Bridgehouse Posted October 29, 2021 Posted October 29, 2021 4 minutes ago, TimR said: You'd struggle to find a screw M8 FTFY 4 Quote
Hellzero Posted October 29, 2021 Posted October 29, 2021 (edited) Let's split hair : a bolt is in fact a screw with a nut, but a screw is not a bolt as to be a bolt it would need a nut, but it can be a stud if it's screwed to a fixed point like a soldered nut or a threaded hole, for example. And be glad that you don't speak French as we have different words for anything slightly different from another. Edited October 30, 2021 by Hellzero Quote
Stub Mandrel Posted October 29, 2021 Posted October 29, 2021 Just now, TimR said: You'd struggle to find an M8 screw. I have some no more than 20 feet away... but you can just go to boltworld... https://boltworld.co.uk/collections/m8-bolts Most of these are screws. The 'roofing bolts' are like coach bolts, they have a square shank to fit a matching hole. The cap screws have a section of plain shank, which allows them to be used as bolts, but they are not primarily used as such. Quote
Stub Mandrel Posted October 29, 2021 Posted October 29, 2021 But there are so many ways to split it... this one deprecates my definition. https://www.accu.co.uk/en/p/131-difference-between-screws-and-bolts Quote
Rich Posted October 29, 2021 Posted October 29, 2021 I always, rightly or wrongly - probably the latter - interpreted the difference between a screw and a bolt as being the length of the thread: a screw has its entire length threaded whereas a bolt is only partially. Quote
Skinnyman Posted October 29, 2021 Posted October 29, 2021 Forgive me if I conduct a little experiment here…. I always understood that the difference was that one turns a screw whereas a bolt remains static and the nut is turned. (Sits back and waits…) 😁 Quote
BassTractor Posted October 29, 2021 Posted October 29, 2021 58 minutes ago, Hellzero said: And be glad that you don't speak French Or Norwegian! For example, I have a bolt and two nuts, but I still use them for screwing. Yes, I know. It's nuts! 1 Quote
TimR Posted October 29, 2021 Posted October 29, 2021 Seems you can't generalise between screws and bolts because there are so many types. I would have said bolts go into nuts and set screws and machine screws are specific variations of bolts that go into already threaded material. With a normal 'screw' like a self tapping screw, wood screw, plasterboard screw, etc screwing directly into unthreaded material. The machine 'screws' that hold my wheels onto the hubs on my car, are somewhat confusingly commonly known as wheel nuts. It's odd for engineers to be so loose with definitions. Quote
paul_c2 Posted October 29, 2021 Posted October 29, 2021 5 minutes ago, TimR said: The machine 'screws' that hold my wheels onto the hubs on my car, are somewhat confusingly commonly known as wheel nuts. They're wheel bolts. A nut has a female threaded portion. A screw, set screw, or bolt has a male threaded portion. On a bolt, there is also an unthreaded portion. On a set screw, the thread is not tapered, while on a screw, the thread is tapered. They all have a head of some kind or other. If its threaded but doesn't have a head, then its a (threaded) rod. Quote
TimR Posted October 29, 2021 Posted October 29, 2021 13 minutes ago, paul_c2 said: On a bolt, there is also an unthreaded portion. There's no unthreaded portion. Quote
paul_c2 Posted October 29, 2021 Posted October 29, 2021 7 minutes ago, TimR said: There's no unthreaded portion. Then its a set screw. Quote
tauzero Posted October 29, 2021 Posted October 29, 2021 2 hours ago, Stub Mandrel said: The definition is vague and contested. I stand by mine as the most usual British usage 🙂 I use a fixing with an unthreaded section of shank to locate and fix an unthreaded part to a threaded one. It's both a bolt and a screw by your definition, a bolt by mine. 😈 The most usual British usage is that they're all bolts. And if you're fixing an unthreaded part to a threaded one, it's a screw. "Screws are used to assemble TO threaded objects". Not a screw or a bolt. Quote
bottomfeed Posted October 30, 2021 Author Posted October 30, 2021 Brilliant!.. this has been very entertaining!.. & also informative!.. thanks to all... Bass players are a wise and humourous, essential part of society.. I love this place! 🤘😎 Quote
Stub Mandrel Posted October 30, 2021 Posted October 30, 2021 12 hours ago, TimR said: Machine screws. Yes? And... Quote
Stub Mandrel Posted October 30, 2021 Posted October 30, 2021 The basic problem is a 'bolt' was originally a cylindrical object that secures something by fitting into a hole. Fixings with a thread on the end and a head at the other with a shank that fits a hole become known as bolts. A screw thread, is, well, a thread. By extension, the term 'screw' applies to any threaded fixing. So all screws are screws. Most screws can serve as bolts but usage is a poor definition as something can be classified differently depending on how it's used. Only self-cutting screws are definitely not bolts, and even then it is possible to get 'wood bolts' with a self-cutting thread and a plain shank for fixing metal to wood. One thing that is interesting is that it is fairly easy to make machine screws and bolts. Making self tapping or taper screw threads is much more tricky. Quote
Stub Mandrel Posted October 30, 2021 Posted October 30, 2021 If we really want to have fun... Should you use a plain washer under a nut? When using a thin lock nut, should it go on top of or beneath the full nut? What is the optimum thickness of a full nut? and... What is the optimum size of hole for tapping a thread? (Don't answer these, as any of them could fill a forum...) Quote
Hellzero Posted October 30, 2021 Posted October 30, 2021 (edited) 13 hours ago, Hellzero said: Let's split hair : a bolt is in fact a screw with a nut, but a screw is not a bolt as to be a bolt it would need a nut, but it can be a stud if it's screwed to a fixed point like a soldered nut or a threaded hole, for example. That is the correct definition as a bolt is an assembly... Edited October 30, 2021 by Hellzero Quote
Maude Posted October 30, 2021 Posted October 30, 2021 I'll ask my dog the difference, as he's never made a nut or screw for the door... ... but he has made a bolt for the door. Ah the old ones are the best. 1 Quote
Stub Mandrel Posted October 30, 2021 Posted October 30, 2021 Here's a good one... bolt and shackle. Where's the nut? 🙂 Quote
ezbass Posted October 30, 2021 Posted October 30, 2021 (edited) I appear to have a fitting issue. Edited October 30, 2021 by ezbass 1 1 Quote
Maude Posted October 30, 2021 Posted October 30, 2021 18 minutes ago, ezbass said: I appear to have a fitting issue. Not forgetting... Quote
TimR Posted October 30, 2021 Posted October 30, 2021 I'm just wondering how the mechanic will react when I next take my car to a service. "Have you got the key to your locking wheel nuts sir?" "Well actually, I think youll find they're locking wheel set screws." I'm just writing to VAG right now to ask them to update their owners manual... Quote
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