[Kenneth Milner]

Morning All . . . .

My search for "Square" nuts and bolts has been a frustrating one, to say the lease, because I know they are out there, but I just can't find them. Many of you have been so helpfull, and for that I am appreciative.

I have found a miniature screw manufacturer that will custom make bolts and nuts. I want to approach them about making some 00-90 threaded nuts and possibly some square headed bolts.

As one might expect, the larger the quantity one has custome made, the lower the overall price. I myself need between 500 and 750 of the square nuts for track fishplates. And I can see other applications.

Therefore, before I make contact with them, I would like to know if anyone else out there might be interested in having some of these. And please, only those who are willing to commit to this endeaver respond. I am going to do this, but I need a firm count on how many we can have made.

Please feel free to contact me directly at [email protected].

Thanks . . . . . Ken

 

[Semper Vaporo]

What price range are you expecting?

 

[Dwight Ennis]

I'd be interested if the price was reasonable.

 

[East Broad Top]

Likewise--200 or so would keep me occupied for a while, if the price is okay.

Later,

K

 

[Bruce Chandler]

Oh sure. Find yet another use for my money. I might be interested, but I need to see the price options.

 

[Kenneth Milner]

Hello To All . . . . The response to the "square" nut and bolt proposition has been meager, but encouraging. A couple of things missing from the comments are:

1. How many would you be willing to purchase?

2. What are you willing to pay?

If I approach a manufacturer, and I most certainly am going to do that, I need some figures on how many to have produced, if indeed anyone will do it.

And I need to have an idea of what people would be willing to pay. I have purchased 00.90 HEX nuts and bolts for 20 to 33 cents each, but I can get them from the manufacturer I have in mind for 12.5 cents each, IF I buy them in quantities of 144.

So inform me with details and pass this around. There is no doubt there are more that would be interested if they know about it.

Thanks guys . . . . Ken

 

[Bruce Chandler]

OK, I could go for 200 at 12.5 cents each.

 

[Joe Bartolini]

Please put me down for 200 at 12.5 cents each. If price should drop to 10 cents I want 300 if not more.
Joe

 

[East Broad Top]

As a comparison, Micro Fasteners' hex-head brass 00-90 screws are between 9 and 10 cents each depending on length (1/4 - 1/2"), so hitting 12.5 cents per isn't unreasonable. I could go for 300 at that price.

Later,

K

 

[FH&PB]

I am pretty sure you can get them made for less, if you approach it differently than the usual screw-cutting operating will be thinking.

Larry Herget made up a bunch some time ago by sweating a sheet of brass to a sacrificial base sheet. Then, he milled away a grid to leave little brass squares of the right dimension from the top sheet. Finally, he drilled and tapped the squares, then heated the whole thing and the finished nuts dropped off.

That kind of operation could be done in a matter of a couple of minutes of machine time per sheet, with a CNC mill. Find someone who's willing to run a job that size (there are several people on MLS who have Sherline CNC setups) and I think you'll find you can do it cheaper.