2.25" Wire Grommet for Desk

August 7, 2013 8:35 AM

I need one of these do-bobbers, but it needs to be 2-1/4" inside diameter.

Standard sizes appear to be 2", 2-3/8", and 2-1/2". There is an existing hole I want to put a wire grommet in, I'd prefer not to change the hole, and it is definitely 2-1/4" (2.25"). I currently have a 2" wire grommet on it but it's insanely loose. 2-3/8" will not fit.

I suppose I can sugru the 2" grommet on there, but I'd prefer to get one that fits ... but I am having no luck at finding a wider variety of sizes. Thanks AskMe!

posted by Eyebrows McGee to Home & Garden (7 answers total)

Who makes the desk? Call em'
posted by oceanjesse at 8:38 AM on August 7, 2013

Response by poster: It's not a desk; it's actually a built-in part of the house with an existing hole that I'd like to run a wire through more neatly. This house is old and has a lot of oddities, but in this case the oddity is convenient for me to run a cord through. I'm not willing to mess around with changing the hole size or anything, though. That's what's there, that's the size of grommet I want.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 8:49 AM on August 7, 2013

Here's one in wood: http://www.amazon.com/Woodworks-Ltd-Hardwood-Grommet-2-25In/dp/B009EDSEAC

Here's a metal 2-3/16's, which is damn close to 2.25 and will fit the hole: http://www.mockett.com/wire-cable-management/metal/mm4.html
posted by Slap*Happy at 8:56 AM on August 7, 2013

Best answer: Mockett is my go-to desk hardware company... they have a 2 1/4" grommet, but it doesn't have a cap, so I'm guessing that's not what you want. They also have a 2 1/8" grommet that does have a cap, but I don't know that that 1/8" will make it any better than the 2" you already have.
posted by Kriesa at 9:00 AM on August 7, 2013

Best answer: You could either cut one of the large sizes down with a good pair of scissors, or build up the 2", or the 2 1/8" which Kriess suggests.

Cutting would work fine on the body of the grommet, but would be harder with the cap and make the cap less likely to be able to stay in place no matter how you did it.

I would build up a smaller one with the requisite quantity of No. 62 rubber bands surmounted by a double layer of duct tape.
posted by jamjam at 10:41 AM on August 7, 2013

I have some sheet aluminum that I would use to make a cylinder for the hole, clipping the cylinder ends enough to fold over on the ends of the hole. Goodwill is a source of small sizes of sheet metal in the form of old cookie sheet, cake tins, etc. This gives you an excuse to buy a pair of tin snips, which are useful to own.
posted by theora55 at 11:30 AM on August 7, 2013

Response by poster: Annoying! I went with the 2 1/8" one and I'll see if I can snug it in with some rubberbands (or maybe sugru). At least if I ever have any work done on that part of the house, I'll know how much they need to enlarge my hole so I can get a proper grommet for it!
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 5:19 PM on August 8, 2013