Is there any place to get BA Bolts / Screws in US?

[Michael Tod]

Is there any place to get BA Bolts / Screws in US?

I'm working on some Steam Engines and they use a BA standard I'm having a hard time finding much in the US and the over seas shipping and cost is to much.

What are others doing?

Thanks

Mike

 

[WOB]

I think most US builders try to use as close as possible fastener diameters but with standard Unified thread pitches. I know this does not work with pipe/tubing fittings, but unless you are going for a true scale look, it is usually not a problem.

WOB

 

[Michael Tod]

Thanks yep I'm going for the true scale look I was even thinking of building my own if I need to.

 

[Jasonb]

If it is just scale look you want and the usual UNC are too big an bulky then try American Model Engineering for small hex UN fixings

http://www.americanmodeleng.com/id41.html

 

[Rod Cole]

Has the situation changed? Is anyone aware of a BA source in the US now, I have the taps & dies but would like to buy some of the hardware~

 

[MachineTom]

There is a site in western. NY, British Fasteners. All those sizes, taps and dies as well.
Nice folks to deal with
Tom

 

[Rod Cole]

Well, I thank you for that - I'll check it out in the morning~

 

[comstock-friend]

There is a site in western. NY, British Fasteners. All those sizes, taps and dies as well.
Nice folks to deal with
Tom

Do you have a link?

I'm on the edge, finding the BA hardware included with my Staurt kits a little clunky compared to the US model hex cap screws. I have taps and dies for both series, but most are HSS for the US and carbon steel for the BA's. Of course, what I really want is square head fasteners for my 1873 built V&T #18 'Dayton' in 1.5" to the foot scale!

John

 

[Rod Cole]

The site is called British Tools & Fasteners, it isn't inexpensive but I placed a small order - we'll see how it all looks in a couple days~

 

[Brian Hutchings]

Are there problems with ordering direct from English suppliers e.g. https://www.ekpsupplies.com/
Brian

 

[David Shealey]

I recently ordered some BA7 bolts and nuts from two different UK suppliers, by far the best prices and delivery was from https://www.ba-bolts.co.uk/. The first place I ordered from took weeks to arrive, BA-Bolts was far better pricing, lower shipping cost, and I received the order in 10 days!

 

[Rod Cole]

I'm glad I brought this thread back up, I have a couple projects that call for BA hardware and it looks like some good info coming to help with shopping. I felt foolish ordering just a few screws from over a thousand miles away~
Just took a look at "BA Bolts", they offer bolts with undersize heads. That is exactly what is called for, for eleven of the bolts in the AJ Reeves steam hammer. Who would have thought that something which could be bought??

 

[David Shealey]

I'm glad I brought this thread back up, I have a couple projects that call for BA hardware and it looks like some good info coming to help with shopping. I felt foolish ordering just a few screws from over a thousand miles away~
Just took a look at "BA Bolts", they offer bolts with undersize heads. That is exactly what is called for, for eleven of the bolts in the AJ Reeves steam hammer. Who would have thought that something which could be bought??

I just bought some of those, and also the matching nuts. I am working on a Stuart Twin Launch, making all the reversing gear from scratch, and the one size smaller will be much nicer looking than the "standard" heads.

 

[packrat]

Quote "Are there problems with ordering direct from English suppliers"

Yes I think so, if your in the USA the shipping can be a killer....

 

[Rod Cole]

The people in New York, mentioned above, are charging me$8 to send 15 small screws to Maine.

if your in the USA the shipping can be a killer

 

[David Shealey]

Quote "Are there problems with ordering direct from English suppliers"

Yes I think so, if your in the USA the shipping can be a killer....

BA-Bolts shipping was VERY reasonable. Far better than another supplier I used before I found them.

 

[David Shealey]

Quote "Are there problems with ordering direct from English suppliers"

Yes I think so, if your in the USA the shipping can be a killer....

BA-Bolts shipping was VERY reasonable, and much faster than the other supplier I tried before finding them.

OOPS! Duplicated the post. Can find no way to delete it!

 

[accelo]

I recently used the British Fasteners to purchase a TAP MODEL ENGINEER 5/32 X 40 B
Cost was $30 US.
The same tap from https://www.ba-bolts.co.uk/ website is £6.50 or $8.30 US.
Knowing the global supply chain the taps could have been built at the same factory?
I have found for small items the shipping is reasonable.
Next purchase I going with the BA-Bolts next time.
Appreciate the link, there is nowhere else to find this stuff.
Sorry Google.
Thanks
Rick

 

[wazrus]

We have the same situation with BA bolts etc here in Australia and it is indeed interesting to note that the US has the same issues! The Brits 'invented' the BA (British Association) system so I suppose they're OK., but anything BA is exhorbitantly expensive. As is British Standard Brass, constant pitch at 26TPI. Instead, I've adopted Metric, replacing the 26TPI with 1mm (25.4TPI) in a range of sizes from 6mm to 38mm: taps and dies are readily available from Chinese sources at very reasonable cost. The BA I've replaced with 'standard' Metric and I have nuts,bolts, screws and washers down to 1.0mm., but - and there's always a but - hex head bolts are usually a bit more difficult. However, I wanted some 2mm hex head bolts and nuts and while in Hong Kong, that was no problem at all. It was a matter of "how many thousand would you like, sir?". Now I'm not suggesting anybody hop a flight to HK and I'm well aware that there's no love lost between to US and China, but I have drawers full of many sizes, as I said, down to 1mm., in a range of heads, including socket head capscrews, plus nuts in all sizes, including a selection of nylok nuts in 1.6, 2, 3, 4,5 and 6mm. There's a range of screw lengths, too. Then there's Conrad in Europe who stocked 1.6mm hex head brass setscrews. Not cheap, but not prohibitive, either. Google Shenzhen Junter hardware in HK., for screws and nuts. Taps and dies in all sizes and I think those under 1mm are available.
Wazrus

 

[Hopper]

British shipping costs are quite reasonable -- way cheaper than US shipping to the rest of the world so it's worth checking it out. I can get stuff shipped cheaper from the UK to regional Australia than from Sydney, Australia. Go figure.