# BSW Hex Bolts



## Trevanion (11 Mar 2020)

Am I going mad or are BSW Hex Bolts a lot dearer now than they were 6 months ago or so?

Trying to get a hold of twenty 5/16" x 1 & 1/4" bolts and everywhere seems to want near a pound each for the bloody things, same thing with 1/4" BSW.


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## TFrench (11 Mar 2020)

Its the coronavirus, affecting production :lol: :lol: :lol: (hammer)


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## Trevanion (11 Mar 2020)

Trading 2 bog rolls for 20 bolts... Cmon people, it's a bargain!


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## kevinlightfoot (12 Mar 2020)

I believe UNC threaded bolts are the same thread pitch at that size,I stand to be corrected but you could perhaps try to get some of those cheaper,of course the spanner size would be different.This information I picked up over 50 years ago as an apprentice so check.I think the thread pitch and depth are the same up to 3/8.You never know you may get UNC cheaper.I have always found Britannia fixings in Burslem Stoke on Trent very reasonable,if not FWB.


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## Eric The Viking (12 Mar 2020)

Trevanion":14v11cav said:


> Trying to get a hold of twenty 5/16" x 1 & 1/4" bolts and everywhere seems to want near a pound each for the bloody things, same thing with 1/4" BSW.



So for the avoidance of doubt, do you mean: 

_20-off , 5/16" Whitworth thread, 1.25" long bolts (machine screws?)_

If so what type of head? If countersunk, the length is measured between the top of the head and the far end of the thread, if anything not countersunk, measure from the underside of the head to the far end of the thread.

Are you also needing 1/4" thread too, or just remarking on the price?

I have a few 1/4" and 3/8" Whit. machine screws (not sure of lengths), but probably not 20. I keep them for photographic applications mostly.

As stated, UNC is based on Whitworth and thus will substitute in smaller sizes. A Zeus table will help you make comparisons in this context (handy in every toolbox!).

FWIW, a lot of Chinese kit made for the US market uses UNC instead of metric for machine screws and bolts. For example I have quite a few "Bristol" levers (read "Shanghai") and fittings for table track etc. which are UNC/imperial sized. You might find an ebay supplier who can help, but you might also need to buy longer bolts/screws and cut them down.

Cynically, I think at least one mail-order supplier is very happy with this situation, as it makes it much harder for customers to go elsewhere for extra fittings for router tables, etc., and as you rightly point out, the mark-up is astronomic.

They can be found, but give us the detail 

E.
PS: Apologies if the above is teaching granny, etc. Keen to help if I can but need a spot of clarity first.


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## Trevanion (12 Mar 2020)

I’m always never sure how to type imperial measurements, especially with fractions! :lol: 

Yes, those are what I need with a hex head (spanner, not Allen key). I think I may have found some for about £0.60 a bolt/screw. I might pop into the local nut and bolt shop and see what they’ve got.


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## Vann (12 Mar 2020)

kevinlightfoot":1gayhgn5 said:


> I believe UNC threaded bolts are the same thread pitch at that size,I stand to be corrected but you could perhaps try to get some of those cheaper,of course the spanner size would be different.This information I picked up over 50 years ago as an apprentice so check.I think the thread pitch and depth are the same up to 3/8...


Up to 7/16" and then starting again at 9/16", and upwards. In other words, only the 1/2" doesn't "fit". However, from an engineering perspective they're not a good fit. But if near enough is good enough then they're a solution.

I recently rebuilt a Record pipe vise and needed some new BSW nuts (for the bolts that hold the jaws). I replaced both bolts and nuts with UNC rather than mix the two threads (even though UNC nuts would have fitted).

I didn't want to use metric, as UNC were at least the same diameter as the BSW they replaced. 

Cheers, Vann.


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## rxh (12 Mar 2020)

kevinlightfoot":ht3myj1f said:


> I believe UNC threaded bolts are the same thread pitch at that size,I stand to be corrected but you could perhaps try to get some of those cheaper,of course the spanner size would be different.This information I picked up over 50 years ago as an apprentice so check.I think the thread pitch and depth are the same up to 3/8.You never know you may get UNC cheaper.I have always found Britannia fixings in Burslem Stoke on Trent very reasonable,if not FWB.



BSW and UNC mostly have the same pitches. One exception is 1/2" BSW is 12 TPI whereas 1/2" UNC is 13 TPI. However, they have different thread forms: BSW has an angle of 55 degrees whereas UNC has an angle of 60 degrees. It will often be found that BSW and UNC will screw together but it is not considered to be good practice. All BSW sizes are given in inches and fractions of an inch whereas UNC threads below 1/4" are given in "machine screw" sizes from No.12 down to No.1.


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## hawkeyefxr (29 Mar 2020)

I get ALL my bolts no matter what size, thread, length, type and material.
https://www.margnor.co.uk/
They are extremely helpful and for a small shop they have a mind blowing amount of stock. I know they are a long way from where you are located but i am sure they can get you sorted out. Yes the lemonade virus has closed them down for now but they will be back.
They have never, and i mean never failed to have or get what i want and i have asked for some strange things.


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## Trevanion (29 Mar 2020)

I bought a bunch of UNC bolts in the end, it was much cheaper than anything I could find BSW. Even if I need to get a UNC tap to alleviate the holes from BSW to UNC it still works out far cheaper.


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## TheTiddles (7 Apr 2020)

Turning the question on its head... why would something so obsolete be cheap?

Aidan


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## Trevanion (7 Apr 2020)

I bought a bunch of BSW fasteners about a year ago (in a larger amount than what I wanted currently) and they were nowhere near the price they're asking for them now which is the main reason I asked the question.


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