The Nuts and Bolts of

DRAWING BOLTS AND NUTS

CONTENTS OF SLIDE SHOW:

Slide #

Description

3-4

Just the Facts

5-6

Formulas & Calculations

How to Draw Bolts & Nuts

8-12

Hex Head

12-13

Layout of Bolt and Nut

Bolts and nuts arent normally drawn on detail drawings

unless they are of a special size or have been modified.
On some assembly drawings it may be necessary to show a
nut and bolt.
Conventional drawing practice is to show the nuts and bolt
heads in the across-corners position in all views.

JUST THE FACTS:

American National Standard bolts and nuts, metric and inch series,
are produced in the hexagon form, and the square form is only
produced in the inch series.
Both Inch and Metric Bolts are grouped according to their use.
Regular Inch Bolts general service square bolts only come in the
regular type hexagon bolts, screws and nuts and square nuts
are standard in both types
Heavy Inch Bolts heavier service or easier wrenching
Regular & Heavy Metric Bolts general service
High-Strength Metric Bolts & Nuts for structural bolting
Although square heads and nuts are chamfered at 30, and hexagon
heads and nuts are chamfered at 15-30, BOTH are drawn at 30
for simplicity.

Square bolts and nuts, hexagon bolts and hexagon flat nuts are
unfinished. Unfinished bolts and nuts are not machined on any
surface except for the threads.
Hexagon cap screws, heavy hexagon screws and all hexagon nuts,
except hexagon flat nuts, are considered finished to some degree and
are characterized by a washer face machined or otherwise formed
on the bearing surface.
The washer face is 1/64 thick (drawn 1/32), and its diameter is
equal to 1 times the body diameter D for the inch series.
In Metric, the washer face is approximately 0.5mm thick (drawn
1mm) and its diameter is equal to 1 times the body diameter D.
Lengths of bolts havent been standardized because of the endless
variety required by industry.
Short bolts are typically available in standard length increments of
(6mm), while long bolts come increments of to 1 (12 to 25mm).

Formulas for exact or close approximations of bolts & nuts

sizes based on diameter D of the bolt body for drawing
purposes:
REGULAR HEXAGON & SQUARE BOLTS & NUTS:
W=1D

H = 2/3 D

T = 7/8 D

W = width across flats, H = head height and T = nut height

HEAVY HEXAGON BOLTS & NUTS & SQUARE NUTS:
W = 1 D + 1/8 (or + 3 mm)
H = 2/3 D

T=D

The washer face is ALWAYS included in the head or nut height for
finished hexagon screw heads and nuts.

Thread Length Calculations:

Bolts or Screws up to 6 (150mm) in length
Thread length = 2D + (or +6mm)
Bolts or Screws over 6 in length
Thread length = 2D + (or +12mm)

These formulas can be used to approximate bolt sizes for drawing

purposes. However, there are charts and tables available in some
instances for more precise dimensioning in more detailed drawings.

How to Draw Hex Head Bolts & Nuts

The following slides will layout the
how to as to drawing bolts and nuts.

In the examples, we will use a 7/8

(.875) 9UNC Hex Head Bolt

Once youve drawn the bolt diameter and established the centerline,
by using : 2/3 * Dia. of the Bolt, lets set up the hex head for the bolt.
.666 * .875 = .58275 .603 5/8
The thickness or height of the
bolt head can be determined.
Extend the bolt centerline so
as to layout the head of the
bolt in a top view.

1 * Dia of the Bolt =

1 * .875 = 1.3125
1.3125 = the dia. of the
circle to be used to
circumscribe the 6sided polygon around.
Use construction lines to determine the
corners of the bolt head in the front
view.

Remember:
Generally bolt
heads and nuts
should be drawn
across corners in
all views.

Centerpoint

Horizontal line thru

endpoints of original arc.

When you get rid of your construction lines,

your finished Hex Head will look like the
one at left.

Okay, now youve got the head of the bolt drawn lets move on to the
threads and the nut.

Using the Hex Head of the bolt, draw

construction lines down the length of
the bolt. These will be used for
drawing the nut.

From the bottom of the bolt and using

and arbitrary dimension of , offset
the line up from the bottom of the
bolt. From that line, and using the
formula:
7/8 * D
= .875 & .875
= .7656
This gives us the approximate thickness of the nut as being
Using the same steps as when drawing
the hex head, you can now draw in the
nut at the lower end of the bolt.

Thanks for taking the time to go through this tutorial.

Any Questions, Comments or Complaints can be brought up at the
next class meeting or via email to the instructor.

References:
Helsel, Jay D. and Cecil Jensen. Engineering Drawing &
Design 5th/6th Ed. 1996. Glencoe McGraw-Hill. Westerville,
Ohio.