Mutual Screw & Supply blog

Sammy Ceiling Screws and their Installation Procedure

The Sammy ceiling screws have been quite a buzz these days. These particular fasteners have become a favored option for most of the builders these days.

So what is a sammy ceiling screw?

It is basically a kind of fastener enabled with a rod coupler attached to it, thereby making it a one-piece threaded rod hanger. This threaded hanger is available in varied configurations in the market to match with various industry requirements.

In order to install such screws, you’ll require a cordless drill and a Sammy screw driver. Although the standard driver is used in most cases, but if the fastener is a sammy screw junior or a side-winder then you’ll require a specially designed sammy driver.

And if you’re using this rivet for concrete then you’ll have to create a pre-drilled hole in the concrete by a hammer drill bit. You should for a Lagmater Plus extension pole, if the application is carried out on wood or steel from the floor. And if your task requires a Sammy Express anchor then you’ll require Sammy XPIT install tool.

If your job requires you to hang the threaded rod from a joist or wooden beam then the Sammy Screw GST series is an ideal choice. These metal pieces are available in a variety of lengths and features various types of tips and you can choose a design depending upon the thickness of the metal on which you’ll be fastening the screws.

Moreover, such screws are basically lag bolts with threaded rod hanger/coupler and are available in various sizes to match with any kind of drywall which you may have to go through.

The sammy ceiling screw CST threaded hanger features a huge self drilling screw enabled with the hanger. And if you’re looking to fasten it to concrete then such kind of fastener is a suitable option, but anyhow you’ll be required to do the pre-drilling task.

One of the most preferred kind is the Sammy Express anchor.

The Sammy X-Press® System is specially designed to enable direct attachment of threaded rod in metal deck of 22-16 gage, while ensuring less installation expense in terms of time and materials. The X-Press System flaunts an easy-to-install anchor featuring expandable anchoring strips which breakdown to prevent pullout after installation. Besides, it also assures a perfect installation, thereby offering the added benefit of one-tool efficiency (just drill and drive) in seconds!

Most of the above mentioned sammy ceiling screws are designed to accommodate 1/4″ to 1/2″ threaded rod and all these pattens are available in a side winder type as well. Such fasteners enable the user to mount the rod in a perpendicular direction over the anchor.

Installing Sammy Ceiling Screws with the Lagmaster Plus

The Lagmaster Plus tool is a recommenced device for installing the sammy screws into the wood and steel for the floor. This tool is usually an extension pole which goes into the end of the cordless drill. All one needs is to penetrate the threaded rod hanger into the center of the Lagmaster Plus and drill it into the ceiling.

This tool usually consists of two poles: inner pole and outer pole. These poles are attached by a hitch pin thereby enabling the two sections to extend from 6 inches till 12 inches. You’ll find a hex shank on one end to chuck into the cordless drill and the other end features a receptacle to occupy the threaded rod hanger.

Before going forward with the installation process, first of all make sure you’re using the appropriate screw. If your task involves wood then check-out if there is a layer of drywall and you’ll have to consider the thickness of the fastener accordingly. In case of metal, you need to be extra careful, as most of the self drilling screws are designed for thin gage metal, while others are fashioned for heavy-duty metal.

After choosing the suitable fastener, cut the threaded rod to the required length and fasten it onto the threaded rod hanger screw. You can use wrench and channel locks to snug the threaded rod, which can then slide down center of the lag pole so as to fix the hanger into the driver.

Now carefully raise the device to the work surface without damaging the ceiling grid or ramming the tool into any lights.

By now, you have your threaded rod exposed and ready to hang your pipe hanger or anything you’re required to suspend.

Check this video for a clear understanding of the above defined process. Have a look!

Various Uses of Shoulder Bolts

With the diverse industrial requirements, the hardware supplies are now-a-days available in wide varieties. The hardware market is replete with various types of nuts and bolts. All you need is to go online and fetch for your desired item, which best suits your work.

Shoulder Bolts

There are some fasteners, which feature diverse applications, like the shoulder screws. These rivets are used in various applications, even in areas which require rotation and locking of screws. These rivets are also known as shoulder bolts. The primary difference between such screws and other types of rivets lies heavily in threading. Unlike regular screws, the ridges of these fasteners, which wind up the shaft, finish off as soon as the rivet is turned into the hole.

In regular screws, the threading is present across the entire body, but in shoulder bolts, the threading ends few distance from the head, thus leaving behind a smooth square/round shaped shaft between the head and the threading. Their shaft is usually larger than the threads. And because of this unique design of theirs, these fasteners are able to meet diverse requirements. For instance, these rivets are used in mechanical as well as in automotive fields, as their cylindrical structures make good fastening objects for pulleys, moving parts and linkages. The round heads enable these screws to be suitable for the above mentioned applications, as they allow easy rotation just like a pin linkage.

