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Model Forum / General / Models / June 2007Meccano bolts
I guess this is the right newsgroup for this one. Its not quite Sieg v Myford but you can't get more uk.rec.models.engineering than meccano..... My 7 yr old has one of the (French manufactured) meccano sets. Alas, he is having difficulty because the nuts and bolts keep coming undone - and its turning him off it. I don't seem to remember having that much trouble 45 yrs ago when i used to be an avid fan. Its not just him - even when i tighten them, they will still work loose with ordinary handling. The bolts are different from those I remember - these are allen headed black things (diameter outside thread 3.5mm - sorry haven't got a thread gauge). The nuts look similar to my youth - square not hexagonal but i remember them as marginally thicker. There are many more bolt length options than I ever used to have as well. There are some nyloc nuts in the set and I have also locknutted the critical ones and tried the old varnish trick on the thread but none of these are a sensible solution. I did ask the chap with all the Army Meccano models at Brighton exhibition earlier this year but he didn't have the problem. I guess the nuts or bolts are cheapo with too much clearance and I would be perfectly happy to buy him some good ones if it means he xxx we can get on with the big crane with motor - but what do I get and where from - and would normal hexagonal nuts be Ok for 7 yr old fingers? Ken > I guess this is the right newsgroup for this one. Its not quite Sieg v > Myford but you can't get more uk.rec.models.engineering than meccano..... [quoted text clipped - 24 lines] > > Ken They should be 7/32 Whitworth. Here are some on ebay: http://tinyurl.com/yr9w32 AWEM >> I guess this is the right newsgroup for this one. Its not quite >Sieg v [quoted text clipped - 47 lines] > >AWEM You sad bastard knowing that...................... -- Regards, John Stevenson Nottingham, England. Visit the new Model Engineering adverts page at:- http://www.homeworkshop.org.uk/ > >> I guess this is the right newsgroup for this one. Its not quite > >Sieg v [quoted text clipped - 57 lines] > Visit the new Model Engineering adverts page at:- > http://www.homeworkshop.org.uk/ Sad bastard I agree! However all I did was google Meccano bolts, find the ebay ad which told me the size, post it into TinyURL, and reply to the O/P - took all of 15 seconds. I knew that they were a none preferred Whit size but not which <G> AWEM >>On Thu, 28 Jun 2007 19:53:58 +0100, "Andrew Mawson" > [quoted text clipped - 116 lines] > the O/P - took all of 15 seconds. I knew that they were a none > preferred Whit size but not which <G> Sad - and wrong! They were, and still are, 5/32 Whit, not 7/32. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/5-32-BSW-machined-brass-nuts-quantity-20_W0QQitemZ27011552 9693QQihZ017QQcategoryZ25644QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem -- Peter Fairbrother > >>On Thu, 28 Jun 2007 19:53:58 +0100, "Andrew Mawson" > > [quoted text clipped - 118 lines] > > Sad - and wrong! They were, and still are, 5/32 Whit, not 7/32. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/5-32-BSW-machined-brass-nuts-quantity-20_W0QQitemZ27011552 9693QQihZ017QQcategoryZ25644QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem > -- Peter Fairbrother Odd as if you look at that url I posted it would seem to be an original Meccano packet (from Binns Road in Liverpool - now THERE'S a sad bastard!!!) which distinctly says 7/32", though I agree 7/32" at 5.5 mm seems a tad large. Have another look: http://tinyurl.com/yr9w32 AWEM >>>>On Thu, 28 Jun 2007 19:53:58 +0100, "Andrew Mawson" [...] >>>>>They should be 7/32 Whitworth. Here are some on ebay: >>>>> [quoted text clipped - 37 lines] > > http://tinyurl.com/yr9w32 7/32" long? -- Peter Nuts: http://www.mackay.co.uk/webstore/acatalog/257.html#a22451040-257 5/32 bsw Bit expensive, but ... -- Peter Fairbrother >> On Thu, 28 Jun 2007 19:53:58 +0100, "Andrew Mawson" ><andrew@no_spam_please_mawson.org.uk> [quoted text clipped - 68 lines] >the O/P - took all of 15 seconds. I knew that they were a none >preferred Whit size but not which <G> Well, I had a firm recollection that they were 5/32 BSW, so I just went and checked dome of my Meccano bolts (even sadder bastard!) and sure enough, 0.1485 - 0.1520" - a slightly loose 5/32 - x 32 tpi. The ones from my childhood (early 60s) were brass cheeseheads, the more recent ones are a mixture of CH and RH types, mostly chromed. I always found lock-nutting worked well for moving parts, certainly within the limits of what you could expect of Meccano structures. David  SignatureDavid Littlewood > In article <iuqdnamTRKasvhnbnZ2dnUVZ8turn...@bt.com>, Andrew Mawson > <andrew@no_spam_please_mawson.org.uk> writes [quoted text clipped - 87 lines] > > - Show quoted text - David I can't challenge you in the "sad bastard" competition as I have very little Meccano and nothing more recent than the early 60's. As my life at the moment consists of rushing up and down the M4 caring for ailing relatives, I took the opportunity during yesterdays visit to venture into a very dark recess of my fathers attic. The quest was to find a box of Meccano which had been packed away since my childhood, green and red vintage with brass cheesehead bolts. I can confirm your 5/32" size and also as part of a long forgotten assembly I see that many of the bolts have been lock-nutted so that must have been my preferred method of 40 years ago. The bloody nuts still hurt my fingers when I tried to undo them as no spanner was to be found! I packed the box away again for the next 40 years although I suspect it won't be me that opens it next time. Regards Keith >> Well, I had a firm recollection that they were 5/32 BSW, so I just went >> and checked