I went to the hardware store & paid $6.00 for a 2" bolt today!

[pertnear]

I'm experimenting & planning on making a bracket that I can screw into the top of my press for holding various gadgets like priming tools, trimmers, etc. I needed a 7/8"x14 bolt to sacrifice as the screw-in base stub. The only thing I could find at the hardware store was a $6 bolt. It is has a yellowish tint to it & the store clerk pointed out that was because it was a "type 8?" extra strong. Looking at some of the giant regular, weaker similar bolts the cost was no different(?) So I took what he had in the size I needed. Extra hard & strong I don't need! Longer bolts went up to $25 depending on length, but they were only threaded part way up & then went slick. Glad I didn't need a nut, they were $1.50! If there was a gunshow coming up, I'm sure I could have bought a reloading die out of a junk box for a buck or two that would have worked for what I needed.

Anyway, here is my question. Are there any sources of 7/8"x14 bolts of regular steel that can be ordered?

TIA...

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

$2.09 at McMaster-Carr

https://www.mcmaster.com/92865a501

[mdi]

The yellowish tint is a corrosion preventative coating (zinc/zinc chromate?). But if you plan on drilling, cutting or machining that bolt, Grade 8 is pretty hard. If you shop around you can find a Grade 5 (sorta standard every day bolt hardness), it'll be easier to cut/drill and it'll be cheaper...

[Scorpion8]

The yellowish tint is a corrosion preventative coating (zinc/zinc chromate?)...

I believe it's actually cadmium, but agree it'll be very hard to drill into a Grade 8 bolt.

[Hossfly]

If you are near a large city, Industrial bolt co. Have bolts in barrels for days. Cheap to very expensive to choose from. Hardware stores have to make profit on small quantity orders, these industrial bolt co.s sell in volume. One close to me will give you a one time bolt rather than deal with cash or paper work.

[mdi]

I worked in a heavy duty construction equipment repair shop and at least 80% of the bolts/nuts I replaced were black, grade 8. Didn't see any grade 8 plated/coated, some grade 5 and lower (?) were both galvanized and yellow (?) coated. Don't mean they don't exist, just I don't think they were common....

[DougGuy]

You could also ebay a bolt that is soft enough you can drill and machine it. You don't want to butt your head against the wall with grade 8.

[gpidaho]

I picked up a 2 1/2" 7/8X14 bolt at a local machine shop. They had several in a bin. The charged me two dollars and yes, it was the coated hardened one. They said that it was a common size used in farm machinery as lug bolts holding on those large wheel rims on combines and the like. Gp

[georgerkahn]

I acquired a few really-junk dies a while back -- years ago. They ARE already threaded 7/8"-14; unscrew the smaller parts from the die, and you have a nice "sleeve" to hold a 1/4" machine bolt, the head at die's bottom, with the ability to use said 1/4" bolt atop the die to fasten whatever you choose to. I had one I used a section of angle-aluminum to hold similar tools, with drilled holes near front for Allen wrenches. Just a thought -- but I'd be much surprised for you to get no results if you posted a WTB for someone's scratched, or rusted die. Seems a less-work method, which has worked for me, than messing with solid bolts.
geo

[ulav8r]

How many of you have actually drilled or cut a grade 8 bolt? The ones I have worked with I had no issues with drilling or turning/ thread cutting on the lathe. They machine about like a chrome moly barrel.

P.S. Tractor Supply is a good place to get grade 2, 5 or 8 bolts.

[country gent]

Grade 8s actually machine pretty well and finish nice with the right feeds and speeds. Now the Allen head cap screws can be a bear to machine with out carbide. A little change in relief angles on HSS or better HSS with cobalt and most grade 8s cut pretty well. 1 trick is to avoid heating it or it work hardens and gets tough.

[tdoor4570]

I believe it's actually cadmium, but agree it'll be very hard to drill into a Grade 8 bolt.

It is a zinc cromate they quite using cadmium about 15 years ago.

