Hello,

My question is - what should be the minimum size of the home-made T-slot
(would be used for some non heavy-duty fixture)? Plan is to build the
T-slot from CRS bars and use STANDARD bolts and nuts with size
around 1/4". Also what would be the source of such bolts and nuts
(not so heavy-duty and cheap)? Guys like McMaster generally stock only
big sizes of high quality (expensive) bolts.

Archi

The minimum bolt diameter is pretty much a function of what kind of
loads you want to clamp down, home many bolts you want to use, and what
kind of bolts you use. If a couple of grade 2 bolts will do it, ok. If
not........

Mcmaster sells square head bolts in 1/4" size, these are ungraded, not
sure if that means grade 2 or the grade 5 that is mentioned in the
overall description.

I'd suggest making your own 'T' nuts or just chunks of bar stock with
holes drilled and tapped in them. You could make your own table with
some heavy bar stock, lighter bar stock plug welded on the back to keep
the nuts from spinning, and the heavy stock welded to a frame with the
gaps set for the bolt sizes you want.

If you do any sort of repetitive bolt and unbolt cycle, you will find
that the low grade bolts tend to round off the heads pretty fast. Best
bet is hardened cap screws used with hex keys. Also, you may find that
the soft bolts let go at the most inopportune time, ruining a work piece
that is a 100 or 1000 times more expensive than the $$$ you saved on
cheap bolts.

Zayonc wrote:
Hello,

My question is - what should be the minimum size of the home-made T-slot
(would be used for some non heavy-duty fixture)? Plan is to build the
T-slot from CRS bars and use STANDARD bolts and nuts with size
around 1/4". Also what would be the source of such bolts and nuts
(not so heavy-duty and cheap)? Guys like McMaster generally stock only
big sizes of high quality (expensive) bolts.

Archi

RoyJ wrote:

The minimum bolt diameter is pretty much a function of what kind of
loads you want to clamp down, home many bolts you want to use, and what
kind of bolts you use. If a couple of grade 2 bolts will do it, ok. If
not........

Mcmaster sells square head bolts in 1/4" size, these are ungraded, not
sure if that means grade 2 or the grade 5 that is mentioned in the
overall description.

I'd suggest making your own 'T' nuts or just chunks of bar stock with
holes drilled and tapped in them. You could make your own table with
some heavy bar stock, lighter bar stock plug welded on the back to keep
the nuts from spinning, and the heavy stock welded to a frame with the
gaps set for the bolt sizes you want.

If you do any sort of repetitive bolt and unbolt cycle, you will find
that the low grade bolts tend to round off the heads pretty fast. Best
bet is hardened cap screws used with hex keys. Also, you may find that
the soft bolts let go at the most inopportune time, ruining a work piece
that is a 100 or 1000 times more expensive than the $$$ you saved on
cheap bolts.

Thanks, Roy!

I found some small sized T-slot bolts in the LittleMachineShop but it
anyway looks like 1/4 isn't an option if standard supplier is needed.
I'll try to go to bigger sizes and LMS even have the T-slotted table
available for very low price - I need longer one but may be this will
work also.

A.


Zayonc wrote:

Hello,

My question is - what should be the minimum size of the home-made T-slot
(would be used for some non heavy-duty fixture)? Plan is to build the
T-slot from CRS bars and use STANDARD bolts and nuts with size
around 1/4". Also what would be the source of such bolts and nuts
(not so heavy-duty and cheap)? Guys like McMaster generally stock only
big sizes of high quality (expensive) bolts.

Archi