Is there a source of extremely long coach bolts or something similar? I need 24" (and 25" would be better). I've tried places like Toolstation and Screwfix with no luck.
I suppose I could use threaded rod and make some sort of head (disks of metal welded/soldered/bolted on?) but a neat integral slightly domed head would be preferable.
Many thanks.
Rod, many thanks for the link but unless I'm missing something (which is entirely likely) their maximum length is 300mm.
You are missing my eyes and brain going sqiffy as I eat dinner and type one-handed. :-)
Ah. Well, thanks for the suggestion anyhow. You shouldn't have interrupted your dinner but I appreciate the fact that you did.
Threaded studding comes in one metre lengths. A nut on both ends might do you?
I've considered that, but for this particular application I need either a neat visible head or the equivalent of a head which can be sunk into a 15mm board - hence my wondering about an attached disk of some kind.
What I'm making is a suspended shelf which will be fairly close to the ceiling. The bolts or threaded rods will pass through the plasterboard and up through timbers fastened across the joists in the loft, and the lower stretches will be shrouded with tubing. So nuts and washers will be fine in the loft, but the ends of the rods which go through the shelf will be visible and it would be pleasant if they were neat and fairly unobtrusive.
How much load are you expecting it to take? You could heat up the end of a length of threaded rod and "pean" it over to round off and flare the end wide enough to hold a large washer.
Tim
visible head or the equivalent of a head which can be sunk into a
ceiling. The bolts or threaded rods will pass through the plasterboard
stretches will be shrouded with tubing. So nuts and washers will
be visible and it would be pleasant if they were neat and fairly
What about using sleeve nuts?
Colin Bignell
You could copy the technique that Fred demonstrated about a minute into this episode:
Much better idea than mine! ;-).
Tim
Good idea. And added to my vocabulary.
I did exactly this job last year. I used M6 threaded bar shrouded with
7mm ID anodised aluminium tube. To support intermediate shelves I used M6 hex couplers plus a washer. The shelves had a front lip for strength that protruded 15mm below the shelf under-surface, and this hid the stainless nuts and washers at the end on the rod. It worked well and looks great. Even if the lip hadn't hidden them it wouldn't have mattered; they don't look bad at all. I suppose if you're bothered you could coven them with a brown plastic thing. Incidentally I found the ability to adjust the nuts at the bottom essential.Bill
3' 30" ish but a joy to watch as always
Jim K
neat visible head or the equivalent of a head which can be sunk into a
ceiling. The bolts or threaded rods will pass through the plasterboard
stretches will be shrouded with tubing. So nuts and washers will
will be visible and it would be pleasant if they were neat and fairly
or tee nuts? or dome nuts?
Jim K
neat visible head or the equivalent of a head which can be sunk into a
ceiling. The bolts or threaded rods will pass through the plasterboard
stretches will be shrouded with tubing. So nuts and washers will
will be visible and it would be pleasant if they were neat and fairly
Or pronged nut inserts. Or route some giant square wooden nuts, epoxying them to the rod & shelf.
NT
What a bloke huh? I wish he was helping out on my house refurb!
I'm in the process of doing something similar just now. The threaded rod is screwed into the woodwork with a coach bolt welded to the end. The nut at the bottom is recessed into the framework and the rod itself is hidden by a length of 19mm chrome wardrobe hanging rail. I was so pleased, I took a photo!
I still need to decide whether the underside counts as "ceiling" or "wall" for paint colour.
I'm a bit worried by the comment about needing to adjust the nut now - mine's all boxed in. The shelf is straight though and I can't see anything moving...
Cheers,
Colin.
I was going to say the same, also the eBay stuff presumably from China is remarkably cheap. In the past I have both brazed and peened studding into nuts to make a fixed "head" at one end. If you are better at welding than I am you could put a puddle of weld on top of a washer at the end of a length of studding to make a sort of domed head. Be aware that a lot of the studding and washers are zinc plated, so watch out for the fume!
What's that line from Terry Pratchett?
With an axe and a forest, a dwarf can make a forge. With a forge, he can make small tools. With small tools he can make, well just about anything.
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