BA nuts, bolts, grub screws, threaded rod etc.
 

Most British vintage radios, test gear and other vintage electronic equipment used a range of BA nuts, bolts and screws, and for knobs, set makers generally used BA grub screws. Also, BA thread rods were used for assembling banked multi-wafer switches and so forth. For a little while now I've used a small firm appropriately called 'B.A. Bolts' though they also carry a wide range of other imperial threaded hardware and metric too. As well as nuts, bolts, grub screws (both slotted and hex headed), and threaded rod, they also stock a range of rivets in aluminium, steel, copper and brass, and taps & dies.

They also stock BSW,BSF, UNC, UNF.

Basically, they cater mainly for the model engineering fraternity.

Occasionally vintage radio restorers who have to remove valve-holders riveted to the chassis ponder on whether to use rivets (which may be difficult to 'set' even if suitable ones can be found), or to take the easier route of nuts and screws. 'BA Bolts' carry a range of round headed unslotted bolts which mimic the appearance of rivets.

They claim to carry most items in stock and orders received before 3.00PM are processed the same day. Postage fixed at £2.50 for UK orders, and their minimum order value is only £1.00 plus postage. Their turnover appears to be below the VAT threshold so no VAT is charged on orders.

As well as PayPal, they accept personal cheques / postal orders / Bank Transfers, and will post worldwide.

Worth a look at their website, which is nicely set out and easy to navigate:

https://www.ba-bolts.co.uk/index.html

I've no connection with them other than as a satisfied customer. I'm prompted to mention this little firm because I placed a trivial order with them last week, which was only for a 6" length of 4BA threaded rod. £1.80 - it arrived next day.

Hope that might be of interest and use.

Re: BA nuts, bolts, grub screws, threaded rod etc.
 

Really useful to know about this supplier. Thank you David.

Alan

Re: BA nuts, bolts, grub screws, threaded rod etc.
 

Thanks David, a personal recommendation is always very welcome. If it helps the business as well then better still.

Peter

Re: BA nuts, bolts, grub screws, threaded rod etc.
 

Really valuable source/link, David. Thank you!

Mike

Re: BA nuts, bolts, grub screws, threaded rod etc.
 

Another firm I can recommend from personal experience is modelfixings:-
http://www.modelfixings.co.uk/
Although their main market is with model makers much of what they stock will be of use to the vintage electronics and wireless community.

Re: BA nuts, bolts, grub screws, threaded rod etc.
 

Thanks for the link to B.A. Bolts, David. I've bookmarked their home page for future reference

Re: BA nuts, bolts, grub screws, threaded rod etc.
 

This is another one that I regularly use. Not only do they do nuts in the threads in post #1, they also do a wide range of materials - several grades of stainless, brass, aluminium etc.

I've just bought five 0-80 UNF in A2 stainless for a quid. Shipping and VAT was the majority of the £4.76 total. But I got them in two days.

https://www.accu.co.uk/en/

Craig

Re: BA nuts, bolts, grub screws, threaded rod etc.
 

These guys are also pretty good https://www.pts-uk.com/ . I found them when I was looking for M1 screws in A2 stainless.

The only problem is that there is a pack size the only makes sense if you need 50 or 100 etc.

Craig

Re: BA nuts, bolts, grub screws, threaded rod etc.
 

Useful links. When I needed some 0-80 UNF stainless screws about 10 years ago, I couldn't find a UK source. I had to get a contact in the US to get some from McMaster-Carr and post them to me. Stringent US export control laws post 9/11 meant they no longer did mail order outside the US to new customers.

Re: BA nuts, bolts, grub screws, threaded rod etc.
 

Cheers for the links, I was actually wondering what to do with an Ekco A22 chassis that is rusted, whether or not to remove the valve holders when it’s getting de-rusted, and if I do remove them, what to reattach them with. Those round headed bolts look ideal.

Regards
Lloyd

Re: BA nuts, bolts, grub screws, threaded rod etc.
 

Good links !

One of the more difficult to get items is BA round head brass that are nickel plated, RS components may still have them, I bought an entire assortment of them for restorations of British radios.

It reminds me of a story too. A fellow in the USA was trying to get some nickel plated brass screws 6-32 UNC which are about 3.5 mm diameter. He tried all over the place there, nothing only steel and stainless steel & plain brass. So I suggested to use 4BA and RS components. RS exist in the USA, called Allied I think, but believe it or, not they had blocked the sale of all foreign thread screws from the stock lines !
Except that RS in Mexico carried them. So he bought them in Mexico and in a very clandestine manner got them into the USA. It was like something from a comedy.

Of note, excellent metric nickel plated brass screws of all sizes are available at the hardware stores in the markets at Akihabara in Tokyo.

Re: BA nuts, bolts, grub screws, threaded rod etc.
 

I've bought mine in the past from eBay, also metalwork hobby modelling shops tend to sell them.

Re: BA nuts, bolts, grub screws, threaded rod etc.
 

I use https://www.brimal.co.uk/ for various parts including feet for Quad 405 ( they supply a very close match ) they also have a tool to remove /insert les5 bulbs https://www.brimal.co.uk/e5-lamp-ins...extractor.html

Re: BA nuts, bolts, grub screws, threaded rod etc.
 

Well that is a good find - thanks!

Craig

Re: BA nuts, bolts, grub screws, threaded rod etc.
 

Thanks for this David. It couldn’t come at a better time. I was literally swearing yesterday under my breath trying to mount a variable capacitor with BA threads on it. I spent over an hour digging through my junk boxes to no avail and ended up with M3 screws and that’s it. I’ll certainly place an order this evening.

Re: BA nuts, bolts, grub screws, threaded rod etc.
 

Excellent thread in general!!!. ( this discussion, NOT the screws discussed )
BA fasteners have probably the best thread engagement possible with perhaps 90%.
Most modern metric screws are very easily stripped, EVEN those bought from suppliers like Farnell and RS. Both of which have Australian stores.
I cut my teeth on BA screws and have collected a small supply ( about 5 kilos in a beer brew tin :-D ), and only use them for my own equipment. Slots cut into slotted screws are perfectly parallel and fit any decent screwdriver perfectly. Perhaps its another thing the POHM's got right.

Joe

Re: BA nuts, bolts, grub screws, threaded rod etc.
 

Slight diversion... I had to buy some UNC threaded stuff the other day (thanks HP) and found these guys. Excellent service: https://www.spaldingfasteners.co.uk/.

They sell BA threaded stuff as well.

Re: BA nuts, bolts, grub screws, threaded rod etc.
 

Six posts moved to a new thread here:-

https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...d.php?t=159617