Jump to content

How to make a hollow bolt?


wenestvedt

Recommended Posts

All the work and all the money... I rather spend the money and buy one on Ebay.
All well and good UNLESS you are trying to match a bolt so that it blends in with others of its kind. I have one cache out where the bolt used is an exact match to the others in the area - making it a good bit more evil than the regular bolt hide. Got lucky finding it, but definitely made the choice to do a good search to improve the quality of the hide.
Link to comment

I debated on bringing this 2 yr old thread back to life or posting a new one--I decided to tack on to this one as its the same topic. If you're on the cheap, you can make hollow bolts out of nylon machine screws for just a couple dollars.

 

I started out with 2 1.5"x3/8" Nylon hex machine screws, coarse thread and nuts from the Home Depot (1.10 for each screw+nut) and drilled them out with a 5/16th bit:

screwcache1.png

 

To drill them out, I drilled a hole in a piece of wood the same diameter as the screw and used the nut to hold it in place and a clamp to keep it connected to my work table. I don't have a drill press, so I just used a tiny bit as a pilot hole, then slowly worked the larger bit down through a few times until it was empty of scraps, about 1" in depth. Then I cut the top off the bolt using a hacksaw and sanded it flat. I used the socket in the picture to hold the top cap and hollowed it out using a larger bit. I did this to allow for the rare earth magnet bit to sit up inside the top cap rather than in the nut which is connected to the cap using epoxy:

screwcache2.png

 

After letting the glue dry, the nylon can be dyed any color at all using RIT powdered dye. I was going for grey:

screwcache3.png

 

but was *way* over ambitious and used 1/2 the package with 1 cup of water, thus my screws came out black:

screwcache4.png

 

The log is Rite in the Rain wrapped super glued to a small bit of paperclip. This makes the log come out when the top is unscrewed and makes it easy to put back in. Total cost, under $5 as I recycled the magnets from an old hard drive.

Link to comment

Yup... When I grow up... I want one of THEM!!!!

 

I've made a number of bolt caches and have yet to use a drill press. I pretty much do as has been desribed above:

 

Put the bolt in a vice

Drill a small pilot hole as straight as possible along the centre of the shaft.

Then drill again with a thicker diameter. I tend to repeat this last stage about 3 times... Makes it a bit easier and you can stop early if you're too close to the edges...

Sears makes a rig that you can clamp a pistol grip drill in and it converts it to a mini drill press. Not very expensive and works pretty good

Link to comment

Nobody mentioned drill quality. Makes a big difference between success and failure. Bargain drill bits, regardless of claims, are not worth buying for anything above grade 3 hardness. I've had good experience with Craftsman cobalt drills working grade 7 material when properly luricated and not getting in a hurry.

Edited by dampan
Link to comment

I'm going to give this topic one more bump--after making a few nylon bolts I decided I might like to leave them as a signature item in a few of my favorite caches. I set back out for Home Depot but then stopped at CAL Ranch instead as it was closer to my house to see if they had anything comparable. No nylon there, but they have soft steel hex bolts and nuts for $2.99 a pound, so I bought a 3/8th and 1/2 inch bolt and nut in 1" lengths and a second 1 1/2 inch of each as well, grand total: $0.76. I figured it'd be worth a go and passed on Home Depot for the time being.

 

Using pretty much the same method as I did for the nylon bolts I found I was able to drill out the soft steel surprisingly easily, perhaps a bit too easy as I did go through the threads on one of them and had to start over. I didn't use a drill press, just my DeWalt 14v and a set of $20 Harbor Freight bits in 64ths. I simply started by marking a center spot with an awl then drilling with a small bit, then a bit bigger, then bigger still until I was satisfied with the size of the hole. Going slow and using some 5w30 as lubricant was key--each bolt took about 45 minutes from start to finish including cool down times after each size bit.

