What the hell are these things called?

[snrkl]

My Local vendor's rail buttons don't come with these wide flat flanged bushing type nut things..

Trying to source these bits and I can't figure out what the heck they are called to enable me to search for them locally:



Can someone with a clue in the hardware department (ie: not me!) help a clueless soft handed IT type guy out here?

Searching for "m3 flange nut" bushing (or combinations there of) is finding me lots of slightly flanged hex nuts, but not what I am actually looking for...

 

[Tonimus]

T-nuts or tee nuts. Sometimes you can only find the ones with barbs, but those are easily flattened with pliers.

 

[DinoAP]

Mcmaster Carr. Round base weld nuts with barrell. 6-32 thread size. Part number 90596A007

$7.61 per 100

 

[jd2cylman]

My Local vendor's rail buttons don't come with these wide flat flanged bushing type nut things..

Trying to source these bits and I can't figure out what the heck they are called to enable me to search for them locally:

View attachment 333051

Can someone with a clue in the hardware department (ie: not me!) help a clueless soft handed IT type guy out here?

Searching for "m3 flange nut" bushing (or combinations there of) is finding me lots of slightly flanged hex nuts, but not what I am actually looking for...

Oops, too slow... Oh well...
What you have there are WELD nuts. They are also available with brad nail holes. The ones with the prongs are "T" nuts.

 

[Worsaer]

(redundant post - deleted)

 

[Tonimus]

Oops, too slow... Oh well...
What you have there are WELD nuts. They are also available with brad nail holes. The ones with the prongs are "T" nuts.

Explains why I have that problem. Hahaha

 

[scsager]

What you have there is called a "WELD NUT" which has a flat base.

This in NOT to be confused with a "TEE NUT" which has a spiked base.

Suppliers of this type of hardware include:

Fastenall.com
Mcmaster.com
Boltdepot.com
albanycountyfasteners.com
grainger.com

and others

 

[rharshberger]

However T-nuts are easier to get and just clip off the spikes, I buy mine at Home Depot or Lowes.

 

[MikeyDSlagle]

I've drilled my own holes in them, cut/trimmed the flange and so on.
https://www.mcmaster.com/#weld-nuts/=1ag1mw9

I'll try not to hijack this post but since the question has been answered:

Do the rail buttons themselves have a different ID when they come with the weld nuts? Or do they use smaller screws? The first kit, only kit, with a weld nut was my Madcow Little John. My other two Madcows didn't have them. I don't have any lying around to answer my own question. I like the way they work much better than just threading or screwing the things on. Just curious.

 

[rharshberger]

I've drilled my own holes in them, cut/trimmed the flange and so on.
https://www.mcmaster.com/#weld-nuts/=1ag1mw9

I'll try not to hijack this post but since the question has been answered:

Do the rail buttons themselves have a different ID when they come with the weld nuts? Or do they use smaller screws? The first kit, only kit, with a weld nut was my Madcow Little John. My other two Madcows didn't have them. I don't have any lying around to answer my own question. I like the way they work much better than just threading or screwing the things on. Just curious.

No different, you just buy the proper size weld or t- nut for the screw you are using.

 

[snrkl]

Thanks for the assist team - well, here in Australia, it seems that "Weld Nuts", "Brad Hole Nuts", "Round based Weld Nuts", "Tee Nuts" and "T-Nuts" gives me ZERO from the very small selection of HW stores we have to choose from here in AU: we basically have 1.5 major national chains now... (We have one major (Bunnings), and one that is dying a slow death (Mitre 10)...)

#sigh.. I might just have to use a regular nut and some epoxy clay...

 

[Rex R]

aka threaded inserts
Rex

 

[rharshberger]

when you say threaded inserts I start looking at these...


I do use them in rockets on occasion.

 

[qquake2k]

Just curious, how are you mounting your rail buttons that you need some type of backing nuts? I never use them.

 

[snrkl]

Just curious, how are you mounting your rail buttons that you need some type of backing nuts? I never use them.

MPR kit with thick cardboard airframe tube.

CRs aren't thick enough to screw into so my thought was for as wide a base as possible inside the cardboard tube to screw into - plan was to epoxy the weld nut into the hole from inside, then either epoxy or epoxy clay over that to widen / strengthen the mounting...

I just remembered that one of my Apogee ebay's I haven't built yet came with one m3 well nut.. perhaps if I take that up to the local hardware store they might know where to source locally..

otherwise, I might just have to use a regular flanged hex nut and cover with epoxy clay inside the airframe.. I was hoping to have something I can unscrew if the button needs replacing...

 

[qquake2k]

I epoxy blocks to my centering rings to screw the rail buttons into.

