Fastening & assembly.

Mechanical Fasteners & Dowels

Monarch Metal Fabrication Inc. says its panel "Z" clips offer a fast and easy method for locking into place any kind of wall panel, partition, acoustical panel, cabinet, artwork or signage without any special tools. The wall panel mounting system is offered in two stock sizes: 3/8 in. and 5/8 in. lift off, and in lengths from 1 1/2 ft to 12 ft. Custom lengths are also available.

Saunders Brothers, makers of industrial wood products, offers custom-made dowels, which the company says offer the flexibility of rapid design alteration. The dowels can meet any specifications for shape, finish and size, and can attach wood or non-wood parts.

Chicago Dowel Co. pre-applies adhesive to any size dowel pin. The company says that use of the pins shows no glue clogging, no glue seepage or messy cleanup. The dowels work when water is injected into the boring hole and the pin is inserted.

According to Titus, the Quickfit-TL system lets RTA furniture manufacturers assemble parts of products, like bookshelves, much faster than with conventional methods. Two panels can be joined together by pushing the Quick fit dowel into the pre-drilled holes and locking the assembled panels into position with a quick partial turn of the cam. The system comes in a wide range of dowel diameters and lengths.

Clamps

Ritter Mfg. Co. offers the R-875 drawer clamp, featuring a 10-in. by 24-in. by 36-in. capacity, a 0-to 3-in. clamp jaw stroke, adjustable clamp pressure, a manually adjusted fixed jaw and adjustable alignment stops. Brochures about this clamp are available from Ritter.

The Ramarch Forma semiautomatic hydraulic frame press by Eric Riebling Co. Inc. is built on a tubular steel frame, which the company says is a step forward in the range of presses in the assembly of door and window frameworks. The central beam is set up by means of an electropneumatic locking system.

Mereen-Johnson Machine Co. has introduced its model #99-A box clamp, designed for the production assembly of boxes utilizing dovetails, tongue and dado, doweled, pinned or butt joints. It offers both X- and Y-axis adjustments from a single control position, eliminating the need to adjust pins for different box depths.

The 12-ft-wide Combo Clamp from JLT Clamps can pneumatically clamp two cabinet doors or one large door. The capacity for one door is 38 in. by 80 in. and 38 in. by 38 in. for two smaller doors. The Combo Clamp allows for door and panel production with one machine, according to JLT.

The Bessey PowerGrip, for use on wood and metal, offers one-handed action without sacrificing clamping pressure, American Clamping says. It can produce up to 1,000 lbs of pressure with one twist on the wood handle. The one-handed clamp provides rapid, secure clamping and allows the user to position and align the workpiece at the same time.

Fastening Equipment

The Lamello Classic C2 plate joiner combines power, precision and balanced design for use in wood, laminates, solid surface and aluminum materials, according to Colonial Saw Co. It has an increased maximum depth adjustment of 20mm, a nickel-coated guide plate, a cutter with six alternating teeth, anti-slip pads and tools for change of cutter.

Porter-Cable Corp.'s model 557 plate joiner kit has the highest amp rating in the market (7.5 amps) to ensure quick, clean cuts in the toughest material, the company says. The precision fence with micro-height adjustment allows for exact placement of the biscuit.

The specialized hanger bolt and dowel insertion drivers from Hanger Bolt & Stud Co. are designed for use in reversible power drills. They can be used in applications requiring a limited number of fasteners and offer portability for job site applications. Special internal threads and a ball bearing end stop are designed to easily release the bolt when the rotation of the driver is reversed.

Duo-Fast's catalog provides features, benefits and specifications on its line of fastening equipment, including pneumatic nailers; pneumatic, electric and manual staplers; electric screwdriving tools; nails; staples and screws. In addition, the catalog contains a complete application guide for each tool.

ITW AMP offers the Mitre-Mite VN4 Memory Program Electronic Production Assembly Machine, which holds approximately 2,000 frame profiles in its memory that can be recalled at the touch of a button. The machine can assemble hardwoods, softwoods, MDF and plastic without clamping or drilling.

Hoffman Machine Co. Inc.'s PU-2 dovetail router can be used in the production of cabinet doors, store fixtures, custom millwork and office furniture, among others. The operation is fully automatic, and material up to 5 3/4 in. thick can be machined. The router also can machine miters with different angles, butt joints and compound miters.

Screws, Nuts and Bolts 

Apple Fasteners Inc.'s 1998 specialty screw and woodworking catalog specializes in square drive screws with choice of nibs, type 17 tip, sidecutters or washer head. Apple says it discounts all types of fasteners, such as nuts, bolts, washers and more than 20,000 other items.

Fastap self-drilling melamine screws with Power Point 2 from Faspac Inc. can be used to install melamine fasteners in one step with just a drill motor and a bit holder. The Power Point 2 tip design drills the pilot hole as the user installs the screw, so there is no pre-drilling.

Naylor Industries says its particleboard screw requires no pilot hole, prevents the wood from splitting and self-countersinks all in one. Oversized coarse threads give maximum holding power, Naylor says. The screws are available in lengths of 3/4 in. to 4 in. and in diameters of 8mm, 9mm and 10mm; in either Phillips or square head drives and either black oxide or zinc-plated.

S&G Specialty Fasteners has announced new additions to the QuickCutter line. The screws are available with a Phillips flat head, with four nibs in zinc-plated and Plain & Dri Lube. They are also available with a combination square/cross recess round washer head in Plain & Dri Lube. The QuickCutters feature a smooth shank for better draw down and tighter sealing and the double-auger point for faster, stress-free driving, the company says.

Pro-Dec Products Inc. offers a wide range of fastener covers and hole covers. Among the products are Snap-Caps, which provide an air-tight seal that protects the fastener, Tap-Caps, press-on covers for Phillips and Pozidriv screws, square-Drive Caps for square drive screws and HexCaps for hex washerboard fasteners.