dome of my Meccano bolts (even sadder bastard!) and sure [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] >away again for the next 40 years although I suspect it won't be me >that opens it next time. Yep, they are hard on the fingers. The 1960s nuts were IIRC all square, which made them marginally easier to do/undo with the fingers -but not lock-nutted ones of course! The spanners (two were supplied) were cheap stamped things with one end cranked to get into tight corners. David SignatureDavid Littlewood >>> Well, I had a firm recollection that they were 5/32 BSW, so I just went >>> and checked dome of my Meccano bolts (even sadder bastard!) and sure [quoted text clipped - 28 lines] > > David The USA "Erector" sets used 8-32 round head slotted screws and square nuts. I still have some of the screws and nuts in my "8-32" hardware drawer. These date from the 1930's and 40's. Don Young >I guess this is the right newsgroup for this one. Its not quite Sieg v >Myford but you can't get more uk.rec.models.engineering than meccano..... [quoted text clipped - 25 lines] > > Ken Is 3.5mm not a common(ish) metric size, and given that it's french, it's highly unlikely going to be imperial. And a 7yo, is more likely to manage normal hexagon nuts of that size far better then you! >>I guess this is the right newsgroup for this one. Its not quite Sieg v >>Myford but you can't get more uk.rec.models.engineering than meccano..... [quoted text clipped - 28 lines] > Is 3.5mm not a common(ish) metric size, and given that it's french, it's > highly unlikely going to be imperial. It's still the same 5/32 bsw thread - but the new French stuff has slightly smaller holes than the old meccano. However m4 nuts and bolts will fit in the new holes, albeit needing a gentle squeeze sometimes if the paint is too thick. With m4, you have a complete range of nuts and bolts readily available. > And a 7yo, is more likely to manage normal hexagon nuts of that size far > better then you! yep! But get him some box spanners too. -- Peter Fairbrother >>I guess this is the right newsgroup for this one. Its not quite Sieg v >>Myford but you can't get more uk.rec.models.engineering than meccano..... [quoted text clipped - 28 lines] > Is 3.5mm not a common(ish) metric size, and given that it's french, it's > highly unlikely going to be imperial. It's still the same 5/32 bsw thread - but the new French stuff has slightly smaller holes than the old meccano. However m4 nuts and bolts will fit in the new holes, albeit needing a gentle squeeze sometimes if the paint is too thick. With m4, you have a complete range of nuts and bolts readily available. > And a 7yo, is more likely to manage normal hexagon nuts of that size far > better then you! yep! But get him some box spanners too. -- Peter Fairbrother >>> I guess this is the right newsgroup for this one. Its not quite Sieg >>> v Myford but you can't get more uk.rec.models.engineering than [quoted text clipped - 43 lines] > > -- Peter Fairbrother You could also try american 8-32 nuts. I don't know for sure whether they will work though. >>>I guess this is the right newsgroup for this one. Its not quite Sieg v >>>Myford but you can't get more uk.rec.models.engineering than meccano..... [quoted text clipped - 31 lines] > It's still the same 5/32 bsw thread - but the new French stuff has > slightly smaller holes than the old meccano. You mean the french have not modified something they never came up with? Shame their vehicle designers couldn't try the same philosophy! > I guess this is the right newsgroup for this one. Its not quite Sieg v > Myford but you can't get more uk.rec.models.engineering than meccano..... [quoted text clipped - 24 lines] > > Ken They were whitworth of some sort, and yes they should be fine for 7 year old fingers, IIRC I was 5 when I got my first meccano set, a big yellow crane, for xmas :) I dont remember having problems with them coming undone, and meccano takes the stresses *much* better than technic lego ;) Dave >I guess this is the right newsgroup for this one. Its not quite Sieg v >Myford but you can't get more uk.rec.models.engineering than meccano..... [quoted text clipped - 25 lines] > > Ken I was a Meccano kid (red/green era) and the screws and nuts were always coming loose on anything powered. On the other hand if you locknutted joints it was a real pig to undo the nuts (the pain!) May be this helps: http://www.usmeccano.com/pdf/newmeccanoscrew.pdf Dirk >I guess this is the right newsgroup for this one. Its not quite Sieg v >Myford but you can't get more uk.rec.models.engineering than meccano..... [quoted text clipped - 25 lines] > > Ken > May be this helps: > http://www.usmeccano.com/pdf/newmeccanoscrew.pdf > Dirk Blimey, now there IS a sad bastard ! Must have a heap of time on his hands, I wonder if he can spare any <G> AWEM >> May be this helps: >> http://www.usmeccano.com/pdf/newmeccanoscrew.pdf [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > >AWEM Yes, I think we both have to admit defeat and bow down in admiration to a true grand master in sad bastardy. David SignatureDavid Littlewood In article <f60vfl$9hn$1@aioe.org>, "Ken Wilson" <ken@kwilsonDEDUCT.fsnet.co.uk> in uk.rec.models.engineering wrote: >I guess this is the right newsgroup for this one. Its not quite Sieg v >Myford but you can't get more uk.rec.models.engineering than meccano..... > >My 7 yr old has one of the (French manufactured) meccano sets. Alas, he is >having difficulty because the nuts and bolts keep coming undone - and its >turning him off it. I do remember the sound of the ones that dropped off my clockwork motor powered Meccano rug crawler when they hit the fan in mum's hoover. And those tiny fish-plates jamming the belt drive to the beats as it cleans rotating brush thingy. Regards, David P. |
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