TOPIC: Source for odd bolt?

having a hard time finding these bolts. they came out of the aluminum channel that my windshield is secured in. they hold the windshield to the boat. i assumed this would be a common fastener, but i've looked almost everywhere there is to look locally, and every place i go, the reaction is the same: "i've never seen that in my life." even the meager excuse for a boating supply store we have here. lowes, home depot, napa, o'reilly, etc... all have nothing. i'd google it, but i don't even know what it's called.

hi riceman,i rebuilt a 64 custom craft sunray with the same bolts and had to make my own bolts,all i did was find the same size bolt and then run them on grinder ubtil they fit,it wasnt too hard,just keep fitting them one at a time until they fit the groove inthe windsheild channel.john

They are called T slot bolts

www.fastenal.com/web/search/product/t-slot-studs/_/Navigation?searchterm=slot&sortby=&sortdir=&searchmode=&refine=~|categoryl3:%22610292%20T-Slot%20Studs%22|~

www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&node=16409741&ajr=2

I have some in a greenhouse that we own. I needed some that would not rust (yes the Co used plated bolts in a green house)

What I end up doing was to buy some SS carriage bolts the size of thread I needed and took my bench grinder and ground down the two sides as to slide it into the grove

Quicker and cheaper then ordering them

good point texan,i forgot to say i used stainless steel,john

I've bought them in the toilet section of Home Depot and Lowes, they're usually brass there. No kidding.

billr wrote:

I've bought them in the toilet section of Home Depot and Lowes, they're usually brass there. No kidding.

looks like i'm heading back to lowes!

as for grinding them down... i am more than willing to do that. my problems is that the bolt diameter is a #10. i'm not having any luck finding a bolt or machine screw with a head big enough to grind down. Lowes and Home Depot only carry carriage bolts down to 1/4" and that'd be too big to fit the channel.

i work a minute or two from a fastenal and a couple other fasters stores. i didn't see what i was after on fastenal's website when i looked, so i'd kinda given up hope that they'd have 'em. now that i know what they're called, i'll stop by after work tomorrow (if lowe's doesn't have 'em, that is). the good news is that if they do have them, i get a company discount since we have a big account with them!

thanks for the help!

Toilet bowl bolts are the answer. They are the exact same diameter - just longer. hack saw them off and file the end - good to go. They aren't cheap, but how many do we need anyhow ?
Tom

You need to call Fastenal and place a order to be shipped out to the store. They most likely will not have this bolt in stock (also that way you will not have to buy 100 bolts) At the store here I can order as few as 5 items if I do not mind waiting a few days as for it to come in

www.fastenal.com/web/products/detail.ex?sku=0172521&ucst=t

You can get them at any of the big box stores or 2 for a dollar at Wal-Mart

Toilet bowl bolts are 1/4 inch...He said that the slot would not let anything larger then a #10 bolt in

Do I hear a 1/4" drill bit spinnin?

Frank

once again i should've known better than to trust the PO's methods. Out of curiosity, i grabbed a 1/4" bolt and check to see if it'd fit. it will, but just barely. the PO had a peice of rubber ran in the channel. looks like it was supposed to be there. seals between the channel and the deck. the bolts run through that rubber seal, so i have to have the bolts mounted in the seal and then slide them down the channel with the seal as i get everything into place. no drilling for me... i'd have to widen the whole channel if they didn't fit. the 1/4" bolts are still snug enough that i'm concerned that they'd cause issues when i tried to push 'em around the corners in the channel. i'm headed to the fasteners store after work. we'll see what they have for me.

thanks for all of the input!

try a 6mm metric....( .3mm smaller than a 1/4")....might have a chance of sliding....john

fastenal had nothing (smallest t bolt they had was 3/8"). fasteners had nothing. tacoma screw had nothing. every place i went gave me the same raised eyebrow and the "i've never seen that in my life" story. hrm. looks like i'll be buying the brass 1/4" ones from Lowe's, grinding them down and then cramming them in there.

Fastenal Has # 10 carriage bolts in SS. Go in with the part (SKU) # like you own the place and tell them to order you 25 of them (or how many you need over that).

There is a store in Sugar Land most likely like the one you went to. Always no we do not have it and no we cannot get it... I now buy from the store in Rosenberg...they are "let ma see if we can; and I give you a call about it"

www.fastenal.com/web/products/detail.ex?sku=0172521&ucst=t

www.fastenal.com/web/Search.ex?action=productSearch&searchterm=Carriage+Bolts+%2310-32

thanks for the help everyone! got it taken care of today!