September 3, 20214 yr I'm rebuilding a chair. The joints are M/T, with tenon bolts (inserted in parallel with the tenon) secured to a threaded insert. To the right of the end of the board, you can see a hole into which a pin has been driven. The threaded bolt (1/4-20) cinches up about 1/4" short of the pin. The pin does not act as a stop for the bolt, nor does the pin pass through the M/T joint as a dowel might. What is the reason for the pin?
September 3, 20214 yr Popular Post Looks like a part of a caster assembly to me. Belled end to keep something from falling off and two groves where some kind of clip attached. .40
September 3, 20214 yr Author 4 hours ago, Cal said: No idea Pete, but how did you get it out? Drilled two small holes on either side of the pin head and used a wire side cutter to grip it.
September 3, 20214 yr Author 2 hours ago, HandyDan said: The pin may pass through the threaded insert to keep it from pulling out. As near as I can tell, the pin is at the end of the insert. However, researching to explore HD's suggestion, I found that the joint shown in the picture doesn't have its insert: bare hole. I thought someone lost the bolt. However, I now wonder if the pin is there as a stop to the insert? In a factory setting, drill the insert hole, drill the pin hole, insert the pin, insert the ... insert. FC's comment re caster pin: there are no casters on the chair (the pins are in the mid-leg rails), but the pin could be just some re-purposed component. However, the two "grooves" are just discolorations, slightly scratched. They are 1/4" apart, which leads me to think that the marks are made by the lower lip of the insert, scratched into the pin as I rotated it trying to get it out (or a prior effort at repairing the chair might have scratched the pin). However, as always, the PW Forum has provided clarity. I'll just leave the pins in. I'm glad I only extracted the one! The chair is part of an old set my daughter bought on Ebay, using them as porch furniture. I get to sit on that porch with the g-kid from time to time and I wanted at least one chair capable of not dumping my a** on the floor! Thanks guys.
September 3, 20214 yr 6 hours ago, PeteM said: As near as I can tell, the pin is at the end of the insert. However, researching to explore HD's suggestion, I found that the joint shown in the picture doesn't have its insert: bare hole. Insert may be broken at the drilled hole and a small piece is still in the hole. Johnny Armstrong and his wrench.
September 4, 20214 yr Hey Pete, post up a pic of one of the chairs. Maybe seeing how the thing is put together and location of this pin will help me better visualize and imagine a use for the pin...
September 4, 20214 yr Author 1 hour ago, Cal said: Hey Pete, post up a pic of one of the chairs. Maybe seeing how the thing is put together and location of this pin will help me better visualize and imagine a use for the pin... okey-doke!
September 5, 20214 yr Thanks for the pic Pete, unfortunately I am still at a loss on it. Maybe we can get one of the guys that used to fix & repair furniture to weigh in. @kmealy or @Smallpatch come to mind. Edited September 5, 20214 yr by Cal
October 6, 20214 yr Author I think it's a stop for the threaded inserts so they don't over-drive them. Teak wood, maybe a bit soft, not too hard to split, so could be that the "stop pin" and a torque limit would work. I've since completed sand/refinish/reassemble on the first one, and I now know I don't need to do anything to the pin, so I can ignore them for the rest of the set. Sometimes silence is an answer.
October 6, 20214 yr I've never worked with teak Pete. On an aged piece such as you are working with, how does it look after sanding? Got a pic of the completed chair?
October 6, 20214 yr I'm going with a pencil neck design engineer with a pocket protector and a cowlick (Jerry Lewis look alike), decided to put the pin in the plans after a 3 martini lunch. .40
October 6, 20214 yr Author 4 hours ago, Cal said: I've never worked with teak Pete. On an aged piece such as you are working with, how does it look after sanding? Got a pic of the completed chair? It cleans up really nicely, hint of gold, hint of red, straight grain. If allowed to weather naturally, apparently turns this wonderful shade of gray. Right, no thanks! "Polly up" says I.
October 6, 20214 yr Sorry, I'm having a hard time visualizing and understanding what this pin is doing. But, if you are planning on outdoors in AZ, poly is a very poor choice. First, poly has poor UV resistance and second, natural oils in teak can inhibit some finishes from curing properly. Be aware that products called "Teak Oil" can be about anything the manufacturer wants to put in the can. https://www.popularwoodworking.com/feb15/teak-oil-oil-doesnt-exist/
October 6, 20214 yr Author 2 hours ago, kmealy said: But, if you are planning on outdoors in AZ, poly is a very poor choice. In my experience, direct sunlight exposure in AZ burns off just about any coating given enough time. But limited exposure patio furniture (in this case, well shaded east exposure) can go about 5~7 years. The pieces I'm working are about 11 years, and were stained, and probably poly'd by a former owner. Customer likes the wood color now revealed, so we're not going to let it gray out. I'm using a water based poly and it's curing about as fast as I can brush it on, dry to touch in about 5 minutes, ready for recoat in a couple hours. Can't let my granddaughter sit on something ugly!!
October 7, 20214 yr That came out most excellent Pete! And, if Keith has no idea what the pin was for, I don't feel so bad for having no guess myself
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