Rivnut tool

[oldbilbo]

I'm shortly to place some rivnuts into a mast wall, and I've acquired some s/s, with some aluminium, rivnuts in 6mm. I've also acquired a setting tool, and I seek a little guidance on 'setting the setting tool'....

There is a locking screw, shown arrowed, which seems intended to limit the 'depth of pull' that the tool can exert on the rivnut. I'd appreciate guidance on how best to set this component for optimum results, please.

 

[boguing]

I've only used two tools to set inserts. The first was a simple air powered one that had no torque setting that I recall. It just stopped when it couldn't tighten anymore. The other I made for myself, and witht that I just tightened until, well, tight. (It was a fixed and a revolving handle that effectively screwed the thread and squished the insert.

The one in your picture does seem to have a limiter. I reckon that it's there to allow the insert to be squeezed to a point that doesn't do to much damage to something soft. If you're using them in stiff metal, I don't think you'd need to bother with it.

Regardless of the above though, a couple of test pieces will soon tell you what 'tight enough' is. The feel as you tighten it does change noticeably from 'it's moving' to 'it's not'.

 

[David2452]

There should be instructions with the tool for setting up, normally a given for the rivnut size with a variable for material thickness, that tool will probably struggle with anything other than brass and ali inserts, I have one of the setters below and even it struggles with ss over 6mm
http://www.lasertools.co.uk/item.aspx?cat=1184&item=1035

Your tool looks like the puregadgets one below, perhaps they can help if the instructions are lost.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Puregadgets-Professional-4mm-8mm-Threaded-Nutsert/dp/B00HPACI08/ref=sr_1_16?ie=UTF8&qid=1391759744&sr=8-16&keywords=rivet+nut+tool

 

[lynall]

I have the same looking tool, been very good over the years, can be quite tough to set m8 steel ones, so could be interesting with stainless!
I never bother with the stop screw, as said above you can feel when its good and tight.

 

[Graham_Wright]

I have the same looking tool, been very good over the years, can be quite tough to set m8 steel ones, so could be interesting with stainless!
I never bother with the stop screw, as said above you can feel when its good and tight.

I had an employee who was second cousin to a gorilla. He failed to tighten M8 stainless in aluminium with a "professional" rivetter. Eventually, the pull stud fractured.

 

[Steve_N]

I think that this is one of the rare cases where a homemade tool can even perform better than the 'proper' one.
I've set M8 stainless rivnuts without drama using just a nut, bolt, washer and a short length of flat steel bar.
Plus you're setting it with a spanner or socket wrench which makes it very easy to judge how much torque you're applying and the point at which it is set and the job is done.

There are plenty of examples of homemade rivnut tools via Google.

 

[emandvee44]

View attachment 39736View attachment 39737

In reply to OB and for the benefit of others, I purchased a rivnut tool from an online supplier. It is a GripMor (yes,really) HP1 and is intended for setting M3-M6 rivets (any material) and M8 Aluminium.
As you can see from the instructions the limit stop screw is to prevent over travel of the setting handle.

Hope this helps,

M.

 

[Rigger Mortice]

There is a locking screw, shown arrowed, which seems intended to limit the 'depth of pull' that the tool can exert on the rivnut. I'd appreciate guidance on how best to set this component for optimum results, please.

I've got one of those tools but I never bother using the depth stop. I probably would if I was doing a job which needed a number of rivnuts to be set but usually I just use one or two so it's not worth the faff of carefully adjusting the stop. I just squeeze the handles until it gets to the point that it looks OK.

If you haven't used rivnuts before it's worth sacrificing two or three to get the 'feel' of using the tool before using it in anger.

 

[David2452]

If you haven't used rivnuts before it's worth sacrificing two or three to get the 'feel' of using the tool before using it in anger.

I would certainly echo that, spinning rivnuts that you can't easily remove bolts from to re set are a pain and time thief, don't ask how I know. Rivnuts are a really elegant solution to some problems but like most stuff, they have to be done right.

 

[FullCircle]

I would certainly echo that, spinning rivnuts that you can't easily remove bolts from to re set are a pain and time thief, don't ask how I know. Rivnuts are a really elegant solution to some problems but like most stuff, they have to be done right.

+2
The hole needs to be absolutely the right size, perpendicular and definitely not tri-lobular!

 

[Norman_E]

The only time I had to set a rivnut I had no tool, so I just found a high tensile bolt and a nut, and made a small turned spacer. I put the nut on the bolt, then the spacer, then the rivnut; Inserted the rivnut into the hole and held the bolt still with a pair of molegrips on its head to push it firmly onto the hole, and turned the nut with a ring spanner. Slow to do but easy to judge when the rivnut is getting fully compressed.