Helicoil in wood.

[therealaveragej]

Hey everybody its average Joe. Have any of you ever installed metal threads into wood? if not, I have a great video on my YouTube channel on how to do it.

 

[therealaveragej]

 

[sprchrgd1]

Or you could just use a T nut.

 

[gungatim]

Or an E-Z Lok threaded insert...

 

[budmur]

I liked the video; I thought it was good. I would have probably put a skim coat of epoxy on the outside of the insert, but it;ll probably last a long time with just the friction fit.

 

[rlitman]

Helocoils are designed to go into metal. They're way more expensive than proper threaded inserts for wood, which have exterior threads cut specifically to work in wood.

 

[Stuart in MN]

I've used these threaded inserts from Rockler in the past and they worked fine: http://www.rockler.com/steel-threaded-inserts-select-size These are steel, they also sell a brass version.

Depending on where you're located, you may be able to find the same sort of thing at a local hardware store or lumber yard.

 

[thewatusi]

Oh look, another random guy spamming his YouTube channel.

 

[kbs2244]

Dosn't Ikea use the wood ones a lot?
The curbside seems it would be gret sorce.

 

[therealaveragej]

I would just like to say there's more than one way to skin a cat.

 

[zkling]

There's also a right way and a "it might work but generally not a good idea" way to skin a cat as well.

In a dense hardwood the finer pitch and shallow root of the helicoils will be OK, but for higher loads and softer woods you want something more aggressive.

 

[therealaveragej]

Oh look, another random guy spamming his YouTube channel.

Feel free to not click the link or to not participate

 

[therealaveragej]

There's also a right way and a "it might work but generally not a good idea" way to skin a cat as well.

This is a technique used in aircraft cabinetry. There are several 10 to 15 year old private jets with this setup and they have not failed. Probably even some older ones.

 

[rlitman]

In a dense hardwood the finer pitch and shallow root of the helicoils will be OK, but for higher loads and softer woods you want something more aggressive.

That's one issue, endemic in the design of a helicoil. By necessity, the exterior thread pitch must match the interior.

Another is that the coil is just that, a coil. The metal it is made to be embedded in keeps it together. It's not made to go into wood.

Proper wood inserts have asymmetric threads made to work in wood (with more wood and less metal at the interface), as well as solid bodies, and regular metal threads inside. And again, they're cheaper than helicoils.

 

[pi_guy]

This is a technique used in aircraft cabinetry. There are several 10 to 15 year old private jets with this setup and they have not failed. Probably even some older ones.

Show me an airframe repair manual that recommends metal type inserts to be used in wood.
It would be fine if there was not a proper part for wood applications.

But you are not here to pass out good information you just want to shill your utube channel....

 

[zkling]

OP we are not trying to beat up on you, it's just that youtube has become a resource for many with potential dire consequences. I can't begin to count the number of times people have come to me with a "all you need to do it xyz here, xyz there...I saw it on youtube".

That's one issue, endemic in the design of a helicoil. By necessity, the exterior thread pitch must match the interior.

Another is that the coil is just that, a coil. The metal it is made to be embedded in keeps it together. It's not made to go into wood.

Proper wood inserts have asymmetric threads made to work in wood (with more wood and less metal at the interface), as well as solid bodies, and regular metal threads inside. And again, they're cheaper than helicoils.

Exactly, I didn't think going down that road with the OP would have been fruitful after he attempted to use a standard tap in med hard wood followed by what appeared to be a counter sunk screw for essentially flat bar

 

[therealaveragej]

Show me an airframe repair manual that recommends metal type inserts to be used in wood.
It would be fine if there was not a proper part for wood applications.

But you are not here to pass out good information you just want to shill your utube channel....

Why would I bother taking double the time shooting the video, spend time editing the video, and take the time to post it to YouTube if I did not think it had a useful application?

 

[rlitman]

Show me an airframe repair manual that recommends metal type inserts to be used in wood.

Show me a 10-15 year old private jet with a wooden airframe...
He did say cabinetry.

 

[therealaveragej]

Show me a 10-15 year old private jet with a wooden airframe...
He did say cabinetry.

[emoji106]

 

[rlitman]

But you are not here to pass out good information you just want to shill your utube channel....

I think that's taking it a little too far.

Why would I bother taking double the time shooting the video, spend time editing the video, and take the time to post it to YouTube if I did not think it had a useful application?

I'm with you. Thanks for contributing, even if I think you miss the mark a little (I've made that point sufficiently above).

BTW, one thing I've had good luck with to reinforce threaded connections in wood is super thin CA. That actually might work great with this technique. Drill and thread the hole in the wood, saturate the threaded wood with CA and then install the helicoil, then let it cure.

