Library › Hardware › Fasteners ·

Shoulder screws ASME B18.3 (inch): shoulder Ø 1/4 to 3/4 in, thread, head size, hex key, thread length

What are the dimensions of an ASME B18.3 inch socket shoulder screw: shoulder diameter, thread, head diameter and height, hex key, thread length? · Standard part · basis: ASME B18.3-2003 shoulder screw tables as published by AFT Fasteners and Holo-Krome; McMaster-Carr linked for CAD

Also called: shoulder bolt dimensions inch, shoulder screw dimensions, 1/4 shoulder bolt, 3/8 shoulder bolt dimensions, 1/2 shoulder bolt 3/8-16, 5/16 shoulder screw 1/4-20, asme b18.3 shoulder screw, shoulder bolt hex key size, socket shoulder screw head diameter, shoulder screw step, shoulder bolt stl inch

Exact dimensions. True size, with no printing tolerance added.

sizes
6 in table

Notes

  • ASME B18.3 socket shoulder screws: the shoulder diameter is the size name (1/4 in shoulder = #10-24 thread, 5/16 = 1/4-20, 3/8 = 5/16-18, 1/2 = 3/8-16, 5/8 = 1/2-13, 3/4 = 5/8-11). The shoulder is ground slightly under nominal (for 1/4 in: .2480 / .2460 max / min; 5/16: .3105 / .3085; 3/8: .3730 / .3710; 1/2: .4980 / .4960; 5/8: .6230 / .6210; 3/4: .7480 / .7450 or .7460), so a bore for it is nominal plus your clearance.
  • Two independent tables (AFT Fasteners' B18.3-2003 sheet and Holo-Krome's shoulder screw sheet) agree on shoulder D max / min, head diameter A, head height H, hex key J, key engagement T and thread length E for all six sizes. Only the .7450 vs .7460 minimum for the 3/4 in shoulder differs. Other columns (neck diameters, fillet radii, chamfer C) are printed in both but their column assignment was ambiguous in extraction, so they are not used.
  • Shoulder length is the dimension you select; the two sheets above do not print a length range, so no standard lengths are claimed here. Shoulder length tolerance: −.02 in up to 3/8 in shoulder, −.03 in above (AFT). McMaster-Carr carries these in inch sizes (shoulder length in 1/8 in or 1/4 in steps by size); the category links are below.
  • Files: six solids, one per size, with an example 1 in (25.4 mm) shoulder length. Thread is drawn as a plain cylinder at the nominal major diameter (from the thread designation; #10 = .190 in) over the thread length E; head diameter and height are the maxima; socket depth is the minimum key engagement T. No chamfers, fillets or thread neck. Left out: larger shoulders (1 in and up), which neither sheet's text carried legibly.
  • Metric ISO 7379 shoulder screws are on the companion page.

Shoulder screws ASME B18.3 (inch): shoulder Ø 1/4 to 3/4 in, thread… size chart

shoulder Ø D (nominal)threadhead Ø A (max), in (mm)head height H (max), in (mm)hex key J, in (mm)key engagement T (min), inthread length E, in (mm)
1/4 (6.35 mm)#10-240.375 (9.52)0.188 (4.78)1/8 (3.17)0.0940.375 (9.52)
5/16 (7.94 mm)1/4-200.438 (11.13)0.219 (5.56)5/32 (3.97)0.1170.438 (11.13)
3/8 (9.52 mm)5/16-180.562 (14.27)0.250 (6.35)3/16 (4.76)0.1410.500 (12.70)
1/2 (12.70 mm)3/8-160.750 (19.05)0.312 (7.92)1/4 (6.35)0.1880.625 (15.88)
5/8 (15.88 mm)1/2-130.875 (22.22)0.375 (9.52)5/16 (7.94)0.2340.750 (19.05)
3/4 (19.05 mm)5/8-111.000 (25.40)0.500 (12.70)3/8 (9.52)0.2810.875 (22.22)

Where the files are

Other publishers' files are linked, not hosted. "verify" = check the license at the link before commercial use.

