RAMPA Tec Threaded Inserts and Bolts

RAMPA Tec Inserts: Our Top Choice for Mounting Hardware

We’ve previously written about the different mounting hardware options for our table legs, and arrived at threaded inserts as our preferred mounting hardware solution. Something to note, however, is that not all threaded inserts are created equal. As we’ve mentioned, our favorite threaded inserts are made by RAMPA, and we’re proud to be a US distributor for their products. In this article, we’ll go into detail about what sets RAMPA inserts apart, and why they’re our go-to for table mounting hardware.

Matters of material quality and installation ease are very important to consider with any mounting hardware solution, threaded inserts included. The types of threaded inserts that are most often available at your local hardware store may be fine for certain projects, but they lack the strength required for heavy-duty use. Even at a specialty woodworking store, it’s difficult if not impossible to find threaded inserts that are reliable enough for mounting cast iron table legs to live edge table tops. The two main disadvantages of working with sub-standard threaded inserts include their minimal thread depth and the fact that they require use of a flathead screwdriver - also known as the most frustrating tool in the universe. As an heirloom piece of furniture, you need a mounting solution that you can trust. A live edge table top weighing hundreds of pounds requires robust mounting hardware. 

Enter RAMPA.

The founder of what would become the company known as RAMPA filed one of the very first threaded insert patents in Germany in 1910. Truly innovative and uncompromising, the RAMPA insert emerged from the search for solutions for a permanently resilient, yet still repeatedly detachable connection for the woodworking industry.

What sets RAMPA apart can be seen in every measure of quality. Let’s start with the outside threads:

The outside threads of self-cutting RAMPA inserts are specifically adapted to medium-hard hardwoods (read: furniture-grade wood) in order to achieve the best hold. A thread specially adapted and contoured to the type of wood results in significantly higher load-bearing capacities compared to wood screws and average threaded inserts. These threaded inserts aren’t “universal” and they’re not marketed as such -- they’re specifically made for furniture, where a strong connection between components is essential.

Let’s talk about installation. This is where RAMPA inserts really shine…

As mentioned above, most average threaded inserts require the use of a flathead screwdriver to drive them. There could truly be no worse driver in a high-stakes application. RAMPA inserts, however, go in with hex drivers. This feature alone will eliminate all kinds of installation headaches. Where a flathead screwdriver might slip from the slot of a screw or insert and potentially damage the surface of whatever you’re driving into, a hex driver is truly keyed into your hardware, making it less likely to slip out and less likely to damage anything. Add to that the 6 points of contact on a hex driver vs the 2 on a flathead - you’re looking at much more surface contact. Another subtle feature that RAMPA inserts offer is a triple-helix exterior thread, which is a game changer for alignment. Think about it for a moment -- most wood screws employ a double helix for their threads. This means that while resting a screw in a pilot hole, the screw itself is making contact on only two points, giving it the potential to tilt one way or the other. This creates a situation in which your insert can be driven into your table off axis. What RAMPA has done with their inserts is add an additional thread, creating a third point for the insert to rest on. This ensures that it is actually aligned, perpendicular to the surface of the wood. It’s a very subtle but highly effective feature.

Next, let’s address RAMPA’s origin.

RAMPA inserts are a product of German engineering and German manufacturing. These are not nameless, brandless, Chinese imports, stickered with a store name and placed on a shelf. These inserts are the result of over 100 years of proven manufacturing experience and industry use, and what’s more, there’s a name attached to the hardware. RAMPA has aligned their name with the quality of their products, and there’s value in that guarantee. 

Lastly, let’s look at the screws made to interface with the inserts themselves.

RAMPA has designed their inserts to be used in combination with machine screws that they produce as well, creating a complete system. The M8 machine screws that pair with the M8 inserts we sell have large, flat heads which provide ample surface contact and holding strength across a broad surface area. Like the inserts, the bolts are also driven with hex drivers. The combination of the large, decorative head with a hex drive is a celebration of hardware for visible joints. And even on the underside of a table, attractive hardware is a plus.

The ease of installation, quality of the materials, and thoughtful considerations of the geometry make RAMPA inserts a dream to work with. The ability to insert and remove the screw connection as often as desired without wear or reduction of the holding force makes for a worry-free mounting solution that you and your own clients will appreciate for years to come.

All in all, RAMPA inserts are the ideal choice for mounting our cast iron table legs to hardwood table tops. We’ve become so enamoured with their hardware that we’ve partnered with them to become a US distributor for their products, and we encourage you to try using them on your next table project.