Light Weight Rivnut Setter

Hi all recently I needed to repair my wifes market stall unfortunatly the correct leg was was unavailable at the time but one that didn't have the correct threaded holes for assembly was in stock so I marked it out and bought some light duty alloy rivnuts. Rivnuts are great if you can't get to the back of a panel or item to fix a nut. I then needed a way to set them in place which can be done with just a nut and bolt but is tedious if you have many to do and the rivnut can spin if you're unlucky a straight pull is much quicker and simpler.

Depending on what size rivnut you need to set please adjust components to suit I was using 6mm.

Step 1: Pop Rivet Gun

A standard pop rivet gun has a straight pull in order to crush the rivet down and lock into place.

I had an old one which had lost a part from inside so I removed the remaining spring and shank gripper.

Step 2:

All that is left from the mechanism is pivot pin through this will pass a long bolt whith the correct thread to match the rivnut.

Step 3: Assembly

Now to put it all together pass the long bolt through the back of the head and the pivot pin it needs to be long enough to fully engage with the rivnut. The rivnut needs to be pulled back against a flat surface and I used a thick penny washer. Now make sure that when you open and close the handles the thread is pulled back into the head and releases forward without catching.

Step 4: Start Setting

You are now ready to set that nut with the handles open hold the bolt still and spin the rivnut on so the head butts up against the washer, the ones I used needed a 10mm hole in the stall leg insert the end of the nut in your drilled hole and squeeze the handles together, depending on the length of the nut and the thickness of the material you are setting in you may need to release the handles and tighten the nut a little and squeeze again repeating until the rivnut is fully set then undo the bolt and move onto the next one.

Have fun and be safe.

Comments

[gerryobloke]

15 June 2021 7:27 AM-I have used this method for 6mm (approx 1/4 inch) aluminum rivnuts. I worked but was a real workout. Aluminum in the larger sizes require the arms of Thor! Steel rivnuts require way to much effort except in the 3/16 and smaller sizes. Success again depends on your strength and the quality of the tool you modified. Cheers..Gerry

[mrmetallica]

i tried thia with steel riv nuts but found it imposible to pull any ideas ?

ive ordered ali ones so maybe they will work

[rchanter]

I use it for M6 alloy rivnuts and take small bites. Big steel pop rivets are hard to pull up with these tools so not enough leverage to pull up steel rivnuts I would think.

[mrmetallica]

thought that might be the case have ordered ali ones cheers

[mrmetallica]

this is something ive been wondering was possible .now i know .

thank you .do you know what thread the rivet nozles are ?

[rchanter]

These ones are metric 6mm by 1mm pitch, you can get larger but you are unlikely to be able to do much more than 8mm with this setup, smaller are also available but limited by the length of the bolts used to pull them tight.

[rimar2000]

Useful info, thanks for sharing.

[11thHour]

I made it. Pulled 6mm rivenuts, it does require a King Kong handshake ability or a couple of waterpipe extentions on the handles at this size. Tim

[rchanter]

I've used a few pop riveters over the years and they seem to vary in their leverage, if the handles are a long way apart when loaded that will make it hard work too, but if you back off the setting bolt you can take a smaller bite at the rivnut and set it over a few stages. Thanks for building my version.

[11thHour]

Good Point. Tim