Weld Inserts

35WINDOW · December 07, 2005, 11:35:47 AM

Guys,

I have a question. I am looking for some threaded weld inserts. The only place I have seen them used, (and I hate to use this), is on American Chopper, the Teutel's T.V. show. They look like round bar stock that has been drilled and tapped. Yes, I realize that I could do this, but I was hoping for a Supplier that has them pre-made, as I will need a bunch of them.

I also realize that I could go to a Machine Shop, but I think that would be prohibitively expensive. I have seen something kinda close through Race Car shops, but not exactly what I am looking for.

Have I made this understandable, and does anyone know of a source?

Thanks for looking,

Craig

rumrumm · December 07, 2005, 11:48:50 AM

I got some from a machinist buddy of mine, and he ordered them for me through one of his catalogs--don't know what the name of it was. Are you friendly with a machinist? If not, go to a machine shop, and they should be able to help you.

35WINDOW · December 07, 2005, 11:55:49 AM

rumrumm,

Thanks fo rthe reply. No, I haven't any ties with any Machine shops yet (I'm sure I will in the near future), but I can sure call some.

Thanks for the tip,

Craig

sirstude · December 07, 2005, 12:05:57 PM

Go out to McMaster-Carr (http://www.mcmaster.com). They have everytying. I was looking at some of them the other day in my catalog (Thanks George). The ones I noticed were "T" shaped, but they had others.

The other thing I have seen used are just nuts, drill the hole oversize and weld the nut in.

Doug

35WINDOW · December 07, 2005, 12:16:45 PM

rumrumm,

Thanks fo rthe reply. No, I haven't any ties with any Machine shops yet (I'm sure I will in the near future), but I can sure call some.

Thanks for the tip,

Craig

unklian · December 07, 2005, 02:12:57 PM

There is tubing available,I think it's called Tap Tubing(or similar).
Comes in different sizes,heavy wall,and the ID is correct for tapping.
No need to drill.

These guys show bushings,
but the site hasn't been updated in a long time:
http://www.ubmachine.com/page35.html

Also check:
http://www.markwilliams.com/esell/catlist.asp

http://www.aa-mfg.com/pdshop/shop/listcats.asp

GPster · December 07, 2005, 02:32:10 PM

Enjenjo has used them. As a matter of fact Frank was using them on the BBQ trailer the last time we where up there. He even has the tool for crushing them in a bracket. There was some talk a while back about using them to fasten clamps for lines and hoses to a boxed frame. The place I've seen them is places that sell body shop supplies and paint kind of like in the Help line. I've heard that they're strong enough to use for body-to-frame mounts. GPster

35WINDOW · December 07, 2005, 02:34:21 PM

sirstude,

Thanks for the tip, I looked through the McMaster-Carr Catalog (hadn't thought of them!), called them, and they don't have it, they something close. Thank you!

Unklian,

Thank you for the ideas. I found the closest thing yet at A&A Manufacturing, but it has a shoulder on it-

I appreciate all of your suggestions!

Craig

35WINDOW · December 07, 2005, 02:44:37 PM

sirstude,

Thanks for the tip, I looked through the McMaster-Carr Catalog (hadn't thought of them!), called them, and they don't have it, they something close. Thank you!

Unklian,

Thank you for the ideas. I found the closest thing yet at A&A Manufacturing, but it has a shoulder on it-

I appreciate all of your suggestions!

Craig

MrMopar64 · December 07, 2005, 09:05:56 PM

Check out these guys and see if this is what your looking for
http://www.americandrillbushing.com/weldthread.htm

MM64

enjenjo · December 07, 2005, 11:09:06 PM

Joe, what I was using is a Nutsert. It's first cousin to a POP rivet, and installed with a similar tool. I used them for engine and trans mounts on a race car, which was later wrecked, and it actually tore out pieces of the frame rather than break the inserts.

GPster · December 08, 2005, 08:26:09 AM

Quote from: "enjenjo"Joe, what I was using is a Nutsert. It's first cousin to a POP rivet, and installed with a similar tool. I used them for engine and trans mounts on a race car, which was later wrecked, and it actually tore out pieces of the frame rather than break the inserts.

I learn something every time I try to help. You're always the best one to be corrected by. I get so excited when I think I know the answer that I don't check to see if I read the whole question. I missed the little word "Weld". Thanks, GPster

C9 · December 08, 2005, 09:18:55 AM

What size do you need?

The Deuce Factory - and perhaps other manufacturers - use 3/8-16 threaded weld bungs in their frames for body bolts and I've bought them as separate items.

Any chance you can get some unplated nuts and cut the hex off?
Spinning them up in a threaded mandrel on a drill press and using a file will round them off pretty quick.

Since there's not much of an area between threaded hole and outer part welding them on with a MIG welder can be tough, but a TIG works great.

Funny coincidence, my friend came over yesterday to see if I had a Nutsert.
He'd priced one at $137. locally, but hated to spring for one since it looked like a one-time use for him.

If aluminum would work, you can get a Nutsert type tool that installs aluminum nuts.
Ok for light duty stuff, but I wouldn't use it for anything else.
They're pretty cheap, probably less than $20. at Harbor Freight.

You could make the weld bungs yourself.
A lathe makes it easy, but sawing blanks off a cold rolled rod of proper diameter, drilling and tapping would be easy.
Be sure your saw cuts square.

Another way out would be to find nuts that have a built in washer.
Not the type that spin, but are actually part of the nut structure.
Not sure what they're called, but I used to have a bunch of them before I moved.
Used on Uni-Strut type shelving and other places.
That's what my friend decided to do when he left my house for the hardware store to see if he could find some.
There's enough material on these nuts to drill to the outer diameter of the cast in washer and MIG them in making for a flush to the surface nut.

I would have made him some, doesn't take long, but he likes to do it all himself even if it's difficult.

GPster · December 08, 2005, 02:57:28 PM

Quote from: "C9"What size do you need?You could make the weld bungs yourself.

I hate to throw away the pieces that I make when I use a hole saw on a flat piece of metal with my drill press. They look like heavy duty fender washers. You'd have to use some fairly thick metal to support the threads of a big bolt but your pilot hole would be in the center and you could make them as big as they needed to have room to weld them in with-out being too close to the threads. GPster