From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

I have an application where brass or aluminium rivnuts don't seem to me
to be a good idea. It's to hold a steel panel on a bathing platform on a
canal boat. It's not a salty environment but it is pretty permanently
wet and the panel and the bathing platform are both steel.

The previous owner had welded (badly) nuts inside the platform some of
which broke free and made taking it apart rather difficult!

I'm looking at ways to fix the panel which aren't susceptible to a
similar problem and rivnuts would seem to be a possible approach.

I do have reasonable access to the inside of the bathing platform when
the steel panel is removed so I don't actually need a 'blind' fixing.

There are several places selling stainless steel rivnuts but none selling
kits with the insertion tool with stainless steel rivnuts. All the kits
with an insertion tool have aluminium or brass rivnuts which makes me
wonder whether stainless ones are too hard for a standard insertion tool.
Does anyone have any opinions on this, or even experience of using
stainless rivnuts?

Any other ideas for fixing the panel would be welcome too, it doesn't
need huge strength as it's horizontal and gravity keeps it in place, the fixings need to locate it and compress some sort of seal (though it has
never sealed properly in the past so I have an automatic bilge pump
keeping the bathing platform reasonably empty).
--
Chris Green
-+
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From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

On Mon, 21 Sep 2026 08:48:03 +0100, Chris Green <cl@isbd.net> wrote:

There are several places selling stainless steel rivnuts but none selling >kits with the insertion tool with stainless steel rivnuts. All the kits
with an insertion tool have aluminium or brass rivnuts which makes me
wonder whether stainless ones are too hard for a standard insertion tool. >Does anyone have any opinions on this, or even experience of using
stainless rivnuts?

I have used galvanized steel rivnuts, and they take a lot more pulling than the brass or aluminium ones.

Get (just) the stainless rivnuts, and try this "no tool" method?

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/kt6D115IHCI

Use a good bolt, obv, and I'd grease the moving bits.


Thomas Prufer
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From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

On 21/09/2026 09:26, Thomas Prufer wrote:

On Mon, 21 Sep 2026 08:48:03 +0100, Chris Green <cl@isbd.net> wrote:

There are several places selling stainless steel rivnuts but none selling
kits with the insertion tool with stainless steel rivnuts. All the kits
with an insertion tool have aluminium or brass rivnuts which makes me
wonder whether stainless ones are too hard for a standard insertion tool.
Does anyone have any opinions on this, or even experience of using
stainless rivnuts?

I have used galvanized steel rivnuts, and they take a lot more pulling than the
brass or aluminium ones.

Get (just) the stainless rivnuts, and try this "no tool" method?

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/kt6D115IHCI

Use a good bolt, obv, and I'd grease the moving bits.

Thomas Prufer

Also
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJ4gF2tXRBE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z73P_7OysR8
--
mailto : news {at} admac {dot} myzen {dot} co {dot} uk
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From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

Thomas Prufer <prufer.public@mnet-online.de.invalid> wrote:

On Mon, 21 Sep 2026 08:48:03 +0100, Chris Green <cl@isbd.net> wrote:

There are several places selling stainless steel rivnuts but none selling >kits with the insertion tool with stainless steel rivnuts. All the kits >with an insertion tool have aluminium or brass rivnuts which makes me >wonder whether stainless ones are too hard for a standard insertion tool. >Does anyone have any opinions on this, or even experience of using >stainless rivnuts?

I have used galvanized steel rivnuts, and they take a lot more pulling than the
brass or aluminium ones.

Get (just) the stainless rivnuts, and try this "no tool" method?

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/kt6D115IHCI

Use a good bolt, obv, and I'd grease the moving bits.

Yes, I had wondered if this might be a possible approach. It would
certainly be cheaper and i only need a few fixings so if it takes time it doesn't matter too much.

Thanks.
--
Chris Green
-+
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From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y


Chris Green wrote:

All the kits with an insertion tool have aluminium or brass rivnuts
which makes me wonder whether stainless ones are too hard for a
standard insertion tool. Does anyone have any opinions on this, or
even experience of using stainless rivnuts?

I used stainless steel rivnuts into a stainless handrail, it was a bit
tough on the cheapo Draper tool

<https://www.toolstation.com/draper-expert-hand-riveter/p64135>

but for not too much more, nowadays you can get a much sturdier no-name tool

<https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/167332757353>


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From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

Chris Green <cl@isbd.net> wrote:

I have an application where brass or aluminium rivnuts don't seem to me
to be a good idea. It's to hold a steel panel on a bathing platform on a canal boat. It's not a salty environment but it is pretty permanently
wet and the panel and the bathing platform are both steel.

The previous owner had welded (badly) nuts inside the platform some of
which broke free and made taking it apart rather difficult!

I'm looking at ways to fix the panel which aren't susceptible to a
similar problem and rivnuts would seem to be a possible approach.

I do have reasonable access to the inside of the bathing platform when
the steel panel is removed so I don't actually need a 'blind' fixing.

There are several places selling stainless steel rivnuts but none selling kits with the insertion tool with stainless steel rivnuts. All the kits
with an insertion tool have aluminium or brass rivnuts which makes me
wonder whether stainless ones are too hard for a standard insertion tool. Does anyone have any opinions on this, or even experience of using
stainless rivnuts?

