Home » Audio » Craftsmen » T-nuts, their care and feeding
Re: T-nuts, their care and feeding [message #29881 is a reply to message #29880] Sun, 11 February 2007 10:23 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Bob Brines is currently offline  Bob Brines
Messages: 186
Registered: May 2009
Location: Hot Springs Village, AR
Master
Lon,

Just to reiterate the advise from before, you CANNOT use t-nuts on both sides of the panel, only on the back side. Assuming that you hammered down both t-nuts, when you insert the bolts, it will probably not engage the threads on the rear t-nut properly and cause either the front, the back or both t-nuts to lift. If you did not set the t-nuts before inserting the bolt, neither t-nut will draw down.

Again, ONLY ONE T-NUT PER HOLE!!!

Bob


Re: T-nuts, their care and feeding [message #29882 is a reply to message #29881] Sun, 11 February 2007 11:41 Go to previous messageGo to next message
lon is currently offline  lon
Messages: 760
Registered: May 2009
Illuminati (2nd Degree)
What I have now is just a bolt through the front and tnut in the
rear. I managed to get the rear one inserted and placed with
a bar clamp. I drew down the nut by tightening the clamp because the
carcass was together already. The build sounds pretty good-- I tested it with my ears last night. But for permanent placement I need grilles.

I think I'm going to try that system that Bill Fitzmaurice talked
about using pet screen and snap together parts for making a screen door.
Those stiles and rails can be cut to length and width, come in several colors and the pet screen is stretched over the frame. All this stuff
is available at the Home Depot. If I have to surface mount the magnets
I'll just have to experiment.

Re: T-nuts, their care and feeding [message #29883 is a reply to message #29882] Mon, 12 February 2007 12:58 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Bob Brines is currently offline  Bob Brines
Messages: 186
Registered: May 2009
Location: Hot Springs Village, AR
Master
I find that the best way to seat t-nuts is to get a hex head bolt of the right size, place a washer on the outside of the panel and thread the bolt through the t-nut. now tighten down the bolt with a socket wrench or an end wrench until the t-nut is seated. This also guarantees the the t-nut will be square with the hole.

Bob


Re: T-nuts, their care and feeding [message #29961 is a reply to message #29883] Fri, 28 December 2007 07:08 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Jeffery L is currently offline  Jeffery L
Messages: 13
Registered: May 2009
Chancellor
I glue my T-nuts in with a urethane based adhesive or glue. It looks like hurricane nuts would work well.

Personally, I don't like the way T-nuts work, the design seems so flawed. Hurricane nuts look better, but I wouldn't use them with out a little adhesive on them. It's a real pain in the butt when one of them looses grip and you can't get it out.

Those threaded inserts are pretty cool. They work well in plywood and solid woods. They are crap in MDF or particle board, especially close to an edge. I just don't like the idea of something that threads into the wood to thread a bolt into it.

Re: T-nuts, their care and feeding [message #63059 is a reply to message #29961] Thu, 03 June 2010 16:22 Go to previous messageGo to next message
badman is currently offline  badman
Messages: 11
Registered: May 2009
Chancellor
Hurricane nuts work fine, so long as you coat the hole with glue prior to insertion (wood glue, or even white glue, work fine). You have to clean the threads when you do so. And don't hamfist it! If there's resistance when screwing in, back up and make sure you're properly aligned.

Bass is meant to be big. A 6.5" is not a woofer.
Re: T-nuts, their care and feeding [message #63060 is a reply to message #63059] Thu, 03 June 2010 19:27 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Wayne Parham is currently offline  Wayne Parham
Messages: 18670
Registered: January 2001
Illuminati (33rd Degree)

That's exactly how I do it too. I've done thousands of T-Nuts (literally) and I find it is really important to put a little glue on them. Nothing worse than trying to remove a T-Nut that is spinning in the wood.

There's a real trick to using these things properly. It's not so difficult, but important that they be done right. What works for me is to put a dab of poly glue on the outside of the T-Nut where it contacts the wood. Only used just a tad because it expands, a thin film is all that is needed. Then get a screw and washer, run them in and tighten down to pull the T-Nut in place. Tap the T-Nut ever so lightly to get it started, and hold it to prevent spinning, which would bend the tangs. But even if they do bend slightly, it's fine as long as the penetrate the wood. The glue is what really holds them in.

Do NOT tap them in place with a hammer, as most people think they should be installed. Nine times out of ten, the tangs just fold up underneath and don't penetrate the wood. The impact will often make them hold enough to stay in place while the screw is run down, and tightening pulls them into the wood enough to prevent spinning. But coming out is another story. They'll spin behind you and if you aren't lucky enough to get them to hold just enough to eventually unthread the screw, you'll be drilling them out, tearing up your driver and cabinet in the process.

Another tip: Don't use the same screw over and over again. It is tempting to do, but don't. After a few times, the screw has worn and/or stretched threads enough that it will damage T-Nuts. I like to use each screw once, and then leave it in place to be used later to install the driver.

Re: T-nuts, their care and feeding [message #63063 is a reply to message #63060] Thu, 03 June 2010 23:11 Go to previous messageGo to next message
badman is currently offline  badman
Messages: 11
Registered: May 2009
Chancellor
re: Screw thread distortion:

Just one more reason to use stainless every time. I always use stainless hardware and the only time I regret it is when I have to drill it out or the like.


Bass is meant to be big. A 6.5" is not a woofer.
Re: T-nuts, their care and feeding [message #63064 is a reply to message #63063] Fri, 04 June 2010 09:40 Go to previous message
badman is currently offline  badman
Messages: 11
Registered: May 2009
Chancellor
badman wrote on Thu, 03 June 2010 21:11
re: Screw thread distortion:

Just one more reason to use stainless every time. I always use stainless hardware and the only time I regret it is when I have to drill it out or the like.


Oops, you mean when someone uses a screw for pulling the nut into the wood. I agree, re-use of the same one would be an issue, particularly with softer screw materials.


Bass is meant to be big. A 6.5" is not a woofer.
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