Finally starting my build

[jcmbowman]

So, I'm having trouble chasing the threads out on h-nuts: I don't have enough finger power to do it without vise-grips to hold them, but the jaws leave nasty ugly marks on the edges. Any suggestions besides a bench vise (I have one I inherited from my brother, but no place to mount it)?

If it's that difficult to chase the threads, you might be using an ineffective technique (read: you're doing it wrong).

with a tap, as soon as you hit a little bit of difficulty, back it up a bit and go back and forth over that spot until it moves smoother, A little bit at a time is a lot easier.

[el_ingeniero]

is that why they give you a wrench that gives you at least 10:1 leverage to put the tap into?

[jcmbowman]

Okay - I should amend my statement - slow and easy works best when you're dealing with little pieces like a hurricane nut. If you're tapping the threads on a nut that's welded to your car frame, that's a different story.

[Rune Bivrin]

I'm more than a little bit curious here:

Why in the name of everything holy would anyone need to re-tap a new-out-of-the-box nut? In all the years I've used t-nuts I have never even once come across one where the screw didn't fit straight away. No force whatsoever needed to get it in.

I can understand that you might need to chase it free from epoxy if you've had an unfortunate gluing experience, but that should definitely be a low force thing.

I'm thinking this might be a case where the tap doesn't go in to the existing threads, and so you wind up re-threading them and ruining them in one fell swoop.

[Jon Barnhardt]

I'm thinking this might be a case where the tap doesn't go in to the existing threads, and so you wind up re-threading them and ruining them in one fell swoop.

+1

[el_ingeniero]

I'm thinking this might be a case where the tap doesn't go in to the existing threads, and so you wind up re-threading them and ruining them in one fell swoop.

+1

turns out somehow I switched to a 10-24 tap that night.

Last night I was able to clean 16 H-nuts and 16 bolts with low force. After that the H-nuts could spin on the bolts, which is as it should be.

[Rune Bivrin]

I'm thinking this might be a case where the tap doesn't go in to the existing threads, and so you wind up re-threading them and ruining them in one fell swoop.

+1

turns out somehow I switched to a 10-24 tap that night.

Last night I was able to clean 16 H-nuts and 16 bolts with low force. After that the H-nuts could spin on the bolts, which is as it should be.

Only verifies a favorite saying of mine: "Strong, stubborn and stupid is a deadly combination"

[el_ingeniero]

OK, so tonight I was able to finish off the last 2 baffles. Didn't take more than 15 minutes per baffle, easy-peasy.

For posterity:

1) I cleaned the threads on all the h-nuts, and on 8 bolts,making sure each nut turned freely on the bolt.

2) drilled 1/4" holes all around. Put a bolt in each hole and threaded on a h-nut finger tight, so the barbs were just against the lip of the hole.

3) mixed up a batch of epoxy, applied liberally to the barrel of all 8 nuts, and the wood around the hole.

4) used an allen key mounted on a shorty ratchet wrench, they all got sucked down like a fools innards into a pool drain, no spinning at all.

5) backed off each bolt a couple of turns, then took them out with my fingers.

6) cleaned up the epoxy drips with a paper towel.

After using the tap and die set, the h-nuts would spin down the threads of the bolts. I should maybe use some Loctite on those bolts if I actually use them on my speakers, I guess.

Doing all the bolts at once speeded things up too.

[el_ingeniero]

So next question:

I'm using baffle spacer rings cut about 1/4" larger than the plans.
There is squeezeout all the way around the inside of the spacers, anywhere from 1/16" to 3/16" of an inch.

Will the squeezeout interfere with the cone travel? More work to cut it out, but at this point 3012LF drivers are unobtainium, I can't afford a mistake.

[Jon Barnhardt]

once it dries (24-48 hours), use a sharp chisel or even a utility knife to cut it back flush to the wood.

[jswingchun]

After using the tap and die set, the h-nuts would spin down the threads of the bolts. I should maybe use some Loctite on those bolts if I actually use them on my speakers, I guess.

I wouldn't use Locktite. If you need to take the driver out you will rip out all of the t-nuts. Lock washers will be enough.

[el_ingeniero]

once it dries (24-48 hours), use a sharp chisel or even a utility knife to cut it back flush to the wood.

Roger wilco.

[Tom Smit]

After using the tap and die set, the h-nuts would spin down the threads of the bolts. I should maybe use some Loctite on those bolts if I actually use them on my speakers, I guess.

I wouldn't use Locktite. If you need to take the driver out you will rip out all of the t-nuts. Lock washers will be enough.

And a +1.

[el_ingeniero]

After using the tap and die set, the h-nuts would spin down the threads of the bolts. I should maybe use some Loctite on those bolts if I actually use them on my speakers, I guess.

I wouldn't use Locktite. If you need to take the driver out you will rip out all of the t-nuts. Lock washers will be enough.

And a +1.

In that case, I'll use lock washers and crank things down double extra tight.

[el_ingeniero]

Had to take they wifey to Costco tonight, but after I got home I made six pairs of W-cauls. Hopefully this weekend, I'll have everything through panel 4 glued up, and maybe the flanges for the lid too.

Edit: I guess it's time to break out the brad nailer. Haven't turned it on since I bought it.