# Cutting carriage bolts



## Chris Curl (Feb 13, 2012)

A big part of getting my shop setup is making the fences and hold downs and all that stuff. So I bought some T-Track for 1/4-20 bolts and am buying a box of 6" long 1/4" carriage bolts to cut to size as needed. I will grind the sides of the head flat to fit the track. Hence the question:

How do YOU cut YOUR bolts and make sure the threads are clean at the cut?

I was thinking about a process like:

- put one of those long coupling nuts on where I want to cut
- hold it in a vise
- cut it flush to the coupling nut with a hack saw or sawsall
- grind it smooth
- take the nut off to ensure the threads are clean


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## ggom20 (Feb 1, 2012)

Hello!
Not bad method, sure works !
I do use a metal hand saw with 32 teeth by inch.
The nut that you will talke out after cut will restore the tread.
I do it all the time this way.
I just add a litle angle griding 60° off the perpendicular, at end of thread keeping the screw turning in my fingers.
Like wanting to make a sharp point but just a little grindind.
Most of times works very well and the bold not forcing.

Regards


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi

I use a small cut off tool like below, then I take the bolt to the grinder and clean up the end to remove the small lip left in place by the cut..

6" Cut-Off Saw

http://www.grizzly.com/products/G8183
http://cdn0.grizzly.com/manuals/g8183_m.pdf

I have a small cut off tool stand I got from Grizzly for 20.oo and it holds a small side grinder that I don't use all the time as a grinder..

==





Chris Curl said:


> A big part of getting my shop setup is making the fences and hold downs and all that stuff. So I bought some T-Track for 1/4-20 bolts and am buying a box of 6" long 1/4" carriage bolts to cut to size as needed. I will grind the sides of the head flat to fit the track. Hence the question:
> 
> How do YOU cut YOUR bolts and make sure the threads are clean at the cut?
> 
> ...


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## Chris Curl (Feb 13, 2012)

thanks folks


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## CharleyL (Feb 28, 2009)

I usually buy toilet flange bolts. They have a thin oval head, work well in T tracks, and come in various lengths. There is also a long version with gaps in the threads at several standard lengths to allow for easy cutting without damaging the threads. Don't look in the hardware section for them. They are in the plumbing supply area.

Charley


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## Chris Curl (Feb 13, 2012)

Are the toilet flange bolts 1/4-20?


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## boogalee (Nov 24, 2010)

Chris
The bolts usually come in 1/4-20 and 5/16-?. 

Al


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi


The down fall for toilet flange bolts, they are Brass and are plated the norm and we all know what brass cost now days one toilet bolt for about 60 cents or one carr. bolt for 10 cents or less but that's up to you,plus the look you will get from a mate when you tell him I use toilet bolts..but I will say they now are selling steel toilet flange bolts to get the price down like every thing else ,make them cheaper they will buy them..but they are still high price items.. 

===


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## Chris Curl (Feb 13, 2012)

My home depot sells the toilet bolts for $3.50 a pair. They are out.

Bob, where do you get your carriage bolts for 10 cents? Loclly, they are at best 30 cents for a 4" CB (Home Depot).

I found a guy on ebay who sells the 4" carriage bolts (100 per lot) for $16.75 shipped. That works out to just under 17 cents per bolt. It would take a very long time to use them all.

I setup my shop built grinder and ground off about 10 carriage bolts. It takes about 10 seconds per grind. The fit great in my t-track. I'm a happy guy!

Now I just need to make a little chop saw to cut them and the t-track, and then I'll be a REALLY happy guy!

I guess I could use the other side of the grinder for a cut off wheel ...


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## bobbotron (Jan 7, 2010)

Bob, that is a really awesome little tool. I do a little metal working for fun, something like that would be a great alternative to a full scale cut off tool. 

That said, a hack saw and a flat metal file is all you need to make the occasional bolt shorter!


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Chris

I buy them in the bulk at 10.20 per. 100 the norm from a bolt and nut supply outlet in town (A & I Bolt & Nut http://www.timberlinefasteners.com/) and 5/16 x 4" for 11.60 per. 100 and 3/8 x 4" for 12.30 per. 100, most hardware stores do the same as HD/Lowells jack them up by 5 times the list price but they only 2 or 3 at a time the norm..but the carr. bolts are about the same price also, cheap old SOB I am..

Toggle bolts below but I just buy the screws only  no need to buy the wings it's a just trash can items for me,,,with a quick grind on the head and I have a toilet bolt you could say..you will be surprise how fast they get used up in the shop.

toggle bolts | eBay


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Chris Curl said:


> My home depot sells the toilet bolts for $3.50 a pair. They are out.
> 
> 
> Bob, where do you get your carriage bolts for 10 cents? Loclly, they are at best 30 cents for a 4" CB (Home Depot).
> ...


