Which Socket Screws

[Phileas]

Nowadays, I call grub screws socket setscrews. They tend to be listed as such in catalogues, e.g. the standard parts libraries built into the Catia CAD package I use at work or the Unbrako catalogue.

That perhaps reflects the (in this case French/) American English that is often used in such software packages?

In the context of 'going into your local traditional fastener suppliers and asking for things', IME using such terms can result in some extremely unproductive conversations, depending on the chap in the shop

I take your point. Actually, come to think about it, when the topic comes up in a work context I probably use “grub screw” as often as not. I perhaps should have said that when I write a parts list I use “socket setscrew”.

[Mick F]

Don't forget that a screw has threads all the way to the top, and a bolt only part way up.

[LittleGreyCat]

Confused as usual.
I thought a grub screw didn't have a head but was all thread with a slot cut at the top so it could screw in flush without any countersink.
Unless that is what you are describing.

[Mick F]

Grubscrew is just that, a grub.
It screws into something flush or below. It has no head.

Unknown.jpeg (4.6 KiB) Viewed 491 times

[philsknees]

I quite like traditional fastener suppliers where chaps in brown coats go trotting off in the back to get you things

I'm about to restock from my favoured local "brown coat" supplier* of cap bolts and having been embarrassingly "educated" by them in front of all the professionals during a similar experience to Brucey's after asking(I think?) for cap machine screws when I should have requested cap bolts. Thought I'd Google both terms to refresh my memory before revisiting but as Brucey suggests there seems to be little consensus in terminology among the sites I visited so I guess I'll just have to wing it again, though I tend to agree with Mick F.

However, whilst browsing I came across

pin torx security button screws

which seem to me to be a good idea for securing my Brooks saddle and unlike the glued-in ball bearing approach can be undone relatively easily using a corresponding 1/4" drive screwdriver hex bit. (All items can be had on ebay though I'm sure quality will vary.)
Good idea or not ? Am I being naive in assuming the average scally won't equipped with the necessary adapter? (Of course round here there's always the chance of just having your seatpost hack-sawed through!)

* The place in question is a really old school hardware warehouse and decidedly odd. On said visit I was mesmerised at the sight of them selling a chainsaw and all protective clothing to a tiny lady who must have been approaching 80, with 2 of the brown coats solicitously going through the starting and safety procedures with her. There's hope for us oldies yet!

[Phileas]

Just to complicate things, obviously grubscrews can have slots rather than sockets so the term “socket setscrew” wouldn’t be correct in that case, although I don’t know if slotted grubscrews are generally available nowadays.

[fastpedaller]

[quote="Brucey"
I quite like traditional fastener suppliers where chaps in brown coats go trotting off in the back to get you things, but they do (quite understandably) tend to get a bit cheesed off when they come back with something different to what you wanted. If you have something similar in your hand, nothing beats 'like this, but with....' type requests.

cheers[/quote]

There was one where we previously lived. I used to go in my lunchbreak and gave the guy a list - he disappeared out the back and I heard a buzz, buzz every few seconds. Eventually he appeared with the items ever so neatly heat sealed between 2 plastic films, each group of items in its own sealed area. I got the impression that if the sealing wasn't perfectly parallel he'd start again
The next time I went there (again in lunchbreak) I was pushed for time, and said 'can you just put them in a bag as I'm in a hurry?' " We don't have plastic bags came the reply" I persuaded him to do 3 seals around the plastic and just put them in - this was clearly not something he wanted to do When I returned to work I mentioned it to one of my colleagues who said "yes, I've been there - great service if you have half an hour to wait!"
just done a google and he's still there...… the service exceeds the wait

[Brucey]

in a post above I clarified the difference between set screws and bolts. This image makes it clearer;



It says pretty much the same thing here

https://bsfixings.uk/know-your-fixings-set-bolts-vs-set-screws

if you want to confuse yourself/others and/or talk to Americans (often much the same thing as one another when it comes to fastenings) then you could read this;

https://www.accu.co.uk/en/p/131-difference-between-screws-and-bolts

and it seems that there is every incentive to call things one or the other in the US because they are subject to different rates of tax.

This is from an American website and many of the 'screws' would be identified as 'bolts' (or vice versa) in the UK


This is from a UK website and the same comment applies.



FWIW I don't think expressions such as 'lag screws' and 'tap bolts' are commonly even known of in the UK, let alone used, but maybe someone knows different? By the US definitions 'carriage screw' ought to be oxymoronic and likewise probably 'shoulder screw' in the UK.

Ah, it is a bit of a mess!

cheers

[Phileas]

Mmm... Unbrako (and I) call the one third from left a countersunk socket head screw.

[freiston]

As well as using suppliers via ebay and Amazon, I have used Accu.co.uk and have been happy with them - they do small quantities too.

[fastpedaller]

I've also called them carriage bolts, or roofing bolts!

[Brucey]

Mmm... Unbrako (and I) call the one third from left a countersunk socket head screw.

we're almost unanimous then; since it has a plain shank (albeit a short one), could it be a bolt....?

cheers