Bolt for mounting ledges?

[Grumbles]

What is it called?

I'm talking about the bolt that the wing nut and washers are on.

*Such as in this photo*
http://www.chins-n-hedgies.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=2384&d=1246923401

Thanks!

 

[alli713]

It's called a hanger bolt.

 

[Spoof]

I know where to find them, trying to remember the name.

You could probably walk into Lowe's or Home depot, head to the nuts/bolts section - they're always in the drawers. What you're looking for is a wood screw to metal screw.

Hanger bolts! Knew I'd remember.

 

[alli713]

they're not always in the drawers, so if you're looking through the drawers and don't see them, they're probably hanging up. I know here at the Home Depot they're in a bag hanging on the wall. At Menards they're in little plastic boxes that hang on the wall. I've found that Menards is the cheapest.

 

[Grumbles]

I know zinc hanger bolts are the cheapest, and those were the ones I purchased at something like $.50 a piece.

However I've heard zinc can be poisonous to chins? Will mine be fine considering I monitor how close she chews/exposes the bolt(s)? Or should she be fine?

Stainless were like $1.99 at the cheapest. :S

Thanks again!

 

[Spoof]

Mine are $.29 and I've never had a chin get to the bolt or screw holding in the ledge.

I guess if they ate the shelf right down to the nub it's a possibility. I used to get the zinc ones, but do whatever you're comfortable with.

Now I just get a wood screw and a washer, and screw away. I never really moved the ledges much, and when I did it was time for a new one. )

 

[Grumbles]

Is zinc always shiny? Haha, I'm pathetic, I know.

I used wood screws for the hiding hut, she loves it, I placed a little square ceramic tile up in it to keep her cool. The screws were not shiny like these zinc hanger bolts.

I'll probably just do your idea for safety.

 

[AZChins]

I just drill a hole in the side of the wood for the use of a lag screw and fender washer. I attach the ledge or shelf using a ratcheting wrench so I can get them in place in about 10 seconds. There's no hanger bolt hanging out that way...it's fairly flush to the side of the cage.

 

[Grumbles]

I like that idea a lot AZ, thanks.

I mean I know I could probably get by with these hanger bolts but I don't want to put my little chin in potential danger if it can be easily avoided.

What size of lag screws do you use off the top of your head?

Thanks again. :dance3:

 

[BooBoo*TheKiddo*]

Do the hanger bolts you guys use have screw like tips at one end?

 

[AZChins]

I get the 5/16" size in 1" lengths...I buy an entire box of 100 for around $10. The fender washers I get in 1 5/8" widths...with a 5/16" hole of course...they're about $14 for a box of 100 from Ace. These things are actually more expensive at the large home improvement stores, but we don't have a Menards here so it may be cheaper there or some place else.

I have a little ratchet wrench that has a 1/2" socket on it to drive in the screws - that's the size that the head of the 5/16" screw is. It's always there...I can move things around and put things back in very quickly.

I like the idea of the hanger bolts that make it easy to remove things by just taking off the wingnut...BUT, it takes me longer to do that. If I am scrubbing cages and putting in new ledges, I need to be able to do it fast. I've got about 130 cages here...so I have to clean cages and put in new wooden perches, shelves and ledges often.

 

[Spoof]

Two words: Power Drill.

A Woman's best friend.

 

[Grumbles]

Do the hanger bolts you guys use have screw like tips at one end?

Yep. Like this.
This one is specifically what I was looking for but they were so **** expensive for stainless steel or galvanized. You can use an acorn nut to screw it in with a ratchet.

 

[BooBoo*TheKiddo*]

ok. thats what I thought. I went to Lowes and found one that was called a Hanger Bolt that didn't have a screw at the end. I ask if they had them like that and was told no. ummm...i used the ones they had but they were much MUCH harder to get in.

 

[Spoof]

You can use an acorn nut to screw it in with a ratchet.

If you pre-drill a hole you can also put the machined side into your drill and screw it in. Only works with the higher quality ones, the really soft zinc ones will smash the threads a bit. Still pretty easy to re-thread those with a wing nut though. )