Trains.com

Source for leveling feet for bench work?

5269 views
13 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    January 2006
  • From: Mid Atlantic
  • 614 posts
Source for leveling feet for bench work?
Posted by Birds on Saturday, January 6, 2007 12:32 AM

I was at Lowes tonight looking for leveling feet for benchwork legs and couldn't find them. 

Where do people find leveling feet, or how have you made them?

Thanks,

Chris 

  • Member since
    February 2005
  • From: Near Atlanta, GA
  • 288 posts
Posted by luther_stanton on Saturday, January 6, 2007 7:14 AM

Chris,

 I use a blind nut and 1/4 bolt on the bottom of the legs.

Luther Stanton ---------------------------------------------- ACL - The Standard Railroad of the South
  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Media, PA
  • 600 posts
Posted by Joe Hohmann on Saturday, January 6, 2007 7:20 AM
Our modular group uses T-nuts (Home Depot), which is probably the same as a Blind nut. Joe
  • Member since
    February 2005
  • From: Near Atlanta, GA
  • 288 posts
Posted by luther_stanton on Saturday, January 6, 2007 7:31 AM

Joe,

 I think they are the same!  I would bet that "T nut" is the proper descriptionThumbs Up [tup]

 Besides, everyone knows nuts can not see in the first place.Smile [:)]

Luther Stanton ---------------------------------------------- ACL - The Standard Railroad of the South
  • Member since
    January 2004
  • 1,634 posts
Posted by pbjwilson on Saturday, January 6, 2007 8:02 AM
  • Member since
    February 2004
  • From: Rolesville, NC
  • 15,416 posts
Posted by ChiefEagles on Saturday, January 6, 2007 8:27 AM
 luther_stanton wrote:

Joe,

 I think they are the same!  I would bet that "T nut" is the proper descriptionThumbs Up [tup]

 Besides, everyone knows nuts can not see in the first place.Smile [:)]

T Nut is the proper name.  USed then on my benchwork in the big rooma nd now using them [did some last night] in walk-in attic part of layout.  Lowe's has the T Nuts but NO screw in "feet" for the legs.  Ended up getting mine from Ace Hardware.   In fact, they ordered me some at a discount as I was getting so many. 

 

 God bless TCA 05-58541   Benefactor Member of the NRA,  Member of the American Legion,   Retired Boss Hog of Roseyville Laugh,   KC&D QualifiedCowboy       

              

  • Member since
    January 2006
  • From: Mid Atlantic
  • 614 posts
Posted by Birds on Saturday, January 6, 2007 9:28 AM

Thanks for the replies!

I found the "T" nuts at Lowes, but didn't see the feet.  I thought I was missing something obvious.

There's a local True Value known for stocking parts no one else carries.

I'll politely refrain from any squirrel comments. Smile [:)]

Chris 

  • Member since
    February 2005
  • From: Near Atlanta, GA
  • 288 posts
Posted by luther_stanton on Saturday, January 6, 2007 3:28 PM
 ChiefEagles wrote:
 luther_stanton wrote:

Joe,

 I think they are the same!  I would bet that "T nut" is the proper descriptionThumbs Up [tup]

 Besides, everyone knows nuts can not see in the first place.Smile [:)]

T Nut is the proper name.  USed then on my benchwork in the big rooma nd now using them [did some last night] in walk-in attic part of layout.  Lowe's has the T Nuts but NO screw in "feet" for the legs.  Ended up getting mine from Ace Hardware.   In fact, they ordered me some at a discount as I was getting so many. 

 

 I guess the name depends upon the hobby or where you purchase them.  I started with RC airplanes in my teen years where this type of nut is used frequently in plywood engine mounts.  Dubro, a manufacturer of such things RC (and BTW, I still use them as a source for small bolts in nuts in the O Scale world), does refer to them as blind nuts:

 http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXD966&P=7

 So everyone is correct!

Luther Stanton ---------------------------------------------- ACL - The Standard Railroad of the South
  • Member since
    February 2004
  • From: Rolesville, NC
  • 15,416 posts
Posted by ChiefEagles on Saturday, January 6, 2007 3:49 PM
Luther, 10-4.  Hey I've used them to mount fuel gauges in plastic fuel tanks for boats.  Drill holes and cut out center hole for sending unit.  Press the blind nuts [I can see where they are called that] on the inside of fuel tank with pliers to hold them in place.  Use bolts to tighten with gasket between sending unit and tank.  Now you have a plastic fuel tank with sending unit for fuel gauge when they did not come equiped.  Mighty handy. 

 God bless TCA 05-58541   Benefactor Member of the NRA,  Member of the American Legion,   Retired Boss Hog of Roseyville Laugh,   KC&D QualifiedCowboy       

              

  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: St. Louis, MO
  • 4,913 posts
Posted by Brutus on Saturday, January 6, 2007 7:02 PM

Here's some ideas: http://www.woodcraft.com/ and http://www.rockler.com/ both carry light and heavy duty feet for furniture - I've bought some from both.  Also, you can use a piece of 2x4 for the leg or add a separate short piece attached to the bottom of the frame, pre-drill it, and insert a short lag bolt.  The hex head type will make a solid connection with the floor.  Just drill the hole a little tight.  If it's too loose, put a nut on it and tighten up against the wood.  If you don't want to scratch the floor, you could use the smooth/rounded type heads and/or add some of those plastic floor-saver things for furniture and set them under the feet.

I've used these (type B - T-nut style) on workbenches and tool boxes:

http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?FamilyID=1073

 

RIP Chewy - best dog I ever had.

  • Member since
    January 2006
  • From: Mid Atlantic
  • 614 posts
Posted by Birds on Saturday, January 6, 2007 7:55 PM

Jim! Thumbs Up [tup]

Yes!  I completely forgot about WoodCraft!  I used to pass by one regularly until we moved.

The Type-C level found in your last link is exactly what I had in thought.

I was really trying to avoid free hand drilling holes in the base of the 2x2 legs.

I can level and secure a Type-C leveling foot and know it's spot on.

 

Thanks,

Chris 

  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: St. Louis, MO
  • 4,913 posts
Posted by Brutus on Saturday, January 6, 2007 9:28 PM
Smile [:)] I can't drill straight - I always use a jig of some kind or my little drill press!

RIP Chewy - best dog I ever had.

  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: St. Louis, MO
  • 4,913 posts
Posted by Brutus on Sunday, January 7, 2007 10:55 AM
You could buy online.  Their shipping isn't too bad, but I would try and combine everything into a single order to keep it down as much as possible.  You can also order a catalog and do regular mail order, or call and order on the phone.

RIP Chewy - best dog I ever had.

Join our Community!

Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.

Search the Community

FREE EMAIL NEWSLETTER

Get the Classic Toy Trains newsletter delivered to your inbox twice a month