Extra long coach bolts, or similar

[Peter Parry]

Use cap nuts (dome nuts) on one end of steel studding?

[Bert Coules]

Thanks to everyone who responded. Colin B, I'd never heard of sleeve nuts but they appear to be exactly what I need.

Tim and John, I might be tempted to try the heat-and-bash method if I had the sizeable vice, the former, the massive heat source and the flameproof workshop, but alas I haven't.

Bill, thanks for the info on your job. Given the way the lower fixings have to be done on my shelf, it's not going to be possible to build in adjustability at that end, which means all the levelling will have to be done in the loft.

Colin S, that's a nice job. My shelf will be thinner and it will be free hanging, with four supports and no side wall contact, so I plan to incorporate a top plate the same size as the shelf (but even thinner, though still rigid) which will butt up against the ceiling. With the ends of the concealing tubes cut dead square (and possibly firmly fixed into wardrobe-pole-type flange fittings) I reckon that tightening nuts above the top plate ought to give the whole structure decent rigidity. The holes in the plasterboard will obviously have to be large enough to clear the nuts and their washers.

Thanks again.

[Chris Holford]

Do a search for 'dome nuts' e.g.

[Bert Coules]

Chris Holford wrote,

Thanks Chris, but they're too deep to be effectively hidden. It seems that sleeve nuts, as first mentioned by Colin Bignell, are what I need.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Yup - and you'll find those in B&Q as well as the threaded rod. A bit of careful rebating and they could be flush with the work.

[Nightjar]

I didn't know what they were called when I started, but I knew I was looking for the hollow bit of a kitchen cabinet connector and worked my way through to the name from there.

Colin Bignell

[Bert Coules]

Thanks for that. Conveniently, I have a local Toolstation, a B&Q and a Screwfix all pretty much next door to each other. Inconveniently, Screwfix's website seems to be down at the moment so I can't compare stocks and prices.

[Bill Wright]

I had the complication that there were three shelf levels (in some areas) on the same hanger.

Here are some pics

Bill

[Bert Coules]

Bill, thanks for those. A nice job, and it's reassuring to see just how much weight the system can take: I was wondering if M6 rods were sufficient for my own load, which is actually considerably less than your shelves are holding.

I can't use a lip on the shelf as you have, and I'll be using nuts both at the front and back so they'll be more visible than yours. So sleeved nuts (or perhaps pronged nuts rebated slightly and then capped) are the way to go I think.

Incidentally, your first two photos, though nothing to do with shelves as far as I can see, are fascinating.

Bert

[Bill Wright]

I was amazed at how strong and rigid the whole thing was. M6 is plenty strong enough

Yes.

Oh! You've sent me scurrying off to see what they were!

Ah! Just a corner of my murky basement and not as I feared a corner of my murky past!

Here's a pic I took ages go.

Bill

[Bert Coules]

Now you know you're not supposed to load a skip above the level of the sides...

[meow2222]

Heh, lovely. Can we put that on the wiki?

NT

[firefoxx183]

If you are using threaded rod, you can make a secure head very simply with no welding by locknutting. To do this thread two nuts onto the same end of the thread until the second nut is flush with the end of the threaded rod. You will need two spanners of the same size as the nuts you are using or on e spanner and an adjustable wrench. Using one spanner on the end nut, hold this steady applying a clockwise force as at the same time, using the secon d spanner you turn the second nut anti-clockwise such that the two nuts by having opposing forced applier to them lock togeather. This is a firm and s trong "head" now formed at the end of the threaded rod. P.S. This technique is very useful for freeing nut rusted onto a rod where no head exists to g ain purchase. Vrty useful when dis-mantling your car. Good Luck Firefoxx

[Matty F]

I made some very long coach bolts by cutting the head off a short bolt. A long steel rod was welded on and I threaded the end (for an 1869 fire engine!)

[newshound]

Also, if you leave a little bit of thread sticking through the first nut, you can peen the thread over (with a ball-pein hammer) which will then stop the first nut coming off if you put the spanner on it when removing. If you have a reasonable sized gas torch and a bit of flux and a bit of silver solder, you can braze a single nut on to the stud (easier than welding). You could then file it to a neat dome.