Fasteners get it all together.

FASTENERS GET IT ALL TOGETHER

Choosing the right fastener "keeps it all together" in building high-quality, sturdy furniture and case goods. High-quality furniture and case goods components have little value if they are not assembled with fasteners that will ensure a sturdy finished product. Today, a number of options are available tailored to specific applications to help woodworkers obtain the correct fastener for their needs.

The following roundup features currently available fastening systems and equipment. Circle the corresponding number on the Reader's Service Card for additional information on any item.

Screws

Equality Screw Co. says its Sinker Screw for particleboard is designed with special nibs in the underside of the head that cut a recess for the head as the screw is driven. The screw can be set flush or well below the surface. Available in Phillips or square drive, the Sinker is case hardened, made of 1018 steel and plated in black oxide. 761

Parker Metal Corp. offers coarse threaded power driver screws that are designed for outdoor projects with pressure-treated lumber, such as decks and fences. Featuring a golden galvanized finish which reportedly stands up to wet weather, these hardened coarse thread Phillips bugle head screws provide optimum holding power and don't have to be countersunk, the company says. 762

D. Scheinert Inc. offers three different thread-style screws to the woodworker: the twinfast thread, the deep thread and the Hi-Lo thread. These screws are also available with either a Phillips or Squipps combination recess. 763

Hexagon Industries Inc. says it is able to produce small standard screws in the U.S. at prices competitive with imports. Defect sorting for critical applications is available. Large quantities of fasteners can be delivered significantly faster than from foreign suppliers, the company says. 764

The Recex wood screw from Pan American Screw is said to combine the advantages of a square-recessed head with a cross-slot head. Its head will not ream out and it is easier to use for rapid assembly speeds and greater plant productivity, according to the company. 765

Staples

ITW/Paslode Corp. says its 16-gauge, 1 1/2-in. staples require 379 lbs of withdrawal force from hardwoods such as poplar and 377 lbs from softwoods such as yellow pine. The company attributes the high holding power to its new coating on the staples. 766

Inserts

A series of brass knife thread inserts for wood products, ideal for use in KD applications, are available from E-Z LOK. Machine screw sizes are available from 4-40 through 3/8-16. They can be installed with a screwdriver, bolt and nut, tapping head or automatic screwdriver with bit finder. 767

Yardley Products' Zamak LD Series Fiber-sert self-tapping inserts with hex drive option provide strong threads for wood, particleboard or other soft, fibrous materials. There are no slots or holes through the wall of the insert, so the inside threads stay clean. Coarse, external threads are resistant to backout and loosening, the company says. 768

Precision Fasteners offers the ENSAT 302 self-tapping insert. The fasteners feature two self-cutting slots at the base to facilitate cutting action and minimize stress in the component during installation. The inserts are designed to tap their own threads as they are driven into a drilled or pre-cast hole. 769

Groov-Pin offers Tap-Lok self-tapping, self-locking inserts for plastic, wood and metal. The inserts are available in a variety of forms and materials. 770

Mechanical fasteners

Hafele America Co.'s Rafix connecting system consists of a 20mm diameter casing with an integrated tightening element and a connecting bolt available in 7mm and 5mm shank diameters. The ball socket of the tightening element engages the bolt head and distributes the tightening forces in all directions. 771

The new KLIX locking system from Titus Tool Co. Inc. has been extended to almost all the company's cam and dowel designs. With the KLIX system, the recesses in the cam and the barb-like features of the dowel are manufactured to precise tolerances so that once locked in place, they will not work loose, the company says. 772

A variety of fittings for the RTA cabinet and furniture manufacturer are available from Julius Blum Inc. For either flush or surface mount, the fittings are made of high-strength nylon and come in a variety of colors. 773

The K-9 from Outwater Plastic/Industries Inc. is a durable three-piece plastic/nickel-plated steel fastening system. It contains a tapered pin that enables the fast assembly/disconnection of two boards, the company says. It provides surface mounting. Available colors include brown and white. 774

