Australians on the forum who can tell me if ½ inch bolts can be purchased in this country with a NC 13 thread, (and if so, is this a specialised and expensive item?) or am I 'screwed'?

 

[Freebird]

Reminds me of reading about the army RAF trying to explain to Churchill how complicated it was doing maintainance in the desert, then I imagine what it would be like if none of the spanners work...

 

[Wayne Little]

Mate you should be able to get what you want, but not at a hardware do a search for a fastener/Bolts and nuts outlet in your local area. Shouldn't cost an arm and a leg.....maybe a finger or two!...just kidding. Good Luck!

 

[Screaming Eagle]

jeez, I wouldn't know, I should I'm an apprentice boilermaker!

 

[Graeme]

Shouldn't cost an arm and a leg.....maybe a finger or two!...just kidding. Good Luck!

I laughed, but shouldn't have. I'm a klutz. I spent Christmas 2006 in the local Accident and Emergency Department after drilling a 3.2mmm hole straight through my left index fingertip. Never been the same since! The moral of the story is "don't drink and drill".

This afternoon, 1/2 in NC13 bolts from these people.. Coventry Group
And Whitworth tap/dies from these people.. Bromac Engineering Supplies

 

[Wayne Little]

Good on yer mate, New a fastener would get the job done, yeah use Coventry here now and then when I want something odd...

Well I can relate to your accident, a couple of years ago I stuck a phillips head screw driver into my hand, just as I thought this is a bad idea I could hurt myself the way I was trying to loosen the screw, wham bam thankyou ma'am straight into the fleshy area between thumb and forefinger....boy did i use some colourful language...!