Rag mop

[Davidss]

How do you screw a coach bolt into the end of the stale?

You drill a pilot hole, as when putting any large diameter screw in to a piece of wood with a small cross section. (Large and Small are relative to each other, obviously).

 

What's a diamond coach bolt? ...

I've made a few mops in the now rather distant past, generally used a rose head spike (I appreciate not everyone will have those to hand).

Diamond Coach Bolt, this American site refers to a Diamond Head Lag Screw, but it's the concept of a Diamond Head that is significant.

I've failed to find a link to the image that this forum will accept, but they can be seen here.

EDIT I've now found the same image on another site.

 

In return, perhaps you can display a "rose head spike" for those of us who not only think they don't "have those to hand", but don't actually know what to look for. :-)

 

HTH

Edited April 9, 2012 by Davidss

[Ray T]

What's a diamond coach bolt?

How do you screw a coach bolt into the end of the stale? Others have referred to using a coach bolt, I'm a bit mystified.

I've made a few mops in the now rather distant past, generally used a rose head spike (I appreciate not everyone will have those to hand), & a strip of tough leather as a washer, looped over the head of the spike so that the spike passes through it twice and the leather also shields the spike head from causing damage.

 

Tim

 

 

When I worked for BT they used coach bolts to hold the footsteps in place on the wooden telegraph poles (still do). They were always hammered in, never screwed even though they were machined with a screw thread.

 

Similar to the illustration shown by Davidss. The ones BT use are longer though.

 

 

Of interest is the pointed leading end.

Edited April 9, 2012 by Ray T

[Timleech]

You drill a pilot hole, as when putting any large diameter screw in to a piece of wood with a small cross section. (Large and Small are relative to each other, obviously).

 

 

Diamond Coach Bolt, this American site refers to a Diamond Head Lag Screw, but it's the concept of a Diamond Head that is significant.

I've failed to find a link to the image that this forum will accept, but they can be seen here.

EDIT I've now found the same image on another site.

 

In return, perhaps you can display a "rose head spike" for those of us who not only think they don't "have those to hand", but don't actually know what to look for. :-)

 

HTH

 

Those are Coach SCREWS. I must admit I've never come across them with Diamond heads. A Coach Bolt is a BOLT with a domed head & a thread for a nut.

 

I reckon the one you've seen had a Rose Head spike in it

 

I'll get a picture later & post it.

 

Tim

[Timleech]

 

 

I'll get a picture later & post it.

 

Tim

 

OK, three types of fastener, grabbed quickly in odd sizes:-

 

 

Random sizes, Coach Screw at the top (conventional square head, the most common type):

Two sizes of Coach Bolt:

Rose head Spike or Nail, commonly used in building wooden boats.

 

 

Rose Head spike in close up:-

 

 

Tim

Edited April 9, 2012 by Timleech

[Ray T]

Those are Coach SCREWS. I must admit I've never come across them with Diamond heads. A Coach Bolt is a BOLT with a domed head & a thread for a nut.

 

I reckon the one you've seen had a Rose Head spike in it

 

I'll get a picture later & post it.

 

Tim

 

Whether they are called screws or bolts really matters little, I think. But when I worked for BT they were always known as coach bolts which is why I refered to them as such.

 

The device in the mop at Stoke Bruerne did look like your last illustration. I have not heard of Rose Head Spikes before and I apparently eroneously though the fixing device was a diamond head bolt. You learn something every day. Possibly if rose head spikes are in short supply a diamond coach screw could be used.

Edited April 10, 2012 by Ray T

[steven wilkinson]

I would have called the top one a coach bolt, the next two roofing bolts - and I haven't come across the last one, so I don't have an alternative name for that!

 

Must be a regional thing!

Edited April 9, 2012 by steven wilkinson

[Timleech]

I would have called the top one a coach bolt, the next two roofing bolts - and I haven't come across the last one, so I don't have an alternative name for that!

 

Must be a regional thing!

 

A roofing bolt has a slotted head (usually a crossed slot) and no square under the head, which is there on a Coach Bolt to grip the wood so it doesn't turn when you tighten the nut. Roofing Bolts are usually 6mm dia, occasionally 8mm. The two bolts in my pic are 10mm and 16mm.

 

Hex head Coach Screws here

 

Tim

Edited April 9, 2012 by Timleech

[JohnO]

Ray, the rose head spike was preferred as a coach screw could unscrew if the mop was spun the wrong way. All the coach screws shown here are the nice old imperial 4 sided ones, nowadays they have a metric hex head.

[Davidss]

Ignoring the screw / bolt differences, it seems to my eyes that the Diamond Head and the Rose Head are essentially different names for the same style of head, so if faced with a pile of old fasteners we would have picked out the same design.

Going back to the beginning and re-reading Blossoms How-To, he may start with a Coach Bolt, but by judicious use of a grinder he converts it to a square section tapered 'nail' or spike, and then hammers it into a pilot hole.

OK, given the starting point, it's not going to have a Diamond or Rose head, but I think it operates in essentially the same manner.

