refitting a grab handle onto a steel bulkhead-help anyone?

[SoulFireMage]

Good morning!

Clumsily I managed to pull off a rivetted grab handle that sits above the entry steps going down into the cabin. This is mounted on I think 6mm steel. As its boxed in behind, I can't reach the back to bolt it on. As rivets and glue used before doesn't hold 300lbs of me, can anyone advise a better way to attach the 1 foot grab bar?

I'm considering a home base run, finding a tap and die an threading the holes, something I've not tried before.

Any advice warmly welcome !

Thank you.

 

[quimby]

Can you not weld one on? 5 minute job.

 

[David2452]

Welding is a good option but if you want to avoid ruining surrounding paintwork and you or somebody else has access to a heavy rivnut tool that will certainly do the job, use countersunk steel rivnuts and dip them in Waxoyl or similar before you insert them then you can just bolt it on, I am assuming the bolts would be large enough to take your weight.

Good morning!

Clumsily I managed to pull off a rivetted grab handle that sits above the entry steps going down into the cabin. This is mounted on I think 6mm steel. As its boxed in behind, I can't reach the back to bolt it on. As rivets and glue used before doesn't hold 300lbs of me, can anyone advise a better way to attach the 1 foot grab bar?

I'm considering a home base run, finding a tap and die an threading the holes, something I've not tried before.

Any advice warmly welcome !

Thank you.

 

[SoulFireMage]

Weldling here would look terrible, I think. I've no experience with welding tbh.

I'm looking at tap and die sets atm

 

[SoulFireMage]

Hi David

That's an interesting option. The current fastenings were rivets but did not hold. There isn't a lot of space on the handle ends to use much wider bores of fastener. I'm going to look at the rivnut now though, might be perfect.

Thank you both.

 

[Amulet]

Good morning!

Clumsily I managed to pull off a rivetted grab handle that sits above the entry steps going down into the cabin. This is mounted on I think 6mm steel. As its boxed in behind, I can't reach the back to bolt it on. As rivets and glue used before doesn't hold 300lbs of me, can anyone advise a better way to attach the 1 foot grab bar?

I'm considering a home base run, finding a tap and die an threading the holes, something I've not tried before.

Any advice warmly welcome !

Thank you.

One unhelpful comment follows. If you succeeded in pulling it of you have proven it unsatisfactory without injuring yourself so that is a plus, and the message is, however you fix it in it has to be better than it was! I'd be a bit reluctant to trust my weight on threads tapped into a thinnish sheet like that.

 

[SoulFireMage]

Well before it was rivets so I'm thinking 6mm steel bulkhead with three bolts at each end into a threaded hole using longer bolts should work.

 

[Amulet]

Well before it was rivets so I'm thinking 6mm steel bulkhead with three bolts at each end into a threaded hole using longer bolts should work.

Sorry, hadn't got that it was three bolts. You're probably right - though three times the fastening isn't three times the strength unless they actually share the load rather than breaking out in series. My guess is that if you put a longish bolts in it is not going to suddenly fail completely and catastrophically. If you jar it horribly it'll go wobbly and then you'll fix it.

By the way, what steel are you tapping? If it is stainless of any marine credibility you might find it hard with cheap taps. I've never owned a set that would chew their way through such stuff unscathed - had success, but the tap was good for nothing afterwards.

 

[SoulFireMage]

Doubt it's stainless, it's a bulkhead on an Arcrite steel cruiser

 

[markhomer]

big monel rivetts and big rivett gun will do the job , if they can take the strain on yacht masts , they certainly can take your weight .No trouble

 

[SoulFireMage]

Well, first there are two guys in Danetre Workshop Supplies who do good kit and know their stuff. I got a 6mm tap and wrench along with some 16mm long hex dome head bolts from them. First two threads cut before dinner, no trouble. I think this will work. I doubt I can fit much bigger fastenings through the holes on the handle.

 

[SoulFireMage]

Success! Though I confess to a couple of minor hacks due to finding the freshly tapped holes were slightly off from the rail ones. Seems much stronger as the bolts are 16 mm long and tighten fully into 6mm threads. Thank you for advice offered

 

[macnorton]

A clinch nut would be my suggestion or plasterboard fixings.

 

[SoulFireMage]

I'm sure a tap is not meant to be used in a drill, but after tapping out all the holes and getting four full turns in each, I find they dont all match the steel handle precisely. Enough do however, so the bottom one on the right was redrilled partially then the tap put into the drill and ran in at the slowest speed I could (the tap wrench didn't fit).

This made the last hole function and allowed the last 6mmx16mm hex socket bolt to fit. Seems stronger than before so if other handles come off, I'll be to Danetre for the bolts.