T-nut question

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MattSPL

Member
Joined 2013
I'm putting a pair of 165mm drivers into a cutout for 170mm drivers.
The holes for fixing the new 165mm drivers are very close to the inner edge of the cutout.

If I put T-nuts in, 1 or 2 of the fixing spikes and part of the threaded section might end up in the cutout. Will the T-nuts work like this or will they be unstable?

Cheers
Matt
 
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Enzo

Member
Joined 2004
You can also stake down the T-nuts even if one tooth hangs in the air. SOme builders drive a wood screw into the wood of the baffle onto the edge of the T-nut, so the nut flange is caught under the screw head. That keeps the nut from coming out. Some cabinet makers also use heavy staples - like they sometimes use to make furniture. Run a staple or two down across the nut flange to keep it in place.
 
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chrisb

Member
Joined 2002
perhaps too late to add to Cal's suggestion re threaded inserts - in our commercial millwork fabrications, the only place we'll use T-nuts is for adjustable glides on the bottom of free-standing furniture gables, where they're not so likely to fall out


I like the socket head steel inserts best myself - as they're nowhere near as likely to shear off as the softer alloy or brass fittings during installation

(recently found the Rampa Tec brand - Type SK - available in a range of imperial and metric internal threads)
https://shopen.rampa.com/shop.html
 
M

MattSPL

Member
Joined 2013
I think the threaded inserts will risk busting through the inner rim of the driver cutout and falling out. There just isn't enough mdf around the hole where the insert would go.

The T-nuts still haven't arrived, but I did install the drivers temporarily by drilling a 2.5mm pilot hole and using 3mm screws. I will then be able to enlarge the holes for T-nuts.

One thing I need to do is block/fill the old T-nuts as they are leaking air out the cabinet just around the edge of the driver.
 
M

MattSPL

Member
Joined 2013
:) Unfortunately, these are pair of commercially built active monitors that I am having a go at improving by upgrading the drivers. It was a bit of a gamble as all I had to go by was driver impedance and crossover frequency.

I needed a 4 ohm mid/bass unit to fit a 170mm cutout that could be crossed at 3Khz, so I bought a pair of SB acoustics Satori mid/bass units.
The results are very promising so far :)
I'll post some pics when I'm done.
 
JMFahey

JMFahey

Member
Joined 2009
One doubt: are they inside or outside mounted?
Because if outside, consider some speaker mounting clamps.
A-522-Plastic-Clamp-Kit.jpg
 
Cal Weldon

Cal Weldon

Administrator
Joined 2004
calweldonconsulting.ca
Paid Member
Nope, those are on the outside. They clamp the speaker to the baffle.

I still think threaded insert with a slightly oversized hole so you don't damage the wood and a splash of wood glue to make up for the oversized hole is what I would do.

If you already have the T-nuts on the way then just use a small screw at the edge of the flange like Enzo suggested. I've done that many times. Your T-nut is not likely to come anywhere near the driver basket or magnet.
 
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