.... do "they" (the manufacturers) make the bit that the bolt shuts into the
same diameter, but for a few microns, as the bolt shaft?

If I fit a bolt to a door, and the "loop" that the bolt shaft shuts into
fits to the door frame, the two line up and the bolt works nicely. However,
if the door sags, or the wood expands, the sodding line-up alters by a
millimetre or so, and now the bolt is a bugger to push home.

Especially on outside doors e.g. double garage/workshop doors ... my garage
door bolt worked beautifully in the summer but now I need a bionic hand to
open/shut it.

So why aren't the bolt "loops" made to be (bolt diameter + 50%) in size, to
allow for misalignment?

(for reference: http://www.efanlock.com/files/Door_Bolt.jpg the bit on the
left's diameter is too small for the bit on the right)


DDS

On Thu, 29 Oct 2009 20:18:02 +0000, Duncan Di Saudelli wrote:

... do "they" (the manufacturers) make the bit that the bolt shuts into the
same diameter, but for a few microns, as the bolt shaft?

You can probably drill the "loop" out a little to give it a bit more
slack. I think they're usually pretty soft metal. I know what you mean for
those types of bolts, though.

If it's something like a back door or outside door I'll usually use a
larger bolt, and those do have a bit more 'slop' in them. I've usually
seen those smaller bolts on internal doors (bedrooms etc.) where sagging's
less of a problem.

"Jules" wrote in message
news
On Thu, 29 Oct 2009 20:18:02 +0000, Duncan Di Saudelli wrote:

... do "they" (the manufacturers) make the bit that the bolt shuts into
the
same diameter, but for a few microns, as the bolt shaft?

You can probably drill the "loop" out a little to give it a bit more
slack. I think they're usually pretty soft metal. I know what you mean for
those types of bolts, though.

If it's something like a back door or outside door I'll usually use a
larger bolt, and those do have a bit more 'slop' in them. I've usually
seen those smaller bolts on internal doors (bedrooms etc.) where sagging's
less of a problem.



It is down to the way thay are made - all cut from the same extrusion.

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
drugs began to take hold. I remember "Duncan Di Saudelli"
saying something like:

So why aren't the bolt "loops" made to be (bolt diameter + 50%) in size, to
allow for misalignment?

(for reference: http://www.efanlock.com/files/Door_Bolt.jpg the bit on the
left's diameter is too small for the bit on the right)

Because it's cheaper to cut them from the same piece of profile.

Grimly Curmudgeon wrote:
We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
drugs began to take hold. I remember "Duncan Di Saudelli"
saying something like:

So why aren't the bolt "loops" made to be (bolt diameter + 50%) in
size, to allow for misalignment?

(for reference: http://www.efanlock.com/files/Door_Bolt.jpg the bit
on the left's diameter is too small for the bit on the right)

Because it's cheaper to cut them from the same piece of profile.

And the people who design/make/import/wholesale/retail them don't give a
toss about the poor buggers who install them. The list is endless.


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

"The Medway Handyman" wrote in message
...
Grimly Curmudgeon wrote:
We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
drugs began to take hold. I remember "Duncan Di Saudelli"
saying something like:

So why aren't the bolt "loops" made to be (bolt diameter + 50%) in
size, to allow for misalignment?

(for reference: http://www.efanlock.com/files/Door_Bolt.jpg the bit
on the left's diameter is too small for the bit on the right)

Because it's cheaper to cut them from the same piece of profile.

And the people who design/make/import/wholesale/retail them don't give a
toss about the poor buggers who install them. The list is endless.


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk


If you have loose ones they rattle like hell on your bog door.

brass monkey wrote:
"The Medway Handyman" wrote in message
...
Grimly Curmudgeon wrote:
We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
drugs began to take hold. I remember "Duncan Di Saudelli"
saying something like:

So why aren't the bolt "loops" made to be (bolt diameter + 50%) in
size, to allow for misalignment?

(for reference: http://www.efanlock.com/files/Door_Bolt.jpg the bit
on the left's diameter is too small for the bit on the right)
Because it's cheaper to cut them from the same piece of profile.
And the people who design/make/import/wholesale/retail them don't give a
toss about the poor buggers who install them. The list is endless.


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk


If you have loose ones they rattle like hell on your bog door.

use slim screws and don't nip them up tight. That way the loop can move
a little on its fixings.

--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

So why aren't the bolt "loops" made to be (bolt diameter + 50%) in
size, to allow for misalignment?

Because it's cheaper to cut them from the same piece of profile.

And the people who design/make/import/wholesale/retail them don't give a
toss about the poor buggers who install them. The list is endless.

If you have loose ones they rattle like hell on your bog door.

That's true enough - I hadn't thought of that detractor.

In that case, I think I'd like to see the bolt shaft either made oval at the
mating end, or have an offset - so when you push the bolt home into an
oversized "loop" the bolt goes in easily, then when you rotate the bolt
through 90 degrees, the mating end tightens in the loop in order to engage
snugly.

If you have loose ones they rattle like hell on your bog door.

use slim screws and don't nip them up tight. That way the loop can move a
little on its fixings.

That would certainly work for our indoor toilet door, seeing as the bolt is
small (2" long or thereabouts). I'll give it a try tonight; as for the
workshop door, it's got great big coach bolts going through most of it
(maybe not the actual loop though, come to think of it) so it may be more
tricky there. Worth a look at though, and thanks for the tip!

DDS

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
drugs began to take hold. I remember "brass monkey" saying
something like:

If you have loose ones they rattle like hell on your bog door.

Shut the window, then.

On Oct 30, 12:50 am, "brass monkey" wrote:
"The Medway Handyman" wrote in dia.com...

Grimly Curmudgeon wrote:
We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
drugs began to take hold. I remember "Duncan Di Saudelli"
saying something like:

So why aren't the bolt "loops" made to be (bolt diameter + 50%) in
size, to allow for misalignment?

(for reference:http://www.efanlock.com/files/Door_Bolt.jpgthe bit
on the left's diameter is too small for the bit on the right)

Because it's cheaper to cut them from the same piece of profile.

And the people who design/make/import/wholesale/retail them don't give a
toss about the poor buggers who install them. The list is endless.

--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

If you have loose ones they rattle like hell on your bog door.

bad vibrations?