Stainless Essentials for Fishing
If you’ve spent more than ten minutes near saltwater with a tackle box in hand, you already know this: the ocean is not kind to anything made of inferior metal.
Technical
Are Grade 12.9 Bolts Overkill for Your Project?
At Bolt-In Co Sunshine Coast, we stock all kinds of fasteners — from the humble coach screw to the kind of bolt you’d use to keep a tank’s wheels on. Somewhere near the top of the strength food chain? That’d be your Grade 12.9 steel bolts.
A Deep Dive Into Stainless Steel Fasteners
If you’re a boatie, you already know: stainless is non-negotiable. You wouldn’t trust your hull to mild steel, so why trust your hardware?
What is 12.9 Grade Steel?
If you’ve ever snapped a cheap bolt in half and stared at it in frustration, wondering why it failed, chances are you weren’t using 12.9 grade steel. Learn more about Grade 12.9 fasteners in this article.
Nuts and Bolts: The Unseen Heroes of the Construction World
Discover top-quality nuts, bolts, and fasteners with Bolt-In Co, the Sunshine Coast’s trusted supplier. Get the right fastener for the job—because solid work starts with the best hardware!
12.9 Grade Steel vs Stainless Steel
In this article, we take a look at the considerations when comparing two fundamentally different types of bolts - namely, 12.9 grade alloy steel fasteners and stainless steel fasteners.
Swaging Solutions for Wire Rope Balustrades
How to Organise a Custom Wire Rope Balustrade Solution with Bolt-In Co Sunshine Coast
How to Organise a Custom Wire Rope Balustrade Solution with Bolt-In Co Sunshine Coast Are you looking to enhance a property with a sleek, modern wire rope balustrade solution, custom-made for your project so you all you need to worry about is the installation? Bolt-In Co is here to make the process easy. We specialise in stainless steel wire rope balustrade solutions that provide safety, style, and durability. Here’s what’s involved when you organise a custom balustrade solution with Bolt-In Co Sunshine Coast.
An important note: Wire rope balustrades are a fabulous indoor / outdoor option to create an effective and stylish balustrade solution. We sell only high quality products which are in a stainless steel grade suitable for coastal applications, and engineered to last.
Like other building products, you can avoid many problems simply by shopping with a supplier dedicated to quality products and results! For custom balustrade solutions on the Sunshine Coast, that’s Bolt-In Co!
How to Organise a Custom Wire Rope Balustrade Solution with Bolt-In Co:
1. Measure up Your Job First, you’ll need to know the details about your wire rope lengths. We cut these to size for you, so you will need to know:
a. How long your wire rope runs are between each terminating post.
b. How many of each run you will need taking into account legislative requirements.
*Internal wire rope installation by Pizzica Properties PTY LTD
2. What type of Wire Rope will you use?
The next question to answer is what type of wire rope you would like to use in your project. Wire rope comes in a variety of thicknesses and different ropes have different price points. You can review our wire rope options here, or if you’re not sure about this, just ask our team and we can guide you towards the right type of wire rope for your balustrade project. Typically all wire rope balustrades for residential applications are 3.2mm diameter.
*External wire rope installation by Swan Built Carpentry Sunshine Coast
3. What type of fittings will you use?
Fittings are essential to create the connections between your wire ropes and posts. There are a variety of fittings available – check out this website page for more information on our fittings. Alternatively, ask our team and we can guide you towards the fittings you will need for your project.
4. Swaging
*Bolt-In Co Sunshine Coast Swaging Press
Swaging is the process of attaching the wire rope to the fittings. This creates a permanent bond of sufficient strength to endure the tension of the installed wire rope. There are two ways to approach swaging – we can do it for you, or, if you are purchasing wire rope from Bolt-In Co, we also hire swaging presses if you’d like to take care of your own swaging.
5. Get a Quote
After you have this information: your lengths, the type of wire rope you will be using, the fittings you will need, and your swaging solution, we can give you a quote and an estimated time to pickup or deliver your custom wire rope balustrade solution. We can generally have your wire rope ready for pickup or delivery within 2 business days of your order. When it’s time to organise a wire rope balustrade solution, talk to our team to get a great result. We use high quality stainless steel products, and we customise them for your project so all you need to worry about is the installation. If you have any questions about this process, contact our team for more information.
