Gunstock Bolts

[Dan Irvine]

Does anyone know where to get the type of hollow, inside threaded bolts as specified in Sensible Cruising designs for throughbolting spreader tangs. I would hate to mess with the masters plans but may be forced to if I can't source these.

[Paul Scheuer]

What, exactly, is called for ? Mtl, thread, length. These would be the compression bushings, right ?

[Bob Cleek]

I believe they are, in smaller sizes, also called "Chicago screws." They aren't the sort of item you'll find in a blister pack at Home Despot. However, you may find them in a comprehensive parts catalog. Unfortunately, the name of the outfit that sends me catalogs with every knob, nut, bolt, and widget known to man or beast escapes me. Somebody in here can remember their name. You might also check the Granger master catalog. These parts companies sell components for all sorts of manufacturing purposes. They are a handy place to start. Still, given the larger size you'd be getting into to hold spreader tangs, and the need for bronze or stainless material, you'll probably need to machine them yourself, or have them done. Fortunately, as with most of LFH's fittings, he designed them to be easily fabricated. Anybody with a decent lathe and the capability to thread and tap should be able to turn them out from solid rod stock with little problem.

[mmd]

I agree with Bob Cleek - go to your neighbourhood machinist and have them made to order from silicon bronze. The odds of finding them in the sizes you need are pretty small.

The McMaster-Carr catalogue lists them as - are you ready (I love this!) - "Sex Bolts", but the largest is less that 2" long. My wife commented that they must have been designed by a man because no woman would devise anything to do with sex that was that short. redface.gif

[Dan Irvine]

Just to clarify, these "gunstock bolts" are actually nuts. They are simply a means of having a reasonably low profile fit for two ends of a threaded bronze "ready rod" and they are used to throughbolt the spreader tangs on many of Herreshoffs designs. See Marco Polo and others etc in Sensible Cruising Designs. They are a common enough item in other materials but since I have been bitten the "Bronze Bug" I thought it would be worthwhile to research a little bit.

[Dan Irvine]

Found em! sort of. Jamestown distributors calls them Barrel Nuts and it appears that they come with a torx head. Problem is they only carry them in chromed brass. Now, is there anybody that knows where to get a "Barrel Nut" (also called a gunstock bolt) in silicon bronze.

[CyberRebel]

If anyone knows of a ready source for these in stainless, I'd be interested. They sound perfect for the custom tabernacle I'm going to try on the Weekender.

[JimConlin]

McMaster Carr has barrel nuts in 18-8 stainless.
http://www.mcmaster.com/

[Dan Irvine]

Boy do they ever and on one page of their catalogue they refer to chicago bolts, barrel nuts, and yes, sex bolts. They even have a form of these in Bronze. Thanks guys. I am one tiny step closer. PS I guess Don Street is the only other guy in the world that calls them gunstock bolts.

[JimConlin]

Make sure that the bronze ones aren't bronze-finished steel.