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Bob

hack saws works great if you want a work out  but I use it all the time to cut many things ,also for a little trim on metal parts or to put in a slot in the head of a bolt, I also have a big one 14" but it's PITA most of the time for just a quick cut off.


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bobbotron said:


> Bob, that is a really awesome little tool. I do a little metal working for fun, something like that would be a great alternative to a full scale cut off tool.
> 
> That said, a hack saw and a flat metal file is all you need to make the occasional bolt shorter!


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## Chris Curl (Feb 13, 2012)

bobj3 said:


> Hi Chris
> 
> I buy them in the bulk at 10.20 per. 100 the norm from a bolt and nut supply outlet in town (A & I Bolt & Nut http://www.timberlinefasteners.com/) and 5/16 x 4" for 11.60 per. 100 and 3/8 x 4" for 12.30 per. 100, most hardware stores do the same as HD/Lowells jack them up by 5 times the list price but they only 2 or 3 at a time the norm..but the carr. bolts are about the same price also, cheap old SOB I am..
> 
> ...


i'm a cheap old SOB too. i wish there was one of those outlets in my town

sigh


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## OPG3 (Jan 9, 2011)

I use the steel Toilet Bolts. My plumber friend gets them for me at a place that only sells to plumbing contractors, they are as cheap as dirt, come in a variety of lengths and threads 1/4"-20 is usually a bit scrawney for my normal work, but I get the 5/16"-18 in 10 pound boxes and they're like $13.00. T-bolts at WoodCraft, Rockler, etc cost a fortune and you're getting them in 2 or 10 packs for about $0.75 - $2.00 each, what a rip-off. I agree with Bob that the brass ones are worthless - too soft and too pricey.


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

That is a great little rig, and the price is a steal!
http://www.grizzly.com/products/G8183


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## KenBee (Jan 1, 2011)

When I cut Bolts and Screws I don't do anything fancy. I put them in a vise, get out my trusty Dremel tool and commence chopping off the unwanted portion. Then use the grinding wheel to more or less taper or round off the cut end enough to get rid of any burrs and that's it. I ran across a box of over 100 toilet bolts a few weeks ago at the flea market that cost me a whole one dollar bill and that is what I use for T-Track bolts for my jigs and fixtures after I cut them to size with the procedure I described.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

But I get my cut off wheels from HF

4-1/2" Ultra-Thin Cutoff Wheel for Metal, Pack of 5
4-1/2" Cut-off Wheels for Metal, Pack of 10
==


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## stanzee (Dec 9, 2010)

*Great additional use for a side grinder.*



bobj3 said:


> Hi
> 
> I use a small cut off tool like below, then I take the bolt to the grinder and clean up the end to remove the small lip left in place by the cut..
> 
> ...


I have a side grinder that gets very little use. Thanks for the reference. It will get a little more work out of my grinder. I'll bet the diamond cutter blade will work very well.


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## KenBee (Jan 1, 2011)

bobj3 said:


> But I get my cut off wheels from HF
> 
> 4-1/2" Ultra-Thin Cutoff Wheel for Metal, Pack of 5
> 4-1/2" Cut-off Wheels for Metal, Pack of 10
> ==


Hi Bob,

I have one of those 4-1/2 inch grinders also, but to cut a 10-32 screw seems a bit of an overkill don't you think? I'm sorry, but I just couldn't help myself. :laugh::laugh::laugh:


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

HI Ken

Yep on the 10-32 screws it's a bit of over kill that's why I use the item below for that job..that and a soft face hammer 
7" Wire Stripper with Cutter

==



Ken Bee said:


> Hi Bob,
> 
> I have one of those 4-1/2 inch grinders also, but to cut a 10-32 screw seems a bit of an overkill don't you think? I'm sorry, but I just couldn't help myself. :laugh::laugh::laugh:


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## jschaben (Jun 21, 2009)

These work pretty good up to about 3/8"
18" Bolt Cutters

I seldom use 'em over about a #10 though. 1/4" and bigger I hacksaw.


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## Chris Curl (Feb 13, 2012)

thanks ken. i have a dremel and i already have some cutoff disks. i was not thinking about that.

tonight i made a little holder for it, so now i have a little cutoff station.

next: make a little chop saw out of it.


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## KenBee (Jan 1, 2011)

Chris Curl said:


> thanks ken. i have a dremel and i already have some cutoff disks. i was not thinking about that.
> 
> tonight i made a little holder for it, so now i have a little cutoff station.
> 
> next: make a little chop saw out of it.


I use my Dremel Tool about as much as any other tool in my shop. I have the 4000 version and every accessory Dremel sells for it except the chain saw sharpener. Of all the Dremel accessories I use the drill press more often than any other. There must over 100 cut off wheels in the box for attachments like that, with some of the attachments being over 40 years old and Vietnam Veterans.


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