Lee Schierer
05-08-2023, 10:17 AM
For the project I am currently working on I needed eight 10-24 brass threaded inserts to attach some pieces of Red Oak to a metal frame. These insert have sharp threads so they slice into the hardwood, and also fingers if you aren't careful. Here is how I inserted the brass inserts.
First I drilled holes in the oak just a thousandth or two larger than the barrel diameter of the threaded insert to a depth greater than the attaching screw will be able to go when the parts are assembled.
Then I took a screw of the same thread size as the insert and removed the head. I screwed two nuts onto the screw to hold it while cutting off the head and then jammed the two nut tightly against each other about 3/8" up from one end leaving an inch or more sticking out the other side. I chucked this assembly into my drill press.
500939
Then I screwed on an insert and applied a bit of beeswax to the very bottom of the thread and mashed it in with my fingers.
500940
After aligning the insert with the hole, I applied downward pressure on the quill handle while turning the chuck by hand to screw the insert into the wood until flush.
500941
Once the insert was flush, I simply turned the chuck in the opposite direction to unscrew the adapter from the insert.
500942
To insure the inserts were below the wood surface I used a flat screw driver to turn the insert an addition 1/4 or 1/2 turn. In one instance I had to release my tool from the chuck, release the jam nuts from each other to remove the tool from the insert. I've used the same technique to insert larger sized inserts as well.
First I drilled holes in the oak just a thousandth or two larger than the barrel diameter of the threaded insert to a depth greater than the attaching screw will be able to go when the parts are assembled.
Then I took a screw of the same thread size as the insert and removed the head. I screwed two nuts onto the screw to hold it while cutting off the head and then jammed the two nut tightly against each other about 3/8" up from one end leaving an inch or more sticking out the other side. I chucked this assembly into my drill press.
500939
Then I screwed on an insert and applied a bit of beeswax to the very bottom of the thread and mashed it in with my fingers.
500940
After aligning the insert with the hole, I applied downward pressure on the quill handle while turning the chuck by hand to screw the insert into the wood until flush.
500941
Once the insert was flush, I simply turned the chuck in the opposite direction to unscrew the adapter from the insert.
500942
To insure the inserts were below the wood surface I used a flat screw driver to turn the insert an addition 1/4 or 1/2 turn. In one instance I had to release my tool from the chuck, release the jam nuts from each other to remove the tool from the insert. I've used the same technique to insert larger sized inserts as well.