Replies

1. 
   douglas2cats | May 10, 2005 03:10am | #1

   Put a piece of 1/4-20 threaded rod (or bolt with the head cut off) in a drill press to get the first 3-4 turns going in straight. Put a couple of nuts on the opposite end to stop the bolt from threading past the bottom of the insert. Just rotate the chuck by hand, slowly turning it into the hole. Once you get it started in straight you can switch to a regular bolt and use a ratchet wrench to turn it in the rest of the way. I avoid using a screwdriver like the plague. The slots on the inserts (especially the brass ones) are too easy to foul up.

   Waddaya mean it wont fit through the door?

2. 
   bikenstock | May 10, 2005 03:14am | #2

   Hi Mark,

       If you take a 1/4-20 bolt, 1.5" to 2.5" long, and thread a nut onto it and then the threaded insert, you can then tighten the nut against the insert and drive the insert in by turning the nut with an open-end wrench.  The extra length of the bolt sticking out is useful for lining up to keep the insert straight.  As long as the bolt is a good vertical from the surface, the insert is straight. 

       Different manufacturers have different outside diameters on their inserts, so a drill size exactly the same to 1/64" bigger that the O.D. of the insert is probably best for hardwoods. There are likely other and better ways, but the above has worked for me.  Best wishes!

   Don

3. 
   Routerman | May 10, 2005 03:24am | #3

   This insert has a machine thread on the outside and one on the inside. The sample has a 5/16-18 inside thread. The 1/4-20 product has a 3/8-16 outside thread. To exploit: Drill a 5/16 hole, chamfer, tap, and turn the thing in x hand; no tricks. Whence home, press the keys home to lock it.

   Routers

1. 
   nikkiwood | May 10, 2005 06:39am | #5

   Pat,These are not commonly available -- at least I have never seen them from the usual sources. Where do you get them, and what exactly are they called?Thanks. "I would never die for my beliefs because I might be wrong."
   -- Bertrand Russell

   Edited 5/9/2005 11:40 pm ET by nikkiwood

1. 
   cwalvoord | May 10, 2005 09:41pm | #12

   Nikkiwood,
   I have found threaded inserts useful for a number of projects including building furniture, fixtures, and repairs around the house. McMaster Carr, http://www.mcmaster.com/ has a wide variety in brass and stainless steel (much more expensive). They have a huge variety of fasteners and the service is excellent. Hope that helps.

1. 
   nikkiwood | May 11, 2005 04:33am | #13

   thanks.is there anything McMaster doesn't sell?"I would never die for my beliefs because I might be wrong."
   -- Bertrand Russell

1. 
   KayakGreg | May 11, 2005 06:19am | #14

    

   <is there anything McMaster doesn't sell?>

   I don't think they have Grainger catalogs.

2. 
   byhammerandhand | May 12, 2005 05:20am | #15

   http://www.redtopscrews.com/ is a good source.

3. 
   kesac | May 15, 2005 09:14pm | #22

   Those are Keenserts. You can get them from any machinists supply. 

2. 
   forestgirl | May 12, 2005 07:02pm | #16

   Pat, where do we find that insert please??forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>) 

1. 
   Routerman | May 12, 2005 10:55pm | #17

   Dime a dozen at:

   http://www.mcmaster.com/

1. 
   forestgirl | May 13, 2005 02:35am | #19

   Thanks.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>) 

4. 
   PhillipB | May 10, 2005 05:41am | #4

   Mark,

   Douglas2cats does it like I do - exactly! The drill press will get them in straight every time.

   When I bought my first bag of 1/4-20 brass inserts, they had a T-handled wrench which was used to drive the inserts in. It does do this, but is of no help in getting the inserts in straight. Thus the drill press.

   I also lube up the inserts with parafin (wax) before I begin the drill-press insertion method. My Grandfather taught me this trick long ago.

   I drill a 3/8" hole for these inserts.

   Good luck!
   Phillip

5. 
   nikkiwood | May 10, 2005 06:47am | #6

   I've heard the drill press trick works well, but i have never used it.

   I got the special T-shaped tool (usually sold by whomever sells the inserts), but I really prefer an old slotted screwdriver that is wide enough to catch the slots on either side of the insert.

   Getting them absolutely straight does not seem critical; I like the screwdriver, since I can torque it one way or the other to keep the insert straight (by eye) as I am driving it home.

   Sorry, can't remember the hold size. But you can take your calipers and measure the body of the screw (not the threads), and drill a hole that would be that size.

   "I would never die for my beliefs because I might be wrong."
   -- Bertrand Russell

6. 
   BobMc | May 10, 2005 08:18am | #7

   I took a piece of scrap 4x4, drilled a 5/16" hole through the center, drilled about a 3/4" hole centered on one end of the 5/16 hole deep enough to take the insert plus a jam nut, put a long hex-head bolt through the 5/16 hole, went to the threaded end sticking out through the 3/4" hole, put on a jam nut, then threaded the insert on, tightened the jam nut against the insert, and partied away with a wrench.  Of, course, I left the party early, and drove the insert slowly home the last few threads.

   I have also cut a V in an insert to make it "self-tapping", then used the same method to establish the threads in hardwood. 

1. 
   MarkRD | May 10, 2005 02:00pm | #8

   Well there's no shortage of experience with the threaded inserts...Thanks all. Just in case you are curious about how I'm using them - I'm making knobs for a TS safety device.I'll post a pic when it's done.Mark

   Measure it with a micrometer, mark it with chalk, cut it with an ax.

7. 
   MarkRD | May 10, 2005 04:11pm | #9

   You should know me by now... I don't buy it if I can make it, I don't make it if I SHOULD buy it...

   Mark

   Measure it with a micrometer, mark it with chalk, cut it with an ax.

8. 
   DougF | May 10, 2005 04:50pm | #10

   Mark,

   I use a slightly diffferent approach that eliminates alignment problems and tear out that can occur when making the initial cut.  First, I only use inserts with hex slots which eliminates any distortion due to a screwdriver blade slipping or not being the exact width.  I take a scrap piece of 5/16 hard maple and tap the hole to match my inserts.  I clamp the scrap over the hole and drive the insert with a long T-handle allen wrench.  I get perfect alignment as well as no tearout.  I also use a bit of wax on the threads.

   Doug

9. 
   MarkRD | May 10, 2005 09:29pm | #11

   I've actually decided to abandon the threaded inserts and use T-nuts instead. This is not a "pretty" application so t-nuts should be fine....

   Mark

   Measure it with a micrometer, mark it with chalk, cut it with an ax.

10. 
    Ricks503 | May 12, 2005 11:05pm | #18

    WoodSmith #107  and WOOD #135  have plans for some shopmade installers jigs that work real well

     

     

    1 - measure the board twice

    2 - cut it once

    3 - measure the space where it is supposed to go

    4 - get a new board and go back to step 1

11. 
    WillGeorge | May 13, 2005 08:48pm | #20

    I hammer mine in!

12. 
    kesac | May 15, 2005 09:11pm | #21

    go to http://WWW.mcfeelys.com.  They will show you/sell you everything your little heart desires to work with those things.

13. 
    WillGeorge | May 17, 2005 09:23pm | #23

    I did and as usual they thought I was nuts!