Your black uncoated are not as common as the yellow zinc grade 8 and silver zinc grade 5 grade 2 is also silver zinc , grade 8 will have 6 marks on the head grade 5 will have 3 grade 2 will not have any . I have sold thousands of each over the last 20 years.

[Grmps]

JonB, your Google-Fu is strong :bigsmyl2::happy dance::bigsmyl2:

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

JonB, your Google-Fu is strong :bigsmyl2::happy dance::bigsmyl2:

I didn't even use Google for that one. I've used McMaster for many industrial projects during my 30 years of Electrical/Electronic factory work. building test fixtures and prototypes. Their everyday pricing is tough to beat. Their huge paper catalog always sat on my desk.

[JSnover]

I've machined plenty of Grade 8 and had no problems, just don't let it get hot like the other guys said. Since the OP already bought one it's a moot point but for a simple bracket Grade 8 is overkill.

[jmorris]

I got some off eBay.

Go slow RPM and it’s not a problem to drill and even tap grade 8 bolts. I have done hundreds making differential screws putting left handthreads down the center of right hand bolts.

[Kenstone]

I "acquired" a 4 ft length of 7/8x14 low strength threaded rod a long time ago and have been making "dies" out of it for years.

I have a die that is bored out to accept bushings made of heat treat O-1 for neck sizing and bullet sizing, etc.
If you have a lathe you can make a lot of loading stuff out of 7/8x14 threaded rod.
works for me,
:-P

[MaLar]

https://www.grainger.com/product/GRAINGER-APPROVED-7-8-14x1-ft-19NM28#

[454PB]

I "acquired" a 4 ft length of 7/8x14 low strength threaded rod a long time ago and have been making "dies" out of it for years.

I have a die that is bored out to accept bushings made of heat treat O-1 for neck sizing and bullet sizing, etc.
If you have a lathe you can make a lot of loading stuff out of 7/8x14 threaded rod.
works for me,
:-P

Yup, I bought four, 3 foot sticks of that many years ago. I didn't need four, but the shipping was high enough to compensate for getting that many. I've been making push through sizing dies out of this material, and it works great. 12 feet should last me the rest of my life.

[merlin101]

Local Tractor Supply has them and you pay by the pound and its cheap.

[EDG]

A grade 8 hexhead cap screw will have 6 bars on the head.
They are usually black oxide finished. The high strength alloys are more sensitive to hydrogen embrittlement from the plating process so they are usually NOT plated.
All the features of US fasteners are standardized. You can look up the grade , finish, strength, material etc in a fastener handbook.

[Kenstone]

Local Tractor Supply has them and you pay by the pound and its cheap.
Love the per pound hardware at TSC...but hate the over priced blister packed stuff :mad:

A little of topic here...
I try and keep a length of threaded rod/all-thread in all thread sizes in my garage, along with a bunch of nuts.
I just cut off the length I need for a project, instead of making a trip to the hardware store for a certain length bolt.
Sorry for the drift,
:-?

[BAGTIC]

Don't you have a farm supply store in your area. That is where all my fasteners. Cheaper than hardware and better variety.

[pacomdiver]

Tractor supply has them in all lengths, also if your near a Fastenall store, they can get 3 or 4 ft sections of the 7/8x14 threaded rod, i got one last year to experiment with, think it was like 14 bucks

[wrench man]

Yep, look at the markings on the head of the "CAP SCREW" to tell the grade, the finish has little to do with the grade.
I've found that a GR8 cap screw will machine MUCH better than a SOFT GR5 cap screw!

[RED BEAR]

went to hardware store for a couple of ss bolts got to register and they rang up at over 7 dollars a piece said no thanks and went to lowes whole pack for under 3 dollars. pays to check around.

[William Yanda]

I have no knowledge of what is available in TX. Near me, in upstate NY, Tractor Supply carries a variety of bolts in Grades 2,5 and 8. Grade 2 are shiny silver colored, Grade 5 have a greenish phosphate finish and Grade 8 have the gold color you mentioned. I am sure Grade 2 or even Grade 5 would drill easier than Grade 8. By the way, they sell by the pound, so $6 would have bought a handful.