AFT FastenersSocket shoulder screw dimensions (alloy steel), ASME B18.3-2003webPublisher's page; dimensions are facts
Holo-Krome (Global Industrial PDF)Socket shoulder screw dimensions (D, A, H, J, T, E)webPublisher's page; dimensions are facts
McMaster-CarrSteel shoulder screws (inch and metric) (free STEP/IGES per part, for your own design use; no redistribution)STEP, IGES, PDFMcMaster-Carr site terms: personal design use, no redistribution verify
McMaster-CarrShoulder screws, ISO 7379 filter (free STEP/IGES per part, for your own design use; no redistribution)STEP, IGES, PDFMcMaster-Carr site terms: personal design use, no redistribution verify

Free files

★ Free files 6 parts. Generated by Xem Studio from the standard; threads are plain cylinders at major diameter. CC BY 4.0. index.json

shoulder-screw-b18-3-1-4in-shoulder-no10-24ASME B18.3 shoulder screw, 1/4 in shoulder (Ø6.35 mm) × 1 in (25.4 mm) long, thread #10-24 × 0.375 in (9.52 mm) drawn as a plain Ø4.83 mm cylinder, head Ø0.375 × 0.188 in (max), 1/8 in hex socket 0.094 in deep (key engagement min); the 1 in shoulder length is an example, not a published value; no chamfers, fillets or thread neckSTEP · STL
shoulder-screw-b18-3-5-16in-shoulder-1-4-20ASME B18.3 shoulder screw, 5/16 in shoulder (Ø7.94 mm) × 1 in (25.4 mm) long, thread 1/4-20 × 0.438 in (11.13 mm) drawn as a plain Ø6.35 mm cylinder, head Ø0.438 × 0.219 in (max), 5/32 in hex socket 0.117 in deep (key engagement min); the 1 in shoulder length is an example, not a published value; no chamfers, fillets or thread neckSTEP · STL
shoulder-screw-b18-3-3-8in-shoulder-5-16-18ASME B18.3 shoulder screw, 3/8 in shoulder (Ø9.52 mm) × 1 in (25.4 mm) long, thread 5/16-18 × 0.500 in (12.70 mm) drawn as a plain Ø7.94 mm cylinder, head Ø0.562 × 0.250 in (max), 3/16 in hex socket 0.141 in deep (key engagement min); the 1 in shoulder length is an example, not a published value; no chamfers, fillets or thread neckSTEP · STL
shoulder-screw-b18-3-1-2in-shoulder-3-8-16ASME B18.3 shoulder screw, 1/2 in shoulder (Ø12.70 mm) × 1 in (25.4 mm) long, thread 3/8-16 × 0.625 in (15.88 mm) drawn as a plain Ø9.52 mm cylinder, head Ø0.750 × 0.312 in (max), 1/4 in hex socket 0.188 in deep (key engagement min); the 1 in shoulder length is an example, not a published value; no chamfers, fillets or thread neckSTEP · STL
shoulder-screw-b18-3-5-8in-shoulder-1-2-13ASME B18.3 shoulder screw, 5/8 in shoulder (Ø15.88 mm) × 1 in (25.4 mm) long, thread 1/2-13 × 0.750 in (19.05 mm) drawn as a plain Ø12.70 mm cylinder, head Ø0.875 × 0.375 in (max), 5/16 in hex socket 0.234 in deep (key engagement min); the 1 in shoulder length is an example, not a published value; no chamfers, fillets or thread neckSTEP · STL
shoulder-screw-b18-3-3-4in-shoulder-5-8-11ASME B18.3 shoulder screw, 3/4 in shoulder (Ø19.05 mm) × 1 in (25.4 mm) long, thread 5/8-11 × 0.875 in (22.22 mm) drawn as a plain Ø15.88 mm cylinder, head Ø1.000 × 0.500 in (max), 3/8 in hex socket 0.281 in deep (key engagement min); the 1 in shoulder length is an example, not a published value; no chamfers, fillets or thread neckSTEP · STL
Let your AI pull this. Add https://xemstudio.com/mcp to Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor or any MCP client (free, no account, one minute) and it can look up exact sizes, mating fits and free STEP/STL from every chat.
Set it up →

Plain text: sheet.txt · JSON: /api/geometry?object=shoulder-screws-asme-b18-3

Shoulder screws ASME B18.3 (inch): shoulder Ø 1/4 to 3/4 in, thread, head size, hex key, thread length, isometric render of a generated part
Render of shoulder-screw-b18-3-1-2in-shoulder-3-8-16 from the free STEP; not to scale.

Fits with

Questions

What thread does a 1/2 in shoulder bolt have?

3/8-16 with a 0.625 in long thread, 3/4 in head Ø × 5/16 in tall (0.312), 1/4 in hex key.

What hex key fits a 5/16 in shoulder screw?

5/32 in: the 5/16 in shoulder (1/4-20) screw has a .438 in head, .219 in tall, and a 5/32 in socket.

What is the shoulder diameter tolerance?

Ground under nominal: 1/2 in shoulder is .4980 max / .4960 min.