Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Where to Look for Eye Bolts and Dowels or Other Hardware Materials

Hardware items encompass a large number of parts and pieces important for various types of construction. Eye bolts, dowels, nuts & washers are small pieces of hardware items that fasten parts of a structure or furniture in place. For average persons, it can be difficult to differentiate one from another. Would you know where to find these items when you go to a hardware store to look for them?

Here is a breakdown of the four different pieces, their description and uses.

Eye bolts and Dowels

An eye bolt is a type of screw with a looped end used for tying cables. It is commonly used for hanging paintings or picture frames by a string to a wall. Other uses include as a locking mechanism or for building clothesline.

Dowels or dowel rods, on the other hand, are cylindrical rods used as either connectors between different parts of furniture, or fasteners. Examples of these are for connecting two wheels in toys, cabinet making, and supporting tiered wedding cakes. You can also get smaller variations of rods called dowel pins. Dowels come either in plastic, steel, or wood.

The main purpose of both eye bolts and dowels are to support two objects together. Without them, it can be impossible to build simple and stable structures.

Nuts & washers

These pieces are fasteners for bolts. The difference, however, comes from their appearance.

Nuts are thick hexagonal fasteners with a threaded hole at the center. Machines, structures or furniture frequently exposed to vibrations need fasteners to secure the screws in place. Different types of screws and bolts can easily rotate out of a socket due to vibrations or shock. Machines will break apart if the screws come off.

This can cause grave damages to properties or even cause injuries.

Washers are simpler types of fasteners, which are flat with a hole at the center. They come in different shapes and sizes. Different types include flat, split, star, and insulated washers. Like nuts, these items aim to fasten screws and act as spacers. Steel and plastic are the most commonly used type of washers. Plastic washers are typical for faucets and valves. For steel, they prevent galvanic corrosion or the deterioration of two joint metal objects due to electrical contact.

You can easily find these items at the hardware store when you know their differences and purposes. If you cannot find eye bolts, dowels, nuts & washers in your local store, it is easier to purchase them online. Web retailers offer full description of their items; you can quickly browse through the items and find exactly what you need. Most web stores include images of the products they sell. Sizes and dimensions can be crucial to construction or repair so make sure you get the right materials. Online stores offer discounted deals and free shipping so it will save you time, money, and energy.

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