Setting Rivet Nuts

[Ian_Edwards]

I have 40 or so 5mm SS rivet nuts to set, what's my chances of being able to set them with one of these?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PRO-4mm-...830158?hash=item58d07aca4e:g:YxYAAOSwKnddc6yB

My guess is that it'll be hard, so, is here a relatively cheap alternative tool I could buy or hire, I hope that this a one-off task, so I'd be happy to hire. The boat is onshore in the Clyde area and I live near Aberdeen.

 

[lynallbel]

The cheap plier style rivnut tools are rubbish, its the little threaded anvil bits that break.
I have an eclipse model thats a few years old now, but only used on steel and alloy rivnuts, stianless would be interesting!

Might be worth trying one at home in a test piece with the nut and bolt trick?

 

[Praxinoscope]

Machine Mart stock à heavy duty riveter set ‘Laser heavy duty’, I bought one of these ages ago and have used it with various pop rivets and rivnuts including Monel métal and stainless steel.
But they are about £100,

 

[Greenheart]

Have we any reason to disbelieve the evidence before our eyes here, that no special dedicated tool is necessary?

 

[{176424}]

You could try using a "Lazy Tong" riveter, lots more mechanical advantage.
again on Ebay
http://https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/32-HEAVY-DUTY-LAZY-TONGUE-TONG-HAND-RIVETER-POP-RIVET-GUN-320-RIVETS-NEW-2348/132256465614?epid=19005153222&hash=item1ecb1982ce:g:rjoAAOSwP9FdVpCP

Colin

 

[MonniotC]

You could try using a "Lazy Tong" riveter, lots more mechanical advantage.
again on Ebay
http://https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/32-HEAVY-DUTY-LAZY-TONGUE-TONG-HAND-RIVETER-POP-RIVET-GUN-320-RIVETS-NEW-2348/132256465614?epid=19005153222&hash=item1ecb1982ce:g:rjoAAOSwP9FdVpCP

Colin

I was going to say that. But then I wondered if they can be used with rivnuts, and deleted my post above. I know they are great for pop-rivets. I have a set of them myself. But can they be used with rivnuts?

 

[PetiteFleur]

I've fitted Monel rivnuts using a hex screw, nut and washer as in the above video - lubricate between the nut & washer and its easy. No need to buy specialised tools(as long as you only need a few to fit)

 

[lynallbel]

Ive not seen lazy tongs that can set rivnuts and tbh they make you grunt using just 1/4 inch alloy pop rivets.

Any cheap riveter will let you down sooner or later.

 

[Norman_E]

This type work far better than the plier type. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Professi...686313&hash=item56c7986e68:g:dmQAAOSw4mxdMDcC

Two spanners, a nut, two washers and a high tensile bolt will set them, but its a bit slower than a proper tool. For 40 plus the tool would just about tempt me.

P.S. The one I linked to has fairly short handles, but probably quite OK up to about 6mm in stainless. The one I have has longer handles, but so far I have not used it for anything bigger than 8mm alloy and 6mm stainless rivnuts, which it sets without requiring excessive effort.

 

[{176424}]

I stand corrected, should have read it properly. :encouragement:

 

[DinghyMan]

This type work far better than the plier type. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Professi...686313&hash=item56c7986e68:g:dmQAAOSw4mxdMDcC

Two spanners, a nut, two washers and a high tensile bolt will set them, but its a bit slower than a proper tool. For 40 plus the tool would just about tempt me.

P.S. The one I linked to has fairly short handles, but probably quite OK up to about 6mm in stainless. The one I have has longer handles, but so far I have not used it for anything bigger than 8mm alloy and 6mm stainless rivnuts, which it sets without requiring excessive effort.

The lazy tong ones are way better but a ratchet spanner and some odds and sods are both cheaper and probably longer lasting.

I recently set a few dozen 4mm ally ones with the standard pop rivet type tool and they were a pain to do, got a load of stainless ones to do next.

 

[Greenheart]

Not having tried out the 5mm stainless rivnuts I need to fit to my mast, this question interests me very much.

It looks to me that if the no-cost bolt, nut-and-washers technique proves difficult, you just need longer spanners to apply the leverage required to deform the inside part of the rivnut.

While it would be hard to set an ordinary rivet without a device designed specifically to pull the mandrel out, the presence of a threaded core inside a rivnut seems to supply a way to do the gradual deforming job extremely effectively, without dedicated tools.

My view may change when I've had a try.

 

[pagoda]

Rivnuts are pretty good. Very good for thin section material you would like to be threaded. Buy the right tool if you want to set them properly. (ebay it once you're finished?)
I think I prefer drilling and tapping where I can. Our mast is almost 4mm in section so it's quite easy to deal with.

 

[Norman_E]

Not having tried out the 5mm stainless rivnuts I need to fit to my mast, this question interests me very much.

It looks to me that if the no-cost bolt, nut-and-washers technique proves difficult, you just need longer spanners to apply the leverage required to deform the inside part of the rivnut.

While it would be hard to set an ordinary rivet without a device designed specifically to pull the mandrel out, the presence of a threaded core inside a rivnut seems to supply a way to do the gradual deforming job extremely effectively, without dedicated tools.

My view may change when I've had a try.

Standard length spanners have proved quite easy with stainless rivnuts in my experience. Before I had the tool I did a few, mostly 6mm size, with spanners. The best dodge of all is to get a high tensile bolt and weld a piece of bar across its head, forming a T. Hold the T with one hand and work a ratchet spanner on the nut with the other. Its much easier that way than trying to use two spanners.
EDIT: A refinement to the above especially useful if working up a mast would be a spring fitted over the bolt, plus a penny washer to push against the ratchet spanner to stop it slipping back off the nut.

 

[DownWest]

As an alternative.. I would drill a larger bolt, say 12mm, with a 5mm hole through it,as a sleeve , and use the bigger diameter nuts to pull the smaller bolt up to set the rivnuts.
I use a lot of 4mm ally rivenuts, but since they are in an open flange, I just squeeze them up in the vice. As long as they are square, works well.

 

[Ian_Edwards]

Thanks for all the suggestions, some good ideas in the replies, I'll try the high tensile nut and bolt first, and if I struggle with that the insert tool similar to this;
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Professi...6c7986e68:g:dmQAAOSw4mxdMDcC&autorefresh=true
looks like it would be easier to use that a the ladder type that you compress. I have one of those for pop rivets and I find it quite hard to use, it's quite "wobbly" and sometimes the pop rivet doesn't set squarely