Fitting gooseneck bracket to mast (monel rivets)

[Kintail]

I am replacing a damaged gooseneck bracket on my Hunter Horizon 23 using 1/4" monel rivets. I understand I have to bore the old rivets out off the mast. Do I need a special tool to secure the new rivets to the mast.

Any help appreciated.

 

[ex-Gladys]

No, if you CAREFULLY using a slow drill of a size slightly bigger than the hole in the rivet, you will break off the outside of the gooseneck. YOu can then punch the remainder of the rivet into the mast. It's very easy, but don't push too hard on the drill, and take your time to maintain control over the drill bit

 

[PuffTheMagicDragon]

Does the 1/4" refer to the length or to the diameter of the rivet? If it is the size of the hole then you'll need one hell of a good riveter to set them. Don't forget to put a dab of Duralac or similar before you insert the Monel rivet into the Alu mast.

 

[macd]

Does the 1/4" refer to the length or to the diameter of the rivet? If it is the size of the hole then you'll need one hell of a good riveter to set them. Don't forget to put a dab of Duralac or similar before you insert the Monel rivet into the Alu mast.

Since the rule of thumb for pop rivet length is total thickness of parts plus 1.5 x rivet diameter, either the mast's made of tinfoil or the 1/4" is diameter. In which case, as you say, Kintail is going to need a substantial rivet gun: the usual cheapo hobby type won't get close to compressing monel of that size. Hiring or borrowing might make the most sense for a handful of rivets.

 

[VicS]

I am replacing a damaged gooseneck bracket on my Hunter Horizon 23 using 1/4" monel rivets. I understand I have to bore the old rivets out off the mast. Do I need a special tool to secure the new rivets to the mast.

Any help appreciated.

You will need a long arm type of pop riveting tool to set 1/4" Monel rivets similar to that illustrated below. They can be hired but finding a tool hire centre with one may not be easy.

I've set smaller Monel rivets with an inexpensive lazy tongs type but it would not be up to setting 1/4" Monel rivets

Be sure to buy rivets with a "grip range" that encompasses the combined thickness of the fitting and mast wall

 

[lw395]

May be worth taking it to a rigger, or finding a mobile rigger.

 

[Jcorstorphine]

You may need to use Lazy Tong rivet tool as standard pop rivet tool may not set monel rivits. you should also use a special paste (might be a Chromate) to reduce corrosion between the aluminium and monel.

 

[VicS]

You may need to use Lazy Tong rivet tool as standard pop rivet tool may not set monel rivits. you should also use a special paste (might be a Chromate) to reduce corrosion between the aluminium and monel.

I dont think lazy tongs will set 1/4" monel rivets ... maybe an exceptional heavy duty one might... hence my suggestion to use the long arm type

The paste is " Duralac" readily available in smallish tubes ( enough to last several life times ) from all good chandleries. Is a barium chromate paste, rather on the runny side of pastiness IMHO and rather messy to use.

( http://www.force4.co.uk/duralac-anti-corrosive-jointing-compound.html?sqr=duralac&#.Vr3vJvmLSHs )

For close fitting joints Tef-Gel can be used. That's Teflon based and much less messy, but Duralac is probably the better choice if the joint is not a good close fit.

 

[NormanS]

I dont think lazy tongs will set 1/4" monel rivets ... maybe an exceptional heavy duty one might... hence my suggestion to use the long arm type

The paste is " Duralac" readily available in smallish tubes ( enough to last several life times ) from all good chandleries. Is a barium chromate paste, rather on the runny side of pastiness IMHO and rather messy to use.

( http://www.force4.co.uk/duralac-anti-corrosive-jointing-compound.html?sqr=duralac&#.Vr3vJvmLSHs )

For close fitting joints Tef-Gel can be used. That's Teflon based and much less messy, but Duralac is probably the better choice if the joint is not a good close fit.

Vic is correct. The lazy tongs ones won't look at 1/4" monel. I used the ones in Vic's pic to fit mast steps on my mainmast (with the mast down on trestles). It was fine.

 

[ex-Gladys]

Also... watch that the chuck on some of the "bolt cropper" type riveters will fit between the gooseneck castings and every rivet hole... Don't ask me how I know THAT one....

 

[NormanS]

Also... watch that the chuck on some of the "bolt cropper" type riveters will fit between the gooseneck castings and every rivet hole... Don't ask me how I know THAT one....

It's easy to overcome that by threading some small nuts or similar, onto the rivet mandrel.

 

[rob2]

I have set monel rivets with lazy tongs, but the experience was not good and not to be recommended. The force required was so great that the operator had to bodily lean on the tongs and keep all digits away from the tool or you'd amputate them as it closed. They went with a bang so the tool jumped in random directions on release with full body weight launching it! We got away with it by having an assistant attached to a length of line tied to the chuck so it couldn't jump forwards - what a palaver!

Get the long-handled type!

Rob.

 

[PuffTheMagicDragon]

The advert says "Rivet sizes 3.2mm, 4mm, 4.8mm, 6mm and 6.4mm" but it does not specify what material. While it appears to be a good design I would suspect that the sizes refer to the 'ordinary' aluminium ones and that the capacity for Monel rivets would be much less. Not having handled one I could well be wrong, of course.

 

[NormanS]

The advert says "Rivet sizes 3.2mm, 4mm, 4.8mm, 6mm and 6.4mm" but it does not specify what material. While it appears to be a good design I would suspect that the sizes refer to the 'ordinary' aluminium ones and that the capacity for Monel rivets would be much less. Not having handled one I could well be wrong, of course.

See #9. I used 1/4" (6.4mm) monel for my mast steps, and subsequently other items, using exactly that model. It was fine.

 

[VicS]

The advert says "Rivet sizes 3.2mm, 4mm, 4.8mm, 6mm and 6.4mm" but it does not specify what material. While it appears to be a good design I would suspect that the sizes refer to the 'ordinary' aluminium ones and that the capacity for Monel rivets would be much less. Not having handled one I could well be wrong, of course.

I should really have referred to the catalog rather than pinching a picture from an advert , but it was instended just to illustrate the typ of machine that would/ might be susitable

However the preamble in the catalog reads :

HEAVY-DUTY RIVETERS
A selection of compact heavy duty industrial
grade hand riveting guns, designed for use
with a wide range of steel, aluminium or
stainless steel pop rivets. Each gun features
a machined aluminium body with steel handles
and high grade steel gripping jaws.​

 

[PuffTheMagicDragon]

See #9. I used 1/4" (6.4mm) monel for my mast steps, and subsequently other items, using exactly that model. It was fine.

O.K.

 

[Kintail]

Thanks to everyone for the help. This forum never lets me down.