BOLTS

[Tex]

OK this may be a duplicate thread as I just posted before but it does not appear anywhere ATM...

 

Where do people get AN bolts in Australia, need an AN4 52A... would rather not have to wait for one from the USA as there is flying to be done!

 

 

[FlyingVizsla]

 

 

Where do people get AN bolts in Australia, need an AN4 52A... would rather not have to wait for one from the USA as there is flying to be done!

 

 

Tex,

 

Try Old Man Emu (QED hardware). He did have a parts list on the Supplier's forum, but I don't know where that went. He has AN bolts.

 

 

 

Sue

 

 

[Tex]

Thanks Sue I will give him a call!

 

 

[old man emu]

Thanks Sue, Tex has contacted me and a bolt is overnighting it to him as I type.

 

Tex,

 

If the bolt doesn't suit, I've ordered some AN4-52As and they should be here in a fortnight. If you need to, return the bolt I sent and I'll send you the 52A

 

OME

 

 

[Tex]

Excellent thanks heaps too you both!

 

 

[old man emu]

What does that AN4-52A bolt hold together. Should I get a supply in for future needs?

 

OME

 

 

[Tex]

SOMETHING YOU SHOULD NEVER TAKE APART!

 

A-frame top of a Drifter

 

 

 

[Tex]

PS Not sure how often they would be required, I note that the pedals on the Drifter are also held by the same size though drilled.

 

 

[old man emu]

OK,

 

I'll get in a supply of both -52 and -52A for you homeless drifters.

 

OME

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

OME, I wasn't aware you supplied hardware. I maintain a good stock also as part of my L2 work, but do need the odd bit of hardware occasionally that I don't have on hand. Can I get back to you if I do need something quickly in the future ?..............................................................thanks Maj...

 

 

[FlyingVizsla]

OME, I wasn't aware you supplied hardware. I maintain a good stock also as part of my L2 work, but do need the odd bit of hardware occasionally that I don't have on hand. Can I get back to you if I do need something quickly in the future ?..............................................................thanks Maj...

We have used OME and very satisfied with the service, particularly the speed at which he can get things up to us, and the anticipation of further needs - he sent us samples of each bit we might need for the next step (without us asking) so we would be able to match and order with confidence. Excellent range too (as far as our needs go).

 

Sue

 

 

[Tomo]

Yeah the Old Emu has a neat little collection down there! Pity I couldn't drool over it longer when I popped in, but it's a neat set up.

 

 

 

[old man emu]

Thanks for the positive comments, Sue & Tomo.

 

Moderators:

 

The following is not meant to be an advertisement, but I think Maj deserves further explanations.

 

QED Hardware was originally set up to provide advice and supply hardware to homebuilders. It is part of a CASA approved service facity. As such, its overheads are very low and I try to make sure that my prices are well below the major suppliers. I don't stock pilot equipment or bulky items like tubing and timber. However, I do stock a range of hardware products from nuts and bolts to hydraulic fittings. Even grease nipples!

 

I try to use Australia Post for delivery all the time, and try for the cheapest postage rate. In my pricing and delivery I always work on the principle of charging the customer the price I would like to pay if I was buying the stuff.

 

As for the advice, the owner of the whole organisation is a LAME with over 40 years' experience. He has built his own airplane (a Pitts) and occasionally gets the time and energy to work on a GeeBee Sporster. We service Jabirus, the usual Cessnas and Pipers, Maules, Stearmans, Long EZEs, Cozys, Stinsons, Airedales (not the dog), and an assortment of other homebuilt airplanes. So our technical advice department is pretty strong. We also try to put through an apprentice every three to four years. (Our last one now works for Mike Goulian on the US airshow circuit)

 

Hope that gives you an idea of our organisation.

 

OME

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

Great stuff and thanks for that OME. Of course we also need to support Ian and his store wherever we can which also helps support this great site. Ians' range of pilot supplies is also very impressive...............Maj...

 

 

[Robertvn]

Hi, so do you guys also have metric nuts and bolts for aircraft?

 

Is there a web site or how do I order?

 

Cheers

 

Robert

 

 

[Admin]

Have a look in our shop Clear Prop listed in the side menu...we have most common nuts, bolds, washers, clevis pins etc in stock

 

 

[Robertvn]

Hi

 

Had a bit of a look only see imperial sizes

 

I need 4 each 6mm x 30, 35, 40mm drilled and castle nuts to suit

 

not 1/4 inch

 

Cheers

 

Robert

 

 

[Admin]

Hi, have to find out what the equivalents are...will get back to you today

 

 

[old man emu]

Mongrel sizes:

 

Bolt:

 

6mm - 0.2362198 " = (3.77)/16 Approx 1/4" = AN4-XX

 

30mm = 1.181099" = 1- (2.89)/16 Approx 1-3/16 = AN4-12 (Overall length 1.281")

 

35mm = 1.377949" = 1 - (3.02)/8 Approx 1-3/8" = AN4- 13 (O.A.L. 1.406")

 

40mm = 1.574798" = 1 - (9.2)/16 Approx 1-9/16" = AN4- 15 (o.A.L. 1.656")

 

Nut:

 

AN310-4 Castellated, Full Height

 

AN320-4 Castellated, Low Height

 

MS17825-4 Castellated,Locknut, nylon insert

 

 

[Admin]

I can't get metric specific but have all the imperial ones.

