Lamello, the Swiss tool manufacturer, has put a new twist on a hidden knockdown fastener. Remarkably, the fastener features a screw that’s tightened or loosened without touching it. Called the INVIS system, the tool has an unusual driver that works with special fasteners, available in 8mm dia. and 12mm dia. Position the driver near the fastener, squeeze a trigger switch, and a machine screw in the fastener immediately spins.

It isn’t magic that turns the screws. It’s simply the principles of magnetism hard at work. Each fastener consists of a machine screw and a threaded insert that mate with each other. With the screw and the insert mounted in separate pieces of wood, the two parts join when the screw threads into the insert. The fasteners thread fully in 5 to 10 seconds.

An INVIS joint is prepared in much the same way a wooden dowel joint is; however, the metal interface of the INVIS fasteners allows no room for error during assembly. While most woodworkers won’t ever need it, the INVIS system might be ideal for anyone wanting a quick way to create fully hidden joints that can be disassembled easily.

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