DIYfilter - What is this disk insert called?
June 30, 2010 5:49 AM
I've got some cardboard tubes from plastic sheeting - in all different lengths and widths. I want to be able to put shelving on them - so I'll be needing a round disk that'll fit in about 1/2 an inch snugly and have a screw protruding so I can then bolt the wood to the screw and tube. What is this disk called and where can I get them online?
Sorry if this is obvious, but are these cardboard tubes thick enough to support the weight of shelves and stuff on shelves?
posted by dfriedman at 6:02 AM on June 30, 2010
posted by dfriedman at 6:02 AM on June 30, 2010
Yeah dfriedman they are majorly thick and sturdy. Industrial.
posted by watercarrier at 7:03 AM on June 30, 2010
posted by watercarrier at 7:03 AM on June 30, 2010
OK - this video shows what I want to do. What part do I need to INSERT inside the tube. It's not an end cap because that would go on the edges. I need something to go in the edges - like the cap but it fits inside.
posted by watercarrier at 7:08 AM on June 30, 2010
posted by watercarrier at 7:08 AM on June 30, 2010
That's the end plug referenced by buggssee23, right? The linked ones seem to protrude a bit, but that's generally the item you need. You mgiht have better luck going to a hardware store and finding a dowel or other piece of wood the correct diameter, then slicing it to suit; I kind of doubt that you'll find exactly what you need online.
posted by MrMoonPie at 7:16 AM on June 30, 2010
posted by MrMoonPie at 7:16 AM on June 30, 2010
In bicycle terminology you are looking for a star-fangled nut. I don't know what they are called in other uses but that may give you a start.
posted by ChrisHartley at 7:19 AM on June 30, 2010
posted by ChrisHartley at 7:19 AM on June 30, 2010
I've used a rubber expansion plug in plumbing that would fit inside a tube. The plugs have a bolt through the middle that, when tightened up, expands the plug's diameter. I don't know if you could use that same bolt to attach it to something, but there might be enough extra threads after tightening it up to do the trick.
posted by midwestguy at 7:28 AM on June 30, 2010
posted by midwestguy at 7:28 AM on June 30, 2010
MrMoonPie - would I need to drill a hole into this cap it to accommodate the screw or does such a thing exist where there's a washer around the hole already pre-drilled so the screw would stay put. I would imagine that this shelving unit would be occasionally moved around and things taken off and put back on. Wouldn't want it to get jiggly or to have a tight fit compromised in mid-use. What's the solution?
posted by watercarrier at 7:34 AM on June 30, 2010
posted by watercarrier at 7:34 AM on June 30, 2010
I think you're going to want to go in deeper that a half inch for the sake of stability. I'm not sure you're going to find exactly what you want on line, but I'm not 100% sure you need it.
If I were doing this, I'd cut the tubes into sections, cut chunks of 2x6 that fit in the ends of my tubes but weren't super tight, then I'd run something like a metal rod with a threaded bit at both ends down each leg and then put a big washer and a nut on the bottom of the bottom shelf and the top of the top shelf. If you do it this way you don't have to put any screws that would only have to tear through the last 3/8" of your tubes to come free.
The problem with the idea is that steel rod, even thin steel rod, is not cheap (unless you can find a dedicated steel distributor - hint: look in the part of town where the most murders are committed), and all-thread, which you'd have to use if you didn't want to cut threads in the end of the rods yourself is even more not cheap. You could maybe do this by using some heavy gauge wire as a giant twist tie.
I'd not put anything too heavy / fragile / valuable on this set up.
posted by Kid Charlemagne at 9:53 AM on June 30, 2010
If I were doing this, I'd cut the tubes into sections, cut chunks of 2x6 that fit in the ends of my tubes but weren't super tight, then I'd run something like a metal rod with a threaded bit at both ends down each leg and then put a big washer and a nut on the bottom of the bottom shelf and the top of the top shelf. If you do it this way you don't have to put any screws that would only have to tear through the last 3/8" of your tubes to come free.
The problem with the idea is that steel rod, even thin steel rod, is not cheap (unless you can find a dedicated steel distributor - hint: look in the part of town where the most murders are committed), and all-thread, which you'd have to use if you didn't want to cut threads in the end of the rods yourself is even more not cheap. You could maybe do this by using some heavy gauge wire as a giant twist tie.
I'd not put anything too heavy / fragile / valuable on this set up.
posted by Kid Charlemagne at 9:53 AM on June 30, 2010
Thanks everyone for the really good insights into this. I'll probably go with 3 inner caps glued together to get them heavy duty thick and strong, then drill into them, thread a screw through that and feed that through the shelf, securing it down with a bolt. If that makes sense. Much obliged for the expertise shared.
posted by watercarrier at 10:27 AM on June 30, 2010
posted by watercarrier at 10:27 AM on June 30, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by buggzzee23 at 6:00 AM on June 30, 2010