Nut / Bolt Id Board

[Make Things]

Why buy when you can make one?

Here's the website for pattern (Light Burn and SVG included) and step by step: https://makethingswithrob.com/nut-bolt-identifier/

[DIYer]

Thanks Make Things! We've added your Nut & Bolt ID Board to our Fastening category,
as well as to your builder page: Make Things's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

Nut & Bolt ID Board by Make Things

tags: fasteners, measurement

[mklotz]

To save a bit of fabrication effort I just used a commercial thread gauge. Thread a bolt and its matching nut in each hole...



If things get too crowded, use the reverse side of the gauge to stagger the bolt placements...



This scheme provides space for fastener sizes you may not yet have in your collection. Also, it accommodates metric as well as inferial fasteners.
Also, having the nuts removable from the board allows checking threads on devices where the stud cannot be removed.

[Make Things]

Thanks...I haven't ever seen one of those. I like the idea of removing the nuts!

[mklotz]

Thanks...I haven't ever seen one of those. I like the idea of removing the nuts!

Mine was a promotional gift from a company with which I do business but they can be had from Amazon...

https://www.amazon.com/Screw-Thread-...s%2C136&sr=8-6

[WmRMeyers]

Mine was a promotional gift from a company with which I do business but they can be had from Amazon...

https://www.amazon.com/Screw-Thread-...s%2C136&sr=8-6

Thanks! Next cheapest one of those I've seen was over $20, and I'm too cheap but spend that! And I will make the modifications/additions you suggested!

Bill

[mklotz]

Thanks! Next cheapest one of those I've seen was over $20, and I'm too cheap but spend that! And I will make the modifications/additions you suggested!

Bill

It's plastic so you'll want to be a bit gentle with it. I don't use the plastic threads to identify an unknown screw. Instead I find the one with the nearest diameter to the unknown, remove it from the board and use its nut to test the unknown. That way only the screws that actually fit the threads in the board are screwed into it and the chance of damaging the plastic threads is minimized.

I look at it as just a very compact way of organizing a test screw collection. I have these...

https://www.amazon.com/Bolt-Thread-C...s%2C152&sr=8-4

as well, purchased earlier, but they must be taken off that infernal cable and mounted to a board to make them useful and, when that is done, the result is way bigger and heavier than the little plastic thread gauge.

[WmRMeyers]

It's plastic so you'll want to be a bit gentle with it. I don't use the plastic threads to identify an unknown screw. Instead I find the one with the nearest diameter to the unknown, remove it from the board and use its nut to test the unknown. That way only the screws that actually fit the threads in the board are screwed into it and the chance of damaging the plastic threads is minimized.

I look at it as just a very compact way of organizing a test screw collection. I have these...

https://www.amazon.com/Bolt-Thread-C...s%2C152&sr=8-4

as well, purchased earlier, but they must be taken off that infernal cable and mounted to a board to make them useful and, when that is done, the result is way bigger and heavier than the little plastic thread gauge.

I have a thread checker in plastic that was under $10, but not really satisfactory. It has samples of the threads protruding from the surface of the checker, too far frm the edges except for the larger screws, and holes with thread OD, but not threaded. Not too useful. Has fastener length gauges for metric and imperial fasteners, too, that are useful, but overall, not very satisfactory. I went through the first 10 pages of thread checkers that came up on Amazon and didn't find anything like it. Got it from the local tool wholesale place, Steve's Wholesale tools for $3 or 4, so out a terrible amount on money on it. I do have a pretty fair collection of metric and imperial hardware, and a 4-84 leaf-type thread checker and similar one for metric threads, so I can identify the correct screws for the upgrade. If I had bought the good stuff 40 years ago, it would have been much better than faking it as I have all these years, but I didn't know then what I know now. And wasn't smart enough to realize it.

Bill

[Make Things]

It's plastic so you'll want to be a bit gentle with it. I don't use the plastic threads to identify an unknown screw. Instead I find the one with the nearest diameter to the unknown, remove it from the board and use its nut to test the unknown. That way only the screws that actually fit the threads in the board are screwed into it and the chance of damaging the plastic threads is minimized.

I look at it as just a very compact way of organizing a test screw collection. I have these...

https://www.amazon.com/Bolt-Thread-C...s%2C152&sr=8-4

as well, purchased earlier, but they must be taken off that infernal cable and mounted to a board to make them useful and, when that is done, the result is way bigger and heavier than the little plastic thread gauge.

I actually have those! But they're called "Thread detectives." They were $17 a piece.

I was thinking about your solution using that board...and while it would really be helpful when you're working on a car or other machinery and need to remove the nut/bolt, I still would rather use the board I made if I was sitting in front of a large bucket of nuts and bolts. Having to thread each of those nuts off to check for bolts or bolts to check for nuts would be annoying.

Again, I think yours has its place, but I'm always sorting through nuts and bolts. I mean, literally always. At least...that's the way it feels. Being able to grab a bolt and thread a nut real quick helps to sort my confounded nature quickly.

[mklotz]

I actually have those! But they're called "Thread detectives." They were $17 a piece.

I was thinking about your solution using that board...and while it would really be helpful when you're working on a car or other machinery and need to remove the nut/bolt, I still would rather use the board I made if I was sitting in front of a large bucket of nuts and bolts. Having to thread each of those nuts off to check for bolts or bolts to check for nuts would be annoying.

Again, I think yours has its place, but I'm always sorting through nuts and bolts. I mean, literally always. At least...that's the way it feels. Being able to grab a bolt and thread a nut real quick helps to sort my confounded nature quickly.

You don't have to remove all the screws/nuts to check an unknown. Measure the unknown diameter and pick the reference screws/nuts that come close to the matching diameter.

There's another factor at work here too. Like you, I've sorted a lot of screws. I find that I very quickly come to the point where I can identify an unknown by eye. Oh, there may be the occasional confusion (e.g., 8-32 and 8-36), but, having found one of each I lay them out and from then on a visual comparison is all I need.

Nevertheless, each to his own. I wasn't suggesting that my approach should replace yours; merely a variation to be evaluated. In fact, I have several homemade gauges similar to yours but done in all metal.

In planning one's personal approach it helps to see what others have done.