All About Erickson Nuts

It is very important for fastener buyers to know all about Erickson nuts. Just like regular fasteners, they can be M4, M5, M6, M8, M10 and other sizes, and it's worth finding out what all this means. You should also take into account the features of GOST furniture flat-head nuts and other nuances.

Outwardly, Erickson's nut looks most like an old-fashioned "cylinder" hat... She even has special "fields". A special thread is applied inside the fastening hardware (in its cylindrical part). The head part is equipped with a slot with 6 edges. The key use of Erickson nuts is in the furniture industry.

This product is widely used by cabinet makers around the world. Such fasteners do not just connect different structural parts, they tightly press them together. This solves the problem that was created for decades by the use of traditional collapsible joints, which did not provide such a clamping force. In the overwhelming majority of cases, people buy nuts of the size range from M5 to M10 (which will be discussed later). The design of Erickson's fasteners makes it possible to use a socket wrench with 6 faces.

It provides a convenient installation of fasteners in the working position, regardless of the plane. That's why the term of installation work is reduced several times, and you do not even need auxiliary units and devices.

Therefore, you will have to be guided by the provisions of the general standard for hex nuts. And this is GOST 5927-70, adopted back in 1970. The standard introduces the following requirements:

• thread section not less than 1.6 and not more than 48 mm;

• the ability to use a one-sided chamfer (in one of the modifications);

• restrictions on the weight of nuts (attached);

• standard for the diameter of the circumscribed circle;

• a certain turnkey size;

• norms governing coarse and fine thread pitches;

• the specified height of the product.

The length of Erickson nuts varies from 1.45 to 2.3 cm.Their wrench size can be 0.4-0.6 cm. In this case, the outer section of the head is 1.5-2.2 cm, and the outer section of the sleeve is from 0.89 to 1.2 cm. Together with this fastener, furniture screws with a hexagon inside or with a press washer and a straight slot can be used. The exact analogs of Erickson's nut will be products with assortment designations:

• 563 A0;

• 563 C3;

• 593 A0;

• 594 A0;

• 594 A5;

• 596 A0;

• 596 C3.

Most often, such fasteners are not used in "pure form", but in conjunction with profile washers. The main task of the washer is to further reduce the mechanical stress on all surfaces to be joined.

The most common type of Erickson furniture nut is covered with a layer of zinc. This coating provides an excellent aesthetic appearance, not just corrosion protection. The additional metal is applied using an electroplating bath. Its layer is relatively thin, but this is already enough to impart the necessary qualities. There are also Erickson nuts on sale, galvanized with brass.

This metal also successfully protects against corrosion. Experts point out that the brass-plated type of fastener has an attractive yellowish color.In some cases, nickel plating is used. It is also worth noting that some Erickson nuts are not coated. But in this case, despite the more favorable price, they are not durable enough. At the option of the user, the product is equipped with a flat head or a cylindrical head.

The flat head is very popular. This solution ensures low visibility of the installed fasteners. Therefore, the connection turns out to be extremely aesthetically pleasing (this is important not only for furniture, but also for various stairs, partitions, interior designs). Regardless of the design of the head part, excellent safety of the connected structures is guaranteed. Typically, for the production of Erickson nuts, stainless steel with a high carbon content is taken; technical characteristics of the alloy should be specified additionally.

Products category M6 have a standardized length of 1.2 cm. The size for the hexagon is 0.5 or 0.4 cm. The length of the created thread will be 0.7 cm. Its pitch is strictly standardized - 0.1 cm.

Separately, it should be said about the format nut M3... This product is only available in accuracy category A. Height ranges from 0.215 to 0.4 cm. The smallest grip height when using a key is 0.172 cm. Diameter ranges from 0.3 to 0.345 cm. The default thread pitch is 0.05 cm.

It should be borne in mind that the diameter of the circumscribed circle differs depending on the standard used. According to DIN 934, it is 0.601 cm. According to GOST 5915-70, it is slightly less - 0.59 cm. But the turnkey dimension in both standards is the same and is 0.55 cm. In some cases, Erickson knurled nuts are used.

This is what a typical product is. М4... The diameter is 0.57 cm. The semicircular head is 0.8 cm in size. By default, most of these nuts are coated with white zinc. The standard packaging includes up to 10 thousand copies. True, such large orders are mainly made only by furniture factories.

Erickson nut M5 is slightly different... The "body" of such fasteners has a size of 0.65 cm. The size of semicircular head parts can already reach 1.2 cm. Oxidation of structural metal is often practiced. In general, as already mentioned, this is one of the most "popular" options.

Products format M12 they are practically not produced anywhere, and do not appear in catalogs (they are made only in isolated cases to order). At Erickson's nut category М8 the size of the total section is 1 cm. In this case, the size of a flat head can reach 1.5 cm. And the total length of the structure is 1.35 cm. For M10, the corresponding parameters are equal:

• 1.4 cm;

• 3 cm (in a semicircular version);

• 1.6 cm.

The following video shows you how to select and install a nut.