Ask the Expert

Question: How large should I oversize my plate holes?

Answer: Square plates, rectangular plates, round plates, and templates are often required as part of an anchor bolt or fastener assembly. Read More...

Have you ever had a fastener company try and talk you into substituting A193 grade B7 all thread rod for F1554 grade 55 anchor rods, claiming it’s “better?” Read More...

Question: Can a rod with a welded nut be substituted for a bolt with a forged head?

Answer: When a rod with a nut is substituted for a bolt with a forged head, two issues come into play. In-house mechanical testing performed by Portland Bolt on headed bolts versus rods with a nut, both from the identical lots of steel, the rod with a nut developed up to 12% less strength than the comparable headed bolt. Read More...

Question: Can Portland Bolt manufacture a 1″ x 6″ fully threaded A325 heavy hex structural bolt?

Answer: Bolts manufactured to the ASTM A325 specification have a fixed thread length for a given diameter, which is often shorter than most other grades of bolts. This is due to their application of being used in structural steel connections. For example, a 3/4″ diameter A325 has 1-3/8″ of thread and a 1″ A325 has 1-3/4″ of thread, regardless of the overall length of the bolt.

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This post gives a detailed description of different end types for rods and bolts. Sheared and saw cut ends of rods are covered, as well as chamfered, semi-cone, cone, and gimlet points for bolts. Specific applications and product types for each end type are discussed. Read More...

Question: I need to buy some non-standard size u-bolts. Do you have any guidelines that will help me with ordering the u-bolts I need from Portland Bolt?

Answer: Portland Bolt can manufacture custom u-bolts that are made from 1/2” diameter and larger steel. So as long as the u-bolts you need are 1/2” in diameter or larger, we can most likely manufacture them, within the capabilities of our bending equipment and the limitations of the steel itself. To better understand what can be manufactured you will need to know a little about the way that we manufacture u-bolts.

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The differences between a hex cap screw and hex bolt are fairly significant, both from a manufacturing perspective and application standpoint. Read More...

What many people do not realize is that the head of a bolt is formed by heating the end of a piece of steel round bar and then forging (reshaping) the heated end into a head. The head is not welded on or otherwise “attached” to the end of the round bar. Read More...