Stafast offers a high retention T-nut with a tapered barrel. It is designed with a smaller lead diameter that will quickly drop into a standard hole size, the company says. The T-nut automatically aligns itself in the pilot hole. 775

Wood jointing systems from Murakoshi are used not only for connectors, but also as elementary components. When drilled and screwed in, the pieces can be fitted with sufficient strength, the company says. 776

Hettich America offers a variety of connective fittings, including: the Direkta, a universal one-piece connector; Taxtex 15, a compact sturdy connector with added torque support; the VB 33, a sturdy and stable connector that is easy to assemble due to the inclined position of the cam, and the Taxtex 25, featuring interior and exterior indentations that guarantee dual security, the company says. 777

I/USA Manufacturing Corp. connectors include the No. 509, a one-piece connector with Pozidriv or hex head, zinc or bronze plated, and the No. 555, a two-piece 8mm connector, nickel plated for 8mm holes, available in three lengths. 778

CW Systems' extruded aluminum corners are a patented system for building cabinets, displays and fixtures. Extrusions are available in a variety of finishes and colors. 779

Gripper shelf-lock support clips from Handy Button Machine Co. flatten against side panels when shelves are snapped in place and become virtually invisible. Cabinets can be shipped with shelves installed, the company says. The clips release when shelves are pulled straight out. 780

Once assembled, Mod-Eez fasteners, from Modular Systems Inc., stay hidden. The unique, spring steel design allows just enough give to resist torsion stress, yet retains the integrity of the joint, the company says. It is easy to assemble and disassemble, according to the company. 781

Panel Fastening Systems Inc. says its Interlock Offset panel fasteners are easy to install and economical for panel installation and other wall-mounted finishings. 782

Ragan Hardware Co. offers hardware and supplies for the furniture and related industries. Many products are available, including: nuts, bolts, points, braces and brackets. 783

Southern Imperial manufactures and stocks hanger bolts for quick delivery. 784

Stanley Fastening Systems offers a variety of fasteners, including: 24-20 gauge fine wire staples, 18-17 gauge medium wire staples, 16-15 gauge heavy wire staples, pins, brads, finishing nails and full round head nails. 785

Spirol blind nuts, developed for use in thin walled blind holes, are available from C.E.M. Co. and replace rivet nuts, weld nuts, cage nuts and snap-in fasteners. It consists of an aluminum nut housed in a tapered nylon cage wall and comes in UNC, UNF and metric thread sizes. 786

Fastening equipment

The DS-7648A/SP-276 stapler from Duo-Fast Corp. is equipped with a double-length magazine. It was designed for applications requiring mounted tools with increased magazine capacity and the drive power of an intermediate size stapler. It accepts up to four full strips of 16-gauge, 7/16-in. crown staples ranging from 3/4 in. to 1 1/2 in. 787

Senco Products Inc. introduced the SPS PowerPlus medium-duty stapler in two models, both of which drive 16-gauge, 1-in. crown galvanized staples. One model drives fasteners ranging in lengths from 3/4 in. to 1 1/4 in. The other drives fasteners in lengths from 7/8 in. to 1 1/2 in. 788

The Vee Nail frame assembly machine from Pistorius Machine Co. Inc. drives vee-shaped fasteners into the back of flat back frame-type components. It provides a strong joint without the necessity to fill or putty staple or nail holes, the company says. The fastener is internally concealed. 789

Carlson Systems Engineering's double-hung sash pinner squares, clamps and fastens both sashes of a double-hung window, drills pilot holes for single or double lock and keeper and fastens pivot pins, all in one operation. The air-powered tilt easel adjusts from horizontal to 65 [degrees] vertical for one- or two-man operation. Sashes can range from 13-in. by 13-in. to 42-in. by 60-in. 790

