Alternative to tee-nuts?

[DAVID_L_PERRY]

Ive never had any problem driving Tee nuts true into the wood...............Easy and so far 100% successful............

+1

I normally pull/push the T nut into the wood using a 'G' clamp if I can, otherwise I will use a bolt and large flat washer to stop the bolt digging in.

Dave

[fender3x]

Ive never had any problem driving Tee nuts true into the wood...............Easy and so far 100% successful............

+1

I normally pull/push the T nut into the wood using a 'G' clamp if I can, otherwise I will use a bolt and large flat washer to stop the bolt digging in.

Dave

Thanks, Dave.

I have had trouble with them, all the way back to when I started using them on hurricane shutters...so I am grateful for all the advice and counsel!

Since I have 50 hurricane nuts (thanks to PE), I have been doing some experimenting. In all three of my n=1 experiments, I have pulled the nut into place with a bolt and washer. May have to try the G-clamp approach. In any case, the bolts are in solid, and don't seem like they will move or strip. 1st one went in with no adhesive, 15/64" hole. 2nd also in a 15/64"hole, with GG on the shaft. Bill is certainly right, The fit is so tight that I am sure no adhesive stayed on the shaft, but there was a lot on/around the base. This morning, tried the same with a 1/4" hole.

In the first two "experiments, I used a #10 washer with the bolt I was pulling the nut into place with. That quite a dimple in the other side of the wood. This morning I used a caul with a 1/4" hole in it as a "washer" and a 1" washer on top of that. That seems to have pulled the nut in straight, and there is no dimple.

I will be continuing to use the GG, but I am not sure that it really needs it. These nuts are MUCH better than the spikey ones I have used before, and do not look as though they will pull out or spin without considerable abuse.

The irony is that I used some of the spikey ones to make my hurricane shutters. Now I know that when they fail, I should replace them with the real-deal. Funny that in Miami, hardware stores regularly carry t-nuts but not h-nuts!

[Tim A]

I will be continuing to use the GG, but I am not sure that it really needs it. These nuts are MUCH better than the spikey ones I have used before, and do not look as though they will pull out or spin without considerable abuse.

Trust me, they will. And without too much difficulty. The only advantage to the HN over the TN in IMO is there are no spikes to stick out if your mounting a driver on a round opening. You can use them as opposed to beveling the driver cutout for the T-nuts. I've had them both pull loose before.

Pull them in, use the GG.

When I use them or T-nuts, I start them first, then put a dab of GG on the shaft/base before I pull them in. It's a lot less messy. Whatever gets scraped off the shaft will stay on the base. You only need a drop.

[fender3x]

Pull them in, use the GG.

When I use them or T-nuts, I start them first, then put a dab of GG on the shaft/base before I pull them in. It's a lot less messy. Whatever gets scraped off the shaft will stay on the base. You only need a drop.

Sold! I'll do it that way. I have been applying the GG as you suggest. Nice to know that's the way the man in the hat does it.

[fender3x]

[quote="Tim Ard]Trust me, they will. [/quote]

Not like I didn't trust you before, but I spun one this morning.

I was mounting the driver, just to see that everything would mount up well before putting the baffle in place in my DR250 build... I got all but one in, and I spun that one.

What I was trying to do was get the foam in a Deltalite 2510 to compress all the way so that metal was touching the wood. That appears to be too tight.

I have not mounted one of these before...in the past I have used drivers with cardboard surrounds, so compression was not really an issue.

I tapped all the remaining bolts, and replaced a couple of screws that came out damaged. I drilled out the hole left by the offending t-nut, and put in a 1/2" dowel. While the PL sets I have some time to think...

Any suggestions for getting this just tight enough? Will experiment again.

I am so bad with these little suckers that I am tempted to replace all the t-nuts with dowels and screws. If one of those ever goes bad, you can always drill out the dowel, put a new one in and start over. If one of these t-nuts goes bad, I shudder to think what I'd need to do to deal with it.

[Bill Fitzmaurice]

I was mounting the driver, just to see that everything would mount up well before putting the baffle in place in my DR250 build... I got all but one in, and I spun that one.

The key is not to force the issue. If the bolt binds even a little take it out and chase the threads. When mounting drivers go around the bolt circle driving each with just a turn or two before moving on to the next; with the foam gaskets on Eminence it make take four or five go-arounds before they're completely seated.

[Tim A]

Nice to know that's the way the man in the hat does it.

Billy Gibbons is a cabinet building mofo!

[fender3x]

I knew there was something familiar about that Ard fella's avatar...

The key is not to force the issue. If the bolt binds even a little take it out and chase the threads. When mounting drivers go around the bolt circle driving each with just a turn or two before moving on to the next; with the foam gaskets on Eminence it make take four or five go-arounds before they're completely seated.

Will print this out in big, bold letters to put on the door of my workspace. Thanks.

[LelandCrooks]

I don't know how you'd translate it to another tool, but the clutch on my bosch set to 4 will precisely pull the foam surrounds down. It slips just as it touches the frame. Do it like a head gasket, working opposites, a little at a time just like the man says. Hex head cap screws are also far better than a phillips screw.

[fender3x]

Hex head cap screws are also far better than a phillips screw.

I am using these... I repaired the one that spun, and let it sit for a good long time. Got it in and down to the frame-on-wood this morning. Mostly I used an T-handled driver, and did it the way Bill said, a couple of turns per screw until it was down.

It's all glued into the cab now, so hopefully, I have it down now for when I do the final mounting of the driver.

Thanks for all the help.