Customize Bolts for Your Projects!

In this episode i make some custom bolts out of standard DIN M6 allen bolts. I color them with the torch, and i shape them with grinders. Great for the use in all your Steampunk, rustic and oldstyle projects where new bolts just dont cut it!!

Step 1: STEP 1: Coloring the Bolts.

The first proces i like to show you is coloring your bolts with heat. This is not like painting or anything. The heat colors the bolt, and after the heat is off the color remains locked.

The heatchart can be found here:

http://i1018.photobucket.com/albums/af304/peeriewe...

Best way to see how it works is to check the first part of this film.

The photos show the results made in 5 minutes.

Be aware:

-Torch is hot! bolts will reach very hot temperatures.

- I use stainless bolts, since steel bolts can be dangerous because of their antirust layer,mostly zink wich is poisonnous when heated and inhaled.

Step 2: Step 2: Shaping Standard Bolts

If you buy your bolts like me, you buy them in huge packs so you can sa ve a lot of money per bolt. Bad side is that i have a lot of the same bolts. It is hard to find special bolts in normal hardwarestores and when you find them they turn out to be pretty expensive.

So, if you watch the second part of the video (video is in step 1), you can see a few ways of shaping.

-with a drill and a sander.

-with a drillpress and an anglegrinder.

-you could use a lathe if you have that.

...

In the above pictures you can see the results. Great for some of my steampunk projects where a need goldlike bolts, weird colors and odd, nonstandard shapes.

Hope this video can be some use to you.

have a nice day,

Jörgen