# Two cam board issues



## SE18 (Apr 6, 2009)

1. T-Nuts. At Lowe's they're $3.50 each X # i'd need as you can see from my cam board would be about 40, which would total $140 if my math is correct. Rather than use T nuts below the board, what other options might there be?

I'm thinking of countersinking a hole and epoxying a nut below. That way I don't have to hold the bottom nut while tightening the bolt with a screwdriver on top and it would speed work.

I'm interested in others' ideas which are easy and cost effective, with emphasis on the latter.

2. I haven't posted much lately b/c I'm moving my workshop to 1/2 of my garage and it has been a real challenge finding space. I'm thinking of using my cam board as a table saw sled by raising the height of the 2 ski guide rails you see in the photo on each side of the cam board. That way, I can use my cam board for ski routing and also for table saw sledding. The danger would be in ensuring the cams/cam bolts are not sliced by the table saw, so situational awareness would be the order of the day!

I'm also thinking that the cam board might even be used to hold vertical boards on the table saw that need their ends cut. Again, caution would be in order not to hit the cam and even more important the bolt. If the cam board were used in this manner, of course some folding perpendicular pieces that attach to the table saw fence/channels would need to be made. This might all be too much trouble.

As for the drill press, the cam board is pretty much set to be used as is.

So there you have it, some ideas for multi-purpose usage and a T-nut question.

Dave Vergun


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

tee nuts from
McMaster-Carr or ebay, I just 300 for 12.oo off ebay..but I will say I like to use 10-24 tee nuts because the bolts are cheaper (Allen cap screws)


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SE18 said:


> 1. T-Nuts. At Lowe's they're $3.50 each X # i'd need as you can see from my cam board would be about 40, which would total $140 if my math is correct. Rather than use T nuts below the board, what other options might there be?
> 
> I'm thinking of countersinking a hole and epoxying a nut below. That way I don't have to hold the bottom nut while tightening the bolt with a screwdriver on top and it would speed work.
> 
> ...


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## SE18 (Apr 6, 2009)

thanks, Bob, wonder if everyone is using something similar.

re: #2, I think the main thing to do is to spray paint a red strip where the saw blade goes so no cams get placed there. I think this multipurpose cam idea has some utility


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## jschaben (Jun 21, 2009)

Try here:
#10-24 T-Nuts 1/4" Barrel 4 Prong Steel Zinc Plated(50) - eBay (item 390037240228 end time Nov-08-09 17:01:42 PST)


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi

The red paint would work just fine I think,,I have tried many other types of tee nuts/insert nuts but they just don't hold  many like to spin free after a time or two..the big flange on the tee nuts will hold over and over and if you do and you will strip one out you can replace it easy...


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SE18 said:


> thanks, Bob, wonder if everyone is using something similar.
> 
> re: #2, I think the main thing to do is to spray paint a red strip where the saw blade goes so no cams get placed there. I think this multipurpose cam idea has some utility


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## jd99 (Jun 17, 2009)

Here is another source for the T-Nuts
Fastenal


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi John

Thanks for the great link,,if you keep this up I will be broke in no time..  200 on the way to me..


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jschaben said:


> Try here:
> #10-24 T-Nuts 1/4" Barrel 4 Prong Steel Zinc Plated(50) - eBay (item 390037240228 end time Nov-08-09 17:01:42 PST)


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## jschaben (Jun 21, 2009)

bobj3 said:


> Hi John
> 
> Thanks for the great link,,if you keep this up I will be broke in no time..  200 on the way to me..
> 
> ...


eBay Store – American Intergrated Supply: Search results for button head cap screws.

Bob - Gotta have some bolts to go with 'em :lol::lol::lol:


Thanks for the Fastenal link jd99. I usually get LARGE invoices from them so I haven't actively looked there. Will do so.


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## BigJimAK (Mar 13, 2009)

SE18 said:


> 1. T-Nuts. At Lowe's they're $3.50 each X # i'd need as you can see from my cam board would be about 40, which would total $140 if my math is correct. Rather than use T nuts below the board, what other options might there be?


Dave.. that's gotta be a box or bag price... I paid $0.13 each at HD in Anchorage and though I only needed a couple at that time, I knew I was paying one heckuva premium. The guys below are paying $0.04 each. I suggest you have them check it out at the Lowes register.


