Tightening carriage bolts?

[BerwynIrish]

I'm new to woodworking or any kind of construction and I'm can't figure out how these carriage bolts are supposed to work just by looking at them. I'm using them to attatch my monitor shelf to the inside of the cabinet, as recommended by many of the examples I've seen. First, you obviously pre-drill a hole large enough for the bolt to slip through, right? There's a hex neck on these bolts, so I assume you're supposed to insert the bolt into the hole up to the neck, but leave the neck exposed so you can grab it with a wrench for tightening purposes. But that would mean the end result is that the head *and* the neck are sticking out of the hole when you're finished tightening. That can't be right, because I'm sure it would look pretty crappy. What am I not understanding?

[M3talhead]

Carriage bolts usually have a hex or square neck just under the "dome" to give it  something to grip onto when fit into a square hole and tightened. You have a few options when using carriage bolts to mount hardware to a wood surface:

1) Buy a specially made bit for drilling square holes
2) Use a drillbit slightly larger than the diameter of the bolt shaft and crank down on the nut
3) Use a countersunk drillbit
4) Get a chisel and make your "square hole"

[Rocky]

Carriage bolts were designed to be used on metal. The head sits in the square hole and can be tightened from the back without holding the front. Also, for arcade games, it's a security thing. No one can loosen them from the top of the CP.

I use them on my wooden panels and they work fine. Just make sure that they have a square hole to sit in and it works pretty much the same as metal.

Good luck,
Rocky

[BerwynIrish]

Thanks guys.

[thebrownshow]

Speaking of carriage bolts, anyone know where to get black ones for the top of a metal control panel?  I've got some stainless ones that look like crap against my black CPO.

[jjd]

Speaking of carriage bolts, anyone know where to get black ones for the top of a metal control panel?  I've got some stainless ones that look like crap against my black CPO.

I put all of my carriage bolts into an old cardboard box so that only the head was visible and spray painted about 5 light coats of Rustoleum on them.  It worked perfectly and with enough coats, the paint hasn't scratched off yet. 


Also, if you are putting the bolts into MDF, you don't need square holes.  The material is soft enough that when you crank them down tight from the back the square part digs into the MDF until it sits flat.

[Minwah]

Speaking of carriage bolts, anyone know where to get black ones for the top of a metal control panel?  I've got some stainless ones that look like crap against my black CPO.

Bob Roberts!

[thebrownshow]

I don't know why I didn't think to look at Bob's site.. thanks.

[mccoy178]

I've used carriage bolts on wood without the square hole.  I tap them into the wood and they hole tight while I tighten them.  Although I don't recommend this method if trying to hold a house up, it would work fine for cabinet application.

[javeryh]

Speaking of carriage bolts, anyone know where to get black ones for the top of a metal control panel?  I've got some stainless ones that look like crap against my black CPO.

I got mine from Happs.  They say there is a minimum amount to order but I ordered way less than the amount and there wasn't a problem.  I'm very happy with them.

[MikeDeuce]

More black carriage bolts: http://www.arcadegames4u.com/pc-43-48-carriage-bolt-10-24x1-black-oxide-finish.aspx

[PetitMorte]

I have also hear that putting the bolt heads into Gunmetal Bluing compound a few times will make a nice dark black finish on em.

[Apollo]

I have tried a number of different methods.

Stove or BBQ paint and then baking bolts in a hot oven works very well.

Powder coating also works well.

I now buy from here   http://www.quarterarcade.com/Game.aspx/1729?c=All.Parts.Hardware

[quarterback]

More black carriage bolts: http://www.arcadegames4u.com/pc-43-48-carriage-bolt-10-24x1-black-oxide-finish.aspx

Anybody know if the tops on these are smooth?

[WaRpEd]

Mc Master carr supply has black and chrome carraige bolt by the 100 for around $8.00 to $10.00 a box with the square or ribbed head bolt