[mdi]

The grade 8 bolts, American made, I had at the City of LA, Dept. of Water Heavy Equipment repair would dull a drill bit. Tried to drill a lock wire hole in a few, really tough...

[HangFireW8]

Dull a drill bit... Chinese generic 115pc, Black &Decker, Sears, deWalt, Chicago Latrobe, Norseman... 118, 135... HSS and fake HSS, Cobalt, Nobium... There are a lot of quality levels out there.

[sparkyv]

I acquired a few really-junk dies a while back -- years ago. They ARE already threaded 7/8"-14; unscrew the smaller parts from the die, and you have a nice "sleeve" to hold a 1/4" machine bolt, the head at die's bottom, with the ability to use said 1/4" bolt atop the die to fasten whatever you choose to. I had one I used a section of angle-aluminum to hold similar tools, with drilled holes near front for Allen wrenches. Just a thought -- but I'd be much surprised for you to get no results if you posted a WTB for someone's scratched, or rusted die. Seems a less-work method, which has worked for me, than messing with solid bolts.
geo


Brilliant!

[lightman]

I didn't know you could machine or drill a grade 8 bolt. Learned something new. Several years ago I swapped a little bit of electrical work for a couple of bolt bins and about a truck load of nuts, bolts and washers. Best deal I ever made! It took me about a week to get them sorted out and put up. I've also learned that there is a grade higher than grade 8.

[mattw]

Bolts have grade marks on the head... No marks, grade 1 &2, 3 marks grade 5 and 6 marks grade 8. More marks that 6 means don't drill it and follow torque specs because it is harder than hammered hell!

[Ole Joe Clarke]

All of the various colors of bolts are for corrosion resistance, specified by the buyer or end user. The yellow is just yellow zinc chromate.

Speaking of drilling grade 8 bolts, I noticed that the drill bit sets that Harbor Freight sells are just sold with no relief ground on the cutting edges and the web is so thick it takes a lot of pressure to drill even a small hole.

Have a blessed day,

Leon

[beagle]

Go Tractor Supply or Ace Hardware. I once bought stabilator bolts for the MH-60 Blackhawks at work. Used once and discarded. Cost me $700+. Close tolerance, stainless steel, magnfluxed and X-rayed and serial numbered. Don't complain about $2. The boys on the line that had farms sure loved the old 7/8" diameter bolts for tractor hitch pins. Lasted forever./beagle

[uscra112]

McMaster "Grade B7" threaded rods machine beautifully. I use 9/16-18 to make custom expander plugs for Lyman M-dies. 7/8-14 for special dies and die adaptors. Just bought some 7/16-20 to make expanders for 310 tong tool dies. McMaster has no minimum, takes your credit card, often delivers next day. Shipping can be a bit expensive, but so is gas to get to town.

McMaster's unofficial motto: If we don't have it, you don't need it.






;

[alamogunr]

I didn't know you could machine or drill a grade 8 bolt. Learned something new. Several years ago I swapped a little bit of electrical work for a couple of bolt bins and about a truck load of nuts, bolts and washers. Best deal I ever made! It took me about a week to get them sorted out and put up. I've also learned that there is a grade higher than grade 8.

A couple of years ago I wanted a 7/8 X 14 bolt to seat some flat nose boolits. Went to Fastenal and all they had in that size was 2 bolts grade 9. One was about 4" long and the other about 3' long. As I recall they charged me about $2 each just to get them out of their inventory. I would have been happy with Grade 2 bolts.

I just looked at Fastenal's website. They show Grade 9 bolts. When I scrolled down to 7/8 x 14, some lengths were marked down to a fraction of the regular cost. ie. a 3' bolt is $17.17 and the next line(same length,different SKU) is $2.97. Not sure what the different SKU's mean.

[john.k]

Caterpillar make bolts with the whole head covered in lines.............Cat bolts are usually easy to machine too,unlike the Chinese Gr 8 bolts that are very hard................incidentally,we found the Chinese Gr8 bolts very prone to fracture through the threads,in fact the cheap Gr 5 bolts seemed more resistant to fracture......Beware of Chinese in critical applications.