 

Lets say after I did one, I was hooked and did a few more up to a 3/4" one (biggest that CAL Ranch had) which is big enough for multiple log sheets and a pencil too. The tops are hacksawed ends of the 1/2" larger bolts epoxied in to the nut of the original bolt. This way I could have a clean end on both the internal and external bolt parts. Here's a few pictures:

 

steelbolts1.png

 

Close up:

 

steelbolts2.png

 

One more:

 

steelbolts3.png

 

I hope this inspires (even if it does rehash this old topic AGAIN) someone to go make a few of these. I put a nub of rare earth magnet on the cap of each, and a bit at the bottom of the inner chamber to hold the log/rod which makes wrapping the log much easier. I'm thinking I'm going to put a small smear of silicone inside each cap to create a seal when the two are screwed together and I used Rite in the Rain paper just incase. I'm thinking they would work well in existing holes sans-magnet simply using the cap to secure them--that would be an *evil* hide. Next up, I'm going to try and speed rust them with some vinegar and H2O2.

Edited by shak3zula
Link to comment

I'm thinking I'm going to put a small smear of silicone inside each cap to create a seal when the two are screwed together and I used Rite in the Rain paper just incase. I'm thinking they would work well in existing holes sans-magnet simply using the cap to secure them--that would be an *evil* hide. Next up, I'm going to try and speed rust them with some vinegar and H2O2.

Very nice!

 

I'd think that you could drop an o-ring inside of the nut end (perhaps attached with a dab of silicone) rather than just the silicone itself.

 

For rusting... if it is a rustable steel, try salt and chlorine bleach. Black iron bolts will rust right before your eyes with that mixture.

Edited by knowschad
Link to comment

I'm going to give this topic one more bump--after making a few nylon bolts I decided I might like to leave them as a signature item in a few of my favorite caches. I set back out for Home Depot but then stopped at CAL Ranch instead as it was closer to my house to see if they had anything comparable. No nylon there, but they have soft steel hex bolts and nuts for $2.99 a pound, so I bought a 3/8th and 1/2 inch bolt and nut in 1" lengths and a second 1 1/2 inch of each as well, grand total: $0.76. I figured it'd be worth a go and passed on Home Depot for the time being.

 

Using pretty much the same method as I did for the nylon bolts I found I was able to drill out the soft steel surprisingly easily, perhaps a bit too easy as I did go through the threads on one of them and had to start over. I didn't use a drill press, just my DeWalt 14v and a set of $20 Harbor Freight bits in 64ths. I simply started by marking a center spot with an awl then drilling with a small bit, then a bit bigger, then bigger still until I was satisfied with the size of the hole. Going slow and using some 5w30 as lubricant was key--each bolt took about 45 minutes from start to finish including cool down times after each size bit.

 

Lets say after I did one, I was hooked and did a few more up to a 3/4" one (biggest that CAL Ranch had) which is big enough for multiple log sheets and a pencil too. The tops are hacksawed ends of the 1/2" larger bolts epoxied in to the nut of the original bolt. This way I could have a clean end on both the internal and external bolt parts. Here's a few pictures:

 

steelbolts1.png

 

Close up:

 

steelbolts2.png

 

One more:

 

steelbolts3.png

 

I hope this inspires (even if it does rehash this old topic AGAIN) someone to go make a few of these. I put a nub of rare earth magnet on the cap of each, and a bit at the bottom of the inner chamber to hold the log/rod which makes wrapping the log much easier. I'm thinking I'm going to put a small smear of silicone inside each cap to create a seal when the two are screwed together and I used Rite in the Rain paper just incase. I'm thinking they would work well in existing holes sans-magnet simply using the cap to secure them--that would be an *evil* hide. Next up, I'm going to try and speed rust them with some vinegar and H2O2.

 

I want to make my own bolt cache and have no idea how to start. I don't have a lot of tool know-how besides the basics. This is definitely inspiring. How can I tell what bolt is soft or not? Is galvanized soft? How do I lubricate the drill to keep it from becoming damaged? Do I periodically pour oil or water over the bolt head as I drill? Where can I find O-Rings? I went to Home Depot and couldn't find any today. I would have asked an associcate but none were around and I got tired of looking for stuff when I didn't even know what I needed in the first place.

Link to comment

I went to Home Depot and couldn't find any today. I would have asked an associcate but none were around and I got tired of looking for stuff when I didn't even know what I needed in the first place.

