rivets versus screws in mast/boom

A forum for discussing boat or trailer repairs or modifications that you have made or are considering.
User avatar
Highlander
Admiral
Posts: 5995
Joined: Wed Sep 21, 2005 8:25 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
Location: Maccutter26M 2008 75HP Merc. 4/S Victoria BC. Can. ' An Hileanto'ir III '
Contact:

Re: rivets versus screws in mast/boom

Post by Highlander »

Jim
1/2" or 5/8" long x 3/16" dia. depends on the total thickness of what ur riveting ur original goose neck is rivited with 3/16" dia.

J 8)
PS Ithink I use 3/4" long rivits by 3/16" dia
User avatar
Divecoz
Admiral
Posts: 3803
Joined: Sat Oct 16, 2004 2:54 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
Location: PORT CHARLOTTE FLORIDA 05 M Mercury 50 H.P. Big Foot Bill at Boats 4 Sail is my Hero

Re: rivets versus screws in mast/boom

Post by Divecoz »

THANK YOU RAY!
raycarlson wrote:if you want high quality blind rivets go to an aviation fastner website such as aircraft spruce. cherry textron indtrys, and browse their selection of cherry max blind fastners.you can get alum,ss,monel,titan or alumm with ss shank, all sorts off combo's. and you can pull up to 3/16 with a little home depot puller.there's a world of difference in quality between cherry's and home depot pop rivets.
User avatar
RobertB
Admiral
Posts: 1863
Joined: Sun Jun 05, 2011 7:42 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
Location: Clarksville, MD

Re: rivets versus screws in mast/boom

Post by RobertB »

I agree with using aviation type rivets - see http://www.aircraftspruce.com/. But I question the compatibility of the better/stronger rivets to be used with a standard homeowner type rivet gun. I used to work support equipment on military aircraft (at the F-16 plant in Texas) and believe the tooling may not be compatible.

BTW: Look at the noted website at the Rivnuts - these look like a great way to attach hardware and there is a low cost installation fixture available on the website. Much more secure than expanding rubber well-nuts.
User avatar
Phil M
Captain
Posts: 807
Joined: Sun Jun 08, 2008 9:29 am
Sailboat: Other
Location: 44' Jeanneau, Saskatoon, SK, Canada

Re: rivets versus screws in mast/boom

Post by Phil M »

Rivnuts? Never heard of those before, so this little 40 second ditty shows what they are and how they are installed:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUa169kRuz4&feature=fvst

Phil M :macm:
User avatar
c130king
Admiral
Posts: 2730
Joined: Sun Nov 05, 2006 5:30 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
Location: Wiggins, MS --- '05 26M "König" w/ 40hp Merc
Contact:

Re: rivets versus screws in mast/boom

Post by c130king »

Highlander wrote:Jim
1/2" or 5/8" long x 3/16" dia. depends on the total thickness of what ur riveting ur original goose neck is rivited with 3/16" dia.

J 8)
PS Ithink I use 3/4" long rivits by 3/16" dia
John,

Thanks.

For gooseneck SS Rivets 3/6" diameter and 5/8" long. A pack of 50 (smallest quantity on WestMarine) is $29.99.

Can I used 5/8" long for the mast hound? If the rivet is a little long won't the metal piece in the middle just pull up inside and spread the rivet out until hits the inside of the mast and then break off at the break point?

Or do I need shorter rivets to go through the mast hound?

For the boom with small metal eyestraps I would think 3/16" diameter and probably 1/2" aluminum rivets would be fine (no significant stress on these eye straps...just lazy jack lines).

Cheers,
Jim
raycarlson
Captain
Posts: 789
Joined: Wed Jul 30, 2008 1:42 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
Location: tucson,az

Re: rivets versus screws in mast/boom

Post by raycarlson »

robertb ive pulled thousands with a hand puller on 747-737-727-dc9-dc10 and none have fallen out of the sky yet,all have my name signed for the job so im sure ill hear about it if one does.
User avatar
capncarp
Engineer
Posts: 131
Joined: Mon Jul 14, 2008 2:30 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: Minneapolis, Mn.

Re: rivets versus screws in mast/boom

Post by capncarp »

Rivets for sure. Screws strip. Rivets form a mushroom on the inside. It's very hard to pull that out. Use a quality gun.
capncarp,
99 :macx:
User avatar
Highlander
Admiral
Posts: 5995
Joined: Wed Sep 21, 2005 8:25 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
Location: Maccutter26M 2008 75HP Merc. 4/S Victoria BC. Can. ' An Hileanto'ir III '
Contact:

Re: rivets versus screws in mast/boom

Post by Highlander »

c130king wrote:
Highlander wrote:Jim
1/2" or 5/8" long x 3/16" dia. depends on the total thickness of what ur riveting ur original goose neck is rivited with 3/16" dia.

J 8)
PS Ithink I use 3/4" long rivits by 3/16" dia
John,

Thanks.

For gooseneck SS Rivets 3/6" diameter and 5/8" long. A pack of 50 (smallest quantity on WestMarine) is $29.99.

Can I used 5/8" long for the mast hound? If the rivet is a little long won't the metal piece in the middle just pull up inside and spread the rivet out until hits the inside of the mast and then break off at the break point?

Or do I need shorter rivets to go through the mast hound?

For the boom with small metal eyestraps I would think 3/16" diameter and probably 1/2" aluminum rivets would be fine (no significant stress on these eye straps...just lazy jack lines).

