Bolting — Project Bolt Count & Hours
Total project bolts and field hours from pieces and connection intensity.
Bolts-per-piece times pieces is the labour estimate fabricators trust over tonnage rules: a connection-heavy job at 28 bolts/piece can need double the field hours of a simple one at 12, for identical tonnage.
Formula
Note: Erection-planning estimate only. Member weights, connection capacities and tolerances for execution must come from the issued drawings, the EOR and the erection engineer — never from a generic calculator.
Total project bolts and field hours from pieces and connection intensity. A free structural steel delivery & erection tool — no sign-up, no upload, instant results in your browser.
About Bolting — Project Bolt Count & Hours
Bolting — Project Bolt Count & Hours computes the governing relationship bolts = pieces × bolts/piece × (1+spares) live as you type. Bolts-per-piece times pieces is the labour estimate fabricators trust over tonnage rules: a connection-heavy job at 28 bolts/piece can need double the field hours of a simple one at 12, for identical tonnage. Defaults are pre-filled with realistic values for this exact scenario, and the worked example substitutes your numbers step by step so the math is never a black box.
How to use Bolting — Project Bolt Count & Hours
- 1Enter your values — Pieces, Bolts per piece (avg), Install rate, Loss/spares (sensible defaults are pre-filled).
- 2Read the live results: Bolts to order, Field bolting hours.
- 3Check the "with your numbers" line to see bolts = pieces × bolts/piece × (1+spares) substituted step by step.
- 4Adjust inputs until the scenario matches yours, then copy or share the result.
Why use Bolting — Project Bolt Count & Hours?
- ✓Instant, free and private — every calculation runs client-side in your browser; nothing is uploaded
- ✓Built on the stated formula bolts = pieces × bolts/piece × (1+spares) with authoritative sources cited on the page (RCSC — Specification for Structural Joints Using High-Strength Bolts; AISC 360 — Specification for Structural Steel Buildings)
- ✓Bolts-per-piece times pieces is the labour estimate fabricators trust over tonnage rules: a connection-heavy job at 28 bolts/piece can need double the field hours of a simple one at 12, for identical tonnage.
- ✓Niche-specific defaults give a meaningful worked answer the moment the page loads
Frequently asked questions
What formula does the bolting — project bolt count & hours use?+
It evaluates bolts = pieces × bolts/piece × (1+spares), exactly as published. Sources: RCSC — Specification for Structural Joints Using High-Strength Bolts; AISC 360 — Specification for Structural Steel Buildings. The substituted worked example on the page lets you verify every step against the textbook.
How should I read the result — and how far can I trust it?+
Bolts-per-piece times pieces is the labour estimate fabricators trust over tonnage rules: a connection-heavy job at 28 bolts/piece can need double the field hours of a simple one at 12, for identical tonnage. Erection-planning estimate only. Member weights, connection capacities and tolerances for execution must come from the issued drawings, the EOR and the erection engineer — never from a generic calculator.
When is this calculator the right tool for the job?+
Total project bolts and field hours from pieces and connection intensity. A free structural steel delivery & erection tool. Bolts-per-piece times pieces is the labour estimate fabricators trust over tonnage rules: a connection-heavy job at 28 bolts/piece can need double the field hours of a simple one at 12, for identical tonnage. For neighbouring scenarios, the related tools below cover the same engine with different presets.
Do I need to install anything or create an account?+
No. The tool is pure client-side JavaScript: open the page and it works, offline once loaded, with no account, no quota and no data leaving your device.
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