Have a desk that the Dowel is not holding in the Cam, with some
knockdown fittings. When the dowel inserts into the cam should it
turn 180 degrees? The cam is only turning 90 degrees so that the
dowel barely fits into the slot. Is this normal? Should I file down
the slot on the dowel or bend the cam slot open a bit more? Anyone
else have this problem?

On 5/1/2009 3:13 PM Albert spake thus:

Have a desk that the Dowel is not holding in the Cam, with some
knockdown fittings. When the dowel inserts into the cam should it
turn 180 degrees? The cam is only turning 90 degrees so that the
dowel barely fits into the slot. Is this normal? Should I file down
the slot on the dowel or bend the cam slot open a bit more? Anyone
else have this problem?

What Dowel and what Cam are you talking about? A little explanation
might help us help you.

(By the way, this isn't German, so we don't usually capitalize
non-proper nouns like that.)


--
Save the Planet
Kill Yourself

- motto of the Church of Euthanasia (http://www.churchofeuthanasia.org/)

Albert wrote:
Have a desk that the Dowel is not holding in the Cam, with some
knockdown fittings. When the dowel inserts into the cam should it
turn 180 degrees? The cam is only turning 90 degrees so that the
dowel barely fits into the slot. Is this normal?

I assume you're talking about something like this:
http://www.leevalley.com/hardware/pa...=3,41306,41319


What you are calling a "dowel" is often called a "bolt" or "stud".

If the cam doesn't turn fully, it may eventually work itself loose. At
the same time, really torquing down on the cam will often break it or
the material being fastened.

The situation you describe can occur if the hole for the cam isn't
located in exactly the right place. Sometimes unscrewing the bolt a bit
(half a turn or so) will allow the cam to turn 180 degrees.

Chris