Subject: Re: turning down bolts

From: [email-masked] (f.w.kerfoot..iii)
Date: Tue, 28 Sep 1993 20:07:01 GMT

> In article <[email-masked]> [email-masked] (kenneth.b.reber) writes:
>From: [email-masked] (kenneth.b.reber)
>Subject: turning down bolts
>Date: Mon, 27 Sep 1993 20:42:34 GMT
>
>
>I have a need to reduce the dia. of a bolt.  Actually starting with a
>1/2 dia, I need to cut it down to 3/8 fine leaving a 1/2 dia shoulder.
>that is 1/2 long as measured from the head.
>(It's a restoration project requiring a bolt with large hex head in relation to
>the thread.)
>
>What is the best way to chuck it up?  Can't use a center as the threaded
>end also needs turned. Will the three jaw hold on the head tight enough
>to allowing cuts down to 3/8 dia.?

You may want to make up a simple collet chuck to hold the bolt on the
1/2" long by 1/2" D. surface which will remain unmachined. Make a
bushing 1/2" long, 1/2" ID and an OD larger than the bolt head.
Slit it through at one point to allow the chuck to squeeze on the
bolt shaft. Actually, if you choose the OD correctly you may be able
to hold on both the bolt head and the portion of 1/2" shaft,
although just holding the 1/2" section should do fine.

Frank Kerfoot
[email-masked]

---

From: [email-masked] (Frank Evan Perdicaro)
Date: Sun, 3 Oct 1993 03:50:59 GMT

In article <[email-masked]| [email-masked] (Bill W. Martin) writes:
|In article <[email-masked]| [email-masked] (kenneth.b.reber) writes:
||From: [email-masked] (kenneth.b.reber)
||Subject: turning down bolts
||Date: Mon, 27 Sep 1993 20:42:34 GMT
||
||I have a need to reduce the dia. of a bolt.  Actually starting with a
||1/2 dia, I need to cut it down to 3/8 fine leaving a 1/2 dia shoulder.
||that is 1/2 long as measured from the head.
||Suggestions?
|	Perhaps you might start with a long piece of hex stock, the size of 
|the bolt head you need. Turn as many as the length of stock allows, with the
|end centered. Cut them apart with a hacksaw when done. This should keep 
|things straight, as long as the stock isn't so long it flexes in the middle.
|Note that you are stuck with the material properties of hex stock with this
|technique. Good enough for a lot of things...but certainly not everything!

This seems really easy to me, perhaps I am missing the point.
Seems like you have a 1/2" bolt that you want all but the top 1/2" to be
made into a 3/8" bolt.  The original bolt is a shoulder bolt.

Take a piece of hex stock 1" across the flats, cut it 1/2" thick.  Drill a 
1/2" hole in the center.  Cut the thing from center flat to center flat,
so you have two C like things.  

You now have a bolt clamp.  Place bolt clamp on bolt shoulder.  Put in 
three jaw chuck and put on the squeeze.  Cut bolt to desired diameter, using
bolt clamp as a cutting stop.  Remove and thread, or thread on the lathe.