 

I do note that the head isn't directly protected from damaging the surface being mopped, but I suspect as the mop is always held at an angle, and the tongues of material are concentrated at that point, the danger was felt to be minimised.

 

I afraid that for me this is armchair boating, and not likely to change, so practical experience outscores any suggestion of mine.

 

Cheers.

Edited April 9, 2012 by Davidss

[Speedwheel]

 

Tim

 

That's what I'm using but I can only find one amoung all my bits and pieces - you wouldn't have a couple more I could purchase from you would you Tim?

[Timleech]

That's what I'm using but I can only find one amoung all my bits and pieces - you wouldn't have a couple more I could purchase from you would you Tim?

 

I'm sure I can find a couple more, that one is about the right size for a mop.

 

I was taught at a very early age that screws are not very good into end grain, nails are better. Of course, if driving a substantial spike into a not very substantial mop stale, you have to be sure to get the pre-drilling spot on! I have salvaged one or two split stales by reinforcing them with metal ferrules.

 

 

Tim

[Speedwheel]

I'm sure I can find a couple more, that one is about the right size for a mop.

 

I was taught at a very early age that screws are not very good into end grain, nails are better. Of course, if driving a substantial spike into a not very substantial mop stale, you have to be sure to get the pre-drilling spot on! I have salvaged one or two split stales by reinforcing them with metal ferrules.

 

 

Tim

 

Thanks Tim.

 

I am using an inch and a half ash handle which I have put metal ferrules (35mm copper pipe) on the end (having turing the wood down a bit to make it fit flush) to prevent splitting.

[Doorman]

When I worked for BT they used coach bolts to hold the footsteps in place on the wooden telegraph poles (still do). They were always hammered in, never screwed even though they were machined with a screw thread.

 

 

If ever I found my fitters doing the same thing, I'd pinch all of their spanners from out of their toolbox. They soon learnt to fit screws properly after that!

[madcat]

If you don't get it right or the handle splits or aliens zap with the drop to bits death ray while zipping past in their space ship the head flies off the mop and goes spinning into the canal and sinks. Voice of experience here,you only see the aliens after a few pints otherwise sudden mop failure is another of lifes little mysteries.A bit like orbs n stuff.

[Doorman]

If you don't get it right or the handle splits or aliens zap with the drop to bits death ray while zipping past in their space ship the head flies off the mop and goes spinning into the canal and sinks. Voice of experience here,you only see the aliens after a few pints otherwise sudden mop failure is another of lifes little mysteries.A bit like orbs n stuff.

 

[Ray T]

For sale on eBay:

 

http://www.ebay.co.u...=item5ade81c767 3" ones

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/25-ROSE-HEAD-NAILS-2-1-2-Spike-Decorative-wrought-iron-new-140-7-/370583639213?pt=Architectural_Garden&hash=item56488194ad 2 1/2" ones

 

They are in the US though.

Edited April 11, 2012 by Ray T

[Tuscan]

Hi

 

I'm able to make a proper mop for you, and stripe paint it should you want that doing. PM me or call 07831 243001 and we can discuss options. I usually use an inch and a half ash shaft for the stick and make it about 6'6" long.

 

I look forward to hearing from you.

 

Dave

 

Picked up my mop today, really well made and painted. Thank you Dave a proper gent.

 

Mark

[Doorman]

Picked up my mop today, really well made and painted. Thank you Dave a proper gent.

 

Mark

 

Hi Mark,

 

any photo's of your new mop?

 

Mike

[Tuscan]

Ok will post tomorrow if I can work out how to upload a picture and. I'm not getting too wet.

 

Mark

[Ray T]

Following on from "What did you do on your boat today" thread.

 

My completed rag mop.

 

 

 

 

[Tuscan]

My ignorance how do you post a picture ?

Edited May 9, 2012 by Tuscan

[Ray T]

My ignorance how do you post a picture ?

 

Courtesy of Martin J G:

 

 

http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=38816

[Guest wanted]

My ignorance how do you post a picture ?

Go to imageshack.us, upload the pic and then copy and paste the forum code it gives you.

[Doorman]

Following on from "What did you do on your boat today" thread.

 

My completed rag mop.

 

 

 

Very nice too!

 

Can you please illustrate how you fastened the mop to the handle?

 

Mike

[Ray T]

Failing to own a propper spike I used one of these:

 

 

It is an old fashioned roof spike / nail / bolt / screw 4 1/2 inches long. I predrilled a hole in the stale after fitting a 6" long 32mm waste pipe collar. The collar was force fitted using a mallet and a hot air gun to soften the pipe.

To keep the mop material in place I put a hose tap head rubber washer with a recess and a stainless steel washer between the nail head and the washer so when rammed in hard the head of the nail is below the level of the recessed washer.

 

 

To stop the mop head from spinning I filled the hole with Gorilla glue before hammering the nail / screw whatever it is in.

 

Plastic waste pipe fitted to stale.

 

 

ETA. I put a blob of "No more nails" between each material strip as I built up the mop head. This in theory should keep the material in place.

Edited May 10, 2012 by Ray T