Large Threaded Inserts

[technodanvan]

Good morning! I'm trying to source some very large threaded inserts, 1/2-13 or even 3/4-10 threads. Any ideas where such a thing might be found? EZ-Lok makes some but they're intended for metal. I thought about grabbing a couple and testing them but I imagine they don't cut their own threads well (they're designed to be placed in a tapped hole....which I could also try I suppose).

Edit: These would go into Baltic birch plywood and really don't need much holding power. I made a bed frame a year or so using 3/4" bolts - mostly for the appearance of the bolt head. I want to match that with some bedside tables but the design wouldn't allow for placing a bolt and washer/nut like I did for the bed. It'd need to be threaded in. I have also thought about just gluing the tables together and then gluing in stubby bolts with the appropriate head so I get the appearance, but I'd rather not go that route for a couple of reasons.

[technodanvan]

Because I like to show off, here's the finished product I want to make matching furniture for.

[Steve Manning]

Liking the bed frame Danny. Checking my usual places for inserts, those sizes are tough to come buy. Not sure where your using them exactly but here's another option, https://bedslats.co.uk/products/m10-x-50mm-cross-dowel-barrel-nut-centre-threaded?srsltid=AfmBOopa-XG5oWVKumHfX0-7hJK5c_09Pm3euwplckf-GByZ1g6nk0vW

Not sure of the sizes you can get in these.

[technodanvan]

Interesting website Steve, thanks! Gives me some ideas for a headboard that has been requested.

This is the basic shape I'm using. The lower beam is the same relative height (and same height off the ground) as the beams on the bed. The corners are smaller of course, so that's why I haven't decided if I want to use the same 3/4" hardware or downsize a bit, but I'd like them placed similarly as those on the bed. Since the corners are smaller though, I can't just put bolts all the way through and fasten with a nut - there just isn't enough flat space on the back. Even with inserts I'd have to be careful they wouldn't interfere with the bolts sitting at 90 degrees to them on each corner since they 'should' be located at the same height in order to match the bed.

Oh, and to make this HTGuide related, a smallish matching TV stand may have a couple of speakers integrated as sort of a sound bar. Nothing crazy, just a couple of Dayton coaxials and maybe a small Tang Band sub in the lower section. This is just a bedroom after all, so no need to get too weird.


Edit: You can't really tell in the image but these will each have two small drawers on them. One deep on the bottom and one shallow at the top. Much like the bed, the stands will be very heavy - constructed of 2x18mm and 3x18mm birch.

[technodanvan]

I found these guys that might work...but not at the price they have listed for a single! Posed a question to them to make sure that's right before moving on to another vendor.

https://www.mcmaster.com/98096A606/

Edit: The price is right and I confirmed with several other sources that these are really expensive. Since I'd need on the order of 80 for this project that's way more than I'm willing to spend. Also, I spent some more time in the CAD drawing and don't think they would work for all locations anyway.

[Steve Manning]

What is it about the 3/4" hardware that you need?

[technodanvan]

Just the appearance. If I could find, say, a 1/4-20 bolt with the huge head on it that would be better.

[Steve Manning]

Just the appearance. If I could find, say, a 1/4-20 bolt with the huge head on it that would be better.

I was wondering ..... though not as big a 3/8-16 is still ~.80" in diameter, not the 1" or more of what your looking at.

[technodanvan]

I went ahead and ordered a pack of the inserts designed for metal, figure I'm not out much if they don't work on a test board. Should be interesting.

Dropping to 3/8" is a possibility I suppose, but let's make that Plan B.

[technodanvan]

So the test went fine, but I did it the way that was recommended for metal - meaning I threaded the wood with a large tap and screwed in the insert. That left it fairly loose as the pre-applied adhesive did not heat up enough to actually do anything. I don't think I'll do this again as I had a better idea. With bolts of this size the threads are deep and coarse, and Baltic birch is a pretty uniform substrate for tapping. While I don't think I'd trust a steel bolt to hold in wooden threads if there were a load on it, since this is simply decorative I could tap each hole, apply a little CA glue, and thread in a short bolt.

