3/8" Tee Bolts for Atlas Mill Table

[ltlvt]

The Atlas Horizontal mill uses 3/8" TEE Nuts. Hard to find and time consuming to make not to mention you would need Studs or bolts to use with the Nuts. So here is my quick and easy solution. I made various lengths up to 3" long. These little mills don't get very much attention on forums, so this is for the Atlas Fans.

 

[Richard King 2]

I just Googled "small T-Nuts - work holding" and found this an a few others. https://www.zoro.com/te-co-t-slot-n...erm=4586131723107564&utm_content=All Products

 

[mac1911]

I was thinking this could be my first project on my New To Me 3-1 smithy
I have only 3

 

[projectnut]

McMaster sells them for a little over $3.00 a piece. I recently picked up a small tilt table for the mill from a used machine dealer. The T slots are 10mm. I was too lazy to make nuts for it, so I ordered a few from McMaster. They have several different styles in both imperial and metric measurements from 1/4" to 1 1/4" and 4mm to 48mm.

McMaster-Carr

McMaster-Carr is the complete source for your plant with over 595,000 products. 98% of products ordered ship from stock and deliver same or next day.

www.mcmaster.com

 

[OTmachine]

Had to trim down 3/8 tee-nuts for the Rockwell. In a pinch, I have a length of 1/4 x 3/4“ cold rolled bar stock that I cut off 1 inch lengths and drill and tap for 3/8-16 studs.

 

[MyLilMule]

Great solution. Why buy it when it can be made so easy, right? I needed a pretty beefy square headed bolt for my South Bend steady rest. Took me no time at all. Used some scrap, single point threaded the end and welded it to the square bit. And it was free! (besides the thousands of dollars in machine equipment and a welder. LOL!)

 

[benmychree]

Had to trim down 3/8 tee-nuts for the Rockwell. In a pinch, I have a length of 1/4 x 3/4“ cold rolled bar stock that I cut off 1 inch lengths and drill and tap for 3/8-16 studs.

I'd think that such a short thread would wear the nut and stud threads prematurely, as with countersinking the nut threads to remove burrs would leave only about 2 threads in engagement.

 

[Richard King 2]

If you clicked on my zoro link you would have seen a 3/8" T-Nut costs $2.59 and ships in a day. For me I would rather be using a mill making fun parts and not T-nuts and studs when you can use Allen Bolts.

 

[RJSakowski]

When I got my RF30 clone more than 40 years ago, it came with a clamp set with 3/8" studs. The table slots are less than 5/8" but were too large for the 1/2" tee nuts that came with the set. One of my first milling jobs was making some tee nuts to fit the 15mm slots. I made a half dozen for 3/8" studs and while I was at it, another half dozen for 1/2" studs. They are fairly simple to make, I started with 6" bars of 1" x 3/4" stock and milled the sides to .580" and the height to .680" and then drilled and tapped for 3/8" and 1/2" every inch. They were then cut apart on the band saw. They have held up well over the forty years.

I got a 1/2" clamp set with my Tormach but I prefer using the 3/8" set. It hasn't ever let me down and it isn't as clunky. I also have 3/16" tee nuts in 1/2" and 7/16" size for other slotted tables. For short clamping situations, I will use 3/8" bolts. 3/8" all thread also works for custom length studs. It doesn't hold up as well as the hardened studs but it gets the job done and is low cost.

 

[OTmachine]

I'd think that such a short thread would wear the nut and stud threads prematurely, as with countersinking the nut threads to remove burrs would leave only about 2 threads in engagement.

Why, then would you deburr it so heavily to reduce the number of threads? Not deburring leaves 4 threads, (.250/.0625), and this is for a quick, down and dirty setup. Just sayin.