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I noticed that most everyone suggested using the bolt in the neck instead of the cotter pin. Well, I decided to do that on my bear. I glued the bolt to the disk before inserting it into the head. I cut the fur away from the area. When I put the whole unit together and tried to tighten the lock nut it would not tighten. The bolt in the head just turns with it. Now how do I tighten the thing? Hummmmmmm, maybe the cotter pin is a good idea after all?
Little Bear GuyHi Lenora,
Are you sure it's the bolt that's turning and not the disc? Sometimes the disc will spin when you are trying to screw on the nut. If that's the case then I would recommend just holding onto the disc while you tighten the nut onto the bolt. This sometimes happen to us, we use this method all the time and we have rarely ever had a bolt let go. When we glue our bolts we use Crazy Glue Gel, now it has to be the gel or else it just runs all over the place and ensure to not get any glue on the threads of the bolt.
I hope you understand what I mean, if not I will try and explain it a little clearer next time.
big hugs
Shane
Donna's Duin BruinsHi Lenora,
I like to use the set screws or some people call them a grub screw or Arizona joint. I tried using epoxy to glue the disc to the bolt but after having it fail a few times on me I found it was better to use the set screw. The set screw has a small hole in the end of it for you to use an allen key to hold it from moving while you tighten the nut. With the set screw you need two nuts, one nut being the head of a bolt. I use them for all my joints now (except for minis) so that every thing is nice and tight. I also like to close the arms and legs before attaching to the body of the bear.
Are you holding the disc tightly as you try to tighten the nut? Make sure you don't have any fur in between the nut and the bolt. I hope you don't have to take the joint out and start over.
Donna
I think I'm one of many people who DO use a cotter pin for the head.
I find I can get that joint tight enough for my satisfaction, and then I use lock-nuts for the arms and legs so that those joints are quite firm.
Becky
Well, I did not use the gel super glue...I used E6000. Perhaps the glue gave way? I did hold the disk while I screwed it on. Donna, how would you use an allen wrench? Do you leave a hole in the head? I stuffed my head before attaching it to the body.
Try to hold onto the bolt with a pair of needle nose pliers while tightening the nut. This is what I do if I stuff the head before attatching to the body. It can be tricky sometimes but I have always been able to do it this way.
Beth
UX'BEARiesHi Lenora
I use the lock nut/bolt (nylon washer) method all of the time. Using basic glue gun sticks, I first glue the washer to the disc.
Then place glue on top of the washer to use as a base for the head of the screw.... you want the head of the screw to sit in a pool of glue.
The important part is to let the glue harden/set ... I normally place them in the freezer part of my refrigerator for overnight. This allows the glue to harden so that you can tighten the lock nut without the disc turning.
I have tried all of the fancy glues, but have found that regular glue gun sticks purchased at Michael's or Walmart work just fine.
Let me know if you have any questions.
Cheers
Jill
WOW, I never thought of that Jull...
Little Bear GuyIsn't if funny Jill, I tried using a glue gun yrs ago for my joints. Every one of the broke on me , I think I only had one that did not break on me and I allowed them to try overnight. Donna we tried the grub screw on the head but we ran into problems with them, not sure if we are doing something wrong. When I went to tighten them I could only get them so tight, I could not tighten them right up. Basically the head was very wobbly. When we took the head apart and took out the joint and grub nut what we found was the stuffing was getting wrapped around the bolt inside the head and that was not allowing the nut to tighten up. Perhaps we are doing something wrong?
big hugs
Shane
I am a happy camper...turns out the major problem was that I just was not strong enough to tighten the nut and hold the disk at the same time. Hubby came home and tightened it right up for me. I am so happy!
UX'BEARiesHo Lenora
One thing I forgot to mention, is that I use a nut driver .... with 6/32 screws you need a yellow handled one!!!
It fits tightly over the nut and it makes it very easy to tighten.
Cheers
Jill
Thanks Jill, I'll have to check that out. I was using a pair of pliers...
Honey Valley BearsI'm having a problem with the nut and screw joints as well. I manage to glue the screw into place on the disk and it doesn't come loose, But then the nut only goes on so far. There is nothing around it, no stuffing because it is in an unstuffed area. Ahhh frustrating. I bought this type of joint instead of cotterpin so that I could get them nice and tight and they are the so loose that everything just flops. I had to send my husband out to buy cotter pins so that I could finish bears. The problem is that the Canadian Tire didn't have very many, he bought all that there was and I'm still short. With a show coming up on Sunday my home is a mess. I have little heads lying around my livingroom with body parts I'm fighting to attach.
The few I did with the cotter pins I had I found I got really tight, almost too tight it was hard to move the limbs. Guess I just took all my frustration out on the poor joints.
I'm beginning to think cotter pins are the way to go.
Hubby screwed mine down with pliers...I just wasn't strong enough. I think Jill's idea of a nut driver sounds good!
Donna's Duin BruinsShane,
My take on your problem with the set screws is that you are turning the screw rather than the locknut when you are tightening down the joint. Try to hold the screw still and just turn the nut and see if that will work better for you. Let me know if that works.
Bear Hugs,
Donna