These rivets are also available in square shoulders, as it is with the case of the round head wooden bolt. They are quite useful as they easily resist the rotation, thereby behaving as a durable fastener. The head wooden bolt is ideal for furniture, as its square shoulder can efficiently resist movement, thereby enabling it to get locked inside the furniture. Furthermore, it features a smooth round-shaped head without any slots for a wrench or screwdriver. In this case, the bolt is tightened with a nut, which is attached onto the threaded end. The application can be seen in children’s playground in the wooden play structures.

The shoulder bolts are used for varied purposes. Thus, depending upon the type of your job, you should go for the particular pattern of such fasteners.

Thread Rolling Screws: Helping Bolts Impress into the Raw Stock

The self-tapping or thread-rolling screws are those types of fasteners, which feature threads, specially designed to tap in their own holes. Such types of rivets are ideal for fastening objects in softer materials such as plastic and wood, but do not suit at all for harder materials such as metal.

Thread rolling is a type of fastening procedure, which involves penetrating bolts threads into the raw stock instead of cutting them. This procedure requires a sturdy steel tool to be formed in the shape of the necessary thread. The raw and uneven stock is spun at a definite rate; simultaneously the tool bit is pressed against it with high pressure. Thus, the shape of the screw thread is efficiently placed upon the stock base.

The tool bit is constantly put under pressure and is moved towards the stock, till the full-depth threads are created. The thread forming process is bit cheaper as compared to the thread cutting, thereby yielding durable and safer end results. Fasteners, such as screws, nuts and bolts are the most commonly used rivets in the world, with ample quantities produced across the world every year. These rivets are generally yielded from raw metal stock, which is created prior to the introduction of threads. Basically, there are two steps involved in forming the threads; thread rolling and thread cutting.

The thread cutting procedure involves a cutting die, which is moved up the length of the rotating stock, thereby cutting away the metal surface to create the threads. Although this process is effective, it is always time-consuming.

The thread rolling screws on the other hand is a better application in various aspects. In this method, a sturdy tool bit is used to insert the threads into the stock surface. The tool bit is formed in the shape of the threads and with great pressure; it is then forced against the stock.

Order Up: Shipping is Free with Mutual Screw & Supply. Free Shipping on Online Orders Over $1,000 Through June

ROCHELLE PARK, N.J., June 3, 2013 Customers who spend at least $1,000 at Mutual Screw & Supply during the month of June will have their shipping fees waived as Mutual picks up the tab.

From its world-class selection of fasteners to hand tools, bridge reamers, safety products and more, anything you order from Mutuals extensive warehouse of 100,000 different products ships free.

Construction tends to pick up in the spring and summer, and all of us at Mutual are doing what we can to make this busy season a success for customers, said Mark Warner, president of Mutual Screw & Supply. By broadening our stock beyond fasteners, keeping prices highly competitive and offering incentives like free shipping, our goal is simpleto help builders build.

To take Mutual up on its offer, shop at www.mutualscrew.com and place an order of $1,000 or more, before tax or interim shipping charges. All freight shipping charges will be automatically deducted at check out.

Mutuals free-shipping offer is valid only for online orders that ship to the 48 contiguous states. Orders will be shipped via UPS Ground. No COD shipments or orders that require special handling, including export orders, hazardous shipments, customers carrier, expedited same day delivery or air freight. This offer may not be combined with any other promotion.

Consider the free-shipping offer an invitation to visit www.mutualscrew.com, said Warner. We are constantly updating the site, adding new products and even entire new product categories for our customers, so its worth a visit. If we dont have what you need, well do our best to source it or custom-manufacture ourselves.

For more information about Mutual Screw & Supply and the free shipping special, please contact Bill Berit at 800-222-0324 (201-845-5700
outside the US) or bill@mutualscrew.com.

History of Hinges

The history of strap hinges dates back to the antiquity so far that archeologists are not sure about its exact origin. While some historians claim these pieces to be 4000 years old, others deny the fact as they believe them to be even more ancient. In most of the European chapels in cities like Rome, Barcelona and Prague, beautiful strap hinges can be seen on the doors of citadels and chateau dating back to Renaissance and medieval era.

The strap hinges are believed to be developed by the Romans for both domestic as well as commercial purpose. Because these were designed in highly decorative designs something like Fleur de Lis styles, these pieces were considered for upscale lifestyle and also for sacred destinations.

Some of the recently discovered hinges are believed to be designed some 5500 years ago. These are believed to be in existence prior to the Bronze Age.