Now, that is a big surprise! :lol: Those guys see somebody that looks a bit confused and they disappear like cockroaches when the kitchen light comes on!

 

You can get o-rings there or any hardware or home-improvement store.

 

Galvanized is just a zinc coating that helps rust-proof the bolt. Has no bearing on the hardness. I'm no expert, but I believe the black iron bolts (they will actually look black) will be the softest. They will also rust very quickly. That may be good, may be bad... depending on what you want.

 

Oil will help to lubricate your bit. Google has plenty of tips for you on drilling steel: Google Link

Link to comment

The way to tell softness is by the markings on the top of the hex end of the bolt. If it has no markings or a manufacturer's logo/initials its grade 0 which is the softest. SAE hardness marks are lines like | radiating inward from the hexagon points. Generally the more | the harder the bolt. The bolts above had only manufacturer's logos on the top or nothing at all. They came from CAL Ranch which is a hardware/home+garden kind of chain, but no where near the size of HD/Lowes. I'd suggest you try an Ace or TruValue if you have one near by, these were in bulk bins for $2.99 an lb. (BTW, the above picture took exactly $5.00 worth of bolts/nuts).

 

The bolts I used are galvanized I believe which is why they are shiny, as knowschad said its just an anti-rusting agent. CAL Ranch had the darker raw-iron looking bolts next to these in the same

bin rack--I just preferred the shiny ones. I'm trying to rust a few with H2O2 and vinegar, will let you all know how it goes in a few weeks. As for tips on making them hollow, here's what I did:

 

Making each bolt takes 2 bolts, one at the desired length of the hollow portion and one to cut an end off of to make the end nice and clean. I used 1" or 1.5" bolts for the hollow section and 1.5" or 1.75" bolts for each single hollow bolt.

 

Make a mount to hold the bolts while you cut/drill them. I used a piece of 5/8ths thick wood which I drilled various sized holes in to accommodate each bolt. I used the nut for each bolt to hold the larger of the two bolts in place and clamped the wood vertical on my worktable with a c-clamp.

 

Saw off the end of the longer bolt to your desired length, this end will stick out of the cap. I used an 18tpi hacksaw to do the cutting. Now change the longer bolt out for the smaller and mount the board horizontally on the worktable with the clamp. If you scroll back up, there's a picture of this with the nylon bolts I tried first.

 

I started with a 1/8th inch bit, black oxide, nothing special. I go up sizes in 16ths of an inch in each pass using a Dewalt 14v cordless drill. I used an awl and hammer to ding a small center point (though even so, they don't always end up completely centered) in each end then drill it out. Give the bolt a couple minutes to cool off between each drilling. I read that a bit of machine oil would be good lubricant for this, but I had none so I used some 5W-30 that was in my basement that I usually put in my chainsaw. It worked fine--going slow and dipping the drill bit in the oil before each drilling pass, nothing ever got *too* hot.

 

For the cap, simply use a bit of epoxy/superglue/jbweld to hold the cut end inplace and screw it in about 1/3rd of the way in to the nut. I bought a bag of O-rings, also at CAL Ranch and very cheap but they are a tad too thick for the caps the way I'd designed. I used some bathroom/kitchen silicone sealant smeared in the top of the cap and left to dry overnight and it seems to hold the water out pretty well, my son and I gave the bolts a dunk and the logs stayed dry.

 

For the log, I clipped a bit of paper-clip to the size I wanted the log to be, then superglued a strip of Rite-in-the-Rain to the end. This allows the log to be rolled up nicely by the finder and slid back in. A tiny bit of magnet glued inside the top of the cap could help to pull the log out or in the bottom of the hollow bolt to hold the log in place.

 

Don't be afraid, go make a couple of these! I've decided to use them as my signature items. They are a lot of fun to make, and pretty cheap considering what they go for in caching supply stores.

Link to comment

Great thanks!

I read your original post about the nylon bolts and considered that until I read your post about trying a real bolt. While nylon is not out of the question, I'd still like to try a real bolt, the only problem I have is that I don't know if I have all the materials needed, which is fine because I have no problem getting them in case I need them for future, unrelated projects.

