Bent T-nuts on new product
Moderators: HopefulSSer, admin
-
- Gold Member
- Posts: 84
- Joined: Sun Apr 21, 2019 11:21 am
- Location: Prescott AZ
Bent T-nuts on new product
I bought a fence-mounted featherboard for my 520 from Shopsmith during the recent sale. It looked great in the package and I put it in the featherboard drawer until today, when I had occasion to use it.
I was perplexed to find that the T-nuts wouldn't fit into the slots on the fence or the table, sticking about halfway. First I thought there were manufacturing burrs or something needing cleaning up, so I smoothed edges with a file and did little chamfers on their little noses. No effect. After more monkeying around I put them on a straightedge and found they were both nearly a sixteenth out of square at the centers.
It appears that in swaging the nice fat 5/16" threaded rods into the center holes on the T-nuts, the operator pressed the nuts themselves out of square. Then no one bothered to test the products before packaging.
The material of the T-nuts seems unusually soft for this kind of application as well, close to pot metal. Not worth getting replacements of the same thing, I'm thinking.
This is not the sort of thing I expect in my loyalty to an established American product.
I was perplexed to find that the T-nuts wouldn't fit into the slots on the fence or the table, sticking about halfway. First I thought there were manufacturing burrs or something needing cleaning up, so I smoothed edges with a file and did little chamfers on their little noses. No effect. After more monkeying around I put them on a straightedge and found they were both nearly a sixteenth out of square at the centers.
It appears that in swaging the nice fat 5/16" threaded rods into the center holes on the T-nuts, the operator pressed the nuts themselves out of square. Then no one bothered to test the products before packaging.
The material of the T-nuts seems unusually soft for this kind of application as well, close to pot metal. Not worth getting replacements of the same thing, I'm thinking.
This is not the sort of thing I expect in my loyalty to an established American product.
- dusty
- Platinum Member
- Posts: 21359
- Joined: Wed Nov 22, 2006 6:52 am
- Location: Tucson (Wildcat Country), Arizona
Re: Bent T-nuts on new product
Pictures, please.
I have a tough time understanding the alleged defect.
However, I would certainly contact customer service...both to get replacements and to let them know that there is a problem at their end.
I have a tough time understanding the alleged defect.
However, I would certainly contact customer service...both to get replacements and to let them know that there is a problem at their end.
"Making Sawdust Safely"
Dusty
Sent from my Dell XPS using Firefox.
Dusty
Sent from my Dell XPS using Firefox.
Re: Bent T-nuts on new product
This will sound like nitpicking, but I just want to make this findable for someone experiencing the same. IIUC, the products in question are actually T-Bolts, not T-Nuts. I share the OP's view on this, I've had quality problems with several purchases this year. My suggestion is to photograph the problem and communicate with CS via email if you have any trouble getting through by phone. Don't be surprised if it takes several days for them to get back with you. But they need to know about the problems in order to resolve them. I have some of these T-Bolts, mine are both straight and plenty strong for this application.
- David
- David
-
- Gold Member
- Posts: 84
- Joined: Sun Apr 21, 2019 11:21 am
- Location: Prescott AZ
Re: Bent T-nuts on new product
Here's an illustration:Pictures, please.
Re: Bent T-nuts on new product
Ok, so that's the flat head of a T bolt up against a square and the threaded part of the bolt behind the square, right?
That's bent pretty bad, like it was overtightened with a nut while it was in the slot, but that would take some mighty tightening on something normally tightened with a small knob or nut by hand. And you found this on multiple bolts too? At 5 bucks a pop I'd want my money back.
I was wondering whether or not to buy some of these or just make them. I guess I'm leaning towards making them now.
That's bent pretty bad, like it was overtightened with a nut while it was in the slot, but that would take some mighty tightening on something normally tightened with a small knob or nut by hand. And you found this on multiple bolts too? At 5 bucks a pop I'd want my money back.
I was wondering whether or not to buy some of these or just make them. I guess I'm leaning towards making them now.
Ed from Rhode Island
510 PowerPro Double Tilt:Greenie PowerPro Drill Press:500 Sanding Shorty w/Belt&Strip Sanders
Super Sawsmith 2000:Scroll Saw w/Stand:Joint-Matic:Power Station:Power Stand:Bandsaw:Joiner:Jigsaw
1961 Goldie:1960 Sawsmith RAS:10ER
510 PowerPro Double Tilt:Greenie PowerPro Drill Press:500 Sanding Shorty w/Belt&Strip Sanders
Super Sawsmith 2000:Scroll Saw w/Stand:Joint-Matic:Power Station:Power Stand:Bandsaw:Joiner:Jigsaw
1961 Goldie:1960 Sawsmith RAS:10ER
- dusty
- Platinum Member
- Posts: 21359
- Joined: Wed Nov 22, 2006 6:52 am
- Location: Tucson (Wildcat Country), Arizona
Re: Bent T-nuts on new product
StevenAyres wrote: ↑Thu Dec 31, 2020 4:41 pmHere's an illustration:Pictures, please.
T-nut out of spec.jpg
WOW. I didn't believe it! That is definitely worth contacting Shopsmith.
"Making Sawdust Safely"
Dusty
Sent from my Dell XPS using Firefox.
Dusty
Sent from my Dell XPS using Firefox.
Re: Bent T-nuts on new product
Unreal! This is what they used to look like, one shown with the optional roll pins used in some applications:
These seem different in every possible way from the OP's new ones.
- David
These seem different in every possible way from the OP's new ones.
- David
Re: Bent T-nuts on new product
In the OP's picture the overall thickness is less. But, the stud is on the wrong side. How can that even start into the T track?
John & Mary Burger
Eagle's Lair Woodshop
Hooper, UT
Eagle's Lair Woodshop
Hooper, UT
- JPG
- Platinum Member
- Posts: 34610
- Joined: Wed Dec 10, 2008 7:42 pm
- Location: Lexington, Ky (TAMECAT territory)
Re: Bent T-nuts on new product
GOOD GRIEF!!!!!!
╔═══╗
╟JPG ╢
╚═══╝
Goldie(Bought New SN 377425)/4" jointer/6" beltsander/12" planer/stripsander/bandsaw/powerstation /Scroll saw/Jig saw /Craftsman 10" ras/Craftsman 6" thicknessplaner/ Dayton10"tablesaw(restoredfromneighborstrashpile)/ Mark VII restoration in 'progress'/ 10E[/size](SN E3779) restoration in progress, a 510 on the back burner and a growing pile of items to be eventually returned to useful life. - aka Red Grange
╟JPG ╢
╚═══╝
Goldie(Bought New SN 377425)/4" jointer/6" beltsander/12" planer/stripsander/bandsaw/powerstation /Scroll saw/Jig saw /Craftsman 10" ras/Craftsman 6" thicknessplaner/ Dayton10"tablesaw(restoredfromneighborstrashpile)/ Mark VII restoration in 'progress'/ 10E[/size](SN E3779) restoration in progress, a 510 on the back burner and a growing pile of items to be eventually returned to useful life. - aka Red Grange
Re: Bent T-nuts on new product
Yea I was thinking that something didn't look right but after studying it I can see it is right.
Wide part is the right as it should be.
And yes contact Shopsmith, that just not right.....
Ed
Wide part is the right as it should be.
And yes contact Shopsmith, that just not right.....
Ed
{Knight of the Shopsmith} [Hero's don't wear capes, they wear dog tags]