Hinges dating back to ancient era

Some of the most primitive societies of Asia, Africa, Europe etc. give a hint of the existence of these pieces. They would have probably taken roots in the Bronze Age, as the colossal palaces and mammoth gates of Akkadian and Hittite panache were enabled with the bronze strap hinges.

During this era, the metal was a recent discovery and metal hinges were thus quite expensive. The emperors chose metal hinges for their forts, so as to showcase their power and wealth, while it was a dream for the common man to acquire one such item for his doors.

This was one of the major reasons, the iron hinges were mostly seen in chapels and fortifications as only the affluent people could afford such expensive decorative pieces.

The gate hinges were considered nothing less than any exclusive piece of jewelry, but with the gradual progress in metallurgy, various forms of alloys were invented like brass and steel, leading to affordable pivots in the market.

Middle Ages

Metal greatly evolved during this period, thereby increasing the production of such hardware pieces. In this age, people were seen using hinged doors as local blacksmiths were now able to easily create wrought iron hinges. This time, the focus was only made on designs; the more beautiful a design was, the more costlier it was.

This is the reason, we can still see some impressive ornamental hinges in historical landmarks such as Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes, Carrer Minerva, Carrer Minerva and Ronda Universitat of Barcelona (below image)

The ornamental wrought iron hinges enhance the look of these massive oak doors, giving a royal and aesthetical look.

The classic drawbridge is one of the best examples. Such kind of passage had two important features: it was strong enough to withstand heavy loads when lowered and was durable enough to resist breach attempts by external forces. Those features demanded the use of tough barge and sturdy wrought iron hinges.

These doors were also designed to occupy hinged weapons, so as to tackle any foreign invasions. The Persians were the first to develop a type of hinged trebuchet, which was regarded as one of the most deadliest hinged weapons in those days.

Victorian Era

This is the most loved of all the periods which witnessed the evolution of strap hinges. When industrialization and steam engine were in full swing, the metal hinges also carved its way into beautification. In this era, design and style were given much emphasis.

Home renovators, who are extremely fond of vintage items, prefer Victorian pieces because of their elegant design and superb finish. The 19th century witnessed the major success of these metal pieces as various innovations were launched, including hinges with ball bearings for smoother opening, and hinges with neat finishes. Although these pieces had successfully entered the daily life, but their evolution was far from over.

21st century

Today, the strap hinges are highly evolved to render optimum usability and beauty. These items now feature corrosion resistance characteristic, which can efficiently protect these pieces from salty atmosphere.

And with the advent of online marketing, people can now easily access their desirable items from anywhere and anytime.

Hanger Bolt Drivers: Strong yet Close-at-Hand Fastener Tool

The hanger bolt drivers are quite close at hand, but are also strong tools, thereby greatly helping in fastening the hanger bolts. First of all, you need to fasten the machine thread side into the tool by using your electric drill to drive in the wood screw of the hanger bolt.

The hanger bolts are usually studs, which are used to either suspend or attach particular objects to the wooden surface. Like regular rivets, they even feature threads at each end.

They feature lag threads at one end, which are specially designed for wood and machine threads at the other end, which are used to insert a nut into an internally tapped hole.

In such kind of task, you cannot go for a regular slotted driver and even the Phillips-head type driver won’t work. You will instead require a bolt driver to get your job done.

Main features:

These are used in hook-ups with L-feet and 8 inch-hanger bolts, which even support any sturdy object, say rails and also in crumpled metal surfaces
They enable easy penetration into 3/16-inch pilot holes in the metal roofs
These are available in huge variety of PV mounting patterns, which are ideal to suit any job kind and site
Such kind of tool enables a strong hardware support system by easy installation procedure
These are usually made up of chrome vanadium steel, ideal for extreme durability
Ideal for tightening threaded rod and bolts

Hanger bolt types

At Mutual Screw store, these are also available in bulk quantities in sealed plastic bags with clear labels

The hanger bolt drivers are an essential necessity, especially in hardware industries, where fasteners like nuts and bolts in huge numbers, be it a steel manufacturing industry or furniture company, they do require such amenities to get their tasks done.

Online shopping has become the most popular way of fetching goods. You will come across hundreds of web stores, dealing with such items. So its better to make a clear research before picking a particular store. By this, you are not only ensuring that you are purchasing at the best buys, but also making sure about the quality of your purchased items.

Salient Features of Stainless Steel Carriage Bolts

Nuts and bolts probably share the same chemistry as that of salt and pepper. While nuts are hardware fasteners, featuring threaded holes, the stainless steel carriage bolts are fasteners, featuring round and flat heads without any thread. These are tightened by a rench onto a surface and the process is completed by fastening the bolt at the other end. The bolts are available in various types in the market.

