A devil bolt is a fraudulent fastener consisting of a bolt head with a short stub of a shank, driven into a hole to look like a fully installed structural bolt. It is an old, dishonest practice used to hide misaligned holes or missing hardware from quality inspectors. Discovering one usually triggers a complete structural audit.
Heard on the job
The inspector found a devil bolt tapped into the flange where the holes didn't line up.
Insider tip
Finding a devil bolt is grounds for immediate dismissal on any structural steel job.
Also heard as
- Dummy bolt