 

The biggest problem I face is stabilizing the bolt while drilling. I read that you drilled into a block of wood to keep it stable, which is what I might have to do because I don't have a vice. But your description of everything really helped me visualize what needs to be done.

 

If I have any other questions, which I'm sure I will, I'll let you know. I don't knwo when I'll be able to take this project on, hopefully soon, but it could be a few weeks.

 

Knowshad--thanks for that link! It's very helpful and I plan to refer to it when I dive into trying this out

Link to comment

Great thanks!

I read your original post about the nylon bolts and considered that until I read your post about trying a real bolt. While nylon is not out of the question, I'd still like to try a real bolt, the only problem I have is that I don't know if I have all the materials needed, which is fine because I have no problem getting them in case I need them for future, unrelated projects.

 

The biggest problem I face is stabilizing the bolt while drilling. I read that you drilled into a block of wood to keep it stable, which is what I might have to do because I don't have a vice. But your description of everything really helped me visualize what needs to be done.

 

If I have any other questions, which I'm sure I will, I'll let you know. I don't knwo when I'll be able to take this project on, hopefully soon, but it could be a few weeks.

 

Knowshad--thanks for that link! It's very helpful and I plan to refer to it when I dive into trying this out

 

I think you will really want a vice. If the drill bit grabs or binds, it is going to set the whole thing spinning, and you could get hurt.

Link to comment

Great thanks!

I read your original post about the nylon bolts and considered that until I read your post about trying a real bolt. While nylon is not out of the question, I'd still like to try a real bolt, the only problem I have is that I don't know if I have all the materials needed, which is fine because I have no problem getting them in case I need them for future, unrelated projects.

 

The biggest problem I face is stabilizing the bolt while drilling. I read that you drilled into a block of wood to keep it stable, which is what I might have to do because I don't have a vice. But your description of everything really helped me visualize what needs to be done.

 

If I have any other questions, which I'm sure I will, I'll let you know. I don't knwo when I'll be able to take this project on, hopefully soon, but it could be a few weeks.

 

Knowshad--thanks for that link! It's very helpful and I plan to refer to it when I dive into trying this out

 

I think you will really want a vice. If the drill bit grabs or binds, it is going to set the whole thing spinning, and you could get hurt.

 

Yes, if not a vice, at least get a C-clamp--thats what I use and it was pretty inexpensive; if I recall it less than $10 at Sears. Once you put the bolt through the wood to hold it stable, clamp the wood to the table. I actually let the bolt hang off the table, so the rest of the wood can be level with the table top for the best stability.

Link to comment

Yes, if not a vice, at least get a C-clamp--thats what I use and it was pretty inexpensive; if I recall it less than $10 at Sears. Once you put the bolt through the wood to hold it stable, clamp the wood to the table. I actually let the bolt hang off the table, so the rest of the wood can be level with the table top for the best stability.

 

I have a few spring clamps that I used to clamp onto a table and they worked perfectly. The only problem I had was that the bolt kept coming loose from the wood and falling out, no matter how tight I made the nut. But with patience and slow drilling, I made a bolt cache pretty identical to shak3zula's. I didn't use earth magnets or paper clips, as I might get to that as I improve. I just wanted to see if I could make one and I did.

 

I had a spot all ready to go for this bolt cache, but it turns out I measured wrong and the bolt I made is too small. Now, I have no idea where to put it. Does anyone have any ideas where I could put a 1/2 diameter bolt about 1 1/2 inches long? I've been trying to come up with something, but I can't think of anything. As mentioned, they look just like Shak3zula's bolts.

Edited by Lounge Fly
Link to comment

To update:

 

I've made a few bolt caches since then. One got muggled pretty quickly. I was not happy about that, so I took care in making another one and placing it somewhere else. So far it's still there.

 

I want to make another one, but I want to make it magnetized.

I want the end of the bolt to be protruding out of a giant metal...thing

But i need to somehow magnetize the part that connects onto the metal

I'm trying to make it look like the small cache on the left in this image:

 

RustyBolt.jpg

 

Does anyone have any ideas?

