bolt cutter, thread restorer help please

[redsky49]

I have a project where I need to trim the length of roughly 250 stainless steel machine screws, up to 1/4-20 in size. After shortening about a dozen of them I have managed to trash the jaws of my cheap bolt cutter, and cleaning up the threads of the cut end of the screw with a hand file takes forever.

Who makes a small affordable bolt cutter with jaws strong enough for stainless, and what is the best choice for a thread chaser?

Time for an "old world tool"?

Thanks.

 

[A_Pmech]

I would build a little fixture to hold the bolt in an abrasive cutoff saw at the right length. Run a nut down the threads before cutting off. After the cut, run the nut off the threads to remove the burr.

Always works like a charm for me and it's very fast.

 

[48548]

Would this work I have used them with stainless and they worked great also as a thread chaser. Once you use it to cut them when you unscrew the bolt it acts like a thread chaser/restorer and works great one tool and pretty fast.

http://www.kleinconnection.com/weba...985_14921_true_1000_Multi-Purpose-6-in-1-Tool

 

[WVU Tuba Dale]

To cut the screws, I would use some sort of rotational cutoff tool and a vise. To get the threads back to where they roughly need to be, thread a nut down the screw past where youre cutting it, cut, then spin the nut off. If you want to get fancy, you can buy a thread restorer kit from sears (http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_... Tools&psid=SHOPPING01&sid=IDx20070921x00003d), and thread it down instead of a nut, then spin it off once you have cut off what you need.

EDIT: Or the device shown above, probably faster.

 

[mrb]

to answer the OP question about small bolt cutters, check out the Knipex ones. Best small bolt cutters i have ever handled. p/n 71 01 200

 

[krehmkej]

I have cut lots of SS threaded fasteners over the years. Tried any number of bolt cutters and agree that the abrasive wheel is the best and quickest. After cutting, I then smooth up and bevel the cut end using a 1"x42" band sander.

 

[hammlm]

Would this work I have used them with stainless and they worked great also as a thread chaser. Once you use it to cut them when you unscrew the bolt it acts like a thread chaser/restorer and works great one tool and pretty fast.

http://www.kleinconnection.com/weba...985_14921_true_1000_Multi-Purpose-6-in-1-Tool

+1 on smaller screws. Never seen one that would handle 1/4-20. Also hurts my hands just thinking about cutting several hundred 10-32's with one of those -- not to think about 1/4-20's.

 

[redsky49]

Most of the fasteners are 8-32 and 10-24. I was just hoping to find a tool that would go as large as 1/4-20. And yes, it does hurt the hands

Maybe I should revise my requirements smaller than 1/4-20.

 

[70Chevy]

Can't you just buy the correct length?
I know the local hardware store may not have it, but you might want to look on-line or a local industrial screw distributor.

 

[redsky49]

It just came to me in the shower (strange how that works isn't it?) P-Mech deserves credit here.

Mount a small vise on a plywood base.
Clamp the correct die (hexagonal type) into the vise.
Insert the machine screw all the way into the die.
Grind to length with my trusty Dremel tool (finally a reason for this thing).
Back screw out of die and the thread is restored. Hooray!

Thanks for the help

This application is to remount some ports on a boat. The existing screws are all cut to size and they vary from 1/16" variance on some ports, to about 3/16" differences on some of the larger ports. Very frustrating, but that's what boats are for.

Thanks again!

 

[Mickey O]

I agree with using a thin abrasive wheel to cut, to clean up the threads just put the smallest of tapers on the cut ends on a grinding wheel.

 

[A_Pmech]

Mount a small vise on a plywood base.
Clamp the correct die (hexagonal type) into the vise.
Insert the machine screw all the way into the die.
Grind to length with my trusty Dremel tool (finally a reason for this thing).
Back screw out of die and the thread is restored.

That will work.

Be sure to use the cutoff wheel in such a way that the torque reaction will tend to tighten the screw into the die rather than loosen it.

If you're unfamiliar with the Dremel, I suggest the fiberglass-reinforced cutoff wheels. They last much longer than the pressed garnet cutoff wheels.

Let us know how you make out with it.

 

[redsky49]

That will work...

Be sure to use the cutoff wheel in such a way that the torque reaction will tend to tighten the screw into the die rather than loosen it.

Good point. I suspect that I would have discovered that quite soon as the screw backed out of the die.

And I will try to slightly taper the cut end of the fastener.

 

[TheToolMan]

How about you just buy the right screws, Ill bet you they are cheaper than the tool

 

[mrb]

What is with all these suggestions of using the correct part for the job?


Blasphemy I say!

 

[Danglerb]

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/topages/screwboltshear.php

Precision bolt shear, cuts to length without damaging threads.

 

[johno]

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/topages/screwboltshear.php

Precision bolt shear, cuts to length without damaging threads.

WOW! I don't even need it and i want it.

 

[Elroy]

How about you just buy the right screws, Ill bet you they are cheaper than the tool

 

[Merkava_4]

I'm gonna post this link just for y'all's info.

They make good cut-off wheels for Dremel's.

http://www.gyrostools.com/index.html

 

[redsky49]

Thank you Mr. Merk.

Obviously, all those things that they are saying about you aren't true at all.

 

[txz28]

How about you just buy the right screws, Ill bet you they are cheaper than the tool

Make that two that agree. Check boltdepot.com. I have ordered odd stuff that I could not easily get locally before. Shipping adds up though. Besides you are going to spend a lot of time with 250 screws to cut.

 

[Mickey O]

Make that two that agree. Check boltdepot.com. I have ordered odd stuff that I could not easily get locally before. Shipping adds up though. Besides you are going to spend a lot of time with 250 screws to cut.

Half the fun is cutting the screws.