Such type of fastener is usually found in wooden chairs or couch, which hold two separate wooden pieces. Not only in the furniture, but these fasteners are widely used in iron and steel industries as well. The heavy duty screws and bolts are specially designed to withstand heavy weights and offer safety and durability. The bolts are available in three primary designs and the carriage type is one of them.

These fasteners are used in holding individual pieces intact and are available with washers and nuts. This particular stainless steel type is different from others because of its thread that is continuous on its entire length. You need to consider the head of such bolts, so as to understand their functionality i.e. if they are used for masonry, machines etc.

However, the stainless steel carriage bolts usually feature a round head and square collar. If you’re thinking of tightening this item in a place then you’ll definitely require an appropriate wrench, suitable for your chosen bolt. The collar of the bolt fits into the pre-drilled hole and in special cases; it is twisted into a rather fragile surface say wood.

This is done as the collar of such fasteners are square in shape, which prevent them from turning while the installing process. Besides, the threads are coarse, so you need to consider their diameter before buying these items.

The stainless steel carriage bolts are available in diameter ranging from 3/4 to 3/16 inches and in lengths ranging from 1/2 to 10 inches. You can go online to check-out the varieties and can settle for a particular model, which best suits your job requirement.

Some Prevailing Myths about Grade 5 Bolts

Grade 5 bolts are usually manufactured from suppressed and tampered medium carbon steel. They are usually used when greater tensile strength is required during a process. It is processed through yield-to-tensile ratio, which is the lowest among all the heat-treated steels.

These bolts are available in both domestic and commercial categories, featuring coarse and fine threads (class 2A) along-with clear zinc finish. Usually ASTM A-354 and SAE J-429 Grade 5 bolts are available in the market. These are available in 1/4″ to 1-1/2″ diameters and 14″ of length.

If ever you like to compare this grade with any other grade say Grade 8 and Google on this comparison, you would be bombarded with a long thread. You would be amazed to find some forums and discussion rooms, where people have referred grade 5 as superior to grade 8, which is absolutely illogical.

You can easily come across various old wives’ tales even at some renowned publishing sites. Such myths act as a catalyst to enumerate such kind of wrong information.

Here’s a snippet from Sept’ 2011 issue:

In actual fact, Grade 5 bolts are often preferred over Grade 8 . A Grade 8 bolt has a very high tensile strength, but can be brittle. In applications such as suspensions, a very high number of load/unload cycles can produce work hardening, which produces an immediate, or catastrophic failure. Its often much safer to use a Grade 5 bolt which will bend, thus providing a warning, rather than a Grade 8 bolt breaking without warning. As long as the Grade 5 bolt has been sized large enough to take the expected load, we dont want to trade toughness (resistance to stress cycles) for the ultimate tensile strength of the Grade 8 fastener.

It’s true that grade 5 is an ideal fastener suitable for various applications, but to state that a grade 5 bolt is preferred over grade 8 bolt for mounting suspension components can be quite dangerous, as a beginner can believe such information and can try for such applications.

In this snippet, while the writer has left behind an admonition stating that grade 5 bolt will warn us before breaking, such statement has raised a great debate urging the experts to clear such myth prevailing with grade 5 bolts.

If we logically think over this comparison, we will realize that it doesn’t make any sense how a softer and malleable bolt can be superior than a brittle grade 8 bolt. In a layman’s point of view, one can understand that when the grade level increases, the features and durability also increases.

And if we think in the line of toughness then how come a bolt of lower grade can be tougher than a bolt of higher grade? Below is a chart stating the specifications of these bolts. Please have a look to understand the difference.

If we go through the mechanical properties, it’s clearly evident that in all aspects, Grade 8 bolts are superior than Grade 5 bolts.

To have a deep knowledge on this, you can visit websites like SAE and BoltScience, where you can get tested information. Even fastener suppliers like Mutual Screw and Supply render specification charts with their every displayed products.

However, there has always been an undying debate going on this when it comes to choosing either grade 5 or grade 8. While some people go by book knowledge, others prefer to learn from their experience.

In one of forums, somebody defines brittle as very strong, which does not allow strain before failure, and defines ductile as not so strong, but enables significant elastic deformation.

Grade 8 bolts fail because of strength, whilst grade 5 bolts fail because of toughness.

Particle Board Screws: Idea for Installing Soft Wooden Floors

Particle board is a composite wood, made up of a combination of wood chips, such as sawmill shavings, synthetic resin, any suitable binder, wooden chips and saw dust. It is also known as ‘clip board’ and is the engineered wood, as it is not naturally extracted from trees. For such kind of furniture, special kinds of fastener known as particle board screws are used.

