Accomplished something that I had been putting off for a couple of months. I bought leftover shelving material from a wholesaler chemical Godown.

The nut/bolts were all 13 mm. I had a cheapo 4 way spanner, a simple key spanner. But I had to buy a T-spanner locally to reach into corners and for more torque. It also allowed 2 guys to work simultaneously on the job.

I paid a young apprentice metal worker for 6 hours of his time and he brought along a centre punch type tool for alignment and a wooden mallet. I supplied another hammer.

It took a whole Sunday morning. 6 am to 1 pm.

Thoroughly satisfied with the results. We built 6 of these. 7.5 feet tall. 6 shelves. Free standing. 150kg capacity per shelf.

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Nice. I recommend ratchet/socket for repetitive bolt/nutting.

I'd suggest one or more of... cross-bracing; fixing top to wall; bolting adjacent units together. All for stability.

I probably should have said screw/nutting. Trivia question of the day... who knows the one big difference between a screw and a bolt? Most people don't, but with all the mechanical enthusiasm, not to mention IIT/etc educations here... Hope somebody does!

^^^
For the given job, fastest would be a speed brace.

No separate nuts for screws.

Interesting to see a Withworth amongst the metrics.

Regards
Sutripta

In fact, on second thoughts. where access allows, drsingh's tool in his last pic looks very fast
Hmmm... That could be another answer! But I think that the one I was told at school is close to the essence of the screw/bolt identity thing.

Anyone... any thoughts on a butane/oxygen set up as mentioned in earlier post? I guess this is what the AC mechanic uses.

Why not get the best of both worlds?
Albeit, it is expensive, but it is one of the best in the world.
Wera Zyklop Speed Ratchet - http://www.wera.de/zyklop.html?&no_cache=1&L=1

I could be tempted

But I'd have to agree with my wife that sockets, screwdriver bits, ratchets etc, are not things that I am short of. However greatly superior this one might be!

New from Taparia, via Amazon:


They seem quite hefty. Realised two things:

1. If and when I need these, I'm bound to need them in pairs!

2. Need some much smaller ones much more often!

Actually, did order one 80mm, but seller couldn't supply.

I wonder if they really are strong enough to use the hex head for tightening. I guess that, as they are forged, not cast, they should be.

Also bought a wrecking (Crow) bar. It will come in useful one day. And hopefully, my wife won't notice it until then . Hey, it was Rs.440 Actually... wondering how tough that can be at that price! I'll find out... the day I hope it comes in useful!

Wife opined that we should buy some precious metals this festival of Dhanteras...

.. I obliged:













I guess it will take a few days to resume talking terms with each other.

Contents:
1. 1/2 inch drive Socket wrench set.
2. Open & Closed end Combination spanner set.
3. Open End spanner set.
4. Ring Wrench set.

As picture suggests, all are Stanley products. Feel sturdy enough except for small size spanners like below 8 mm. Socket wrench set is real sturdy weighing 4 kgs+ and at the same time comes in a compact packing.

Awesome tools there-the complete works and Stanley, no less! Im salivating😋. I always thought that spanner lengths and thickness were sized to provide appropriate tightening torque under 'standard conditions'. So, wouldn't worry about smaller sizes not feeling robust enough. It's better to stop before the spanner flexes, than to shear the threads IMHO.

The only sort of spanner that should flex is the kind that are simply stamped out of steel sheet.

I have a feeling that the origins of small small spanners might be the torque factor, but a hunch that it has now become fashionable and cost saving. The small small spanner certainly won't sheer the bolt if it can't even reach it, which can be an issue.

And, by the way: screw/bolt trivia... The difference between a screw and a bolt is that a screw's thread runs all the way to the head. Yes, that would, technically, mean that a lot of wood screws are actually bolts. I don't have an answer to that! Except Sutripta's answer works...

^^^
Actually two parts to it. (Two parts lead to four possibilities, so best to omit one of the parts) Anyway,
a) Has a separate nut,
b) Tightened/ fastened by torquing the nut. (Thus screws are tightened using screwdrivers!)

Re: all the people buying Stanleys etc, take a look at Taparia . In my opinion, finish not as good, quality much better. Everest is also good. Gedore in the prehistoric past (see if one can get NOS) also used to be very good.

Regards
Sutripta

Another take.
Screws have tapered body
Bolts have uniform diameter though out their length

So screws will be used to start and continue in a soft material - wood etc, and uses friction to anchor itself, while a bolt requires a nut to hold two pieces.

^^^
Machine screws?

Regards
Sutripta

Sutiptra goes straight to the point.

I vaguely recall our metal-work teacher saying that what wood-workers called things was not our concern!

Most people would call this a bolt (and a nut). Speaking loosely, so would I, but if I apply some torque to the speaking... it is a screw.

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Okay, finally got a Cello plastic cabinet to arrange all my tools and stuff. Feels good to have a 'centralized' tools collection: