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Thread: Shortening screws

  1. #1
    Supporting Member thehomeengineer's Avatar
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    thehomeengineer's Tools

    Shortening screws

    Hi All
    sometimes I have the need to shorten bolts and screws for my models. These are sometimes to small and fiddly to use in my lantern chuck. So I have made a filing jig. A piece of 1/8” mild steel drilled and tapped and I screw the bolts in to the jig and space as necessary to give the desired length. The packers are the same as I use for the rivet shortening tool.

    Shortening screws-eafa0749-3806-4c6e-b357-c9ca1d465e28.jpeg Jig, Spacers and 8BA screws to be shortened.

    Shortening screws-b3ee97a6-1243-4e29-a12e-444b7cffb2c4.jpeg Setting length with spacer
    Shortening screws-b764d2c6-9ff2-4ca7-b93d-d3bb1de31dcf.jpeg Screws tighten down onto spacer

    Shortening screws-20b2de83-24d8-4011-bd40-6cd67afbc38f.jpeg Shortening screws-6c7bdcf4-b6b2-4749-9f18-5fe7899412e1.jpegFiled down to 1/8” steel

    Shortening screws-0389c787-e9d3-437e-93c0-6eb9981184cb.jpeg Shortening screws-4637315d-a754-47bf-8ff2-5f5097c4a030.jpeg Shortening screws-9867e93e-48a7-4d02-b41c-8e00b1655816.jpeg Two screws finished and bolted into place.

    I find this a very quick method to get bolts to the correct length.
    Thank you for viewing
    The Home Engineer

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  2. The Following 23 Users Say Thank You to thehomeengineer For This Useful Post:

    baja (Apr 21, 2020), bruce.desertrat (Apr 20, 2020), BuffaloJohn (Dec 2, 2022), Chlor (Dec 5, 2022), Christophe Mineau (Apr 20, 2020), Dick G (Apr 20, 2020), DIYer (Apr 20, 2020), HUMARIA (Apr 20, 2020), Jon (Apr 23, 2020), Mrmojo112 (Apr 20, 2020), n9dug (Apr 20, 2020), nova_robotics (Apr 20, 2020), olderdan (Apr 21, 2020), Paul Jones (Apr 24, 2020), paulsabatier (Apr 20, 2020), Philip Davies (Apr 21, 2020), rlm98253 (Apr 20, 2020), Rustic Woodcrafter (Apr 26, 2020), Saltfever (Apr 30, 2020), Seedtick (Apr 20, 2020), sossol (Apr 20, 2020), Toolmaker51 (Apr 25, 2020), Tule (Apr 21, 2020)

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    Thanks thehomeengineer! We've added your Screw Shortening Jig to our Fastening category,
    as well as to your builder page: thehomeengineer's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:




    2000 Tool Plans

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    nova_robotics's Tools
    Oh that's excellent. I usually just throw a nut on there (to chase the threads) then have at it with the bench grinder.

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    thehomeengineer (Apr 21, 2020)

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    Christophe Mineau's Tools
    Nice, I like it, simple is beautiful !
    Cheers !
    Christophe
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    thehomeengineer (Apr 21, 2020)

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    Philip Davies's Tools
    I looked again at your rivet shortening tool, and saw that you have several sets of shims, or packers. Did you make these, or are they commercially produced?

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    Supporting Member thehomeengineer's Avatar
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    thehomeengineer's Tools
    Hi Philip
    Hope you and your wife are keeping well.
    I made the shims from three different thickness of material I have ordered some 0.5 mm but that was back in January from eBay coming via China but it hasn’t arrived yet. These were cut on a CNC router and made to suit the rivet shortening tool hole pitches. All I do is gang the shims together to get the required length.
    All the best
    Andy

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    Philip Davies (Apr 22, 2020)

  11. #7
    Supporting Member ncollar's Avatar
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    The Home Engineer
    I love your design of your shim plates but that must have been time consuming. The only change I would make is washers parted off on a lathe to all the lengths I needed. Wonderful idea.
    Nelson

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    Supporting Member thehomeengineer's Avatar
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    Hi Nelson
    Good to hear from you. Washer work really well and can be made to an exact size. But when you have a lot of screws to shorten the shims are far quicker as several screws can be done at once. Otherwise you would need to make lots of washers all the same length. The Shims I made were produced on a CNC I have access to so while the machine was set up I ran quite a few off but to be honest you don’t need that many. As you could make different thickness Jig plates and drill and tap them with the size bolts you normally have to shorten. Then use the shims to get to the finished size. (No matter what size jig plate you drill and tap you will always want to shorten a screw that you haven’t yet made a plate for).
    I had to shorten 24 8BA screws today and it was done in two batches of 12. (See photos below). Like most things in engineering there is always more than one way to get the job done but in the home workshop we sometimes have to get a bit creative. Does not always work but it is very nice and satisfying when it does.
    Shortening screws-b18397c1-418d-40ea-9b88-a98362514db0.jpeg Shortening screws-76a67162-1b1b-428e-8f16-11a0e0b93615.jpeg
    Filing jig loaded and ready to file down to size. 3/16” under the head.

    Again great to hear from you
    The Home Engineer

  13. #9
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    Congratulations thehomeengineer - your Screw Shortening Jig is the Homemade Tool of the Week!

    This is a clever solution for a common task, although admittedly less common than the cling film screw holding method you also posted this week! Congratulations again on also winning the Top 10 Tool Builder award this week, for placing in the top 10 on our Tool Builders List

    Some more good builds from this week:

    Small Screw Holding Method by thehomeengineer
    Bandsaw Lubrication Fixture by rgsparber
    Mini Plate Compactor by olefella
    Sanding Tool by PB Machines
    Match Drilling and Tapping Hole Method by rgsparber
    Lawnmower Tires by olderdan
    Universal Wrench by Mr.DK DIY
    Lathe Leadscrew Motorization by olderdan
    Hydraulic Press by mlochala
    Pressure Assist Sandblaster by tekcraft
    Sheetmetal Bender by meanwhileinthegarage
    Welding Clamp by fawabros
    Spot Face Cutter by Workshopshed
    Dial Indicator Mount by Crusty
    Sanding Disc Adhesive Restoration by editor at glue-it.com
    Compound Bow Presses by mlochala
    Hydraulic Bench Vise by Kwandotechnic
    Tape Dispenser by Christofix
    Cylinder Block Stud Insertion Tool by thehomeengineer
    Round Workpiece Vise Jaw Attachment by Tuomas
    Sanding Block by rgsparber
    Welding Tip Tool by garage nut
    Paint Shaker by TigerCreek
    Marking Gauge by Didpoolhall
    Clamp Rack by Make Things

    thehomeengineer - you'll be receiving a $25 online gift card, in your choice of Amazon, PayPal, or bitcoin. Please PM me your current email address and gift card choice and I'll get it sent over right away.

    This is your 9th Homemade Tool of the Week. Here are all of your Homemade Tool of the Week winning tools. Congrats again



  14. #10
    Supporting Member Philip Davies's Avatar
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    Congratulations again! Your contribution to this site over 3 years has been outstanding! May I offer you a new challenge? Design a solar forge for the back garden!

  15. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Philip Davies For This Useful Post:

    thehomeengineer (Apr 26, 2020), WmRMeyers (Dec 1, 2022)

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