Aluminum GH channel nut / bolt size - Charley's

15 years ago

I have a Charley's Soalr-Gro GH, but I'm reasonably sure the nut / bolt size I'm seeking also is used on other brand aluminum greenhouses. In order to bolt aluminum wall & roof bars together, the individual bars in my GH have a channel in each bar. This channel accepts a very specific size nut / bolt combination. The nut is 1/4-inch and the bolt lengths are typically 1/2 or 3/4 inches long. This is all fairly common, however the the tricky part that makes the bolt hard to find, is the size of the head on the bolt. For some reason the head is smaller than a standard 1/4-inch bolt head. This smaller head fits in the aluminum channel and slides into position and locks the head so it can be bolted....a standard 1/4-inch bolt will not fit in the channel. Charley's lists the bolts / nuts as 10mm, but having taken the bolt to Lowes & Home Depot, they confirm it's 1/4-inch...and of course neither have a bolt that will work.

Charley's sells these bolts for $7 for 10 and we need quite a few for irrrigation / misting, shade cloth, and everything else you need to hang on a wall of roof rafter.

Anyone find an on-line source for these bolts for a better price than 70-cents each?

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Comments (14)

greenhouser2
15 years ago
Charlies is the most expensive GH seller I've come across. It looks like it's proprietary item so you have no choice.
funnylady
15 years ago
Go to a Fastenal store and they can get the correct size for you. The metric 10 I got frm them was thiner than the regular metric 10. Fastenal is also on line.
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fuzzymoto
Original Author
15 years ago
I've checked with Fastenal and I'm awaiting their reply. I'm sure this is a common bolt among more than one greenhouse so it should be out there somewhere other than Charley's. We've had mixed results with Charley's accessories. Some are WAY overpriced and a few are competatively priced, especially when you apply their lifetime discount for purchasing your GH from them. They've been very helpful to us but I wish their accessory prices were more reasonable overall.

It's an odd-sized head on the bolt, but I guarantee Charley's buys it from someone.
birdwidow
15 years ago
Fuzzy-

Charlie's doesn't buy the bolts from anywhere. They are supplied with the GH kits by the mfg., so if you can contact the mfg. of your GH, they might be your best source.

At least that was the case with my Cross Country. I couldn't find the SS hex heads to fit anywhere so called BC and they sent a bag of them to me. The nuts were easy; a standard item at our local home center @ around $5.00 for a bag of 100.

It that odd head sized bolt by any chance; a SS hex head?
fuzzymoto
Original Author
15 years ago
hi birdwidow..

Other than Charley's Solar-Gro I don't know who makes my GH so as much as I think it's a good idea, I wouldn;t know who to contact.

They are stainless steel hex head bolts, but the head is smaller than a standard stainless hex. Here's the link to the actual bolt:

http://www.charleysgreenhouse.com/index.cfm?page=_productdetails&productid=1466&s=bolt&cid1=-99&cid2=-99&cid3=-99

I've check Home Depot, Lowes and even our small hardware stores...they have nothing that matches.

Here is a link that might be useful: Bolt
web4deb
15 years ago
Stainless bolts tend to be expensive. Try searching on Mcmaster.com. Maybe item # 91287A167 will fit. They have a diagram with detailed measurements so you should be able to compare it against your bolt. You probably can get away with using standard english treaded bolts....it may be a lot less expensive! Also search for t-bolts.
fuzzymoto
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks I'll check it out. It seems to be the head width and head height that allow it (or prevent it) from fitting. I've been checking out the TBolts but most are UK and don't appear to fit or if they do fit they spin freely without locking.
birdwidow
15 years ago
Hi Fuzzy.

Is it possible that your Solar-Grow is in fact, a BC product? I don't know, other than the fact that Charlie's is a BC distributor and applies their own name to BC GH's, but it won't cost you a cent to call BC's 800 #, talk to Kyle, and ask him.

If it is, you are saved. Just give him a CC # and within days and about $20.00, you will have a whole bag of those odd little SS bolts.

Regardless of where you get extras, DO NOT use anything BUT SS anywhere on those aluminum polybars.
fuzzymoto
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks....I'll check into it. Does BC have a website??...I'm sure I can pick out mine in a picture if it is a BC product.
birdwidow
15 years ago
Fuzzy,

http://www.bcgreenhouses.com/

Lots of photos, along with an 800# and the more I think on it, the more I'm inclined to believe you may have a BC with a Charlie's label because of the odd head dims. on hex head bolts that Kyle (BC cust. serv. mgr.) gave me to understand were custom mfg. for BC.

I hope so, because it would sure make things easier for you.

Good luck!
fuzzymoto
Original Author
15 years ago
The photos look pretty close so I'll check in with them. I assume their prices are better than Charleys??
birdwidow
15 years ago
The best price I found for any BC GH was ACF, but regardless of the price for the GH, if, and that's still IF yours is a BC made GH, unless they have changed their procedures in the last 3 years, if you want parts, you need to go to the mfg.

That's one of the reasons I bought a BC. Direct from the mfg. customer service.

But we won't know until you ask. Get an exact measurement of the bolt head before you call. If it's a match to BC's, they will know.
katfan
13 years ago
I purchased my greenhous from Florian in SC. It looks like that they use the same cannel T bolts. Thus far, they have sent me a few extra that I requested. However I'm going to need several and will soon find out if they will sell me some at a reasonable price. However, it appears that All American Products may have the T bolts. Check out their web site at: www.allamericanproducts.com/toolng/337-00.htm

Good Luck
fuzzymoto
Original Author
13 years ago
Thanks...that T-bolt doesn't match but I'll keep looking. Fortunately I haven't had a need in a while, but I'm sure I will again soon.

Aluminum GH channel nut / bolt size - Charley's

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Aluminum GH channel nut / bolt size - Charley's

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