questions about teenuts!

[hulkster]

alright, im confused on these things.  dont make fun...but i am.  ive seen the diagram of it, but am not sure exactly how it works.  im wanting to use these for my joysticks.  do you just drill a hole in the wood, then hammer the teenut in, and then what do you use for the screw/bolt to hold the joystick in?  do you use like, wood screws, or carriage bolts or what?  and do you need a nut on the other side to hold the bolt in?  im confused, can somebody explain how these things work please?!?!  yes i know im retarded, so chill

[OSCAR]

tee-nuts are typically standard machine screw thread (#10-24, 1/4-20, etc), so any type of machine screw will work with them (pan head, round head, flat head, etc).

No, you don't need a separate nut, the tee-nut is the nut itself.  The barrel goes towards the item you want to secure, like a joystick.  Then you run the screw through the wood, joystick, and into the tee-nut.  See this photo, http://www.oscarcontrols.com/sinistar/cp07.jpg, and you will see I have the flange of the tee-nut recessed into the cp top surface, and the screws run in from the underside holding the joysticks.

[hulkster]

k so you hammer in the teenut on the topside, and then take a machine screw and screw that in from the other side?  and im guessing that the teenut has threads in it?  also, did you use your router to recess the teenut holes?  

one more thing, will these screws stay in even through hitting the cp hard (golden tee)

[OSCAR]

All correct!  And yes, I recessed out the wood for the flange with a router.  The tee-nut won't go anywhere once installed, especially because you have it tightened down with a screw from the other side.

[froggerman]

Yes, the t-nut has threads. You don't use a router to recess the hole usually a Forstner bit. Use a drill the size of the t-nut to countersink first then drill the small hole through after.

Yes the screws will stay in but if you are concerned about that apply a little Loctite to the threads when you install the screws.

[hulkster]

well what loctite sounds good and all...but what happens if my joystick thing screws up for some reason.  what then?

[froggerman]

Loctite does not harden like glue. It just stops the screws from vibrating out. It is use on cars and machinery all of the time.

[hulkster]

okay so if i use this locktite stuff, then i could remove it, if i HAD to?

[froggerman]

It goes on the threads so you don't actually remove it, just loosen the screw. You can try it without it, you can always add it later. You will find Loctite in many stores but for sure at places like Pep-Boys, Auto-Zone...etc.

[DrewKaree]

They also make different strengths of Loctite.  The grades are different colors.  I haven't needed to use it in a long time, so I'm guessing here, but I think the RED stuff is good while allowing you to break the grip if necessary without too much stressing.  Check the packages.  Home Depot has it in the paint section, of all odd places, and I know they had four different strengths.

DO NOT get the superduperdeathgrip flavor unless you never ever intend to undo that screw.  It's almost like superglue!  Red or blue is what I've used around the house, other colors I've used at work.

[Tailgunner]

They also make different strengths of Loctite.  The grades are different colors.  I haven't needed to use it in a long time, so I'm guessing here, but I think the RED stuff is good while allowing you to break the grip if necessary without too much stressing.  Check the packages.  Home Depot has it in the paint section, of all odd places, and I know they had four different strengths.

DO NOT get the superduperdeathgrip flavor unless you never ever intend to undo that screw.  It's almost like superglue!  Red or blue is what I've used around the house, other colors I've used at work.

Red loctite is the "superdeathgrip" stuff, generally you have to heat whatever you've used it on to remove it. Blue is the general purpose Loctite, that's the one I'd reccommend for a project like this.

Historically, Blue Loctite is known in biker circles as "Harley Glue". Anything you attached to a Harley without a little blue loctite would fall off in a few miles after loosening from the vibration.

[hulkster]

okay, cool. thanks guys.  one more question though....on installing these teenuts, just to make sure, all i do is drill the HOLE and recess it so it will sit flush, and THATS IT right?  i dont have to make extra holes for the little prong thingys?  im assuming i just hammer it in and thats that.

[Tiger-Heli]

okay, cool. thanks guys.  one more question though....on installing these teenuts, just to make sure, all i do is drill the HOLE and recess it so it will sit flush, and THATS IT right?  i dont have to make extra holes for the little prong thingys?  im assuming i just hammer it in and thats that.

Yep, just hammer!

[hulkster]

good deal, these things sound great to use.  do they take regular size machine screws?  i cant remember what size the joystick machine screws were on my first one, but do they use the same size and everything?

[Tiger-Heli]

good deal, these things sound great to use.  do they take regular size machine screws?  i cant remember what size the joystick machine screws were on my first one, but do they use the same size and everything?

They come in various sizes.  Best bet is to take the screws from the machine with you and match them up (if you can find a hardware store with loose bins anymore).

[hulkster]

cool ill just use the old screws i had in my other cab.  thanks man!

[hyiu]

http://www.arcadecontrols.org/yabbse/index.php?board=10;action=display;threadid=16171

if you scroll to the bottom of this thread... this guy have a couple of pics that shows exactly how the tee nuts are used....

routed a little so that its flush... and hammered down... and the bottom just use a screw....

hope it helps...

[hulkster]

yes it does help!  thanks for that link.  is it best to use a router for the recess or can i do it with a drill, and just a large bit to route out a little.  i mean, i have a router, but i was wondering if a drill would be good, cuz its a little more controlled.  

[crashwg]

A forstner bit would be best IMO.

[shmokes]

To clarify, a forstner bit is a drill bit, not a router bit.  So Crash is saying, "yes, use a drill."

[hulkster]

To clarify, a forstner bit is a drill bit, not a router bit.  So Crash is saying, "yes, use a drill."

ha, thanks.  i thought it was a router bit.  im not johnny-powertools here or anything.  ill probably just use my router, it wont be that painful