Also, does anyone know how I can rust a bolt fast? Just dunk it in salt water for a day or two?

Edited by Lounge Fly
Link to comment
But i need to somehow magnetize the part that connects onto the metal

Take the strongest permanent magnet you can find. The ones found in old cd-rom drives or loudspeakers would work well. Pull it along the surface of the part you are magnetizing, starting at one edge of the magnet and pulling all the way through until the magnet is no longer in contact with the workpiece. Return the magnet to starting position well away from the workpiece and continue swiping it with the magnet. Important: all passes must be made to the same direction and the relative orientation of magnet and workpiece must not be changed. Each pass will add a tiny bit of magnetic field to the workpiece, building up enough strength will take some time and patience. Also note that some materials are easier to magnetize than others and some can't be magnetized at all. You will just need to experiment. If there is room, it might be easier to just drill a hole at the bolt end and glue a rare-earth magnet in there.

 

Also, does anyone know how I can rust a bolt fast? Just dunk it in salt water for a day or two?

Fully submerged in the water isn't optimum, rust needs oxygen to form. It would be better if you could arrange a spray of salt water to keep the bolt moist, but fully exposed to the atmosphere. Or rig some kind of a contraption that occasionally dunks the bolt in a bath of salt water and then lifts it back up in the air.

Edited by jkettu
Link to comment
Also, does anyone know how I can rust a bolt fast? Just dunk it in salt water for a day or two?

Fully submerged in the water isn't optimum, rust needs oxygen to form. It would be better if you could arrange a spray of salt water to keep the bolt moist, but fully exposed to the atmosphere. Or rig some kind of a contraption that occasionally dunks the bolt in a bath of salt water and then lifts it back up in the air.

I missed that part of the question! Salt and bleach. The bleach provides the oxygen. This won't work, though, if the bolt is galvanized or nickle-plated (both of which are, of course, designed to prevent rust). The best bolt for this sort of thing is black iron. It will rust in minutes using the bleach/salt technique. It will also make a bit of a mess, so be careful where you do this!

Link to comment

I can make them with a pair of vicegrips, a coordless drill with a 3 16 black oxide bit, a dremel with a cutting wheel, a hacksaw would work too, a 3 8 - 14x 1 1 4 bolt, a 3 8 - 14 nut, 3 8 x 1 16 n42 magnets. And JB weld

 

I can make one in about 8 minutes for about 2.15$ a piece.

Please explain where you found a 3/8 "bolt" with a 14 thread.

I'd like to find some, as they were used in woodworking machinery in the early 1900s.

Modern day thread counts in 3/8 are 16 and 24.

Link to comment

I can make them with a pair of vicegrips, a coordless drill with a 3 16 black oxide bit, a dremel with a cutting wheel, a hacksaw would work too, a 3 8 - 14x 1 1 4 bolt, a 3 8 - 14 nut, 3 8 x 1 16 n42 magnets. And JB weld

 

I can make one in about 8 minutes for about 2.15$ a piece.

Please explain where you found a 3/8 "bolt" with a 14 thread.

I'd like to find some, as they were used in woodworking machinery in the early 1900s.

Modern day thread counts in 3/8 are 16 and 24.

 

Oh, I'm sure he means 3/8"-16. So are you saying you have accomplished this feat in 8 minutes? Is the guy from post #62 just a slow fuddy duddy?

Link to comment

I can make them with a pair of vicegrips, a coordless drill with a 3 16 black oxide bit, a dremel with a cutting wheel, a hacksaw would work too, a 3 8 - 14x 1 1 4 bolt, a 3 8 - 14 nut, 3 8 x 1 16 n42 magnets. And JB weld

 

I can make one in about 8 minutes for about 2.15$ a piece.

 

Then do it. Make a bunch and sell them on ebay for $7. You'll make a $5 profit and twist the knickers of other sellers who list them at $10 - $12.

Edited by 4wheelin_fool
Link to comment

I can make them with a pair of vicegrips, a coordless drill with a 3 16 black oxide bit, a dremel with a cutting wheel, a hacksaw would work too, a 3 8 - 14x 1 1 4 bolt, a 3 8 - 14 nut, 3 8 x 1 16 n42 magnets. And JB weld

 

I can make one in about 8 minutes for about 2.15$ a piece.

