Original question: How do I name/ describe this bolt so that I can search for and purchase it?
I have a troublesome towel rack that I’ve been fighting with, off and on, for several years. After much analysis it turns out to simply be a very poor design, allowing one of the hollow towel rods to fall to the floor.
Closely examining the design there are a pair of existing 1/2” 40-TPI #5 machine screws that I could replace with shoulder bolts, and securely attach to the troublesome rod with set screws, but I have no idea how to search for a shoulder bolt with a head that will accept (hopefully pre-drilled and pre-tapped) set screws perpendicular to the bolt threads. While a single set screw on each bolt head would be ideal, I could need up to three, to ensure the rod is properly held in place. The “shoulder part” of the new bolt will need to be at least an additional 1/2”-3/4” long, on top on the 1/2” threaded part.
How do I describe and search for the bolt I need? How likely am I to find exactly what I’m looking for? If what I’m looking for isn’t readily available, what modifications do you recommend I make to this proposed design?
Thank you in advance!
The fully assembled towel rack. (The sides rotate apart letting the bottom rod fall.)
One of the screws to be replaced, the parts it fits together with, and inside the hollow rod.
close up of the troublesome joint assembled.
(I will need a “shoulder bolt” to extend through the funnel, and into the rod, where I can drill holes for the set screw.)
Best Answer
I would get a long threaded bar cut to length to use the existing threads in the end brackets.
Seems to be the simplest option and only needs cutting to length.