Workers Of Wood

Guessing most of you have already seen this idea for installing threaded inserts, but I just saw it the other day, tried it today and can report that it works very well - no more worries about starting the insert crooked.

Drill the appropriate size hole for the insert, to the recommended depth. Extend the hole equal in size to the internal thread (1/4" in this case); through hole in this case but a little deeper than the length of the installation bolt if the hole is blind.
Install two washers under the head of the bolt and thread on the insert.
Start the bolt assembly in the hole, the end of the bolt should engage the through hole before the insert starts in the larger hole. Second photo shows the end of the bolt in the through hole.
Screw in the bolt assembly until the washers bottom on the surface, and then easily back out the bolt, leaving the insert correctly installed flush with the surface.
This the mounting for a Woodpeckers rule on my sliding panel (still plugging away at that project, in between "more important" jobs), and I also got the T-square mount installed.

Great idea Tom. I'm guessing the double washer kept the insert from locking onto the bolt? That would be a good method for the press fit type inserts too and you could put a nut and a couple of washers on the other side to pull it in once you got enough friction on it to keep the insert from spinning. You could even use that method to suck T nuts into place instead of trying to hammer them in.

Cherryville Chuck wrote: ↑Sun Jan 03, 2021 1:15 am Great idea Tom. I'm guessing the double washer kept the insert from locking onto the bolt? That would be a good method for the press fit type inserts too and you could put a nut and a couple of washers on the other side to pull it in once you got enough friction on it to keep the insert from spinning. You could even use that method to suck T nuts into place instead of trying to hammer them in.

Yes, there is no effort required to remove the bolt from the insert once it (the insert) has been installed. I have used the method you describe to install t-nuts - a washer under the head of the bolt, bolt threaded through the part and then into the t-nut and then the bolt head tightened to pull the t-nut into the part. I also found that pre-drilling the holes for the tangs on the t-nut made for a much neater and easier installation, particularly into plywood, as it stops the t-nut from trying to spin as you tighten the bolt.

For heavy duty application, I like these tee nuts from McMaster-Carr Tee Nut, about $1 each, but only come in 5/16 and 3/8 sizes.

A little pricey but those certainly look nicer. I'm surprised they they don't come in 1/4" but the mounting screws would be pretty small I guess.

Just out of curiosity, why aren't you using the Allen key style installation tool?
I used to have (before it was stolen) a 3/8" drill with an adjustable clutch. It would be perfect for driving in inserts, using an Allen bit.

Just out of curiosity, why aren't you using the Allen key style installation tool?
I used to have (before it was stolen) a 3/8" drill with an adjustable clutch. It would be perfect for driving in inserts, using an Allen bit.
On the other hand, perhaps yours are the type with a slot for a screwdriver?

The insert has the screwdriver slot, installed first (backwards) in this case. I have one of the tools, the one with the tang to engage with the slot, but wanted to try the new method - particularly since I have a problem drilling a hole square. When I've used the tool, I used it with a drill with clutch. This time was just into soft pine, so using the ratchet driver was quick and easy, maybe because there was no worry about getting the insert crooked.