 

OME can you help him out with metric

 

 

[old man emu]

I wouldn't trust metric stuff in an aeroplane simply because no supplier can provide traceability for metric stuff like they can for AN, MS and NAS stuff that you get from an aircraft hardware supplier. You can't guarantee the quality of metric stuff.

 

Have a look at this:

 

6mm = 0.2362198 1/4" = 0.25" Metric is smaller by 0.014"

 

If you can drill a hole that is exactly 6mm in diameter, no more; no less, then a metric bolt will be an interference fit. You only have to be out by 2/1000" in drilling your hole to be able to fit a 1/4" bolt. How much tolerance is in the shaft of a drill bit?

 

The plans might call for metric sizes in hardware, but there is ample fudge factor for quality, certified, aviation hardware to be used.

 

PS. I'm not in the business any more, but give QED Hardware a call on 02 46551514.

 

 

[Yenn]

I think the ability to drill a 6mm hole exactly to size is about the same as being able to drill a 1/4" exactly to size, otherwise I would agree with OMEThere is a 10% difference in bolt area between 6mm and 1/4" dia.

 

 

[Blueadventures]

Mongrel sizes:Bolt:

6mm - 0.2362198 " = (3.77)/16 Approx 1/4" = AN4-XX

 

30mm = 1.181099" = 1- (2.89)/16 Approx 1-3/16 = AN4-12 (Overall length 1.281")

 

35mm = 1.377949" = 1 - (3.02)/8 Approx 1-3/8" = AN4- 13 (O.A.L. 1.406")

 

40mm = 1.574798" = 1 - (9.2)/16 Approx 1-9/16" = AN4- 15 (o.A.L. 1.656")

 

Nut:

 

AN310-4 Castellated, Full Height

 

AN320-4 Castellated, Low Height

 

MS17825-4 Castellated,Locknut, nylon insert

Hi OME Is there any information about the reaming of 6mm holes to 1/4" in aircraft; pros and cons etc.

 

I'd be interested to know this for down the track.

 

Thanks in advance Mike

 

 

[AussieB1rd]

Yes I need a handful of bolts as well, heard there was a chap at Caboolture but have forgotten his name. think it was Rob or Rod or something like that. I found this chart I downloaded printed and laminated for dirty work, easy to keep clean but makes AN made easy. ( http://tinyurl.com/ANboltschart ) ( AN Bolts decoded )

 

(NOTE: DO NOT use "fit to page" in the printer options, when you print out this chart. The "three inch ruler" on the left side of the chart MUST measure an accurate three inches or 76,2mm.)

 

This .PDF file will give you AN bolt sizes, by Part Number. The first digit after the AN letters in the Part Number will be the bolt diameter, in 1/16ths of an inch. The AN-3 bolts are 3/16” (~5mm) in diameter. AN-4 bolts are 4/16” or 1/4” (~6,4mm) in diameter. AN-5 bolts are 5/16” (~8mm) in diameter. You can measure the length of AN bolts in a glider with calipers, without removing the bolt from the airframe.

 

 

[old man emu]

Yenn,

 

If A = pi.r^2

 

for a 6 mm bolt A = 28.274 mm^2

 

for a 1/4" bolt A = 31.67 mm^2

 

The 1/4" bolt has a 12% larger cross-sectional area. Therefore, its resistance to shear would be greater, if the bolts were made of the same material. So a 1/4" bolt would be a safer choice in an airplane.

 

 

Diagram of the cross section of a bolt in shear, top figure has the bolt in single shear, bottom has the bolt in double shear

 

Hi OME Is there any information about the reaming of 6mm holes to 1/4" in aircraft; pros and cons etc. Mike

The question is: "What are the things that the bolt is fastening together?" That is going to determine the suitable accuracy of the holes that the bolt goes through. While it would be Utopian to have the diameter of a bolt hole exactly equal to the diameter of the bolt, that is not often the designer's requirement.

 

In situations where one wants to be able to lubricate the joint (e.g. an elevator hinge) you would use a Clearance Fit, where the bolt diameter is a smidgen less than the diameter of the hole.

 

If you wanted to join crankcase halves together with dowels you would use an Interference Fit, where the diameter of the down is a tad larger than the diameter of the hole and you have to whack the dowel into the hole.

 

Have a read of this: http://ignou.ac.in/upload/Unit-3-62.pdf

 

If you wanted to use 1/4" bolts where a part had been manufactured for 6 mm bolts, you could always try fitting a 1/4" bolt into the hole to see if it goes through. If the things being held together by the bolts are not critical to the safe design of the aeroplane, then you could run a 1/4" HSS drill through the hole to widen it for the 1/4" bolt.

 

You should also consider the torque to be applied to the bolts. Have a look at this chart : http://www.norbar.com/Portals/0/downloads/TorqueValueGuide.pdf

 

If you compare a 6 mm bolt with a 1/4" UNC you will see that the UNC bolt will take a higher torque. That's because its cross-sectional area is greater.