Lee Valley Veritas Bench Anchor

It is easiest to think of these as barrel-shaped insert nuts, except they self-anchor and are removable. Usable horizontally, vertically or at any angle in between, they accept common 1/2-13 threaded bolts and will wedge in through holes in material as thin as 5/8″ (depending on the strength of the material) or in blind holes 1 1/4″ deep.

With a pull-out strength of at least 200 lb* in hardwood, the anchors have a wedging mechanism controlled by an integral hex-head screw drive and an external rubber O-ring that uses friction to hold it in place during installation. With 3/8″ of internal thread travel, the anchors are designed to secure materials of known thickness using a fixed-length fastener (for example, fastening 3/4″ thick material with a 1″ long machine screw). Ideal for fastening thin material, they are useful for fixing jigs, guides, etc. Best used with non-hex head drive fasteners, as the force applied with a wrench may overpower the anchor, loosening or dislodging it.

The 3/4″ bench anchor secures in any 3/4″ diameter hole; the 20mm bench anchor secures in any 20mm hole. Both are made in Canada with all-steel construction.

Though any 1/2-13 threaded rod or bolt may be used with our bench anchor, we offer a small selection of flat-head and round-head fasteners separately for convenience.

* In our tests, an anchor, fully seated in a 1 1/4″ blind hole, had a pull-out strength of at least 200 lb when used in hardwood and 150 lb when used in softwood. Actual pull-out strength will vary depending on material used and torque applied.