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## levon (Sep 14, 2008)

david,

if you are close to a grainger, you can get a box of 100 for 5 bucks i think it was. i bought some there about 6 months ago. they were 10-24
fastenal is a lot higher in price.

lowes is also extremely high, i checked everywhere and grainger was the cheapest.


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## Hamlin (Dec 25, 2005)

10-24 x 7/16BL Tee Nuts Small, Tee Nuts, Nuts, Fasteners - McFeely's


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## BigJimAK (Mar 13, 2009)

Thanks, Levon.. We've got one of those locally. I'll check there before going mail order. 



levon said:


> david,
> 
> if you are close to a grainger, you can get a box of 100 for 5 bucks i think it was. i bought some there about 6 months ago. they were 10-24
> fastenal is a lot higher in price.
> ...


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi John

Thanks ,,I fixed up with the Allen bolts,,that's the nice thing about the cams one bolts fits all the cams..  I got a box of 100 pcs. and still have 1/2 box on hand, I only need 10 max on the board at one time the norm.. 


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jschaben said:


> eBay Store – American Intergrated Supply: Search results for button head cap screws.
> 
> Bob - Gotta have some bolts to go with 'em :lol::lol::lol:
> 
> ...


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## SE18 (Apr 6, 2009)

BigJimAK said:


> Dave.. that's gotta be a box or bag price... I paid $0.13 each at HD in Anchorage and though I only needed a couple at that time, I knew I was paying one heckuva premium. The guys below are paying $0.04 each. I suggest you have them check it out at the Lowes register.


they were sold 1 each wrapped in plastic inside one of those drawers in the infamous "I can't seem to find it" fastener aisle in Lowe's. I was floored by the price and even asked a salesman to come over and confirm the price.

Thanks everyone for the additional information. I've decided to can the epoxy idea and find better priced T-nuts. I'm still reading over your responses and checking your links


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi David

Most towns have a bolt and nut outlet in them. it's standard item that most keep in stock, you may want to let your fingers do the walking...so to speak...

Your always best to buy them by the box of 100 to get the best price..how do I know that, I worked for one for about 8 years here in Denver..and all that stuff got stuck in my head forever ..  I was the PA for 4 years of the 8 years..



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SE18 said:


> they were sold 1 each wrapped in plastic inside one of those drawers in the infamous "I can't seem to find it" fastener aisle in Lowe's. I was floored by the price and even asked a salesman to come over and confirm the price.
> 
> Thanks everyone for the additional information. I've decided to can the epoxy idea and find better priced T-nuts. I'm still reading over your responses and checking your links


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## SE18 (Apr 6, 2009)

bobj3 said:


> tee nuts from
> McMaster-Carr or ebay, I just 300 for 12.oo off ebay..but I will say I like to use 10-24 tee nuts because the bolts are cheaper (Allen cap screws)



After carefully reviewing every reply on this post, I decided, for several reasons, to go with McMaster, ordering the 1/4 X 20 T nut in the standard style, along with round-headed machine screws. I went with zinc coated steel.

I ordered a minute ago and they said the shipment would arrive by tomorrow via standard lowest cost ground transport. I was surprised at the speed they promise. Looking forward to using these! Thanks


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## jschaben (Jun 21, 2009)

SE18 said:


> After carefully reviewing every reply on this post, I decided, for several reasons, to go with McMaster, ordering the 1/4 X 20 T nut in the standard style, along with round-headed machine screws. I went with zinc coated steel.
> 
> I ordered a minute ago and they said the shipment would arrive by tomorrow via standard lowest cost ground transport. I was surprised at the speed they promise. Looking forward to using these! Thanks


Hi David, McMasters has always been pretty good on shipping with me. Standard shipping will generally get out here in the middle of nowhere Kansas in about 4 days. I was a little antsy with them on my first order because I couldn't find shipping rate info anywhere on their site but when they finally got around to billing me for it, the rate was pretty decent.


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## MT Stringer (Aug 15, 2012)

In the past, I have used Liquid Nails construction adhesive on numerous projects. I would be willing to bet that a dab on each of the tee nuts would help them stay in place for a long time.


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

Whilst I've had and used cam jigs for many years I seldom use them these days preferring to use scraps of wood/MDF pinned around the work-piece onto a sacrificial table top, it's cheaper, faster and more accurate.


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