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 piece of wood) 8mm

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.