Threaded Inserts for Wood – Brass Inserts

Brass Threaded Inserts for Wood

threaded inserts for wood

We hear all the time about how people don’t get threaded inserts. Well today we are going to discuss how to install brass threaded inserts into wood. Lets start with the tools you will need:

Spade Wood Bits
Brass Threaded Inserts
E-Z Lok Drive Tool or Slotted Head Screwdriver
Drill

Threaded Inserts

Threaded inserts are fasteners that are driven into a material (in this case wood) which house internal threads for a fastener to screw into. Threaded inserts have their own cutting threads designed to cut into the installation material and provide a strong hold.

spade bits

They are mostly used in situations where the fastener will need to be installed and removed multiple times. In a normal situation this process would destroy the installation hole requiring that new ones be drilled. But with these inserts you can tighten or loosen fasteners with ease over and over in the same hole.

Step 1

The first and most important step in any installation is making sure you are wearing the appropriate safety gear! So since we will be drilling and working with sharp objects lets first get our safety goggles and gloves on! Now that we have our gear on let’s get started.

The first thing we need to do is get a spade drill bit. Spade bits are made specifically for boring holes. When you start drilling the hole you will notice that the but has a tendency to bounce around. To prevent this wobbling effect we recommend drilling at a very slow speed.

Step 2

Once you’ve drilled your hole your going to take the E-Z Lok Drive tool, or Flathead driver bit, and set it in your drill. The threaded inserts have two breaks along the top of the insert where you can fit a slotted screwdriver but we recommend using the E-Z Lok tool. This tool fits snug into the gaps making driving these inserts much easier.

You’re going to want to hold the insert and fit it as straight into the hole as you can. It is critical that the insert goes into the hole as straight as possible so your fastener can also sit flat once installed. It may also cause chipping of the wood

Step 3

fastener install into brass threaded inserts

Continue driving until the threaded insert is flush with the surface. Now just line up your new material over the hole and begin tightening your fastener into place.

How to Remove a Spinning Rivet

Removing a Spinning Rivet

We frequently get calls about trying to remove worn rivets. What we’ve found is that the most frequent problem our customers have with removing them is that they are loose in their holes and spin when they attempt to drill them out.

We asked our fastener expert to help us understand this dilemma and to give us a few tips on how we might be able to fix the problem. He came up with two methods for removing them. Once we suited up with our safety gear (glasses and gloves) we set out to test these methods. The answer it turns out, is much simpler than you might imagine.

Method 1

We are going to start with the method that is harder first. All it requires is a drill, a drill bit, and a slotted or Flathead screwdriver.

To begin locate the loose rivet and slide the slotted head of the screwdriver behind the rivet head. You will need to leverage the screwdriver to exert a fair amount of pressure against the flange of the rivet to keep it from spinning. After its in place take your drill and begin screwing through the rivet slowly. You should be able to work through the rivet and drill it out.

Flathead spinning rivet adding pressure to a spinning rivet

The Good and The Bad

We like this method because it allows the used to only need a Flathead screwdriver which is typically a tool that is readily available on most job sites or in homes.

What we didn’t like is that if you do not have something to leverage the screwdriver against you will not be able to create the necessary pressure to hold the rivet in place. It also requires that one hand be on the drill and the other is holding pressure on the screwdriver. Also, if the rivet begins to spin then the screwdriver may slip and cause scratching on the surface material. You can remedy this situation by placing duct or blue painters tape over the surface of the screwdriver head but, at that point, we might as well recommend method number 2.

Method 2

The second method he recommended to us was to use a piece of painters tape over the rivet to hold it in place, or better yet duct tape. We tested both and found they both work quite well but duct tape does have a better hold. Simply place a patch of duct tape over the rivet and press down on it to make sure it creates a sturdy bond. Once the tape is on it you can easily see the rivet through the tape. Simply place the drill into the center and begin drilling.

The Good and The Bad

We liked this method because it allowed us to keep both hands focused on one task and does not require having a leverage point.

We didn’t like that you would need to have access to duct tape or painters tape which still may be readily available but less frequently. Also if you plan on using duct tape you should determine if the material you are working on will be damaged by the duct tape.

Duct tape spinning rivet drilling duct tape rivets

Our Choice

In the end, we decided the convenience of having both hands focused on one task was winning factor. The Rivets are less likely to spin with properly applied tape and it makes removing spinning rivets a breeze.

If you need any more information on rivets check out our Free Fasteners 101: Rivet Resource Guide and let us know if there is anything we forgot to add!

Remove a Spinning or Loose POP Rivet With Duck Tape | Fasteners 101

Remove a Spinning or Loose POP Rivet With Duck Tape Video Thumbnail

Remove a Spinning or Loose POP Rivet With Duck Tape Transcript

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Bob: Welcome back to Albany County Fasteners – Fasteners 101. I’m Bob and today I’m going to demonstrate how to remove a spinning rivet or a loose rivet. One of our subscribers asked, “how do I do this”?