 

[qquake2k]

I've also done this:

https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?37489-Upscale-Alpha-III&p=356938#post356938

 

[snrkl]

I've also done this:

https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?37489-Upscale-Alpha-III&p=356938#post356938

Thanks - food for thought...

I was trying to KISS - turns out finding the right part might be the more complex option available!!

 

[RainierWolfcastle]

Thanks for the assist team - well, here in Australia, it seems that "Weld Nuts", "Brad Hole Nuts", "Round based Weld Nuts", "Tee Nuts" and "T-Nuts" gives me ZERO from the very small selection of HW stores we have to choose from here in AU: we basically have 1.5 major national chains now... (We have one major (Bunnings), and one that is dying a slow death (Mitre 10)...)

#sigh.. I might just have to use a regular nut and some epoxy clay...

Skip the hardware shops and go to a fastener shop. United Fasteners, Concept Fasteners, All Fasteners or similar. Take a decent wish list because most have a $10 minimum charge and you'll get a crap load of small bits for your shed supply at that price. Blackwoods, Rudds or Atom Supply if they are in your area are also worth getting to know.


Once you try places like those the big HW chains will be a last resort.

 

[Steve Shannon]

No different, you just buy the proper size weld or t- nut for the screw you are using.

Exactly, and file the weld nut threaded barrel flush with the outside of the body tube so the rail button sits against the body tube rather than standing above the BT.


Steve Shannon

 

[snrkl]

Skip the hardware shops and go to a fastener shop. United Fasteners, Concept Fasteners, All Fasteners or similar. Take a decent wish list because most have a $10 minimum charge and you'll get a crap load of small bits for your shed supply at that price. Blackwoods, Rudds or Atom Supply if they are in your area are also worth getting to know.


Once you try places like those the big HW chains will be a last resort.

Thanks - I’ll check those out.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[jd2cylman]

I've drilled my own holes in them, cut/trimmed the flange and so on.
https://www.mcmaster.com/#weld-nuts/=1ag1mw9

I'll try not to hijack this post but since the question has been answered:

Do the rail buttons themselves have a different ID when they come with the weld nuts? Or do they use smaller screws? The first kit, only kit, with a weld nut was my Madcow Little John. My other two Madcows didn't have them. I don't have any lying around to answer my own question. I like the way they work much better than just threading or screwing the things on. Just curious.

No different, you just buy the proper size weld or t- nut for the screw you are using.

Exactly, and file the weld nut threaded barrel flush with the outside of the body tube so the rail button sits against the body tube rather than standing above the BT.


Steve Shannon

I don't trim them, I like the button to go over the nut barrel.
If you use a 6-32 weld nut, it will slide right inside the one piece 1010 rail buttons I have that are made for a #8 screw. For most rockets, #6 screws are strong enough.
For the 1515 buttons, there's enough meat in the center to drill it out for 1/4" weld nuts to go up inside. At least that's what I do. YMMV...

 

[MikeyDSlagle]

Exactly, and file the weld nut threaded barrel flush with the outside of the body tube so the rail button sits against the body tube rather than standing above the BT.


Steve Shannon

The only time I've used it, the barrel of the weld nut fit inside the rail button. The rail button sit against the airframe without cutting the barrel on the weld nut.

I don't trim them, I like the button to go over the nut barrel.
If you use a 6-32 weld nut, it will slide right inside the one piece 1010 rail buttons I have that are made for a #8 screw. For most rockets, #6 screws are strong enough.
For the 1515 buttons, there's enough meat in the center to drill it out for 1/4" weld nuts to go up inside. At least that's what I do. YMMV...

You must've been typing while I was typing. I was thinking all the screws were #6, but probably were #8. Thanks.

 

[Steve Shannon]

I don't trim them, I like the button to go over the nut barrel.
If you use a 6-32 weld nut, it will slide right inside the one piece 1010 rail buttons I have that are made for a #8 screw. For most rockets, #6 screws are strong enough.
For the 1515 buttons, there's enough meat in the center to drill it out for 1/4" weld nuts to go up inside. At least that's what I do. YMMV...

Interesting. I’ve never tried that. I always used the #8 screw. I’ll try that and see how I like it.
Thanks!

 

[burkefj]

If not mentioned already, pay attention to the shaft outer diameter, when buying for my kits, a few I sourced had thicker outer shaft diameters that did not fit inside my rail buttons, it was a real pain trying to drill out rail buttons, I eventually went to three piece buttons which had slightly more tolerance for the shaft diameter.

Frank

 

[jd2cylman]

Interesting. I’ve never tried that. I always used the #8 screw. I’ll try that and see how I like it.
Thanks!

The only thing I'll concede is that the #6 screw head is a little smaller. I guess if there's a huge pull on a button, it could pull through, but it would take a lot I think. I guess I should do some testing... Ya know, rocket science...