Please explain where you found a 3/8 "bolt" with a 14 thread.

I'd like to find some, as they were used in woodworking machinery in the early 1900s.

Modern day thread counts in 3/8 are 16 and 24.

 

Oh, I'm sure he means 3/8"-16. So are you saying you have accomplished this feat in 8 minutes? Is the guy from post #62 just a slow fuddy duddy?

1 did mean 16- I was in a hurry tuping as I was fixing my breakfast, and Im not calling anybody slow, Im just saying how long it takes my - the jb weld setting up. And I usually use a drill press, vise and band saw, but I can still do it in 8 minutes with the extremely basic tool set, again not calling anyone out on anything, im just saying.

Link to comment
Also, does anyone know how I can rust a bolt fast? Just dunk it in salt water for a day or two?

Fully submerged in the water isn't optimum, rust needs oxygen to form. It would be better if you could arrange a spray of salt water to keep the bolt moist, but fully exposed to the atmosphere. Or rig some kind of a contraption that occasionally dunks the bolt in a bath of salt water and then lifts it back up in the air.

I missed that part of the question! Salt and bleach. The bleach provides the oxygen. This won't work, though, if the bolt is galvanized or nickle-plated (both of which are, of course, designed to prevent rust). The best bolt for this sort of thing is black iron. It will rust in minutes using the bleach/salt technique. It will also make a bit of a mess, so be careful where you do this!

 

I dont know whst you have to work with, but if you have nickel plated or galvanized on hand but not black iron, you could media blast the coating off, just dont breathe it or over do it.

Link to comment

Of course if you're making them yourself you can also do slightly more devious stuff, like putting a left-hand thread on it or, if you're willing to spend the time, having a succession of containers inside each other. Kind of like a bolt version of Russian dolls. If it's an intermediate stage to a multicache all there needs to be in the middle is a single number. For bonus nastiness points engrave a digit on the end of each piece and make the finder add them up, so if they miss one they get the answer wrong.

Link to comment

I can make them with a pair of vicegrips, a coordless drill with a 3 16 black oxide bit, a dremel with a cutting wheel, a hacksaw would work too, a 3 8 - 14x 1 1 4 bolt, a 3 8 - 14 nut, 3 8 x 1 16 n42 magnets. And JB weld

 

I can make one in about 8 minutes for about 2.15$ a piece.

Please explain where you found a 3/8 "bolt" with a 14 thread.

I'd like to find some, as they were used in woodworking machinery in the early 1900s.

Modern day thread counts in 3/8 are 16 and 24.

 

An unnecessary challenge accomplishes nothing.

Link to comment

I can make them with a pair of vicegrips, a coordless drill with a 3 16 black oxide bit, a dremel with a cutting wheel, a hacksaw would work too, a 3 8 - 14x 1 1 4 bolt, a 3 8 - 14 nut, 3 8 x 1 16 n42 magnets. And JB weld

 

I can make one in about 8 minutes for about 2.15$ a piece.

Please explain where you found a 3/8 "bolt" with a 14 thread.

I'd like to find some, as they were used in woodworking machinery in the early 1900s.

Modern day thread counts in 3/8 are 16 and 24.

 

An unnecessary challenge accomplishes nothing.

And you're off-topic.

Link to comment

I can make them with a pair of vicegrips, a coordless drill with a 3 16 black oxide bit, a dremel with a cutting wheel, a hacksaw would work too, a 3 8 - 14x 1 1 4 bolt, a 3 8 - 14 nut, 3 8 x 1 16 n42 magnets. And JB weld

 

I can make one in about 8 minutes for about 2.15$ a piece.

Please explain where you found a 3/8 "bolt" with a 14 thread.

I'd like to find some, as they were used in woodworking machinery in the early 1900s.

Modern day thread counts in 3/8 are 16 and 24.

 

An unnecessary challenge accomplishes nothing.

And you're off-topic.

 

And challenging someone, regardless of typo, about bolt thread count is so On Topic.

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...