I have a rivet that is spinning on you, as you can see here, the rivet is spinning when you go to drill it out. There you go. Just take a piece of tape, push it on the surface…and then start your drilling. Go to the center and start your drilling. Apply your pressure and your rivet is removed.

A better way actually; I’m going to install another one. Instead of blue tape, depending on the surface that you are using, and I’m trying to set these, so they spin. I want to check if it’s going to spin on me here. Yup, there ya go. Spinning. I’m going to take a piece of duct tape, it will even be better than blue tape if it’s stubborn and it wants to spin out on you and you can’t get enough pressure on it.

Take a piece of duct tape, put that baby on there. Find the center. Out it goes. Take the duct tape off and the rivet is gone. A couple of ways would be one: to be able to wedge a screwdriver behind it.

I don’t know how much room you may have, you may not have the room to do this, but I think that I have a better solution, using a nail punch. A pointy nail punch, not a flat head nail punch, it’s gotta have a point on it and I’m going to demonstrate this for you by just grabbing the edge. I want to show you first, before I do that, that this rivet is spinning. You can see it there it’s just turning with the drill. So what I’m going to do is I’m going to grab the edge of that, with a punch. First, I’m going to set the punch so it creates a little hole in it, so it grabs the head. I’m going to keep my hand here on the side of it until the drill starts to go through.

Then I’m going to take my hand out of the way, I’m not looking to hurt myself but this is one way, possibly, we can do this. I’m going to try and grab it right now and I’m gonna apply pressure on it. Okay, I’m going to apply the pressure…and of course I’m having trouble with that. Nope. I’m starting to get it, give me a second. Okay, it does want to keep continuing to spin and you will have, possibly, some surface scratches but if you work at it, and you hold it, and you push on it, and slowly turn the drill, it will stop it. Another way to try is using a flat head screwdriver, if you have the room; a slotted screwdriver, Okay? You can try with this. I’m going to stick it in here and twist it a little bit to wedge it, to try to remove it and that will give it enough pressure to hold the rivet so that the drill can start to drill through it. I’m almost there. There we go. Right through.

There’s one last way that you could try to remove something, and that would be with a cut-off blade on a grinder. That’s another way to do it. You could try this, but I’ve seen this done before, it’s horrible. It’s going to really scuff up the front of the material and you’re really not gonna want to use a grinder if it matters to the finish, when you’re all done.

Also, a way to prevent any type of scratching when you’re using a screwdriver is to take a piece of blue tape, that you use or painters tape, and put the painters tape…on the tip. That will prevent, when you slip it won’t scratch the surface. I didn’t use it here but that would be something to do to prevent you from scratching the surface if you want to keep the surface nice after you remove the rivet.

Thanks for watching, I hope this helps you.

Prevent Screw Stripping and Scratching

How to Prevent Screw Stripping and Scratching

black oxide phillips head screw

Screw stripping and scratching commonly happen when the driver bit slips out of the drive and causes imperfections in the head of a fastener. This can result in either a burring effect which can remove the finish from a fastener. You definitely don’t want to mess up on a screw going onto a finished product!

We chose to use a black oxide stainless steel screw. Black oxide is a coating that goes over stainless steel to add an extra layer of corrosion and abrasion resistance. This screw is commonly used for its sleek black look so you definitely don’t want to mess it up.

To quickly mitigate the effects of slipping, simply take your favorite roll of painters tape and wrap the bit with it. This will make the drive fit more securely to help deter that slide out effect while also protecting the head of the screw in the event of a slip out.

use painters tape on the drill bit prevent screw stripping and scratching

Make sure you use proper drilling form when you’re drilling. Always keep a good amount of pressure on the screw and make sure you don’t try to drive it too quickly as this may lead to driver slippage. For an even more secure hold, you might want to check out Torx or square drive screws which are designed to decrease the chance of stripping even more!

And here it is! Our fully installed black oxide stainless steel phillips head screw. Free of any burring or stripping. Follow this tip to keep your fasteners looking brand new!
installed screw clean of stripping and scratching

How to Prevent Screw Stripping

Preventing Screw Stripping Transcript

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Bob: Welcome back to Albany County Fasteners – Fasteners 101. I’m Bob and today I’m going to show you a tip using blue tape to prevent scratching or damaging the heads of your screws. And we now have our evolution saws in stock so check it out on the website we can ship immediately. So let’s get started.

I have here a black oxy (oxide) screw. You can see there the head is perfect. No scratches or anything. To prevent making marks to your screws as you’re installing them – this is a sheet metal screw, same thing goes if you’re just using a hand screw driver – to prevent the scratching or damaging of the heads, what I recommend you do is, take a piece of blue tape, this is painters blue tape, and just put it over the head like so.

Then put your screw into the bit and screw it in.

You will see here, the head has no damage to the to the Philips Drive (recess) so you won’t see any marks or imperfections to the metal.

This is a little quick tip for you guys. It’s something that I use when I’m putting in screws that are going to be visible on the finished product, and that’s my tip of the day.

