question imperial nuts and bolts

[BRDM Driver]

Anyone recommend a good source for imperial nuts and bolts?

 

There are plenty of sellers on ebay, but just curious if anyone has found a good deal anywhere.

 

Also looking for studs to go inside my scorpion turret.

[jamie meachin]

Hello bud

 

I too have been looking for imperial nuts and bolts for my halftrack. I have been to 3 main dealers around my area (Bristol) and manage to pick up a few odd boxes but not much. I was told that U.N.F is slowly being faded out because there is no big demand for them. The only place I did find is PVR Direct but your talking £15 + for a box of 100 nuts. Hope this is of help to you? What sizes you looking for?

 

Jamie

[Gordon_M]

I know it's a long walk for both of you, but the whole place runs on UNC, UNF, NPT, and even ACME

 

I don't think I've ever needed to use E-Bay for nuts and bolts, except for the really odd sizes, like the extra-fine thread 1" on the M19 axle nuts, and 12 gauge on the Carryall side panels and doors, plus the occasional UN form left hand thread die nut or tap for a troublesome wheel stud or lug nut.

 

I do make a point of salvaging every original fastener I can though, as many of the head styles that were common 70 years ago are just no longer around.

[paulbrook]

mmmm how strange - I am spoiled for choice so I am surprised anyone has difficulty. The only tricky bit is getting the best price so it pays to shop around. A google seach for UNF bolts throws uploads of options.

 

As for being phased out I find that even more difficult to believe. It will be a cold day in hell when the US of A goes metric...

 

As for price well nothing is cheap so a few quid for decent nuts and bolts cant be begrudged can it? Especially when vehicle prices are as healthy as they are.

[cripp]

I use these,

http://www.namrick.co.uk/

[Minesweeper]

George McKay on 01302556406.

 

He has a free catalogue against a S.A.E. listing BSF, UNF, BSW, UNC and also metric.

 

The catalogue lists up to 1/2" but he has bigger - so if you want something bigger than 1/2", then phone him.

 

Send an SAE A5 for free catalogue:-

 

GFM

Bristol House,

11 Roman Road,

Benetthorpe,

Doncaster,

DN4 5HA

 

A nice guy!

 

Tony

[MB1944]

Hi Guys

Forgive me being a little pedantic perhaps but the more common Imperial thread sizes are BSW, BSF, BSP BSPT and BA.

Our American cousins created UNC, UNF etc. All are easily available from your local fastener suppliers.

Best regards

John

[ploughman]

I wanted 1" 1/4 but he could not supply that.

 

Anyone know anywhere that supplies 1" plus sizes?

 

The other alternative is to be realistic with regard to cost and availability and go metric.

[sirhc]

I have a local supplier who is good, but his prices on the last bolts I needed weren't anywhere near as cheap as these guys:

 

http://www.imperialnutsandbolts.com/

 

Chris

[Scammell4199]

We use George McKay quite alot, always turns up what we need.

 

Have also used Kebrell in Bristol, although they have a few depots round the country. They turned up some very rare bolts known as "countersunk squares" that are used to hold the timberwork on the back of the Scammell. I'd looked everywhere for them and had almost given up when I went to Kebrell and they had 50,000 the right size in stock!!!

 

Richard

[Jiver]

I wanted 1" 1/4 but he could not supply that.

 

Anyone know anywhere that supplies 1" plus sizes?

 

The other alternative is to be realistic with regard to cost and availability and go metric.

 

Were you after BSW,BSF or UNC? There are a few specialist suppliers in the Black Country and arround the Telford area. PM me you requirements and I can get some prices for you.

[Dougy FV432]

Anyone recommend a good source for imperial nuts and bolts?

 

There are plenty of sellers on ebay, but just curious if anyone has found a good deal anywhere.

 

Also looking for studs to go inside my scorpion turret.

 

Funnily I had the same problem a couple of weeks ago and started a thread on the fv432 forum.

 

Since I have been converting a Bowman 432 back to Clansman, my stocks of UNF started to dwindle. I was after a few particular sizes, so looked on ebay etc, but when you cost in postage, they start to get expensive.

 

With this in mind, I went looking in Worcester, and as mentioned, nobody stocked any UNF bolts. So of I went to Gloucester to Allcap who I used when I lived there, and they were able to supply 60 large size 5/16 unf bolts for under £10

 

Dougy

[FLUF]

Nu-screw in wembley was aways a good source for things like this....

[Rover8FFR]

 

So of I went to Gloucester to Allcap who I used when I lived there, and they were able to supply 60 large size 5/16 unf bolts for under £10

I will remember that one for future use. Do they have a Website Dougy? Cheers :-\

[BRDM Driver]

Yes a local supplier is key, especially when ,mid way through a job! I have a million stainless metric nuts, bolts & washers etc, but very little imperial other than what I scraped up from the hull!

