Patriarch wrote:

Duane Bozarth wrote in
:

Drew Eckhardt wrote:

...
I bought some 3/8-24 threaded inserts from McFeely's with a 3/4" OD
and 5/8" root diameter.

...
Unfortunately when I start threading the inserts in, the plywood
starts to pull apart. Can I make the inserts work, or do I need to
do something else?

Tee-nuts, probably more suited than inserts...

Doesn't a t-nut need to compress from the opposite side of the material? I
always figured them for a thru fastener.

It wouldn't even be the first time today if I were wrong, however.

No, they are...maybe they won't work well for the OP, I couldn't decide
on his geometry.