Thread Stripping Causes & Solutions
A fastener is only as good as its thread.. if you work with fasteners it won't be long before you experience the not so wonderful situation of encountering a stripped thread. Depending on what you're working on, the implications could be minor, or they could be the beginning of a prolonged 4 hour dismantling operation to resolve the problem.
Either way, stripped threads are nobody's idea of a good time. In this article with Bolt-In Co Sunshine Coast, we take a look at common causes and solutions for stripped threads. If you're looking for high quality fasteners in Australia, contact us for more information. We ship Australia-wide and we stock quality fasteners at reasonable prices!
What is a Stripped Thread?
Before we take a look at the common causes and solutions, it might be helpful to clarify what we're talking about in regards to stripped threads. Read ahead if you're already up to speed! A fastener (such as a bolt) has an external thread, which matches to the internal grooves on its matching fastening component which may be a nut or a threaded hole.
The job of the external threads is to slide into the matching internal threads in the female component to create the fastening connection.
A stripped thread is a type of fastener failure. When the threads (external or internal) in the nut / threaded hole or bolt become damaged. Damaged threads can result in a few different outcomes, none of which are desirable.
A Useless but Interesting Fact
Have you ever wondered when the first threaded fasteners were invented? They came into being during the Middle Ages, but were hand-forged and with no consistency in design standards. Still, a pretty good job by the old-school blacksmiths! It wasn't until the Industrial Revolution began, in the mid 1800's, that machine-made fasteners of a consistent standard were produced.
Problems Caused by Stripped Threads
Some of the problems caused by stripped threads include:
1. Reduction in holding power
Without the proper grip, fasteners are reduced in their ability to fasten - which can compromise the structural integrity of the assembly.
2. Difficulty Removing or Reinstalling
A stripped thread can result in fasteners locking up, making them difficult or impossible to remove. If removal is successful, reusing the fastener is likely not an option due to the damaged thread.
Stripped threads are frustrating and time consuming to resolve. At Bolt-In Co, we believe they should be avoided at any cost!
Common Causes of Stripped Threads
There are quite a few reasons why threads may be stripped. Here are some of the common ones we encounter:
1. Poor Quality Fasteners
If you buy cheap, you get cheap. Poor quality fasteners can be inadequate for the task at hand - or any task for that matter. We strongly recommend using good quality fasteners. We stock a wide range of good quality fasteners at reasonable prices - contact us for more information.
2. Over-Tightening
Over-tightening fasteners can damage the thread. This is usually due to the thread being sheared off due to excessive torque.
3. Cross-Threading
In the event the nut and bolt aren't properly aligned, cross threading can occur - when the fastener is tightened at the incorrect angle, damaging the thread.
4. Thread Mismatch
Using the correct nut with its matching bolt is essential to get a good outcome. Mixing and matching nuts and bolts can lead to thread damage.
5. Dirt or Debris
If fasteners aren't clear of dirt and debris, this can cause damage to threads which you need to recall are precision-manufactured to function properly.
6. Fastener Fatigue
Over time, multiple repetitions of fastening and unfastening can cause wear and tear on threads. Again, this will depend on the quality of the fasteners being used in the first place, and whether they are of sufficient quality for the application.
Solutions for Stripped Threads
There are a variety of solutions for situations where a thread has been stripped. The applicability of the solution depends on the individual situation and whether it is a nut or threaded hole. Solutions will need to be assessed by a professional to understand whether sufficiency for mechanical requirements. Examples of solutions for stripped threads include options such as:
1. Drill & Tap
Drilling and tapping the hole to go up in size to a larger fastener.
2. Helicoil
Helicoil is a threaded wire insert that forms a new integration by expanding as the fastener is tightened. Unlike drilling and tapping, using a helicoil does not require increasing the hole size.
3. Thread Repair Kit
A thread repair kit may be used to create new threads and make the repair with the original fastener.
4. Epoxy / Filler
For low-torque applications, using epoxy to recreate internal threads.
5. Replacement
In a nut/bolt scenario, a stripped thread can best be resolved by replacing the components if possible.
In Conclusion
Stripped threads are a frustrating and common occurrence when you work with fasteners on a regular basis. The best way to avoid them is to use high quality fasteners and good work practices. Naturally, they may be encountered at any time through circumstances out of your control, depending on the job. However, if you're able to work with quality products whenever possible, you will save yourself the hassle. Talk to our team for more information - we provide high-quality fasteners in a wide variety, shipped Australia-wide, at reasonable prices.
