Name that join

[fourrings]

I've been trying to find the proper name for the sort of removable join that's often used on particle-board furniture, without any luck. A metal dowel with a partially threaded end is screwed into the face board. The dowel is inserted into the cavity drilled on the rib of the perpendicular board and is then tightened with a phillips-head "thing-a-majig" on the face of that board.

I plan on using this sort of join when building my platform bed. The purpose is to attach outside-facing boards without any visible screw heads and still be able to take the whole bed apart when needed.

I plan on using actual wood stock where I can and ply on larger spanning pieces. Any problems with this type of join on real wood?

Thanks!

[Duke of Burl]

KD or Knock Down hardware

[fourrings]

's the one! Thank you.

What's the general concensus on these? Is it a sin to use on real wood? Does this sort of join still allow enough room for wood to expand/contract as needed?

My current plan is to build the frame out of common soft lumbar (2x4,

2x6) and then attach wenge as outside facing panels. It would be nice to not cheap out on the frame stock, so I might resort to a non-exotic hardwood.

[Charlie M. 1958]

I thought the main reason for using these things was that screws don't hold well in particle board. If your project is real wood, why not just use traditional screws?

[deniska]

I could. But the reason I was planning on using these is to eliminate the "loosening" factor of threads after each disassembly of components.

[Charlie M. 1958]

Sorry, I read your original post quickly and missed the fact that you were planning on frequent disassembly.

I've always found these fasteners work very well in KD furniture I've had to put together. I don't see any reason not to use them.

[efgh]

I'm in the process of making a mate's bed for my daughter and I used these as my fasteners because I was worried about the same thing. I must have taken it apart and put it back together about 25 times by now and it's just as strong now as it was the first time.

[Chris Friesen]

Knock-down fittings, as was mentioned already.

For a bed I'm not sure I'd use those...beds can be subject to a lot of stress. Kids jumping on them, adults.....lets not go there in public.

I'd suggest hardware designed for beds. This may give an idea of what's available:

[Andy]

I agree - beds can take a lot of weight and stress - I wouldn't want all that relying on some small bolts. For the queen style bed I just completed, I basically made my own fastening system: two 3/4" dowels on each end of each rail to take the weight, and a 1/2" bolt going through the post into a nut set into the rail to tighten the thing together. Very similar to:

with bigger bolts and dowels. I looked at the "bed rail fasteners" here wasn't too impressed. The LV ones mentioned earlier look better, or another possibility (although I don't like the little brass covers; I made my own "plugs" out of wood drawer pulls) Rockler also has a variety of other bed rail fastening options, many of which weren't available even a year or 2 ago. Check out For instance, if available when I was putting together my bed, I probably would have used them (with bigger dowels). Good luck, Andy

[DonkeyHody]

I've built two beds with this fastener:

seems like what you are talking about. Both of the beds are still rock-solid after many years, and one of them is my son's bunk bed. Notice that the weight is carried by the dowels, and the cam-lock just holds everything together against the wracking forces.

DonkeyHody

[Robatoy]

Chris Friesen wrote: [snipped]

Mmmm... and here I thought it would be a design consideration for the kitchen table. Go figgur.

r

[fourrings]

Thanks for all the great advice! I'll work on integrating one of these suggestions into my design.

Now to figure out TurboCad Deluxe 3D...

[Swingman]

Remember, the postman always rings twice so just sweep it clear first.

[boorite]

I've always heard them called "cam-locks." As others mentioned, they don't seem suited to joining bed rails to headboards and footboards. The things you want go by the names "bed rail fasteners," "bed rail hooks," and "bed rail brackets."

There is also a thing called a "bed bolt" sold by Rockler.

[boorite]

I've always heard them called "cam-locks." As others mentioned, they don't seem suited to joining bed rails to headboards and footboards. The things you want go by the names "bed rail fasteners," "bed rail hooks," and "bed rail brackets."

There is also a thing called a "bed bolt" sold by Rockler.

[Prometheus]

Not a problem at all- I had a coffee table many years ago that had that IKEA style hardware you're describing (made of stainless steel, not pot metal) and was made of solid pine. The result was a very nice piece of furniture that could be easily assembled and disassembled.

Not sure what you'd call it, but it works well.