Small Joint Connector 2-1/2" to 3-1/4"

washers great, nut and bolt not so much

The package says made in Italy, and there are no instructions on how much torque you are supposed to use. I snapped one of the large longer connectors and had to run to the hardware store. I substituted with 1/4 - 20 x 6" zinc bolt and nylon locking nuts. For the shorter size I substituted with 1/4 -20 x 3" Grade 8 yellow zinc bolts with grade 8 nuts, and I capped that with a nylon locking nut to prevent the grade 8 nut from backing out (or use threadlocker). I'm sure it's overkill but better safe than sorry. This was for newage bamboo countertops for my garage, my setup required a L-shaped countertop and this gave an amateur pretty good results with biscuits for alignment. 1/4" bolts are slightly larger diameter than what is provided (I would guess 6mm bolts come in the package) but they do fit in those amazing curved washers. Also don't be fooled the nuts are long which is great for getting your wrench on them (10mm open/boxed worked, your ratcheting head won't fit), but the nuts have no more threads than a standard hardware store nut, I stripped one of the shorter bolts. If they sold just the curved washers at a lower price it would be absolutely worth it, we should be able to go to the hardware store and pick out our own nuts and bolts that suit our particular application. I'm glad I purchased but wish i could buy just the washers, the closest I can find is something called a Half Moon Spacer Nut furniture connector.