Bolt shortening

A place to share your projects, technical advice. and tutorials
Post Reply
User avatar
Tank
Pistoleer
Pistoleer
Posts:505
Joined:Sat Jan 05, 2013 7:08 pm
Bolt shortening

Post by Tank » Fri Mar 28, 2014 8:37 pm

A couple of people have asked the question: "The Bolt/Screw/Fastener is too long, How do I shorten it?"

Well, it is pretty simple really but if you follow this simple guide you will never have a problem. This is going to be a pictoral "How To" because I like pretty colours:-)

So, for this exercise we are going to shorten a High Tensile Cap screw by 10mm or so:

Image

You will see that there is a nut wound onto the threads and this is the best way I have found to cut bolts. It acts as both a guide and, more importantly as you will see later, it helps with the integrity of the threads. Okay, in the vice:

Image

You can see that the nut is protruding ever so slightly beyond the vice jaws and I used this as the guide for the hacksaw after first ensuring the bolt is wound through it leaving the correct length:

Image

Now, I have wound the bolt further through the nut and fastened it in the vice nice and vertically, ready with one of my favourite tools:

Image

A couple of light strokes with the file and it is nice and smooth and I have cleaned up the edge:

Image

Image

Next up, back in the vice and a good tight grip of the nut, this deforms the nut slightly and this is intentional. As I wind the bolt out the threads at the tip of the bolt are assured of their correct form. This almost guarantees the bolt will easily start back into a nut or whatever without hassle. Occasionally, when sawing or cropping a bolt, you can unintentionally deform the threads or otherwise damage them making it impossible to use the bolt at all. A note of caution: If you then try to repair the threads by running a Die down them it will end in disaster as a high tensile bolt will not re-cut and the Die will bind on the bolt.

Image

Here you go, the finished item. Works perfectly:

Image
graham.
I’m going off to go find myself. If I’m not back by the time I return, keep me here.
https://tamesidepistol.club/

User avatar
kj68
Marksman
Marksman
Posts:172
Joined:Thu Feb 06, 2014 6:29 pm

Re: Bolt shortening

Post by kj68 » Fri Mar 28, 2014 9:38 pm

Hi Graham that is a useful tutorial, easy to follow and understand.
Atb kj68 :)
Happy Shooting

Adam77K
Plinker
Plinker
Posts:69
Joined:Wed Nov 28, 2012 1:14 pm

Re: Bolt shortening

Post by Adam77K » Mon Apr 07, 2014 6:47 pm

Thanks for that Graham. It's good to know the proper way to do something.

The scarce occasions I've needed to do something similar it's been the "dremel it off and file off the burrs" method! :oops:

Post Reply