• Amused
  • Angry
  • Annoyed
  • Awesome
  • Bemused
  • Cocky
  • Cool
  • Crazy
  • Crying
  • Depressed
  • Down
  • Drunk
  • Embarrased
  • Enraged
  • Friendly
  • Geeky
  • Godly
  • Happy
  • Hateful
  • Hungry
  • Innocent
  • Meh
  • Piratey
  • Poorly
  • Sad
  • Secret
  • Shy
  • Sneaky
  • Tired
  • Results 1 to 12 of 12

    Thread: Size hole for 3/8" bolt?

    1. #1
      Nightstorm's Avatar
      Nightstorm is offline Supporting Member
      This user has no status.
       
      Feeling:
      ----
       
      Join Date
      Sep 2007
      Location
      Fairfax, VA
      Posts
      829

      Size hole for 3/8" bolt?

      That's a fundamental question, I'm sure. I drilled a 3/8" hole and hammered a 3/8 bolt through, but it was tough. Can I just drill a 1/2" hole and put the bolt through that, using a washer on the nut side? Or would that be too loose and defeat the purpose?

      For context, this is for the construction of a 4' x 4' x 8' QT. Thanks!



      -- Chris

      Nightstorm's Pond Build

      "The right to be heard does not automatically include the right to be taken seriously." -- Hubert H. Humphrey

      "It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change" - C. Darwin



      • Remove Ads
        Advertising from Google
        Promoting Koi and Pond
        keeping since 2007

         

    2. #2
      Joey S's Avatar
      Joey S is offline Supporting Member
      This user has no status.
       
      Feeling:
      ----
       
      Join Date
      Jul 2006
      Location
      Jacksonville, FL
      Posts
      21,987
      Look at a ruler and compare 3/8 (6/16) to a 1/2 inch (8/16). I would try drilling 7/16. The 1/2 inch might be a tad big.
      For the love of Koi
      Don't Sweat the Small Stuff





      Lifetime Charter Diamond Member #4 WWKC

      JOIN THE WorldWide Koi Club NOW



      Certified Koi Keeper (CKK)

    3. #3
      BillJ is offline Senior Member
      This user has no status.
       
      Feeling:
      ----
       
      Join Date
      Oct 2004
      Location
      Illinois Quad Cities
      Posts
      3,641
      Try a 13/32 drill? In wood I guess I'd opt for the snug fit.

      Bill

    4. #4
      Joey S's Avatar
      Joey S is offline Supporting Member
      This user has no status.
       
      Feeling:
      ----
       
      Join Date
      Jul 2006
      Location
      Jacksonville, FL
      Posts
      21,987
      Quote Originally Posted by BillJ View Post
      Try a 13/32 drill? In wood I guess I'd opt for the snug fit.

      Bill
      Bill - you have 13/32 ? I probably do, but that's really cutting it close. Part of the tight fit and need to hammer it through could be alignment of the two pieces.
      For the love of Koi
      Don't Sweat the Small Stuff





      Lifetime Charter Diamond Member #4 WWKC

      JOIN THE WorldWide Koi Club NOW



      Certified Koi Keeper (CKK)

    5. #5
      Just Jessie's Avatar
      Just Jessie is offline Supporting Member
      is Loving Life
       
      Feeling:
      Awesome
       
      Join Date
      Mar 2006
      Location
      Arlington, Washington
      Posts
      13,918
      I don't have a 13/32, do they make one???? I would go with 7/16


      Jessie
      I SUPPORT OUR TROOPS
      I support and will defend my right to bear arms

      MY FAVORITE COLOR IS SHINY
      Lifetime Diamond Member #5 WWKC


      BORN AGAIN CHRISTIAN

      www.TickerFactory.com

    6. #6
      Nightstorm's Avatar
      Nightstorm is offline Supporting Member
      This user has no status.
       
      Feeling:
      ----
       
      Join Date
      Sep 2007
      Location
      Fairfax, VA
      Posts
      829
      Well, I was able to find a 13/32 at HD. I think this should be fine, since my test hole was just 3/8, and I was able to knock the bolt through with a block of wood. I'll let you know if that doesn't work. Thanks!



      -- Chris

      Nightstorm's Pond Build

      "The right to be heard does not automatically include the right to be taken seriously." -- Hubert H. Humphrey

      "It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change" - C. Darwin



    7. #7
      boggen's Avatar
      boggen is offline Senior Member
      This user has no status.
       
