Cam bolts and locks are some of the most common hardware used in Ready To Assemble furniture. They make excellent joints without all the fuss and bother of specialized tools and are relatively effortless to install.
The mechanisms work by screwing the panel with the cam lock tight against the panel with the cam bolt. This twisting pulls the two together, but also as much as 1mm sideways. The dual headed cam bolt positions two cam locks very close together, and because of this, this minuscule diagonal movement may be a little more difficult to work with than a standard cam bolt and might require some additional adjustment.
Step-by-Step Directions for Dual Headed Cam Bolts: Import
1. Carefully insert the dual headed cam bolt into its predrilled holes in each of the boards. Unlike the single cam bolt, no screwing is needed at this step. It should slip in and out with ease, so be careful not to bend the wood panels, as this may lead to damage. If two dual headed cam bolts are used at this step, they should be inserted simultaneously.
2. Ensure that the heads of the bolt are evenly positioned, so that the same amount is visible at either opening.
3. Drop the cam locks down into the predrilled holes above the cam bolt, ensuring that the opening on the underside is turned so that it fits over and around the cam bolt. These can be adjusted with a screw driver as needed and should fit down into the hole so that they do not protrude over the face of the board.
4. Using two screw drivers, twist the cam locks simultaneously so that they are "locked" together. If a second screwdriver is not available, a table knife might make a suitable replacement. Tightening the cam locks at the same time will keep each panel properly positioned; remember that because these are moving at a slight diagonal and the locks are facing away from one another, this can move the panels together but in opposite directions. This will amplify that 1-2 millimeter offset and make the second cam lock more difficult to engage.
5. Complete each "set" of cam bolt and locks together before going on to additional sets.