'U'U clips, spire clips/nuts, what is max thickness of flange they fit over?

I have a domestic paper guillotine (BABS Premier 14) that I want to fix to a wooden shelf. There is a flange each side with a hole on each corner. Previously, I just used M6 bolts and nuts through the holes and the shelf, but now I want to hang drawers underneath the shelf and the bolts/nuts would get in the way.

Hence my idea of using spire nuts like the ones used extensively in the auto industry. I'd drive Posidrive screws from underneath the shelf into the spire nuts. If the screw heads were countersunk, they would not get in the way of the drawers at all.

But thinking back to my days as a motor fitter, these spire nuts were intended for *body panel* steel, which isn't very thick. The steel flanges on the guillotine are 2.5mm thick. Is that too thick for a spire nut?

MM

Reply to
MM
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I had to do something similar recently. I used (in my case M8) coach bolts from underneath, a slight recess being necessarily to clear the dome of the head. Then M8 nuts on the top.

Had to cut the coach bolts down as most of them come in a good deal longer.

Reply to
Bob Eager

Surely a countersunk machine screw from underneath, with a nut on the top is the simplest option. All sizes/types available in relatively small quantities from eBay.

Reply to
newshound

Ah, but once the guillotine is in place on top of the shelf I cannot get to its flanges which are on the *inside* !

I did first think of glueing nuts in place (Araldite or similar) before laying the 'tine on top of the shelf, but then I remembered the spire nuts I used a lot in the 1960s.

NB: The flanges are L-shaped, with the fixing edge being the lower part of the "L" (i.e. facing inwards). The right-hand side's "L" flange is a mirror image of the left.

MM

Reply to
MM

See my reply to Bob above. The fixing flanges are on the *inside*.

MM

Reply to
MM

Yep, that was pretty much my first idea. But I don't have any suitable glue or (for your suggestion) serrated washers, so it could be cheaper buying the spire nuts! I'm first going to check my local hardwarew store tomorrow. Yes, we still have an old-fashioned store with boxes of loose screws, nuts, etc. They may well stock spire nuts, too, as they have pretty much every other kind of fixing.

Since I wrote this I had another brainwave: Stick the nuts in place with Bluetak! I do have plenty of that. Then gingerly insert each screw.

MM

Reply to
MM

Why not use pronged T nuts into the underside of the shelf? They only protrude about 2mm below the shelf and the majority of the tread is within the shelf. You could rebate them in flush if needed. They stay in place when the bolt is removed. Come in most common sizes - from Toolstation, etc.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

I can't get to the inside of the guillotine to insert/tighten bolts or screws. (The guillotine is like a metal box with the knife down one side and L-shaped flanges underneath which have the fixing holes. Trouble is, the flanges both point INwards. Once the 'tine is on the shelf, the L-flanges with the fixing holes are hidden. I can't get at them.)

MM

Reply to
MM

After tapping a thread in the guillotine fixing holes.

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Reply to
Tim Lamb

Maybe I've missed something here, but why not use spire clips? These can be slipped over a flange and will stay in place and can be fixed with M4 say screws. Stretching a spire clip over 2mm edgingis quite feasible IME. If the holes are in the wrong place, just drill some new holes.

Reply to
Capitol

Good idea, but the manufacturer decided elongated holes would be best, for some reason. the holes are MUCH larger than even M8 bolts. 'Course, I could just drill four new holes...! (But would 2.5mm metal thickness be sufficient to take a thread that would endure?)

MM

Reply to
MM

How about a). elongating the holes with a rectangular slot that will hold the screws with the square bit under the head, if the flange is thick enough, then, if necessary, file the heads to go through the big hole. Put the 'tine in place over the screws already through shelf and lift/wiggle it into place. or b). drill and tap some new holes.

Reply to
PeterC

Man! Boy oh boy! Now THAT is an excellent idea! I didn't just Google, I went on to Amazon and found several inexpensive rivnut setting tools (although the cheapest (from Silverline) got very poor reviews).

Brilliant. Brilliant Brilliant. Thanks! Never heard of these things before, and I can now see other uses for them round the house and in general DIY.

MM

Reply to
MM

Also some possibilities there. Thanks.

MM

Reply to
MM

Ah. Sound like rivnuts to the guillotine flange and countersunk machine screws from the underside, then.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

Or just spire clips. They are as hard as hell, grip on a flange, don't need fixing tools and can be removed later if required.

Reply to
Capitol

I got the silverline tool, only needed to set 8 rivnuts (and a couple of test ones) I *was* using stainless ones, so a bit tougher on the tool, it didn't break as such, but it distorted enough that the crackle finish paint flaked off it, but it got the job done (fixing points for a steel banister rail, and the result is solid as a rock).

Reply to
Andy Burns

Yep, this is what I finally used, as I couldn't find any outlet that could supply just 4 rivnuts or rubber rivnuts. I happened to see a small packet of 4 spire nuts at Halfords (in the nuts and bolts section) so I got those. The guillotine is now fixed firmly and the new "pseduo-Ikea/Ivar" drawer underneath looks great. Thanks for all the responses in this thread.

MM

Reply to
MM

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