removing old damaged insert nuts

[hubops]

Any useful tips are welcomed.

One arm came loose on a teak armchair - fastened by 2 quick-connect bolts into 2 insert nuts. < 1/4 - 20 or a metric equivalent >

The insert nuts had deteriorated over the years to the point that they were stripped - tiny bits of them had broken off down in the hole. < probably from wiggling for some time >

In trying to remove them with an allen wrench - it just turned-through and rounded-off the insert nut hex.

I'm considering using the dremel with some sort of bit <?>

to grind away at them and hopefully dig them out in pieces.

Other ideas ?

part 2 : if I do manage to get them out - the hole will certainly be a very loose fit for the new insert nuts -

- cement the new ones in with epoxy ? or what ? John T.

[Brian Welch]

If aesthetics work, overdrill the void left by the loose insert, glue/epoxy a piece of wood dowel in its place. After it's cured, drill for a new insert...

[krw]

An easy-out into the threads might work. Maybe a reamer? They're pretty hard so you might bust one and make the problem worse.

Drilling it out with a bit the same size as the core might work. The threads won't have anything holding them and may come out. If they don't, maybe some epoxy to keep them in and rethreading?

You can but you may have the same problem down the road, with no road back. You might epoxy the inside of the hole, let cure, then thread into that. Much depends on how much stress the fasteners need to take.

[Clare Snyder]

What kind of insert nut are we talking John?? Plastic, brass or steel??. I'd likely drill out the old nut, wax the bolt, slather it with a filled epoxy and stuff it into the hole. The wax will act as a mold release allowing the bolt to be removed later. Devon Steel or JB Weld or whatever other filled epoxy that rocks your boat. Either that or mix your own epoxy (something prefeerably slower than

5 minute) with the filler of your choice - Flocking, iron dust, microballoons, talcum powder, aluminum powder - or whatever.. Don'r make the walls of the hole too smooth.

[Clare Snyder]

Another that works if asthetics allow is to cross drill and insert a "cross-dowel barrel nut" - a bar deilled through and tapped -that worls like a "T" nut

[DerbyDad03]

I've made nuts out of steel rod, tapped to match the bolt, and epoxied them in place.

- Rough up the outside of the "nut" and the inside of the hole. - Put Vaseline on the bolt, especially, the threads and screw it into the nut. - Use the bolt to line up the nut in the hole and fill the hole with thickened epoxy.

If there is room, use the arm as a guide to line everything up. Coat anything that you don't want to stick with Vaseline or put some wax paper between the pieces.

[hubops]

The insert nuts are metal - not brass - it actually looks like what we used to call "white metal" - grey colour .. Asthetics won't allow a cross-barrel modification ; even drilling it is difficult - the arm is all smooth & curvy. One end would allow a larger hole ; the other end doesn't have much wood ... I'll try to post a photo on imgur .. John T.

[hubops]

Thanks - it might work on one end that has more wood to work with - the slim end .. doubtful .. John T.

[hubops]

Here's a couple photos - thanks all for the ideas.

John T.

[J. Clarke]

If it's buggered up anyway try an EZ-out or the like.

[Markem618]

Coat the thread of 1/4 x 20 with vasoline, put in the hole drilled out, fill with epoxy.

[Brian Welch]

How important is it that it be able to be knocked down? Could you either epoxy in the original fastener in the buggered insert, or replace with a dowel or similar? Toilet ring wax is also a good filler/bond breaker in lieu of the vaseline (not quite as messy). Teflon tape on the threads of the fastener have worked as well, in conjunction with wax...

[hubops]

The old insert nuts are now removed ! - albeit in tiny chunks - I think they were zamak or an early version ? It wasn't too bad - ~ half-hour at the kichen table - - I used a little Exacto-saw to "quarter" them - and then chipped-out the bits. I'll see how sloppy/loose the new insert nuts are - then go-from-there ... John T.

[Leon]

[Clare Snyder]

Just a good coating of Johnson's paste wax works and WON'T compromize the epoxy.

[hubops]

Well - the 5 minute job of tightening 2 screws to fix the arm of the dining chair is done ! .. a week later. The original fasteners were indeed metric and even Lee Valley doesn't carry them - but the conversion to 1/4-20 allowed for a better solid fit of the insert nuts - I actually drilled them out a wee tiny bit to 3/8.

ps: I bought 2 lengths of insert nuts and 2 lengths of bolts - - <extras> at Lee Valley - 8 pieces ~ $ 5. total -

- the great customer service and helpful advice were free ! Lowes carries a 4 pack of insert nuts - $ 8. ! ... bolts ~ 4 for $ 9. ! .. with very limited choices.

Lee Valley allows you to buy what you need for ~ 40 cents each.

Happy 4th Of July to our southern neighbours - in the words of a very wise Canuck -

" We're all in this together - keep your stick on the ice. "

John T.

[Clare Snyder]

Did you pick them up in Waterloo??? If so you were only a few blocks from me.

[krw]

If you need bunches of them (I keep inserts and cross-dowels around) Grainger, Fastenal, or one of those is a good choice. They're cheaper but I don't know if Fastenal keeps them in inventory at their walk-in locations.

[hubops]

Yep. I worked there part-time for a few years when they first opened - it was difficult to not-spend the paycheck there every week .. John T.

[hubops]

I just checked Fastenal < Canada > web site - and they require - 1. email 2. name 3. address 4. phone number

.. before they can show me the price of an insert nut.

John T.