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Locking off nuts on screwed threads

G

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Guest
This isn't strictly a Landcruiser question, although it could prove
useful for people bolting things on, so I hope Julian will forgive me
for posting it here as I'd appreciate some advice from the collective
wisdom of the list.
I've just finished building our son a tree-house for his 10th birthday,
and part of it is held together by screwed rods sawn to length with
washers and nuts on the ends. Sawing the rods, which are zinc plated,
gives three problems:
- It exposes bare metal ends which are prone to rust.
- The sawn ends of the thread tend to leave sharp edges, although I've
ground these down.
- Inquisitive fingers might choose to undo the nuts with potentially
disastrous consequences!
So I'm looking for a solution that will cover the exposed ends,
rust-proofing them and locking the nuts, but which will also be
removable (with tools) should I need to adjust or tighten them in the
future due to tree growth.
My current view is epoxy resin, although the only place I've seen that
for sale is chandleries and - despite being in Devon - we're a fair way
from the sea here.
Any ideas anyone?
Christopher Bell
Devon, UK
1996 1HD-FT
2007 Tree house (see http://www.geocities.com/tiverton_pony_club/th.png
for a picture during construction)
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You can use self-locking nuts (which have blue plastic on the end of the
nut)
Or use lock-tite, which comes in either red or blue. The blue is stickier,
the red one is easier to undo (with tools).
But I suspect that by the time the bolts are rusted your son will have found
alternative things to play with. Unless he wants to play with them in his
tree house, obviously :). Anti-rust paint should do the job, alternatively.
Good luck,
Cedric
-----Original Message-----
From: [Email address removed] [mailto:[Email address removed]] On
Behalf Of Christopher Bell
Sent: lundi 5 novembre 2007 9:50
To: [Email address removed]
Subject: [ELCO] Locking off nuts on screwed threads
This isn't strictly a Landcruiser question, although it could prove
useful for people bolting things on, so I hope Julian will forgive me
for posting it here as I'd appreciate some advice from the collective
wisdom of the list.
I've just finished building our son a tree-house for his 10th birthday,
and part of it is held together by screwed rods sawn to length with
washers and nuts on the ends. Sawing the rods, which are zinc plated,
gives three problems:
- It exposes bare metal ends which are prone to rust.
- The sawn ends of the thread tend to leave sharp edges, although I've
ground these down.
- Inquisitive fingers might choose to undo the nuts with potentially
disastrous consequences!
So I'm looking for a solution that will cover the exposed ends,
rust-proofing them and locking the nuts, but which will also be
removable (with tools) should I need to adjust or tighten them in the
future due to tree growth.
My current view is epoxy resin, although the only place I've seen that
for sale is chandleries and - despite being in Devon - we're a fair way
from the sea here.
Any ideas anyone?
Christopher Bell
Devon, UK
1996 1HD-FT
2007 Tree house (see http://www.geocities.com/tiverton_pony_club/th.png
for a picture during construction)
____________________________________________________________
Electronic mail messages entering and leaving Arup business
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Cedric
Thanks, I thought of that. However I'm looking for something a bit more
bulky to make a "blob" on the ends as well as just locking the nuts.
One or two of these stick out into the inside of the house and this
would make them less likely to do damage to small humans.
As for the young man himself: yes, he will grow out of it, and he also
has enough sense not to undo things (he helped me build it). However he
has friends who visit ...
Also we have to think about younger visitors and (by golly this makes me
feel old) the fact that his sisters are quite a lot older than him and
may start a breeding programme one day. The design life of the
structure is 25+ years - tanalised wood & galvanised fixings throughout.
(Sort of Morgan construction principles combined with Toyota design now
I think of it.)
CB
| You can use self-locking nuts (which have blue plastic on the end of
the
| nut)
| Or use lock-tite, which comes in either red or blue. The blue is
stickier,
| the red one is easier to undo (with tools).
|
| But I suspect that by the time the bolts are rusted your son will have
| found
| alternative things to play with. Unless he wants to play with them in
his
| tree house, obviously :). Anti-rust paint should do the job,
| alternatively.
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Malcolm
Thanks, I hadn't thought of a second lock-nut - that's a good idea since
I've got some spares, and I could tighten them enough to defeat small
hands.
I've countersunk where I can, but it isn't always possible as you say.
CB
|
| I would add a lock nut having left the rod so it is just covered by
the
| lock
| nut perhaps a half nut, I think the ends you have might be too short
for
| that, pair of half nuts might also work. Galvafroid or similar zinc
rich
| spray, normally used to cover cut ends in galv items like cable tray,
| electrical wholesalers are the best bet. Plastic end caps are an
option
| but
| they are probably more fun to lever off.
|
| Commercial stuff is often countersunk into the material but you need
depth
| for that.
|
| Glad we don't have any trees in the garden - I might have been tempted
| otherwise.
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Christopher,
Araldite is epoxy resin.
Loctite is available in many grades, not just Blue and red.
Hammer the ends of the thread over slightly. Fingers will not
undo the nuts but a pair of spanners will when you need to.
Paint for anti rust.
O
Regards,
Clive Marks
Home: +44 1293 514600
Mobile: +44 7821 491897
Crawley, West Sussex, UK.
 
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Roman
| What you need is dome nuts:
| http://www.fastfixdirect.co.uk/code/search_b.asp?SearchStr=3Ddome+nuts
Now why didn't I think of that? Thanks.. I think that is the answer.
Clive
Thanks for the Araldite tip. I thought of that & have got some, but
it's quite expensive.
Chris
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I would add a lock nut having left the rod so it is just covered by the lock
nut perhaps a half nut, I think the ends you have might be too short for
that, pair of half nuts might also work. Galvafroid or similar zinc rich
spray, normally used to cover cut ends in galv items like cable tray,
electrical wholesalers are the best bet. Plastic end caps are an option but
they are probably more fun to lever off.
Commercial stuff is often countersunk into the material but you need depth
for that.
Glad we don't have any trees in the garden - I might have been tempted
otherwise.
Malcolm
FJ45 Stafford
- It exposes bare metal ends which are prone to rust.
- The sawn ends of the thread tend to leave sharp edges, although I've
ground these down.
- Inquisitive fingers might choose to undo the nuts with potentially
disastrous consequences!
 
Because they don't make an appearance on Land Cruisers? Not mine anyway.
Malcolm
Stafford (UK)
FJ45 '75 & FJ45 '76
Now why didn't I think of that? Thanks.. I think that is the answer.
Clive
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