Looking for brass or bronze carriage bolts & nuts...

[bentontool]

Hello Brothers,
I am looking for a source to purchase brass or bronze carriage bolts & nuts... 3/16" (#10) x 1" with machine nuts.
I have tried eBay, Amazon, McMaster-Carr, Fastenall, etc. with no luck.
Any ideas?

 

[Spectric]

First problem is that we are mostly metric but do have some specialist suppliers who do imperial, brass / bronze is the next one. There is a uk supplier of carriage bolts in stainless but not 3/16 . 1/4 20 Unc and 5/16 16 Unc are nearest.

3/16 is close to 5mm and 1/4 very close to 6mm with 5/16 being near 8mm.

Are we on the same page with terminology, I know we have some differences across the pond, I am thinking bolts with domed head and square section underneath ?

If you could use metric then there are these from

https://www.westfieldfasteners.co.u...ach_Bolt_Carriage_Bolt_M5x25_solid_Brass.html

 

[ChaiLatte]

Put on your best pirate hat and start asking at places that deal with things that go in salt water.

For example, there people would be worth a phone call:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/203889974722

 

[niall Y]

Boat Suppliers- some in America are selling silicon bronze bolts #10 which I believe are 3/16" - though I could be wrong, The minimum length however is 1 1/2" - 2".
One of the firms I looked at is" Fawcett Boat Supplies"

 

[J-G]

5mm is 0.006" larger than a #10 so shouldn't cause much of a problem. 0.8mm pitch (the M5 standard) is 31.75 tpi and #10UNF would be 32 tpi so again M5 seems as good a fit as is likely to be.

If purchased as a 'nut & bolt' there wouldn't be any problem with fit either. If the bolts are wanted to match up with existing #10 nuts that could be a challenge.

 

[Austin Branson]

Just an aside, but if you’re planning on using them below the water line, immersed in salt water, avoid brass. The zinc gets eaten away, leaving a skeleton of copper. Best wishes.

 

[bentontool]

Just an aside, but if you’re planning on using them below the water line, immersed in salt water, avoid brass. The zinc gets eaten away, leaving a skeleton of copper. Best wishes.

I plan to make saw nuts from them. I have a metal lathe and a mill, so, and plan to turn the nuts round, then cut a slot in them. I can't abide paying $7 to $13 each for them, as I recently posted in my "Recent restorations & repairs on a few Backsaws..." post.
https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/threads/recent-restorations-repairs-on-a-few-backsaws.148259/
http://blackburntools.com/new-tools/new-saws-and-related/saw-bolts/index.html
https://www.amazon.com/Taytools-115720-Solid-Replacement-Handsaws/dp/B07CJSZXSX

 

[ChaiLatte]

I plan to make saw nuts from them. I have a metal lathe and a mill

Would it not be more economic just to buy a stick of brass bar of the correct diameter and make the nuts from that? It is a lot easier to hold a nut that is still attached to the end of its parent bar (for thread tapping or slot cutting) than it is an individual item.