Be it for joining wooden or metallic parts, fasteners are the most important components you need to use, no matter what. These small tools help keep different parts joined together, which is why they are used in the manufacturing and hardware industry. There are many types of fasteners you can find in the market. The most common ones are bolts and nuts.
Bolts are long, cylindrical structures with thick circular tops. Its exterior surface is machined with external threads along the length. Sometimes, the threads can run through the entire length of the bolt’s cylindrical body. It would help if you used a female counterpart to match the bolt, also termed a nut. It is a small hexagonal structure with a circular interior. On the inner surface, threads are machined to match the concerning bolt.
Since the nuts and bolts always come in pairs, you cannot use one bolt with another nut. Besides, there are so many different types of bolts and nuts in the market that finding the right one is not easy. As a result, most people make huge mistakes and have to run to the shop again or halt their work until they get the right piece. Keeping the consequences in mind, we have discussed a complete buying guide with which you can easily choose the best pair of nuts and bolts.
Understanding the types of nuts and bolts
The first thing you need to know about nuts and bolts is the types available in the market. If you are not aware of the classifications, finding the right pair won’t be easy for you. So, before moving further, let’s look at the types of this fastener you can get in the market.- Anchor bolts are used to attach or fixate any part to a solid, rigid foundation like a concrete slab or floor.
- Blind bolts: These are used in areas where you can access only the front side of the bolts and not the other one.
- Double-end bolts: In these fasteners, both ends of the cylinder are threaded but in different patterns, with a constricted neck at the middle.
- Eye bolts: These are almost similar to the traditional nuts and bolts but with an additional loop at the top of their heads.
- Flange bolts: In the flange bolts, threading is done only on a small region of the cylindrical body, while the rest of the area is used for distributing the clamping force.
- Hex bolts: The top head is shaped like a hexagon in the hex bolts. They usually have short to medium-length cylinders.
- Machined bolts and screws: Here, the bolts are transformed into screws since they have the screwdriver slot on the top of their head.
- U-shaped bolts are structured as the English letter U, but threading is done near the dual tips. The rest of the part is blank and used to balance the clamping force.
Material with which the nuts and bolts are made
Nuts and bolts are made from a wide range of materials and come with amazing finishes. So, before deciding the type of faster you would like to use, it is better to look into the materials with which the same are made. In the below discussion, we have discussed the major materials with which the nuts and bolts are made.- Stainless steel is the main material used for manufacturing nuts and bolts because it is robust, strong, and won’t suffer from rusting. Hence, they can be used in a wide range of applications.
- Galvanized iron: Iron is a strong and highly durable element indeed. But it can form rust which is why the material is dipped into molten zinc. As zinc is more reactive than iron, it prevents the oxidation of iron and the formation of rust.
- Brass: Brass is another common material with which nuts and bolts are made. It is also an alloy and has a golden finish. These are mainly used in areas where the main goal is to enhance the item’s aesthetics.
- Hardened steel: Sometimes, steel is also used for manufacturing nuts and bolts. The material is extremely hard and can withstand a lot of wear and tear with ease.