Porter-Cable Corp. says its Model 555 plate joiner makes quick work of 90 [degrees] and 45 [degrees] joints frequently used in woodworking. By adding the Model 5556 accessory tilt fence, users can set any angle between 0 [degree] and 90 [degrees] with 1 [degree] accuracy. A vertical adjustment of 1 in. can be made with the fence for precision biscuit-slot placement, depending on the thickness of the wood being joined. 791

AMP International offers the Model 100 speed nailer, a heavy-duty pneumatic assembly machine that drives a corrugated-type fastener that pulls the joint tightly together as it is inserted into the wood. Fasteners are available in different heights to accommodate different thicknesses of parts. 792

The Model DD hand-held dowel inserter from Accu-Systems is designed for the small- to medium-sized shop. It features: a lightweight gun for less operator fatigue, a microprocessor control for exact repetitive cycles, minimal moving parts, ease of maintenance and fast glue cleanup, the company says. 793

Hanger Bolt & Stud Co.'s new Drill 'n Drive 200 hanger bolt insertion machine is a bench-mounted unit that features: a single motor for lower energy usage, reduced spindle speed at the driver station for smooth insertion of the stud, and power assist at both the drilling and driving stations for ease of use. 794

The Model T29-30P headless pinner from Stanley-Bostitch is a lightweight pneumatic tool that is reported to hold a stick of 100 pins from 5/8 in. to 1 in. The narrow nose permits easy access into tight corners. 795

The heavy-duty electric tacker from Stanley Tools has a work-contacting lever feature which allows firing only when the tacker contacts the work surface. It also features a flush nose design for stapling close to walls, corners and hard-to-reach places. 796

The HL 816B/BP corrugated fastener from Spotnails Inc. is designed for heavyweight, hard-driving force whenever required. Applications include: furniture and cabinet framing, gable end or roof jack trusses, picture framing and pallet repair. For soft to medium woods, the stapler should be used at 5 lbs/12 oz, and for hardwood or dense particleboard, at 6 lbs/5 oz. 797

Cascade Tools Inc. offers a brad nailer said to be ideal for all assembly and fastening projects. This lightweight, pneumatic gun also reduces worker fatigue, the company says. It features an extra large magazine and safety trigger. It is capable of shooting 18-gauge nails into all kinds of wood and wood composite materials. 798

The Woodpecker automatic screwfeed system from Nascomatic Screwfeeding Systems, Nasco Industries Inc. features total air operation. It can be configured to feed #6 through #10 size screws and can deliver and drive up to 40 screws per minute. 799

Aro Corp. Series 20 and 50 pneumatic screwdrivers and nutsetters reflect the latest technology for proper tool handle configurations, the company says. Included is a complete selection of pistol grip, straight and right-angle styles to allow proper hand/arm positions relative to the fastening angle to help guard against repetitive-motion injuries. Various spindle speeds and clutches are available. 800

PHOTO : Pan American says its Recex wood screw is easy to use for rapid assembly speeds.

PHOTO : The double-hung sash pinner from Carlson Systems Engineering features an adjustable air-powered tilt easel.

PHOTO : This stapler from Duo-Fast is equipped with a double-length magazine.

PHOTO : Titus Tool has added its new KLIX locking system to most of its cam and dowel designs.

PHOTO : The accessory tilt fence on Porter-Cable's Model 555 plate joiner lets users set any angle between 0 [degree] and 90 [degrees] with 1 [degree] accuracy.

PHOTO : Stafast's T-nut has a small lead diameter so it drops quickly into a standard size hole.

PHOTO : The Drill 'n Drive 200 hanger bolt insertion machine from Hangar Bolt & Stud has power assist at the drilling and driving stations.

PHOTO : Precision Fasteners' ENSAT 302 insert has two self-cutting slots at the base.

PHOTO : Hafele's Rafix system has a connecting bolt available in 7mm and 5mm shank diameters.

PHOTO : Pistorius Machine's Vee Nail frame assembly machine drives vee-shaped fasteners into the back of flat back frame-type components.