Any other ideas for fixing the panel would be welcome too, it doesn't
need huge strength as it's horizontal and gravity keeps it in place, the fixings need to locate it and compress some sort of seal (though it has
never sealed properly in the past so I have an automatic bilge pump
keeping the bathing platform reasonably empty).

You can also get adaptors that fit onto a cordless drill that will set
rivnuts takes all the effort out of the job

https://www.amazon.co.uk/JiGiU-Cordless-Mechanical-Automobile-Maintenance/dp/B0DK1485ZP

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From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

Andy Burns <usenet@andyburns.uk> wrote:

Chris Green wrote:

All the kits with an insertion tool have aluminium or brass rivnuts
which makes me wonder whether stainless ones are too hard for a
standard insertion tool. Does anyone have any opinions on this, or
even experience of using stainless rivnuts?

I used stainless steel rivnuts into a stainless handrail, it was a bit
tough on the cheapo Draper tool

<https://www.toolstation.com/draper-expert-hand-riveter/p64135>

but for not too much more, nowadays you can get a much sturdier no-name tool

<https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/167332757353>

Thanks Andy, this is what I did in the end. I bought a pack of stainless rivnuts and I was going to try the pull it with a nut method but then
decided that a tool like the eBay one above would be better. I'm in
France on my canal boat so got this one from amazon.fr:-

https://www.amazon.fr/HoldPeak-Riveter-|ecrous-Filet|-s-professionnel/dp/B0D9VQKS2G/ref=sr_1_1_sspa

It has done the job nicely, 20 M6 rivnuts inserted without any major
issues. I have to say that I'm not sure I'd like to try and insert any
much bigger rivnuts, it was hard enough doing the M6 ones and while I'm
not Charles Atlas I'm fairly robust still. :-)

(N.B. Amazon are vital for me here in France because they have a locker
for deliveries which is within walking distance so I can buy stuff even
though I don't have a 'real' address here)
--
Chris Green
-+
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From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

Chris Green wrote:

decided that a tool like the eBay one above would be better. I'm in
France on my canal boat so got this one from amazon.fr:-

https://www.amazon.fr/dp/B0D9VQKS2G

It has done the job nicely

Yes, decently over-engineered I thought? I'm sure variations with a
different paint-job or plastic bits all roll out of the same Chinese
factory ... I bought an extra set of mandrels including 1/4-20 and
3/8-16 in case I ever want camera/tripod threads.
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From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

On Mon, 21 Sep 2026 10:04:28 +0100, Chris Green <cl@isbd.net> wrote:

Thomas Prufer <prufer.public@mnet-online.de.invalid> wrote:

On Mon, 21 Sep 2026 08:48:03 +0100, Chris Green <cl@isbd.net> wrote:

There are several places selling stainless steel rivnuts but none selling >> >kits with the insertion tool with stainless steel rivnuts. All the kits
with an insertion tool have aluminium or brass rivnuts which makes me
wonder whether stainless ones are too hard for a standard insertion tool. >> >Does anyone have any opinions on this, or even experience of using
stainless rivnuts?

I have used galvanized steel rivnuts, and they take a lot more pulling than the
brass or aluminium ones.

Get (just) the stainless rivnuts, and try this "no tool" method?

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/kt6D115IHCI

Use a good bolt, obv, and I'd grease the moving bits.

Yes, I had wondered if this might be a possible approach. It would
certainly be cheaper and i only need a few fixings so if it takes time it >doesn't matter too much.

Thanks.

I did find bolt kits on Aliexpress and Amazon that include a small roller thrust
bearing. That should make it easier to install with the bolt method.

Thomas Prufer
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From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

On Tue, 22 Sep 2026 16:47:10 +0100, Chris Green <cl@isbd.net> wrote:

Andy Burns <usenet@andyburns.uk> wrote:

Chris Green wrote:

All the kits with an insertion tool have aluminium or brass rivnuts
which makes me wonder whether stainless ones are too hard for a
standard insertion tool. Does anyone have any opinions on this, or
even experience of using stainless rivnuts?

I used stainless steel rivnuts into a stainless handrail, it was a bit
tough on the cheapo Draper tool

<https://www.toolstation.com/draper-expert-hand-riveter/p64135>

but for not too much more, nowadays you can get a much sturdier no-name tool >>
<https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/167332757353>

Thanks Andy, this is what I did in the end. I bought a pack of stainless >rivnuts and I was going to try the pull it with a nut method but then
decided that a tool like the eBay one above would be better. I'm in
France on my canal boat so got this one from amazon.fr:-

https://www.amazon.fr/HoldPeak-Riveter-|ecrous-Filet|-s-professionnel/dp/B0D9VQKS2G/ref=sr_1_1_sspa

It has done the job nicely, 20 M6 rivnuts inserted without any major
issues. I have to say that I'm not sure I'd like to try and insert any
much bigger rivnuts, it was hard enough doing the M6 ones and while I'm
not Charles Atlas I'm fairly robust still. :-)

And only a bit more that the "bolt kits"...

I almost bought a rivnut setting tool with M10 or M12 stainless rivets with a scissor action setting tool that gave a huge mechanical advantage. Fellow selling it told me he needed to put a few stainless rivnuts into a sail mast, and the other setting tools weren't up to the job, as the M10/12 took a LOT of pulling.

Next step up would have been a hydraulic tool.

(Tool and spare rivets were going for a small fraction of the new price, practically unused, but still too much for a tool that maybe I might be using sometime maybe).


Thomas Prufer
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