OK Nicky B, here’s an alternative to trying to bend threaded rod perfectly to fit the holes in the Miyata seat base. I had a couple of the devices shown in the photos laying around the workshop. I tend to collect bits and pieces of hardware figuring I just might need it someday. This time and probably this time only, it turned out to be true.
http://www.unicyclist.com/gallery/threaded-rod-alternative
Hope it helps,
Bruce
You do great stuff, Bruce. I think I’ll wait until you do a couple more seats and by then your technique should be self-operational…you just have to gather the parts and the seat will build itself.
What was that old saying? “Desperation is the mother of invention” or something like that.
L’il Bubba
Necessity.
“Necessity is the mother of invention”
Thanks, that fits much better.
Looks good. I’ve definitely got some options. I’m sure I could find something like this at a hardware store.
I guess this is similar to the grippy toothed washer I mentioned, but much better. Harper wouldn’t let me use a toothed washer, so I wonder if he approves of your t-bolt.
Neither of these would work in a carbon fiber base, of course.
No, but there is no need for such items in a carbon fiber saddle base. A properly sized square hole in a carbon fiber base is sufficiently strong enough to hold the shoulder of the carriage bolt firmly.
Alternative (photos) to bent threaded rod in Miyata seat conversion
YES! GREAT! “Desperation is the Mother of Invention” Absolutely!!!
I like Bruce’s new cliche better than the original one! It has a much stronger, urgent nuance!
I think those nuts that Bruce used are called “recessed-thread cabinet nuts” or “T-nuts”. Here’s a link for a supplier: http://shop.woodcraft.com/Woodcraft/product_family.asp?family_id=1695&gift=False&0=dept.asp%2Cdept_id%3D10000%26Tree%3D%2CDepartments&1=dept.asp%2Cdept_id%3D1050%26menu_id%3D%26Tree%3D0%2CHardware&2=dept.asp%2Cdept_id%3D2226%26menu_id%3D%26Tree%3D1%2CNuts%2C%20Bolts%20%26%20Screws&Gift=False&mscssid=804C74AF334A427F9E99EBDEB776E9F3
Instead of pounding them in with a hammer, I’d suggest sinking them into the plastic of the Miyata seat base just by pulling them through with the bolt. Drill a pilot hole first, and use a small washer on the opposite side of the “T-nut” and just tighten the bolt enough to draw the prongs of the T-nut through the plastic. For added strength (to beef-up the weak plastic) you could use a fender washer on both sides of the plastic seat base (but on the inside, the fender washer has to go above the T-nut… ie; NOT between the plastic and the T-nut).
This would work in a carbon-fiber seat base as well, but you don’t really need it. It would make things all that much stronger if something like a T-nut were integrated in the carbon-fiber matrix from the beginning, but perhaps it would be over-kill…
Just out of curiousity, I was at our local True Value hardware store at lunch today and found the exact T-nut available in the specialty Hillman fastener boxes. They were 33 cents each here.
Good thoughts on installation, Rick.
Bruce