On Mar 5, 10:04*am, wrote:
I have never had much luck in using Helicoil thread inserts - even
when I used a kit. *Now I am trying to do so without buying a kit.

I am trying to install * (1) * *1/4-28 thread insert. *Because of a
relatively thin wall condition, a thin wall solid thread insert is out
of the question (my prefered solution for thread inserts). *About 15 -
20 years ago I aquired a strip of 1/28 thread inserts (brand unkbown).
So I figured that I would buy a 1/4-28 thrd insert tap from McMaster-
Carr and fumble thru getting the one thread installed (and have the
tap available to use in the future).

No luck in fumbling thru with it. *I tried to twist the insert to
reduce the OD, I tried to deform the end of the insert to make it
undersize, I tried to install the insert backwards, I threaded the
insert on a short 1/4-28 SHCS to use as an install tool. * Looking in
the McMaster catalog, I see that the installation tool for the 1/4-28
is a winder style to reduce the OD of the insert for $32+. *For those
of you *who use these regularily and know what you are doing - advice
please. *Obviously, I am not overly interested in spending more money
to install one insert.

There's a number of different brands of inserts, there's no standard
tap, though. If you're trying to use a different brand of insert with
a Helicoil-tapped hole, it may not go. The gizmo I've seen on the
chain auto-parts store pegs with the Helicoil kit was just a T-handle
with a slot on the bottom, the shank was just under clearance size for
the Helicoil hole. The idea being that you'd crank on the horizontal
peg on the insert and it would shrink the thing just enough to get it
into the hole. When you got it flush, you gave the peg a rap to bust
it off and leave the threaded hole clear. The T-handle would only
take a few minutes on a lathe to make up. The kits were only like
$10, last I looked, included a few inserts, the drill, tap and handle
gizmo. I use them only once in a blue-moon, so have no idea what
current prices are.

Stan