Particle board screws

Considering various requirements, the hardware supply industry offers different types of screws. So, it’s always crucial to know what the exact type of screw, which best suits your requirement. As in the case of the clipboard – if you use any other screw then you may easily end up damaging the surface of the board. After considering the type, it is now required to know the exact size.

The adhesive present in the chipboard is usually a kind of resin that is adhered together with wooden chips to create boards of different density. Although chip board’s high density factor is quite strong, still it is known as ‘soft wood’ and is less permeable to moisture. This kind of artificial wood is lot cheaper than the natural furniture and this is the major reason for its popularity. While natural wood’s price is soaring high these days, you can easily fetch the engineered wood at quite cheaper rates, plus it has distinct advantages as compared to the normal one.

These days it is also used for flooring in kitchen and cabinets and it is easily deceived because of the coating of the melamine. And for the installation process, the particle board screws are definitely required. Such types of fasteners are thus heavily used in the interior works and are now most frequently bought on bulk amounts.

If you go online, you would be bombarded with an array of web stores dealing with such items. You may get confused, so lets help you with this. The Mutual Screw and Supply is a well-known fastener company, who can help you fetch your desired stuff at quite affordable rates.

Multiple Uses of Flange Bolts

The company, Mutual Screw and Supply has gone a long way in establishing a brand of excellence and the best available artisanship in the industry since its establishment in 1947. Presently the company is selling its products all over US and parts of Canada & even overseas.

Today this company has become a well-known hardware supplier in the world of online marketing. We, at Mutual Screw are specialized in the manufacturing of flange bolts and various other kinds of fasteners, including all types of screws, hardware kit and much more.

A flange bolt is different from a standard bolt. Unlike other bolts, it features a broad surface area beneath the head to render a smooth distribution of securing pressure. This wide space acts as a washer, thereby eliminating the requirement to look for an additional spare for application of such bolts.

Flange bolts are available in diverse range in our store in terms of sizes, configuration and strength. Like other rivets available in the market, these bolts are equally capable of undergoing various applications which require them.

Our specially designed flange bolts are enabled with special anti-rotational teeth features, which are designed to bite or dig into any hardened material necessary for fastening purposes. These are quite similar to the locking rings, which one might have seen on a milk jug or soda bottle.

The ‘teeth’ present on the these rivets can be turned backward, but however, requires more force. This kind of specification is what makes a flange bolt anesthetically and strategically different from a common bolt.

To facilitate more, we’ve made an essential addition to our flange bolts are the flange nuts. While these look like the ordinary nuts, one portion of the flange nut is wider than the other only to ensure equal pressure distribution. Both of these metal pieces work together, thereby reducing costs by eliminating the need for buying separate washers.

We also make sure that Always remember that proper torque on a flange bolt-nut combination ensures that the rivets never get loosen by themselves, except for the external force such as a mechanic, which can loosen these types of flange bolts.

Our specially designed fasteners are suitable with any kind of flange system. The strength ratings along-with sizes and grades can be changed depending upon the type of application. We offer sizes as per the Society of Automotive Engineering (SAE) measurements, such as 1/4 inch and 1/2 inch. Besides, we also deal with metric measurements, such as 8 mm and 10 mm.

Our vast range of products can easily fit in with anybody’s requirement, no matter whether it’s for personal or industrial use. Our ranges of products are designed with high quality and modern techniques. Keep reading to know more about this particular product!

The flange bolts are usually used in vehicle frames, especially in trucks and anywhere a head bolt is required. They feature a nozzle, thereby speeding the assembly while eliminating the washer. They render four times the bearing area than of a standard hex screw.

These types of fasteners are produced from high carbon alloy steel, which help them manage with the 150,000 PSI of minimal tensile strength. These fasteners are available in diameters ranging between 3/4″ and 3/8″ and lengths up to 31/2″, measured from the base of the head.

These particular fasteners are used with Grade G Style Lock Nuts, so as to develop a sturdy bolt system that would not only render a wider area, but also resist loosening. These rivets are also known as hex flange screws, hex frame flange bolts and hex washer frame bolts.

The 12 point flange bolts, which are also known as counter bore cap screws, are used in aircraft devices and in various automotive applications. Their major advantage is that they can be easily installed, by simply using a 12 point socket and well-ventilated impact wrench. These are also used in bikes along with wrenched decorative heads, thereby enhancing the look.

While going for a nut with flange bolt, it’s always important to check-out of the grades of the nuts and bolts are same. You should always go through the instructions if you are not much aware about the application.