T-slot Nuts and Clamps

I recently purchased a good old series 1 mill but I need some t-slot nuts and clamps. I tried ebay but I didn't have any luck finding some original Bridgeport brand pieces. I see some Chinese junk on the web but I refuse to buy foreign whenever possible.

Any suggestions?

Thanks!

Teco


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McMaster has a good selection. Not sure of the brand but I've generally bought hold down hardware like this there. Seems like pretty good stuff. Maybe Teco but not sure.

ripperj said:

Teco


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When I got my new mill in 1974, I bought a TE-CO clamping kit. It was a fine investment and still serves as well as when new. It came on a wood base with steel pins and routed slots to hold the clamping components. I have to wonder if new ones are still made in USA with so many USA brands bought out and put on Chinese product. Anyway, here is a link to Amazon's 5/8" T-slot kit for Bridgeport mills by TE-CO. I can see a "USA" stamped on a component in the picture, but the rack seems to be molded plastic. Seems like sheet steel would be better.

TE-CO 20402PL Machinist Promo Kit, 5/8" Table T-Slot x 1/2-13" Stud, 52 Pieces: T Slot Clamp: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

Larry

TE-CO 20402 Machinist Clamp Kit, 5/8" Table T-Slot x 1/2-13" Stud, 52 Pieces: Fixturing Clamps: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

The metal case seems to be almost 50% more



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It's a bloody series 1 Bridgeport. What makes you think that Chinese T-nuts and clamps would be a step down?

Teco's, I bought two sets for mine. And both my racks are plastic but the rest is well made. And while I agree in general with Mark, the 12 mm off shore tee slot set I bought for my lathes cross slide is complete shit. Soft, poorly formed threads and enough so I had to run a tap and die over every part first so I could hand tighten anything to get it close without using a wrench. I don't need that 12 mm set often so it will barely be ok.But I could easily make better. For a mill and lots of use, buy something known to be decent and save the time & headaches.

Any.
It is a clamp and nut. Not precision stuff.
For sure Teco very nice if budget allows.
Bob

It is important that T-nuts are not tapped all the way through, and my old TE-CO nuts are made correctly. The reason is that, if a too-long bolt is driven clear through a T-nut, it can break out the T-slot in your mill table or other fixture. If you are using a stud, just run it into the nut by hand until it hits the incomplete thread. The hex nut at the top gets all the wrench action.

So if, as was mentioned earlier, you are tempted to re-tap your T-nuts, use a bottom tap and leave one incomplete thread at the bottom of the nut. And if you are using a bolt, make sure it tightens on the work, not the bottom of the nut threads.

Larry

Agree no need to be concerned about where you buy them there are wide choices from different places with great quality. You will pay more to be too picky do that only when it really counts.

I feel this is a problem we are having with global trade and US companies rebranding foreign items as their own. Looks the same isn't necessarily the same (altho sometimes it is and that's the problem). In this case, materials, build quality, thread quality and surface finish, and specific details like flats on studs, just aren't there on the Chinese sets.

I just picked up a second hand 50pc Te-Co set for about $80 shipped on eBay. So you don't really have to compromise between value and quality. I don't believe Te-Co is the only US manufacturer of these sets. I think if you poke around you will find other manufacturers of these kits.

I don't feel this is an item you really will ever need more than one of. So buying a cheap set now and upgrading when you can't take the gritty threads or ill fitting Tee-nuts anymore isn't a wise approach imho.

PS- make sure you spell Te-Co both with the hyphen and without on ebay so you get the greatest number of hits. Also check out Carr Lane.

Depending on how much time vs. money you have ....
You can use 1/2-13 all thread rod for the studs.
It does not matter if the clamping studs are fully threaded
or if they have a smooth shank in the middle. Just buy some
all thread rod and cut it up.
Same goes for nuts and washers. Teco flange nuts are nice
but you can buy a box of heavy hex nuts that are almost as nice.
Teeco nuts are soft grade 2 steel, but they case harden them.
Maybe there is a working advantage or life advantage, I dunno.
As for as Tee Nuts, it is so convenient to buy them. That I
will fully admit. But the heavy handed person who likes to
over tighten things, there is a real chance they will dent up
the top of your slots in the table. This adds stress within
the iron of the table, and causes the table to banana over time.
I am of the opinion that you can make tee nuts out of aluminum,
and lake them a little longer, maybe 1-1/2" in length. I mean,
you might eventually strip the threads over years of use, but
think of using aluminum as a fuse to stop gorilla fists from
over tightening them.
Clamps is another wide open subject. You can buy a long bar of
cold steel and make some, or the Teco ones are nice, with the
serrated step blocks. Just making the argument that if this is
your home shop mill, it might not be such a bad first project to
make some of your own clamp down tooling. It is really nothing
special and not critical dimension at all.

--Doozer

I think aluminum tee nuts are a really great idea. Could also use brass. I think tee-nuts are excellent projects, easy, yet challenging to get just right.

FWIW, I like the flats on the studs that Te-Co make as opposed to all thread. This is really the key - torquing the top nut sometimes rotates the studs into the tee nut. Technically, if you held your studs correctly with a wrench, you wouldn't need partially threaded tee nuts (not recommending that).

While we're on the subject, I've long been a fan of using cap head screws in my tee nuts, coupled with heavy washers. I find Allen heads more convenient. Keep in mind that one never has the most convenient stud length. So I find myself spinning a nut down a lot of threads. This is another time when you can tell the difference between the Chinese sets and the US made sets. The Chinese sets often have sloppy threads that bind every rotation. Just makes that exercise a drag imo.

I like the northwestern clamps, made in the USA
take a look Tooling Components and Clamping | Northwestern Tools

https://www.ebay.com/str/northwesterntools