How Do You Cut Screws To The Proper Length?

[JimDawson]

Well, you have nice accurate screws that way.

 

[Lgotcher]

I cut a large number of screws and bolts. The small ones I cut with an electrical crimping tool and then clean up on a grinder or belt sander. The larger ones (1/4" and up) I band saw off, grind or sand the end to desired shape then use a fine wire brush wheel on a bench grinder to clean up the threads. This leaves the threads so clean that the use of a nut or die to straighten them is not needed.
Lee

 

[rwm]

I would like the 8 people who bite off their screws to post dental photos....
R

 

[BillWood]

Hello - I saw a jig somewhere either in a book or on a web page

See attached sketch



Bill

 

[Ulma Doctor]

I would like the 8 people who bite off their screws to post dental photos....
R

Here's mine:jester:

 

[EmilioG]

This info here is all good. Some bolts, screws, etc.. are not made in short lengths.
i.e. SHCS (allen bolts). I need some 10 mm SHCS in really short lengths but they are not made
so the ideas and methods here will come in handy. Thanks.

 

[Tony Wells]

I used to make a fair quantity of 5/16-24 x 1/4 SHCS for a customer. I simply made a plate with a row of tapped holes and screwed them through it snugly and put this plate on parallels in the mill vise and mowed them just above flush. Using a carbide EM at high speed, there wasn't much of a burr, and I twirled them on a wire wheel held by a hex key. Could do a couple of hundred in less than an hour.

I guess the few machine screws I cut I use the old wire stripper/screw shear. It's not often I need it.

 

[rwm]

After contemplating the discussions above I came up with this quick and dirty jig to be used on my vertical bandsaw.







I just insert the screw to the proper length (I can use a jamb nut to prevent it from turning) and set the rip fence for exactly 2". The threaded plate is CRS with holes for 4-40, 8-32, 10-32 and 1/4-20.
I am still toying with the idea of a dedicated chopsaw type machine with an abrasive blade. That might reduce the need for finishing the end of the cut screw. This works well for now.

R

 

[Waterlooboy2hp]

This thread got me to thinking.anic: This HF tool might have a use after all. http://www.harborfreight.com/2-in-mini-bench-top-cut-off-saw-61900.html A 2" cutoff wheel some 1" angle drilled and taped for te screws. If you cut alot of screws.

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I have one of those saws. The blade that comes with it, works well with soft metals, I use it for 5/16" brass rod, when making jets for carbs.. Also got a thicker blade for cutting screwdriver slots in the jets. Runs to fast for steel. I did buy some 2" cut-off wheels. HF does not sell them though. Found them on E-bay. They were even recommended for the HF saw, among others.

If you use the wheels for anything above 1/4, that is steel, "Bring Your Lunch". You have to go slow, due to a lack of power from the motor. You cannot put much pressure on the wheel. I used it to split a 7mm threading die. The material was about 3/8" wide and about 3/16" thick. Took me all of 15+ minutes to get through it. Glad I had only one to do. The saw does what it was designed to do. Just not as much as you might like it to. --- John

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[darkzero]

Usually I only need to remove short lengths from screws so I just use a simple strip of flat bar with holes tapped in it. I screw in the screw & grind down what I need on a belt sander or grinder.

The last one I made was alumn (figured it might help with heatsinking). It's pretty chewed up now but it's easy for me to make new ones as I have the DRO coordinates written down.

1 side goes from 0-80 to 5/16"-24. The other side goes from M2.5x.45 to M10x1.5