US standard fastener sizes

[Hayden]

I am in the UK and am having trouble finding resources on standard US fastener sizes. Everything we use here is metric and my wonderful fasteners catalogue is as such.

Is there a place we can get information on standard us fastener sizes on the net? I'm not too keen on buying a book as it's pretty rare to need US information.

Cheers

Hayden

 

[billtati]

Try this link:

http://icrank.com/data/screw/screw.htm

 

[mcguirepm]

You can also check out

http://www.mcmaster.com

They have a fairly complete line of fasteners with some application information.

Below are two other options for you.

http://www.fastenal.com/shoponline/search/Browsing.asp?CatID=5

http://www.mscdirect.com

 

[boo1]

try:

http://euler9.tripod.com/bolt-database/

http://www.boltplanet.com/

 

[IFRs]

http://www.fastenal.com

 

[vacuumsage]

Look for UNC threads - these are the most commonly used. Although you say you don't want to buy a book, the handy zeus pocket book has lots of info in it, is based around UK engineering needs and also has the UNC and UNF thread series info in it (because they are English in origin). It's only a couple of quid, and available from Buck and Hickman tool distributors if you don't have a copy.

 

[235]

Try:

http://www.efunda.com/designstandards/screws/screws_intro.cfm

 

[EnglishMuffin]

vacuumsage:
I'm not trying to be nitpicky but actually as a point of interest I don't think its true to say UNC and UNF threads are English in origin. They are actually very closely based on the original American standard threads, and came to be standardised in Britain America and Canada because of the cooperation needed between those countries during the second world war. Up to that time, Britain had its own unique standards (one of the first I believe - if not the first)- the Whitworth or BSW and the BSF fine threads - which have slightly different pitches and a 55 degree vee instead of 60 degrees. British cars used to have a mixture of both kinds right up to the sixties. One place the BSW thread still reigns supreme is the 1/4" Whitworth thread used for camera tripod mounting threads - it can still be found even on digital cameras. I was always lead to believe that the US intentionally started the new standard in the nineteenth century with the express intention of preventing interchangeability with the then dominant British products.