What is the point/purpose of square nuts?

[Steevo]

Personally I hate the square nuts on gutter bolts and would much rather have a proper hex nut that will fit a ring spanner.

Why do they exist and what benefit do they offer?

 

[Binc]

cheaper?

 

[Tim G]

Greater contact surface area.

 

[Lincsman]

3 spanner sizes fit!

 

[pycoed]

Harder to round off with stillsons

 

[Dry Rot]

Do modern implements have them? I can see they might start off square, then some bright spark suggests there'd be more grip with more sides. Square wheels didn't really catch on either.

 

[Lincs Lass]

Witworth ,,they were square .

 

[roscoe erf]

Work better with adjustable spanner’s

 

[robbie]

Do modern implements have them? I can see they might start off square, then some bright spark suggests there'd be more grip with more sides. Square wheels didn't really catch on either.

Shame the square wheel never caught 9n it would have been ideal for parking in hills.

 

[David1968]

Personally I hate the square nuts on gutter bolts and would much rather have a proper hex nut that will fit a ring spanner.

Why do they exist and what benefit do they offer?

I usually just buy a bag of 6mm hex nuts and use those.

 

[Sharpy]

I think the reason "gutter bolts" are supplied with square nuts is because originally they were made for holding joints on corrugated iron sheets and if you make the hole in the top of the corrugation when you insert the bolt the nut will self grip in the corrugation.

 

[essexpete]

Our local supplier will offer roofing/gutter bolts with hex nuts if required.