# Making tee bolts, need advice.



## ome (Sep 15, 2013)

How do you tap the tee bolt so the stud can't go all the way thru the hole?
My set has the tee bolts with what seems to be incomplete thread al the way thru the hole. 
Thanks very much to all of you who have been so grascious with all your knowledge. 

Jon


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## Terrywerm (Sep 15, 2013)

The tee nuts that I have appear to have been threaded all the way through, and then the last thread is swaged so that the studs cannot go through.  If making your own, you could just stop turning the tap when the end of the tap is flush with the bottom of the nut, but your studs may have a tendency to tighten up in the holes that way.


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## Rbeckett (Sep 15, 2013)

I kind of prefer to tap the hole through and through and peen two peen marks with a pin punch on either side.  That will disturb the thread just enough to stop a stud from turning too easily and allow the nut on top to be spun down without turning the stud in the hole.  If I do need the stud to ultimately go through I can thread 2 nuts together on the stud and use a wrench to turn the tightened studs to what ever depth I need them to be.  Just my thoughts and how I do them.

Bob


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## richl (Sep 15, 2013)

Ok noob question. I am going to be making a dozen or more tee nuts and clamping bars here. The others I had went through... is there a reason for not going through and using the bottom of the t slot to snug on?
I am using an old 1800 pound south bend vertical mill if that. Is important.

Thanks!

Rich


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## Terrywerm (Sep 15, 2013)

I have used both types, and I do not see a physical problem with the bottom of the slot stopping the stud, but my personal preference is for the bottom thread to be swaged so that the stud cannot go all the way through. If the stud goes all the way through, and tightens against the bottom of the t-slot, you have to get the stud to loosen (not just the nut) if you want to move the entire assembly for some reason.


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## Uglydog (Sep 15, 2013)

richl said:


> Ok noob question.



NOOB questions are good!
Then I'm not the only one.

Daryl
MN


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## Chucketn (Sep 15, 2013)

Having the bottom thread of the nut peened is to prevent the stud from going through the nut and contacting the bottom of the 'T' slot, thus jacking the 'T' nut up. Being overly agressive with an un-peened nut can cause breakout of the 'T' slot.
I've seen suggested using a hard ball bearing ball to peen the bottom threads. I used the punch method previously mentioned on the ones I made.
Chuck


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## itsme_Bernie (Sep 15, 2013)

terrywerm said:


> I have used both types, and I do not see a physical problem with the bottom of the slot stopping the stud, but my personal preference is for the bottom thread to be swaged so that the stud cannot go all the way through. If the stud goes all the way through, and tightens against the bottom of the t-slot, you have to get the stud to loosen (not just the nut) if you want to move the entire assembly for some reason.



I have seen an entire T-slot broken off of a table from the stud driving down and ripping the T-slot right up.  Nice little Atlas Horizontal Mill.  I know it was no Bridgeport, with beefier table, but still a shame.

Bernie


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## earl stedman (Sep 15, 2013)

Keeping the studs in good shape will help to not jam them when tightening the nuts and of course use washers. I'm not one to over tighten. I was a big guy and it would tick me off when I would have break down a set-up and the nuts were so tight I would have to use a pipe  :angry:          If you have a good set-up there is no need to over tighten the nuts.


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## caveBob (Sep 16, 2013)

MACHINE SHOP TIPS #102 Pt.1 Making Tee Nuts on the Bridgeport Mill
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAnXgxZ16m8

MACHINE SHOP TIPS #103 Pt.2 Making Tee Nuts on the Bridgeport Mill
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBUjeumpWzs


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## GK1918 (Sep 16, 2013)

For what its worth department, the next time the Elect. or Phone Co. bucket trucks around,  just ask If he could spare a couple nuts they
use on phone poles, they are square 5/8 thread.  Last time the phone guy said what do you want a bucket full. hell no just a hand full.
they could care less.


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## papermaker (Sep 18, 2013)

I took a chisel and cut an interuption in the bottom threads of the ones I made. I'm thinking making some more t-nuts and bolts. This time I'm going to thread the bolts to the exact length of the nut so that the bolt bottoms out on the nut.


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## CNC Dude (Sep 18, 2013)

Yet another noob question here. I have watched Tubalcain's videos and they are great. My question, however, is should these nuts be hardened, or do you just let the steel be?


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## itsme_Bernie (Sep 18, 2013)

GK1918 said:


> For what its worth department, the next time the Elect. or Phone Co. bucket trucks around,  just ask If he could spare a couple nuts they
> use on phone poles, they are square 5/8 thread.  Last time the phone guy said what do you want a bucket full. hell no just a hand full.
> they could care less.



Wow Sam!  What a tip!  


Bernie


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## PurpLev (Sep 18, 2013)

avayan said:


> Yet another noob question here. I have watched Tubalcain's videos and they are great. My question, however, is should these nuts be hardened, or do you just let the steel be?



you do not need to harden t-nuts, or most things for that matter. you do want to harden parts that see a lot of friction and high speed movement to prevent them from premature wear and tear, but for static parts/nuts/bolts and the likes it is not necessary.


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## Dave Smith (Sep 18, 2013)

After reading all your concerns and advice on making t-bolts and nuts, I am thinking that how you make them isn't near as important as how you use them.  a quick measurement to decide not to use too long of a bolt is very important to start with--since you definately do not want to bottom the bolt out on the bottom of the t-slot, as it starts to tighten, and you are not sure-just slip a shim under to see if it is.---an easy thing to make would be an aluminum strip that would slide easily under your t-nut before using your bolt and then when you tighten your bolt down you can make sure you can still slide the strip.  **just remember that a bolt tightened into the bottom of the t-slot has a lot of upward pressure and can easily crack or break upper part of slot.--I think we all have seen this and wished someone hadn't done it!!!---Dave   :thinking:


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## ome (Sep 20, 2013)

Dave Smith said:


> After reading all your concerns and advice on making t-bolts and nuts, I am thinking that how you make them isn't near as important as how you use them.  a quick measurement to decide not to use too long of a bolt is very important to start with--since you definately do not want to bottom the bolt out on the bottom of the t-slot, as it starts to tighten, and you are not sure-just slip a shim under to see if it is.---an easy thing to make would be an aluminum strip that would slide easily under your t-nut before using your bolt and then when you tighten your bolt down you can make sure you can still slide the strip.  **just remember that a bolt tightened into the bottom of the t-slot has a lot of upward pressure and can easily crack or break upper part of slot.--I think we all have seen this and wished someone hadn't done it!!!---Dave   :thinking:


Thanks alot
i ordered a 12mm tee bolt and it fits better than the 7/16. 


I think i may be better off buying 4 more and 4 flanged nuts and an assortment of studs, and just use the step blocks and straps from my milling set. 
Thanks guys!


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