Thread: Star shape metal fixing.

is it steel? it looks like something that may have been forged in a die to get the star shape.

Look up "metal star dowel" on google. they don't look like they're steel, but the first listing of them that I see literally says "metal star dowels for pinning mortise and tenon joints", so a perhaps less common bit of hardware, but with enough appearances on a search to see that it's not rare.

They used to be used extensively in the timber window industry for pining the M & T joints on the bottom rail of the bottom sash and top rail on the top sash in double hung windows, they were made from an alloy metal very similar to the cam in those cam lock joiners

Originally Posted by rwbuild

They used to be used extensively in the timber window industry for pining the M & T joints on the bottom rail of the bottom sash and top rail on the top sash in double hung windows, they were made from an alloy metal very similar to the cam in those cam lock joiners

Possibly "Monel" metal, which was used for boat nails etc. "Monel" - "Monel is a group of alloys of nickel and copper, with small amounts of iron, manganese, carbon, and silicon. "

According to this site ( Star Dowels | Metal Dowels | Brudaw Dowels | Fastenright Ltd ) the metal they use is "Zamak" - "ZAMAK is a family of alloys with a base metal of zinc and alloying elements of aluminium, magnesium, and copper."

Originally Posted by Mobyturns

Possibly "Monel" metal, which was used for boat nails etc. "Monel" - "Monel is a group of alloys of nickel and copper, with small amounts of iron, manganese, carbon, and silicon. "

According to this site ( Star Dowels | Metal Dowels | Brudaw Dowels | Fastenright Ltd ) the metal they use is "Zamak" - "ZAMAK is a family of alloys with a base metal of zinc and alloying elements of aluminium, magnesium, and copper."

in the instrument world, there's a lot of use of zamak and zinc alloy to replace steel, brass and plated aluminum.

the connotation is not great when that happens, and even more obnoxious when manufacturers claim they switched to it because they think it "sounds better" than the original materials.

I could see it for something like this, thought. I don't know the history of the fastener, but would guess that the nature of it is to avoid splitting the wood, but also no end grain, no drilling, etc. It just goes in and pins things in every direction without splitting.

Using zamak or another castable or swageable material answers what I would've asked next, which is how are those manufactured from steel if they're steel.

The guitar parts are cast parts, so if this stuff can be extruded at some increased temperature, I wouldn't be surprised, but it's past my experience level.

Originally Posted by D.W.

in the instrument world, there's a lot of use of zamak and zinc alloy to replace steel, brass and plated aluminum.

the connotation is not great when that happens, .....

It's very easy to understand the why! It's not so much about the production processes. Have a look at spot metals prices on the LME. Tin, Nickel then Copper - the most expensive non-ferrous metals (i.e. not precious metals). If they can save a few cents they will!

Go back to when the furniture item was made circa 1960's to 1970's when Monel was probably viable. Definitely not now at those prices.

All the silky oak window sashes I’ve restored in Brisbane had these star pins though the MT joints.

Originally Posted by MartinCH

Noticed this metal fixing in 1960's Fler chair in the process of refurbishment.

They'd probably be impossible to remove without destroying the surrounding woodwork.

Must have used thousands of them as 1st year apprentice making clear oregan sashes for housing commission houses in the early 1960's.

Originally Posted by Rick47

Must have used thousands of them as 1st year apprentice making clear oregan sashes for housing commission houses in the early 1960's.

Can you remember what they were made from back then?

It was a long time ago but they wearn't steel from memory I would say some form of an alloy.

Originally Posted by Rick47

Must have used thousands of them as 1st year apprentice making clear oregan sashes for housing commission houses in the early 1960's.

Its oregon

Originally Posted by rwbuild

Its oregon

or Douglas-fir, Douglas spruce, Oregon pine, Columbian pine

Originally Posted by Rick47

Must have used thousands of them as 1st year apprentice making clear oregan sashes for housing commission houses in the early 1960's.

My old man called it O'regan pine also, affectionately called it Irish Pine.As for the cross shaped nails, I think I still have a few boxes of them in dad's junk pile.Rgds,Crocy.