Cutting screws short

Metal Shop
1

Hi all.
I need to cut some screws short (screws that came with coat rack hooks, which are longer than I need).

Do we have screw shears at the DMS?

If not, what would you suggest as the next best/safe way to cut the screws short?

Thanks!

Alper

2

I would clamp them in a vise and use a cut-off wheel.

Hold each one with a pair of vise-grips and clean up the edge on a bench grinder when you’re done.

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3

you did not mention diameter of screws. I know that small machine screws can be sheared off using a certain type of wire stripper, crimper, etc. A method I use a lot is to screw on a nut, clamp in vise, cut off end with hacksaw, clean up a little with a file, and take off the nut. The nut straightens the threads when it is removed.

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4

I agree with @Jeremy, I’ve done it that way plenty of times. Be sure to make a chamfer on the end with the grinder after cutting it off. That gives the threads a nice lead in like they had originally.

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@dr_cee: I cannot tell the exact diameter of the screws but they are not that thick; the instructions call for 3/32 pilot holes.
Yes, a quick Google search showed the easiest way (for me at least), to use shears; I saw people using those to cut machine screws indeed.
Do we have such a shear at DMS?
Not sure if these screws can be cut that way though (what is the difference vs. machine screws?).

@Jeremy @zootboy:
I guess I will try cut-off wheel. I have 9 of these to cut, so a bit of patience then :smile:.

Thanks for the replies.

6

3-foot bolt cutters work amazingly well for cutting fasteners.

7

Machine screw refers to the size. 8-32, 10-24, etc, are machine screws. Your comment that your screws came w/ a coat rack and need pilot holes leads me to believe that they might be wood screws? If so, you can just cut them w/ quality side-cutters or bolt cutters. No need to clean up the threads.

8

I would recommend clamping to vice, and using the hacksaw to cut the bolt to length, that’s what I did for all my small metric bolts. Make sure you threat a nut first so when you back the nut out it threads the part you cut. Screw sheers smash the tip out of shape, and a cut off wheel is sucky in my experience but probably works better than sheers.

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