 

I used to use DEL industrial fasteners when I worked near Fleet, hampshire. Very good and could also do gaskets too.

 

Now looking for someone in Dorset.

[fv102]

Try

 

Allfix Ltd

2 Leyland Rd, Poole, Dorset BH12 5HB

01202 519066

 

Good range of Unified nuts and bolts.

 

D

[BRDM Driver]

Try

 

Allfix Ltd

2 Leyland Rd, Poole, Dorset BH12 5HB

01202 519066

 

Good range of Unified nuts and bolts.

 

D

 

Will do. I have emailed TR fasteners in Poole too...

 

I need a few studs for the scorpion turret which appear to be UNC one end UNF the other!

[Gordon_M]

I need a few studs for the scorpion turret which appear to be UNC one end UNF the other!

 

That's a standard configuration too. Consider something like a jeep or Dodge cylinder head stud. NC at one end, where it goes into the cast block, and NF at the other, where you torque the nut down.

 

WW2 stuff is NF or NC, as that was pre-Unified ( 1949) A bunch of thread pitches and gauges got obsolete when Unified came out, I was told, hence the difficulty in getting some WW2 sizes. The unification process was directly triggered by the difficulty in parts interchange between American, Canadian, and British production during WW2.

Edited May 3, 2013 by Gordon_M

[Caddy]

Well I guess the British didn't get that message fully;the Cent mkIII I've been working on is BSF, BSP, and BA.

[Gordon_M]

Well I guess the British didn't get that message fully;the Cent mkIII I've been working on is BSF, BSP, and BA.

 

Yup,

 

but the contemporary Champ I had showed UNF on the rocker cover where a WW2 equivalent would just have shown NF

 

There were spares and parts interchanges to be maintained for a whole raft of different things, including a pile of aircraft, and it went both ways too as Packard-built Merlin spares had to interchange with Rolls-built ones.

 

Consider something like the Ashby familys collection of Dodge WK60 workshop trucks. Chassis cabs from the US, Welles-Thornton back bogies from Canada, and workshop bodies supplied and fitted in the UK, and the Canadians had to produce wheels, hubs and axle ends that interchanged with standard British stuff.

 

Standardisation of production, and interchange of parts and spares must have been a key factor in equipment availability during WW2.

Edited May 4, 2013 by Gordon_M

[Richard Farrant]

Well I guess the British didn't get that message fully;the Cent mkIII I've been working on is BSF, BSP, and BA.

Don't forget that the Cent came in to service in 1945 and our factories were still gear up to Imperial BS form threads, no one was to know at the time that Unified was to be on the horizon.. As it is, BSF is far superior to NF, the latter is too fine and is damaged easily. Also, it would have been foolish to change thread forms on later Marks of the Cent as it would make the parts situation impossible for earlier models or upgrades.

[Gordon_M]

Don't forget that the Cent came in to service in 1945 and our factories were still gear up to Imperial BS form threads, no one was to know at the time that Unified was to be on the horizon.. As it is, BSF is far superior to NF, the latter is too fine and is damaged easily. Also, it would have been foolish to change thread forms on later Marks of the Cent as it would make the parts situation impossible for earlier models or upgrades.

 

Didn't realise the Cent was that early, thanks Richard. What thread forms are standard on armoured craft and large expensive items right now then, for current production ?

 

UNF easily damaged? you might be right, but I just bin them or shorten them, and of course a thread file is indispensable. I think the only threaded items that just aren't worth the effort are coach bolts, and even then I suppose you could alway buy longer and thread back if you had to.

[ploughman]

Were you after BSW,BSF or UNC? There are a few specialist suppliers in the Black Country and arround the Telford area. PM me you requirements and I can get some prices for you.

 

If you could let me know the firms then we can deal direct.

Thanks

[BRDM Driver]

I went to TR Fasteners in Poole today.

 

Good selection of imperial stuff and the bloke in front of me was working on a Sherman Tank Engine, it must be the place to go! (Are you here?)

 

They sell bargain buckets too (a bucket of miscellaneous nuts, bolts, floor sweepings etc for a tenner)

 

UNF and UNC nuts in BZP are 4p each, MOQ 50, but they'll sell any quantity over the counter.

[Jiver]

James Lister Birmingham 0121 359 3774 http://www.lister.co.uk (Many branches in the midlands)

 

Howard Lee Cradley 01384 564122 http://www.howard-lee.com

 

Dagar Tools Lye 01384 8933449 Ask for Tonto or Dave They can get most things.

 

There is also a guy near me who deals in all sorts off Engineering odds and sods. I know he does car shows and steam rallies and sells stuff on E bay His Name is Tony Vale and you can get him on 07831 682232.

 

Cheers All