Threaded inserts

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bugradx2

bugradx2

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Ok, I have a question for everyone.

Is there a "better" or "best" steel insert to use in your turnings that will be receiving threaded items like bottle stoppers, pizza cutters, potato mashers and other fun stuff?

I've Niles stainless steel inserts and have also seen other stainless still inserts for sale at places like Craft Supplies and Exotic Blanks.

Before you ask, yes, I use epoxy to glue the inserts into things.

I'd love to hear peoples thoughts.

Thanks
 
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I use the Niles inserts for all my threaded needs and have been very happy with them. Depending on the project I use CA or 5 minute epoxy.
 
I make my own from wood.

The problem with threads on bottle stoppers is that the stopper turning, if made from wood, is long-grain (spindle) orientation, so the hole that must be drilled and tapped in the end of the turning is in end-grain. End-grain wood doesn't thread very well; the threads are perpendicular to the wood grain which makes them weak and tend to crumble. A better option is to drill and tap into face grain so that the threads are parallel to the grain of the wood.

So my solution is to start with wood with pronounced grain - ash or oak are great for this purpose. Drill and tap a series of holes in the face grain. Cut them apart, and then thread each scrap onto the stud of a stopper mandrel, and carefully turn down the outside to make a plug with a round hole. The threaded hole is usually 3/8x16, so I aim for a plug diameter of perhaps 5/8". Then, drill a 5/8" hole in the end grain of the wood stopper blank, and glue the plug into the hole. The result is a spindle-orientation blank (great for turning), with a 3/8x16 hole in face grain.

I can batch out a number of these plugs to have them ready to glue into stopper blanks as I need them.
 
At Stainless Bottle Stoppers we use brass for our inserts. I would avoid steel which are typically the screw in style. These will rust over time and screwing them in can add stress to your wood. This can make the wood crack. Rockler provides this style insert with almost all of their kits i beleive. Though a free insert is better then no insert. Also be careful with stainless inserts and galvanic corrosion.

For ours you drill a 1/2 hole and glue in with two part epoxy. They are knurled to help with glue adhesion. They are also open on the end as there are many other projects that you mentioned that the thread is longer than on a bottle stopper.

For something that will take and hold threads well like acrylic or resin, I would just thread them and save the cost of the insert.
 
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Thanks everyone, I appreciate the info. I also apologize for the bad grammar and spelling in my original post. I just reread it. I must have been tired or something.
 
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