Rust: Three Types of Rust and How They Occur

What Is Rust?

Dealing with fasteners surely means dealing with waking up and realizing there is a horrible rust streak running down the side of your project from a screw that has begun to rust. But Why? What is rust anyway? What other types of corrosion may be occurring that you did not even realize? Today we answer that question and we start, with rust.

Rust Is the Result of Oxidization.

Wait…Before we explain, we must talk about the untold truth. There are three kinds of rust! THREE? Yes, three. Since you probably are only familiar with the most common red rust, that is where we will begin.

Red Rust

Red Rust is actually a mixture of four things.

Iron/Steel
Water
Oxygen
Time

When Iron/Steel is exposed to water and oxygen for a long period of time the iron/steel actually combines with the oxygen on the atomic level. This creates rust or ferric oxide. Once this process has begun it begins to deteriorate the metal itself.

Black Rust

Underneath this reaction hidden by the red is actually another layer of oxidization known as black rust or black oxide. This layer is harder and thicker than red rust and can also be called magnetite. This rust will stay tightly bound to the to the base material and act as a partial protection from a further oxidization process. Note: We were not able to create this type of rust as an low oxygen environment is typically needed to induce black oxide.

White Rust

White rust occurs on the surface of Zinc plating. It appears as a coating of powdery white zinc oxide. This oxidization process will occur just from being exposed to the atmosphere but can be avoided by adding a chrome coating before it has been exposed for a long period of time.

This is a HDG carriage bolt whose end has been sheared off.

The lack of protective coating on the end has led to the the coated material corroding.

You can also see that light zinc white surface corrosion has also started to take place.

Types of Corrosion

There are two types of corrosion that can occur resulting in these rusts. There are also several forms in which oxidization commonly takes place.

Chemical Contact

The first type of corrosion is through direct contact with the harmful chemicals. These chemicals can be anything that compromise the integrity of a material. From acids to oxides themselves as long as the material physically comes in contact with them the result is corrosion.

Galvanic Corrosion

This type of corrosion is entirely based on two metals being paired that have electromagnetically dissimilar properties. We won’t go into the chemical details here but basically the two metals try to even out their electromagnetic properties. This will compromise the materials resulting in faster corrosion in one metal while slowing it down in the other.

Forms of Corrosion

As we now know, in order for oxidization to occur there must be some factor coming into contact with the material. This can happen in many different way but there are a few that are considered the most common.

Stress Corrosion

This type of corrosion occurs when stress exerted on a material meets with the corrosive effect from some other property whether it be environmental or physical. This is commonly referred to as environmental hydrogen embrittlement.

Localized Corrosion

Many materials have some type of protective barrier or coating. For example, stainless steel has a thin film that occurs naturally to protect it from corrosion. If this barrier is penetrated then corrosion can start to occur in these areas. Although we used stainless steel in this example, stainless steel can actually repair itself in the presence of oxygen making it less susceptible to this type of corrosion.

Surface Corrosion

This is the most common type of corrosion created by the material being in a harsh environment. Whether it be sand or a damaged material prior to being installed, this exposure between the metal that has been coated and oxygen which leads to oxidization or rust.

Crevice Corrosion

This occurs by corrosive chemicals being caught in small areas in the material and being held there. This will result in corrosion occurring faster.

What Do We Do!?!

As you can see rust is everywhere. Luckily, we can combat corrosion and oxidization in a number of ways. The first is to be vigilant about the materials you are using for your projects. Make sure they fit the environment you need them to. For more information on materials and their environments you can check out our fastener material resource guide here!

Another option, which we also recommend doing with the correct materials is using MRO anti-seize solutions! This anti-seize can make installing screws and bolts a breeze but will also add a thin corrosion resistant coating that may extend the life of your fasteners.

Measuring Fasteners: Using a Fastener Gauge

How To Measure Fasteners

Measuring fastener gauges come in many shapes and sizes. We’ve seen paper print outs, rulers and measuring devices before but when we found this one we liked it so much we made it available on our store to give you the same ease of measuring we now use.

Click here to buy this fastener measuring tool.

Measuring Diameter

This measuring tool works for both imperial and metric sizing. You can find the size of a bolt or screw by placing it into one of the circular cut outs. These cut outs are very close to the size of the bolt or screw providing a distinct fit for determining a diameter of the fastener.

Measuring Length

Once you have your fastener diameter, the next step is to measure the length. This tool easily allows you to measure fastener length up to 6 inches. Simply place your fastener head at the end of the ruler and measure the length of your fastener.

Note: While many fasteners are measured from the underside of their head to the tip, flat head fasteners are measured from the top to the tip. To facilitate this, this measuring tool comes with an etched area on the other side of the ruler to sit the head in for an accurate reading every time.

Measuring Nuts

This gauge also has cut notches that protrude from the sides which can be used to measure nuts. Simply slide a nut onto one of these notches. It should fit snug on the notch to give you an accurate size.