"Tee" nuts? (layout construction)

Okay, kids, here's a real oddball for ya.

Back in the 90s, when I was flipping through my issues of Model Railroader reading about modular layout construction. A lot of guys would use "T" nuts on the feet of their modules to help level them. The system works by drilling a hole in the bottom of the leg and then tapping in the T-nut, which consisted of a disc, a hollow, threaded shaft and, if I remember correctly, a couple nail-like prongs that drove into the wood to secure the nut. You could then thread a bolt through the shaft and use it to adjust the level of the module.

Now, I've been looking for these at my local hardware store, lumber yard and even the Home Depot. Whenever I describe these bolts to the hardware guys, all I've gotten is the "deer-in-the-headlights look." Have I been spending too much time with epoxy in a poorly ventilated area and dreamed up this device, or does it exist and I just have to search a little harder for it? Does anyone have a better suggestion for adjustable feet for a layout module? Just currious.

That same device is all over the place- particularly with appliances and cabinets. I doubt that you could find a refrigerator or dish washer without four, or any one of hundreds of items like them. Check out a cabinet maker's supply, refrigerator supply store, or appliance parts mail order and see if you could adapt. I estimated a level horizontal when I made my layout. As it happened, the floor was slightly more on an incline than I thought. I put in place various thicknesses of the 2x4's on the bottom of my 2x4 legs until I had a nice level layout surface, then glued them in place. There's no stress on the joint so it doesn't weaken the system as gravity is it's friend.
http://www.bellahardware.com/index.php? ... x&cPath=72
http://www.outwaterhardware.com/catalog ... 56-435.pdf

Am I the only person who clicked on this thread thinking it was asking for advice from railfans who are very enthusiastic about the MBTA?

You weren't far off.

** One of my ninjas, sitting at a trap set gives you guys a good rimshot **

But, seriously, folks...

Komachi wrote:Okay, kids, here's a real oddball for ya.

Now, I've been looking for these at my local hardware store, lumber yard and even the Home Depot. Whenever I describe these bolts to the hardware guys, all I've gotten is the "deer-in-the-headlights look." Have I been spending too much time with epoxy in a poorly ventilated area and dreamed up this device, or does it exist and I just have to search a little harder for it? Does anyone have a better suggestion for adjustable feet for a layout module? Just currious.

Are you sure you are describing the item to the store personnel correctly? T-Nuts are found in every hardware store I've ever visited, either in the specialty nuts and bolts draws, or in the cabinetry department. The T-Nut is a threaded, flanged tube with three small prongs on the flang rim, it's not any sort of bolt. Threaded leveling feet screw into them but generally are purchased separately. See below and if necessary print out and take a copy with you to the store, they've gotta have them. I've used them for adjustable feet on at least half a dozen train modules, plus the legs of my home layout.

http://www.woodpeck.com/tnut.html

CNJ999

CNJ,

I've drawn pictures and I still gotten the same response as if I were trying to explain nuclear physics to a valley girl.


Interestingly enough...

I talked to an older friend of mine who is a carpenter, he knew what I was talking about, and also reccomended the custom cabinetry section. I also went down to the lumber yard again today, this time I happened to talk to the big guy about these bits of hardware. Again, he knew exactly what I was talking about and gave me some information about a woodworker's supply company that deals in stuff like that. So I have an option there, although, I'm also going to take another look around Home Depot.

So, maybe I was talking to the wrong people (these guys have both done a lot of custom carpentry and cabinetry work for a few decades or so), who knows.


I appreciate the feedback, guys.
- K

Both Home Depot and Lowes carry them.
http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=p ... tt=tee+nut

Home Depot does not stock them online, but they do have them in the stores, I have purchased them before.

My gut feeling is that at Lowes, T-nuts might be in the hardware aisle, but in a separate section for specialty fasteners. I've been surprised before by the kind of stuff they actually had - for example, a push-on "axle nut" that helped secure a muffler mount on my car. I'd probably never have known what to call it, and had just as much luck trying to explain to an associate the sort of item I needed, but by rummaging through the drawers I found exactly what worked for me.

You've probably seen this in at least some of the MR articles, but the best type of bolt to use with a T-nut is a carriage bolt. Their smooth domed head can rest on an uneven surface without marring, but the square carriage underneath the head can still be easily turned with a wrench.

We use these in the arcade industry, mostly on pinball machines ... they are a 3/8" x 2" leveler.

So you'd need a 3/8-16 T-nut for each leg, and this gives you a nice solid metal foot under each table leg, adjustable, etc.

You can buy these at any arcade supply shop, my favorite is online at Marco Specialties (http://www.marcospecialties.com), and the direct link to the part is, http://www.marcospecialties.com/itemdesc.asp?ic=LL2.

The t-nuts can be gotten either at your local hardware store, or McMaster-Carr ... http://www.mcmaster.com/#90973a120/=2o8l2p

- litz