Making a Captive Barrel Nut Joint
The Tools & Equipment you will need
Step 1 – Measure the Barrel Nut. You need to know the total length and the length to the centre of the hole.
Step 2 – Now you know the full length of the nut you need to mark the same length on the drill bit. The Captive Barrel nut is 10mm Diameter so we use a 10.5mm Diameter Drill bit. Use a pencil to mark
Measure from the flat section – Ignore the
tip
Step 3 – Wrap a bit of masking tape around the drill bit where you measured so you know how deep to drill.
Step 4 – Measure the thickness of the piece of wood you are joining. In this case it is 16mm and mark half way (8mm)
Step 5 – Now make a cross 2cm (20mm) from the edge. This is where you will drill.
Step 6 – Use a Centre Punch and hammer, punch where the centre of your hole will be.
Step 7 – Tighten the drill bit into the pillar drill with the chuck key.
Step 8 – Clamp your work into machine vice so that it does not move when drilling.
Step 9 – Line the Drill bit up with the hole you have punched.
Step 10 – Drill down to the tape – NO DEEPER
Step 11 – Remove Drill and you will have the hole for your barrel nut
Step 12 – Test the barrel nut in the hole. It should be quite a loose fit.
Step 13 – On the same piece of wood, measure half of your barrel nut length down and half of your wood thickness across and mark and centre punch. Half your barrel nut length
Step 14 – Clamp your work and using the 6.5mm drill, drill the whole length of the drill bit – as long as this will not come out of the other end!!
Step 15 – Work out where you want the join. It could be on the edge or in the middle.
Step 16 – On the edge of your other piece of wood, measure half of your barrel nut length down and 8mm in (This is half of the thickness of the first 8mm piece of wood)
Step 17 – Use a Centre Punch and hammer, punch where the centre of your hole will be.
Step 18 – Clamp your work and drill all the way through using the 6.5mm drill making sure you don’t drill the vice
Step 19 – Assemble you work with the bolt and Allan Key.