I only have 3/4" and 1/2" bolts for comparison, but I think I might go with a 5/8" bolt as I can't decide which of these looks better next to the existing bed. Since the table is much smaller it makes sense the bolts would be a little smaller too...and the 1/2" bolt head is soooo tiny in comparison.

Anyway, here's a mockup of (most) the parts for one table.

[technodanvan]

My wife wanted draw pulls on these so we'll be doing that now too...but we're doing them my way to maintain the style. In lieu of making a wooden pull handle I decided one knob would suffice if it were sufficiently large and, well, I've been looking at bolts a lot recently so...








1" (diameter!) shoulder screw, nearly a 1.5" head, and a 1" shoulder as a spacer should do the trick. Again, to be screwed directly into threaded wood and adhered with CA glue, or similar.

[technodanvan]

New query: I'm working on the design for the TV stand and have arrived at decision point regarding the (potential) integrated speaker. I could:

1. Integrate L/R speakers for stereo use.
2. Integrate L/C/R speakers for front channel use.
3. Integrate a single 'C' speaker for use as a center channel and standalone stereo speakers.
4. Integrate no speaker at all. (I list this because I somewhat dislike purpose-built furniture that may lose that specific purpose in the future. I don't know that this would ever 'not' be a TV stand but the concern remains.)
5. With any of these, I could integrate small subwoofer as well.

Part of the problem comes from having an appropriate compact amplifier. I had purchased (and still own) a WiiM Amp Ultra - a nice little 2 channel amp with streaming capabilities and RCA output for an active subwoofer. I have a small Dayton plate amp that could be used for the subwoofer, I think it's the SA70. These would not suffice for a center channel though, and I'm kind of leaning towards options 2 or 3 above, which at a minimum would require a 3 channel amp with subwoofer capabilities. Something compact would be best. All I've seen is this little guy from Audiosource. A little pricy for what it is, considering the cost of many really nice little Class D amps, but it would seem to be what I'm looking for.

https://www.crutchfield.com/S-mHn9jA...e-ADTV3-1.html





I could also explore 5.1 channel amplifiers as there are many more of them available. I haven't seen any that are particularly compact though.

Edit: I would also entertain the idea of a tiny preamp and use maybe a pair of stereo TPA3255 (or similar) amps for the necessary channels.

Edit 2: This is interesting. https://faq.wiimhome.com/en/support/...d-sound-system

[JonMarsh]

Are the connectors up to your expectations for the intended application?

[technodanvan]

The bolts for the drawer pulls? Absolutely. I ended up sinking the shoulder about half an inch into the wood as well to shorten them up a bit. Threads are rock solid - I don't think I'll even bother with gluing them in. I should point out the drawer fronts are very thick, 54+mm so the bolts do not penetrate into the drawer itself. I even went the extra mile and made a jig to ensure I tapped the threads straight - nearly unheard of for me, but the test holes I made were all quite crooked otherwise.

The bolts for the accents? Unknown yet. Went with the 1/2" bolt for now and 'might' get to a point I can sink one or two in this weekend to see how they look. The outside corners/legs they'll appear in are gluing up as I type this.

Regarding the amplifier - I think I might try using the WiiM Amp Ultra (since I have it) for Dolby Digital through an HDMI Arc connector. Works great for stereo of course, but if they have their stuff together a WiiM Amp Pro can be wirelessly connected and used for a center channel (or surrounds I guess). If THAT works without noticeable delay I might try using the WiiM Sound Lite 'smart' speakers (basically their Apple speaker clone) as surrounds on the bedstands. So far I'm quite impressed with their products so I have some hope this works as advertised. I do kind off hope someone - maybe WiiM or Arylic - makes a compact front stage that can handle other surround formats.