 

[theoldwizard1]

If what you are hanging is outdoors, heavy and especially if it moves (like a gate) the only thing that will hold up is a through bolt and it better be hot dipped galvanized or stainless.

 

[rlitman]

OP we are not trying to beat up on you, it's just that youtube has become a resource for many with potential dire consequences. I can't begin to count the number of times people have come to me with a "all you need to do it xyz here, xyz there...I saw it on youtube".

Exactly, I didn't think going down that road with the OP would have been fruitful after he attempted to use a standard tap in med hard wood followed by what appeared to be a counter sunk screw for essentially flat bar

Too true.

Yeah, it looks to be an oval head screw in a plastic part. If the plastic isn't countersunk it may split under stress. We can't see that part in the video.

 

[rlitman]

If what you are hanging is outdoors, heavy and especially if it moves (like a gate) the only thing that will hold up is a through bolt and it better be hot dipped galvanized or stainless.

Ok, and? Did I miss 10 posts meandering way off topic in the middle of this thread? You lost me, or some train of thought got derailed.

I've never seen a wooden door hinge attached with through bolting.
It's sometimes used on the post side of a gate hinge. Not too often on the gate side of a wooden gate. But I've never seen threaded inserts for any of these applications either.

 

[RivennHewn]

It's an otter box holder.

Does it really need an engineer's stamp?

should function just fine for it's intended purpose.

 

[therealaveragej]

It's an otter box holder.

Does it really need an engineer's stamp?

should function just fine for it's intended purpose.

No it doesn't. However, this technique is derived from engineered drawings with tight tolerances. P.S. Aircraft cabinetry is all composite with minimal hardwood. Very light weight stuff so it doesn't take the abuse of big heavy solid wood assemblies. I agree that this is not the only way to do it but it does have its uses(nonstructural applications, lightweight assemblies, tight spaces where you can not fit a larger threaded insert, etc).

 

[1969]

I like cheese.

 

[RivennHewn]

No it doesn't. However, this technique is derived from engineered drawings with tight tolerances. P.S. Aircraft cabinetry is all composite with minimal hardwood. Very light weight stuff so it doesn't take the abuse of big heavy solid wood assemblies. I agree that this is not the only way to do it but it does have its uses(nonstructural applications, lightweight assemblies, tight spaces where you can not fit a larger threaded insert, etc).

If you can't think of an application for this technique, your imagination is broken.

 

[therealaveragej]

OP we are not trying to beat up on you, it's just that youtube has become a resource for many with potential dire consequences. I can't begin to count the number of times people have come to me with a "all you need to do it xyz here, xyz there...I saw it on youtube".



Exactly, I didn't think going down that road with the OP would have been fruitful after he attempted to use a standard tap in med hard wood followed by what appeared to be a counter sunk screw for essentially flat bar

You didn't see it but I did countersink the otterbox to accept the hardware.

 

[therealaveragej]

OP we are not trying to beat up on you, it's just that youtube has become a resource for many with potential dire consequences. I can't begin to count the number of times people have come to me with a "all you need to do it xyz here, xyz there...I saw it on youtube".



Exactly, I didn't think going down that road with the OP would have been fruitful after he attempted to use a standard tap in med hard wood followed by what appeared to be a counter sunk screw for essentially flat bar

The information I put out is for reference only. It is what I do and I share the information because to some, it may be helful. If you have a better way to do things, do it that way. If you can say that I am 100% wrong, I will accept that I am wrong. Otherwise, I am sticking with there is more than one way to skin a cat.

 

[therealaveragej]

I think that's taking it a little too far.



I'm with you. Thanks for contributing, even if I think you miss the mark a little (I've made that point sufficiently above).

BTW, one thing I've had good luck with to reinforce threaded connections in wood is super thin CA. That actually might work great with this technique. Drill and thread the hole in the wood, saturate the threaded wood with CA and then install the helicoil, then let it cure.

Constructive criticism....I LOVE IT
[emoji106] [emoji2] [emoji106] . I will try that out next time. Thank you for the input.

 

[Vegaman_Dan]

Using a helicoil in wood is certainly a different approach. There are other more traditional ways with brass inserts that grip the wood and will do the job for a fraction of the cost of the helicoil. Both should work.

It is possible the OP didn't know about these threaded inserts for wood already existing, and I applaud their effort to think outside of the box like that.

 

[therealaveragej]

Using a helicoil in wood is certainly a different approach. There are other more traditional ways with brass inserts that grip the wood and will do the job for a fraction of the cost of the helicoil. Both should work.

It is possible the OP didn't know about these threaded inserts for wood already existing, and I applaud their effort to think outside of the box like that.

I know about those. It seems like everybody on this page knows about the "traditional" style wood insert. This is the WHOLE reason why I made the video. To share a different approach to something. If you(the general you) like the idea, use it. If not, don't use it.