Technical lathe turn bolt heads (eliminate the markings)

I saved this pic



many years ago from a H.A.M.B. post. Sorry I don't know who to give props to.

This looks like a detail I'd like to replicate someday.

I don't have a lathe and probably never will. Has anyone done something like this chucking the bolt into a drill press and using an angle grinder with a flapper wheel?

Or, not wanting to stand on your head to do this, does it seem feasible to mount a hand held drill to a bench and chuck the bolt in it and then use the flapper wheel?

Any thoughts/ideas appreciated.

 

I have a lathe, yet I find it easier to remove the marks as you suggested. I clamp the drill in the vise and hit it with the hand held flapper wheel

 

Yes and yes.

I had a brand new 18x80" lathe and found the same thing, seemed I always had something big setup and didn't want to dismantle, so yes, the drill press worked great.
One suggestion though, I like to rough them in with a 2" x 36 grit roloc style disc on my 90 degree die grinder, then finish with something like a flap wheel, the flap wheel is a bit too flexable and distorts a little, especially when trying to make the chamfer on the head look like it was actually machined.
Most small drill press chucks are limited to 1/2" capacity though.

 

I've found you don't need to be that aggressive. I've prepped/polished lots of stainless bolts, and what worked best for me was using a drill motor with the bolt chucked in it, spin it up, then use a fine file followed by sandpaper to remove any markings. Then with the bolt still chucked in the drill (and while turning it), run it though the buffer. On smaller sizes, I chuck up a rod coupler of the right size to make changing bolts faster plus not having to worry about damaging the bolt threads. It does make a difference what buffing compound you use; a stainless compound for initial polish works best, follow with white rouge for a mirror finish.

With the rod coupler, I can do a bolt every minute or so....

I have a lathe also, but it takes way more time. I'll use that on large bolts sometimes (bigger than 1/2"), but not often...

 

I just use drill press & sandpaper, then polish if you want a mirror finish

 

I faintly remember the originally post from years ago, if I'm not mistaken they were done in a drill press using a file clamped to the drill press table.

Looks like upspirate types faster then me.

 

Not sure about the flapper wheels etc as I've always used my lathe. However, the final finish as shown I've easily achieved with a piece of scotchbrite , being very careful of course with a spinning item . I guess the same could be achieved with a drill press or similar.

Chris

 

X2. I've sanded the raised lettering off many bolts just by chucking them up in the drill press and pressing them against some good sandpaper. Start off with a coarse grit, then finish out with something like 400 or higher, depending on how smooth you want them.

 

I was doing some stainless bolts to mount a sbc fuel pump and stopped at the point where they looked like engine turning....was going for full polished, but liked the turned look so I stopped there. No pics though

 

I full and well understand the why but every time I look at a rig with plain head bolts I figure the guy used plain no name grade 2 or lower bolts be they steel or stainless.

 

Butter bolts.

 

Stainless bolts are exactlt 1 flea leg and 2 frog hairs stronger than grade 2 anyways.

 

I like using really old bolts that have the original type markings on them.

One time, one guy noticed that the valve cover bolts on my 427 say TR.

So, it's worth it!

 

I had to do near same years ago , but not for the same reason . My old Pan rear sprocket is driven by the rear drive chain attached to rear hub and brake drum with rivets . Strangest thing to be stooped in traffic , engage the clutch , 1st gear disengage the clutch , rear drive chain is turning but you are not moving . The only thing a passer by had was nails , I installed them bent them over and presto able to very easily ride home . I purchase some hardened bolts to replace the bend nail fix, the heads were too thick , so I chucked them up in the lathe and turned them to correct thickness . A few extras rattled around in the bags for years never needed . The lathe can give them a nice spiral look if need be also . They would make VonDutch proud of the effects !

 

I don't get it. I want to know what the specs of the bolts are, especially if buying something I didn't work on myself. Why not fixate on some other facet of street-rod-itus instead? Gary

 

Over here we would be told to replace them with bolts with the correct markings on them, for anything structural.
Which looks better to me anyway.
polished bolts can look a bit ‘street rod’ to me.

 

The ones I did were stainless carriage head bolts. I used them to fill some holes, one where a mirror was mounted, the other where an emblem was, until I get ready to weld them shut. The smooth carriage heads looked better than the open holes in the body. If that's street-rod- itus, then so be it.....looked like it was done at the factory to me. I've seen a lot of vehicles that had smooth carriage head bolts in holes where something should mount, like on some pickup doors.

 

Stainless should only be used for "pretty" stuff.

 

BTW folks, this may be like separating fly shit from pepper, but the OP didn't mention stainless. He was simply suggesting cleaning the stampings off of headbolts, if this is how he chooses to spend his time more power to him. I often polish and use stainless bolts and acorn nuts where I want "pretty".

 

WOW. I go off to work on some honey-do's for a few hours and come back to 18 replies.

Thanx guys.

 

You could also chuck the bolts up in a drill press and pull the head down onto a flat file

Sent from my SM-G955U using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

Same deal over here Clem. If the engineer doing the sign off can't see the markings on the bolt heads he will make you change them. I prefer the industrial look of bolts with markings. Kind of says, "this car is as tough as the bolts holding it together".

 

Nothing wrong with looking good, as long as it's shiny and not lavender or pink or something else along those lines. Back in the day, hot rodders wanted to look cool, just not too many had money for chrome etc

 

Or where you want a fastener that won't rust.

 

If you want a lot of extra work, try registering a rod here that has no markings on front end bolts..."no markee, no drivee".

 

Thanx guys. I understand every comment and viewpoint. It just looks to me like bolts done up this way show that the owner/builder cares enough to go an extra mile.

 

Yup.
To me it seems like erasing the signature from a Monet or Rembrandt painting.

 

Some steel bolts don't rust. Not sure what they are how they are treated or plated with but they don't rust. Most are some sort of special use bolt though.

 

Supertanium maybe.
I'm not kidding, that's what they are called.
Google it.

 

Made by Premier Fasteners Co.

They were the official fastener supplier to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for years. Everybody around Indy had bins full of them.

I think they also made a bolt that was a grade down in strength called Tritanium.