Cage Nuts are imperative to any data cabinet but the variety of cage nuts can be mind boggling. Not only are there various types of cage nuts but numerous thread types.
There are primarily two styles of cage nuts used in data environments Snap-In and Slide-On (aka G-Clip). Snap-In cage nuts are a captive nut enclosed in spring steel that to mount requires a pre-punched rail with rectangular openings. Slide-On cage nuts are a captive nut mounted in a G form spring steel that mounts by sliding over a rail which has untapped holes.
Although a shorn screw, due to weight of the mounted equipment, is a rarity, the choice of thread is normally related to the weight of the equipment. However, to avoid fumbling with a plethora of different screws in the future, try to stay with one thread for the cabinet.
If by some chance you find yourself with a variety of English and Metric cage nuts and screws, refer to the table below for guidance about the varying threads. The following table illustrates what occurs when Metric and English Screws and Cage Nuts are interchanged.
| Cage Nut | |||||
| 10-32 | 12-24 | M5 | M6 | ||
| 10-32 | Perfect | Loose | Loose | No Grip | |
| Screw | 12-24 | Won’t Fit | Perfect | Won’t Fit | Very Loose |
| M5 | Strips Thread | Won’t Fit | Perfect | No Grip | |
| M6 | Won’t Fit | Won’t Fit | Won’t Fit | Perfect |
Our cage nuts are RoHS compliant and come either Clear Zinc with a silver color finish or Black Zinc. The Screws come in three models – RoHS compliant Clear Zinc with a silver color finish, Black Zinc and a Non RoHS Black Zinc.
With such limited interoperability of screws and cage nuts, Stay Online is pleased to provide cage nuts and screws in all thread types, in various lengths, quantity options, materials, and colors. To assist in organization and storage, quantities of 25 or more will be shipped with a reusable storage jar.
Remember, the best fit is a perfect fit, so ensure the stability of your equipment with Stay Online’s cage nuts and screws.
