Shoulder Screws

[mark_n]

Does anyone know of a UK based supplier of brass shoulder screws?
My google-fu has only found this supplier in the US
metric brass shoulder screws | McMaster-Carr
but I would prefer to buy from this side of the Pond.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Spectric]

Can you give more detail,

 

[Cheshirechappie]

A couple of other possibilities are cheese head machine screws, or Allen screws (aka Socket Cap Head screws) with a washer under the head.

 

[Spectric]

For traditional screws amongst others Screwsline Product List - Good value woodscrews, screwcups, screwcaps, mirror screws, coach screws, bolts, nuts, washers and other ironmogery!

For a wide range of fasteners Fixings and fasteners suppliers UK | Kayfast Ltd | Stainless Steel | Same Day Dispatch

For more specialised /precision fasteners including screws with sealing washers for shower enclosures Buy Precision Components | 500,000+ Components | Accu®

and stainless shoulder screws Shoulder Screws | Unthreaded Shoulder Bolt Range | 500,000+ Components | Accu®

and brass cheesehead Buy M2 x 12mm Cheese Head Screws (DIN 84) - Brass | Save 88% | 500,000+ Components | Accu®

Hope something helps or gives other ideas.

 

[TheTiddles]

Brass shoulder screws would be an odd thing, given that the shoulder is usually ground for precision and brass isn’t great for that.

What are you trying to achieve?

 

[mark_n]

Thanks for your suggestions.
Here is a little more on what I intend to use it for.

I have seen a folding chair that I'd like to copy.
MG501 Cuba Chair | by Morten Gøttler | Carl Hansen & Søn

The pivot, which you can see in the dimension diagrams, is a simple mechanism that allows the chair to fold flat. I think I can replicate it with a shoulder screw and piece of brass flat bar. I think that a shoulder screw like the ones from McMaster-Carr will offer the stability that I think it needs.
I guess I could go down this route, Joint Connector Nuts M6 x 12mm 50 Pack | Cross Dowel Nuts & Bolts | Screwfix.com , but I dont think there will be enough depth of 'shoulder' in the leg

Best, Mark

 

[Dee J]

If it must be brass, and brass will be strong enough... Then a brass machine screw sleeved with a short length of brass (or copper) tube could take the part of a shoulder screw.

 

[starlingwood]

are these any good?
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Metric-S...B&pageci=aeb177fa-cf2b-4e3f-b5e0-740a58ff48a9

 

[TheTiddles]

If it must be brass, and brass will be strong enough... Then a brass machine screw sleeved with a short length of brass (or copper) tube could take the part of a shoulder screw.

That’s what I’d do too

 

[Inspector]

Another name for them here is Stripper Bolts. Maybe a search would land you some of them in Europe.

Pete

 

[Robbo60]

Not knowing a lot I would always call things of that nature bolts, not screws. When does a screw become a bolt - or vice versa?

 

[Cabinetman]

Looking at the design of the chair it would appear that there is a short linkage bar joining the two swivelling oak pieces and as it has to fit between them, it should be as flat as possible as in the photographs and drawings, cheese headed screw (or bolts) just would be completely in the way, I would suggest you use very well countersunk screws.
It’s interesting that that 2 inch piece of flat bar is there at all, it suggests that there is a slight rocking movement to the chair. Ian

 

[AndrewG]

Hi Mark,
I seem to remember Caleb James made a version of this chair a few years ago and it was featured in Popular Woodworking, it is on my some day projects list too.......wow just managed to put my hands on the right magazine.....doesn't help with sourcing the screw but might help Cabinetman understand the mechanism.

 

[Phill05]

Try this company: Automotion Home they sell most things.

If you still have problems getting them they would not be hard to make on the lathe.

 

[J-G]

Not knowing a lot I would always call things of that nature bolts, not screws. When does a screw become a bolt - or vice versa?

The terms have become a little 'fluid' (interchangeable) over the years but essentially if the item is fully threaded it's a Screw but if there is a clear shank it's a Bolt. One oddity is specifically the object of the thread - a Shoulder Screw - - by definition it has a clear shank under the head but it is also fully threaded for the length that is intended.

Another definition is that if the item is intended to connect two objects together going through both and having a washer & nut, it's a Bolt but if the thread is in the second part then it's a Screw.

 

[mark_n]

Thanks for all your comments. Interesting to see the Caleb Jones solution, it's pretty similar to my thinking. I have not found a source of these things other than the ones I mentioned earlier.

Ian, I think reason for the bar is to allow the 2 sections to fold side by side. There are dowels in the leg that the back rail of the seat rests on.

I am no metal worker, so machining them on a lathe is something I'd have to outsource. Automotion looks like they could do that for me.

I wonder if inserting a round bar in a hole in the flat bar and brazing with silver solder would get me a strong enough hinge. I'd have to be a bit more creative with the assembly. I have no experience with soldering, but I think it is something I could do without too much investment. Does anyone have an opinion on whether brazing it would be strong enough for this application?

Once again thanks for the pointers.
Best, Mark