nuts and bolts in scale

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Chris Hollands
Posts: 546
Joined: Thu Mar 26, 2009 8:38 am
Location: Vancouver ,Canada

Re: nuts and bolts in scale

Post by Chris Hollands »

I make all my nuts and bolts out of s/s with built in washers on the head and nut then you can make the nut and bolt to suit the application and the look you want .
You can make scale heads with oversize shanks for strength .
What I do now is buy standard bolts and machine the bolt head to the scale size I want , I use all metric now so I buy from the UK and hobby companies in the US .
Down side - it is time consuming to do this but whats the rush .
Howard Gorin
Posts: 348
Joined: Tue Jan 07, 2003 2:56 am
Location: Waltham, MA

Re: nuts and bolts in scale

Post by Howard Gorin »

I have for sale the stainless steel hardware formerly sold by Real Trains.
I am also working on making more Archbar trucks.
Other trucks wil be made as time allows.
FLtenwheeler
Posts: 1595
Joined: Sun Jan 05, 2003 8:47 am
Location: Florida, on the Lake Wales Ridge

Re: nuts and bolts in scale

Post by FLtenwheeler »

Thank you Howard.

Tim
He who dies with the most unfinished projects: Should of put more time into their hobby.
steamingdon
Posts: 604
Joined: Sun Feb 22, 2009 9:21 pm
Location: massachusetts,usa

Re: nuts and bolts in scale

Post by steamingdon »

:lol: I don`t think you have that kind of time left. :lol: :lol:
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steamingdon
Posts: 604
Joined: Sun Feb 22, 2009 9:21 pm
Location: massachusetts,usa

Re: nuts and bolts in scale

Post by steamingdon »

I don`t think you have that kind of time left.
steamer
rkcarguy
Posts: 1730
Joined: Tue Aug 22, 2017 10:33 am
Location: Wa State

Re: nuts and bolts in scale

Post by rkcarguy »

I've had good luck with McMaster-Carr on #4-40 screws with a hex head in stainless if you can't find anything else.

https://www.mcmaster.com/#standard-hex- ... s/=1d56rs4
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johnpenn74
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Joined: Tue May 04, 2010 12:54 pm
Location: Waiting for next assignment!

Re: nuts and bolts in scale

Post by johnpenn74 »

Use Metric and live with the hex head. all the way down to 3mm in A2 stainless or zinc. Mcmaster has them all.
John Pennington

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Trainman4602
Posts: 3482
Joined: Sat Oct 16, 2004 9:26 pm
Location: New Jersey

Re: nuts and bolts in scale

Post by Trainman4602 »

Go right to the source
J. I. Morris The have thd sizes fro 000-120 to 2-56 in hex round fillister and flat heads lengths to 1/2 long on the larger sizes.

BTW you have to buy quantity but so what . if you only need a few go to the local hobby store or go to Walthers in Chicago Ill.

Here is the link to the J. I. Morris web site
https://jimorrisco.com/

For sizes from 3 -48 to 10-32 see Wayne Godshall American Model Engineering
ALLWAYS OPERATING MY TRAIN IN A SAFE MANNER USING AUTOMATIC AIR BRAKES
hoppercar
Posts: 616
Joined: Sun Jul 22, 2018 4:09 pm

Re: nuts and bolts in scale

Post by hoppercar »

Godshalls has taken over the american model co. I have recently ordered from them, Just call them up, place order on the phone, and its mailed out right away!! Very nice people to deal with !!
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8thscale
Posts: 160
Joined: Tue Oct 21, 2003 2:31 pm
Location: San Diego County

Re: nuts and bolts in scale

Post by 8thscale »

I'll second that! Same great service as the original owners.
I placed an order via email, paid and got my order very quickly!
hoppercar
Posts: 616
Joined: Sun Jul 22, 2018 4:09 pm

Re: nuts and bolts in scale

Post by hoppercar »

godshalls, is the place to go for model nuts and bolts....call them up, they take debit card over the phone, and ship the same day.......couldn't be easier....great people to deal with
Rwilliams
Posts: 1048
Joined: Thu Dec 22, 2005 2:45 pm
Location: Central California

Re: nuts and bolts in scale

Post by Rwilliams »

With most of the model hex nuts and bolts being scaled down from the standard sizes of hex nuts and bolts, the appearance is OK for most but not all models. What many do not realize is the major locomotive builders for years used only heavy or extra heavy hex nuts and bolts from one end of a steamer to the other. Where the hex nut or bolt will not be seen most any fastener of needed size can be used and covered in black paint. Where the fastener will be seen in easy view, I try to scale the nut or bolt head as close as possible and make the head hex size as close as possible from hex stock. Metric hex stock is becoming easier to find and gives more options to achieve the desired appearance for discriminating model builders.

I recently scaled the extra heavy nuts on a full size steamer that secured the coupler pocket to the pilot beam. The standard 10-32 model hex nut was not even close to what I really needed. Once I made up a set of extra heavy hex nuts for the coupler pocket studs, the visual presentation became so much nicer looking. Years ago I used to think model hex nuts and bolts were the gold standard. Today, it is understood that scaling the full size fastener is the gold standard.

With this in mind, the owners of the mass production screw machines might want to begin offering heavy or extra heavy hex nuts and bolts for our model building efforts. This would surely bring a new level of detail quality to the hobby that has been long overdue. I discussed this once with the late Barry Hauge of Superscale. Barry did in fact make scale nuts as needed for his product line, but was not interested in a full line of extra heavy nuts and bolts as he was already too busy.
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