Figure 8 fasteners for Table top Best Ones?

[brett gallmeyer]

I'm looking to buy some figure 8 fasteners to use for table tops. I have no where locally to buy them so its off the the internet. I've found them at several sites. I'm really looking for the solid steel ones because I believe they will hold up better? am I wrong? I found these on Lee Valley
http://www.leevalley.com/hardware/page.aspx?c=2&p=50311&cat=3,41306,41312&ap=1
and I found these on wood workers Hardware
http://wwhardware.com/catalog.cfm/GroupID/Fasteners%20%26%20Screws/CatID/Fasteners/SubCatID/Desktop%20Fasteners
I noticed that wwhardware sells both a 18ga and 12ga? which one?

I like the quantity discount at wwh but lee valley has a good price too.. I don't know which would be better. has anyone used any of these or can recomend somewhere else. I plan on buying at least 40 or more if i'm going to have to pay shipping so I don't have to blow that $ again.

Anywhere else I could buy these from?

Thanks, Brett G.

[John Lucas]

I would go with Lee Valley. SInce you are talking about a $5 purchase, I wouldn't sweat too much over discounts.

[Steve Kohn]

I've used all of the above and it really makes no difference. In use you are not supposed to be lifting the furniture by the top anyway so there should be little if any stress on the figure 8 connectors. If anything were to fail it would likely be the screws holding the top on.

[Mike Henderson]

Given that the figure 8 connector is so short, almost any will be strong enough. And if you put a connector every 12" or so, you can pick up a table by the top and not have any problems. The bottom of most tables is pretty light. If it were a chest of drawers that someone might try to pick up "loaded" I'd be more concerned (I'd put the connectors closer). But not for a table.

Mike

[Ken Werner]

I've used the LV. They work fine.

[Al Navas]

I was short on Figure Eights for my last project (a little stool), so I just made some buttons. I show how to do it on a video on my blog. You just must know HOW to get to my blog.


.