Finding the right size nut

[ppppenguin]

I have a table where the legs are fitted by the common method of dowel screws. I discovered they were called this by a bit of googling, one end is a woodscrew, the other end is a machine screw.

Example of dowel screws:
http://www.theinsertcompany.com/wood_to_...dowels.php

One of the wingnuts is damaged (broken wing) so I'd like to replace it. Either with another wingnut or possibly better with an ordinary nut that I can tighten with a proper spanner. I suppose I'd like to replace all 4.

But what size is it? Major diamteer is just under 9.4mm and crude measurement with a steel rule suggests 16tpi. This narrows it down to M10 or 3/8" BSW according to a website I found with thread measuements. I have neither in stock In my stores I found some plastic nuts and bolts which are probably M10 and utterly unsuitable plus one stray nut which looks old enough to be BSW. Both fit though the M10? plastic is a touch tight while the presumed 3/8" BSW is a bit loose.

Can anyone help please? Either with a way to tell what I need and/or a few nuts.

PS: The table is new-ish (less than 20 years?) which hints at metric.

[Terry]

Unfortunately, one important ingredient in your quest is almost certainly not available: a good old fashioned hardware shop - the sort with lots of little drawers up to the ceiling where you could take anything to and ask "Have you got one of these, please?" A few seconds later, a drawer would land on the counter in front of you containing a selection of exactly the right bits ...

We had one in Seven Kings which was invaluable to me and many others of my acquaintance - in my case for just over 40 years. But retirement loomed and there were no takers so it is now yet another bl%%dy Estate Agents!

If you can find one of these rare commodities, carefully remove the dowel screw and take it along. If you can remove it without damaging the thread, you might find the matching nut. Otherwise you should come home with a matching set of dowel screw and nut to fit in place of the original.

On the other hand, if a smaller diameter is acceptable, these would fit the bill. You would still need the nuts, of course, but at least you would now know what they are!

[Refugee]

They will be 10mm and the nuts from a bag of coach bolts will fit. Coach bolts fit holes tapped with an ordinary 10mm tap and are often supplied with square nuts.
Most machine screws used with timber have metric threads.

[pwdrive]

Replace the lot.

Lawrence.

[ppppenguin]

Thanks for the reminder about coach bolts. I remembered I had some M10 coach bolts andmanaged to find them. A nut from one of them (it was hex rather than square) does fit the dowel screws. Doesn't run 100% smoothly but that's due to minor damage to the dowel screw rather than M10 being the wrong size.

Problem solved. Until I need some coach bolts and find the nuts are missing

[Refugee]

Just write M10 on them with a marker pen.

[ppppenguin]

They're in a packet marked M10.

[Refugee]

Job done then...

[ppppenguin]

This set is for a 5 legged table

https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Nails-Screws-...B00O7W73AC

When I found the M10 coach bolts I even found a bag of M10 washers with them.

[singlepentode69]

Toolstation still sell various wing nuts still if you get stuck .We have a hardware shop in my village which sells everything that you could ever want from floor to ceiling drawers and boxes so if you get stuck I could probably get you a few of the right size.
Regards
Robin