      Feeling:
      ----
       
      Join Date
      Jun 2005
      Location
      trivoli, IL
      Posts
      9,089
      would use washers regardless of what ya end up doing. wood is soft material. and is not rock. and after some time. the bolt head and nut will most likely start sinking in on there own into the wood, from the pure weight and pressure of water pressuing on everything.

      the washers will help keep the nuts and bolts from sinking into the wood and give a much stronger doing. more so when ya go to tighten up the bolt / nut. just tighting can easly cause a bolt or not to sink completely in. and in some cases could sink in far enough to actually split the wood.... heck just using a cheap battery drill to tighten things up. i can easly partially sink washers into most woods.

      a hammer is always nice to have handy as well once ya get drill bit size figured out. and just being able to tap a bolt through if need be.
      Last edited by boggen; 01-14-2008 at 02:12 PM.
      Pond and Construction Forum 101 good place for any first timers to the forum. for finding resources and general info.

      Ryan

    8. #8
      Yen is offline Senior Member
      This user has no status.
       
      Feeling:
      ----
       
      Join Date
      Apr 2007
      Location
      North Jersey
      Posts
      479
      When I built my 4x4x2.5 QT wooden tank using 2x4s, I used 1/2 drill bit for 3/8 bolts with washer. No problem.

      Yen

    9. #9
      BruceP's Avatar
      BruceP is offline Senior Member
      This user has no status.
       
      Feeling:
      ----
       
      Join Date
      Jul 2006
      Location
      Milwaukee, WI
      Posts
      3,155
      I countersink the depth of the bolt head/washer with a 1.125 spade bit and then drill a 13/32" hole for the 3/8" bolts. Be careful forcing a bolt thru a hole in wood..... you may increase the pressure on a flaw in the wood.
      Bruce

      "The significant problems we face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them." Albert Einstein

      Every good landscaping project starts with a hole!



    10. #10
      shizuka is offline Member
      This user has no status.
       
      Feeling:
      ----
       
      Join Date
      Jul 2007
      Location
      florida
      Posts
      96

      drilling

      As a general rule, drill 1/16th inch over the size of a bolt for wood, 1/32-1/64 for metal.
      always use washers. nyloc nuts are useful but can get expensive. all outdoor wood bolt applications use Locktite threadlocker.
      Robert
      Robert Myers
      Closed..probably for good. KHV kicked my butt.

      • Remove Ads
        Advertising from Google
        Promoting Koi and Pond
        keeping since 2007

         

    11. #11
      BillJ is offline Senior Member
      This user has no status.
       
      Feeling:
      ----
       
      Join Date
      Oct 2004
      Location
      Illinois Quad Cities
      Posts
      3,641
      Quote Originally Posted by boggen View Post
      would use washers regardless of what ya end up doing. wood is soft material. and is not rock. and after some time. the bolt head and nut will most likely start sinking in on there own into the wood, from the pure weight and pressure of water pressuing on everything.

      the washers will help keep the nuts and bolts from sinking into the wood and give a much stronger doing. more so when ya go to tighten up the bolt / nut. just tighting can easly cause a bolt or not to sink completely in. and in some cases could sink in far enough to actually split the wood.... heck just using a cheap battery drill to tighten things up. i can easly partially sink washers into most woods.

      a hammer is always nice to have handy as well once ya get drill bit size figured out. and just being able to tap a bolt through if need be.

      Just thought I'd add to that I'd use large(outside diameter),thick washers. Just small enough inside diameter to easily slide on but no bigger.

      Bill

    12. #12
      aartwmich's Avatar
      aartwmich is offline Insatiably Curious Ponderer
      This user has no status.
       
      Feeling:
      ----
       
      Join Date
      May 2004
      Location
      South West Michigan
      Posts
      3,724
      Quote Originally Posted by shizuka View Post
      As a general rule, drill 1/16th inch over the size of a bolt for wood, 1/32-1/64 for metal.
      always use washers. .....Robert
      Quote Originally Posted by BillJ View Post
      Just thought I'd add to that I'd use large(outside diameter),thick washers. Just small enough inside diameter to easily slide on but no bigger.
      Bill

      Ditto..Ditto

      Anne (the 'e' is silent) the Armchair Ponder


      Judge no one by their outward appearance or where they work or live or worship........but by the content of their character displayed in the integrity of their actions.

      • Remove Ads
        Advertising from Google
        Promoting Koi and Pond
        keeping since 2007

         

    Posting Permissions

    • You may not post new threads
    • You may not post replies
    • You may not post attachments
    • You may not edit your posts
    •