Cheers,
Jim
Jim
Length is only an issue if it is too short as long as it "the rivit" is long enough to make a full mushroomed head that extrunds beyond the backing plate or washer on the inside of the mast or boom it is fine , what you have to watch for if the rivit is too long is that if you do not keep the rivit head tight to the base of the object being rivited it can start to mushroom between the object being rivited & the base its self so you will then know as you will see the gap between both objects this can also happen if the rivit is to long & bottoms out hitting an object on the inside that prevents the head of the rivit from bottoming out or fully seating also if the rivit is too long it takes more pressure to squeeze the shaft of the rivit down to a mushroomed head & requiring more stroking or squeazing of the rivit gun handles thats why I use 6" extension tubes on my rivit gun handles so as to get the extra pressure required to collapse the rivit its just easier on the hands , air rivit guns are the best for these type of jobs they are faster & perform better !

J 8)
PS Man I am good with words shoulda been a porn writer :D :D :D . I can just hear the razzing now " :o "
User avatar
c130king
Admiral
Posts: 2730
Joined: Sun Nov 05, 2006 5:30 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
Location: Wiggins, MS --- '05 26M "König" w/ 40hp Merc
Contact:

Re: rivets versus screws in mast/boom

Post by c130king »

J,

Good answer. I just don't want to spend excess money on rivets. A $30 pack of 50 SS 3/16" x 5/8" rivets should work for the goose neck and the mast hound. And then I will either use these same SS rivets on my boom for the eye straps or I will go buy some cheaper aluminum rivets for that...only about $7 for a pack of 50.

Cheers,
Jim

P.S. I don't think I want to read any porn written by a guy that wears a skirt...I'm just sayin'... :D
User avatar
Highlander
Admiral
Posts: 5995
Joined: Wed Sep 21, 2005 8:25 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
Location: Maccutter26M 2008 75HP Merc. 4/S Victoria BC. Can. ' An Hileanto'ir III '
Contact:

Re: rivets versus screws in mast/boom

Post by Highlander »

Jim
Just checked my rivit sizes are 3/16" dai . 1/2" & 5/8" long
measured from the rivit head base to the end of the rivit shaft excluding the rivit nail head at the bottom of the rivit shaft !
The 1/2" size should be ok for the goose kneck boom to mast connections :)

J 8)
User avatar
RobertB
Admiral
Posts: 1863
Joined: Sun Jun 05, 2011 7:42 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
Location: Clarksville, MD

Re: rivets versus screws in mast/boom

Post by RobertB »

Raycarlson

What kind of riveter do you have - is it a compound type?

I imagine if I tried to use my 1979 Sears special to set high strength rivets, I would need forarms like Popeye.

Maybe this is a good excuse to buy another tool :)
User avatar
Highlander
Admiral
Posts: 5995
Joined: Wed Sep 21, 2005 8:25 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
Location: Maccutter26M 2008 75HP Merc. 4/S Victoria BC. Can. ' An Hileanto'ir III '
Contact:

Re: rivets versus screws in mast/boom

Post by Highlander »

c130king wrote:J,

Good answer. I just don't want to spend excess money on rivets. A $30 pack of 50 SS 3/16" x 5/8" rivets should work for the goose neck and the mast hound. And then I will either use these same SS rivets on my boom for the eye straps or I will go buy some cheaper aluminum rivets for that...only about $7 for a pack of 50.

Cheers,
Jim

P.S. I don't think I want to read any porn written by a guy that wears a skirt...I'm just sayin'... :D
ok & I'll remember that comment ! :P
Oh by the way your SS Rivits are in the Mail Oh yeh did I forget to mention I listedthe contents on the customs declaration form as reconditioned salvaged bomb parts have fun with that delivery u maybe gettinga big knock on the door !! :D :D :D :D :P

Since I had ur Add I also ordered some gay porn mags for u with a free pair of black panty hose have fun explaining that to the Admiral :D :D :D :D :P

What are friends for anyway right J 8)
Y.B.Normal
First Officer
Posts: 335
Joined: Sat Jan 26, 2008 2:55 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
Location: Western PA

Re: rivets versus screws in mast/boom

Post by Y.B.Normal »

I used a nutplate in place of the standard locknuts to secure the dinette table to the brackets in the hull.
It works like a rivnut, but it has a flange which can be riveted onto the AL bracket. I didn't have the proper tool for
squeezing the rivnut. Now I just have to turn the screw into the nutplate, I don't have to put a wrench on the nut.

It's amazing how old aviation habits come back into use. :wink:

Dale
geo_pr1
Posts: 7
Joined: Sun Jan 22, 2012 7:52 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26M

Re: rivets versus screws in mast/boom

Post by geo_pr1 »

Hello, I'm the new guy here and very first post. I couldn't resist this thread. Is right on my lane and expertise. I've been an Aircraft Sheet Metal mechanic for the past 17yrs. Mostly helicopters. They vibrate like hull and the blind rivets are the first ones to fail. Now in a stationary position with the right number of them can save the day. A good blind rivet gun for the casual work will be this one or similar:
"http://www.acehardwareoutlet.com/produc ... ku=2095933"

Now for the Rivets, they come in different drill hole sizes and thickness length for the total pieces as previously mentioned. Go to a local small airport and see the local shop and talk to any mechanics. Sometimes they have hundreds of Aviation grade blind rivets from previous jobs laying around a tool box. Nut-plates and riv-nut ideas, I will be glad to respond with any advise. Happy sailing!
User avatar
c130king
Admiral
Posts: 2730
Joined: Sun Nov 05, 2006 5:30 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
Location: Wiggins, MS --- '05 26M "König" w/ 40hp Merc
Contact:

Re: rivets versus screws in mast/boom

Post by c130king »

Highlander wrote:
c130king wrote:J,

Good answer. I just don't want to spend excess money on rivets. A $30 pack of 50 SS 3/16" x 5/8" rivets should work for the goose neck and the mast hound. And then I will either use these same SS rivets on my boom for the eye straps or I will go buy some cheaper aluminum rivets for that...only about $7 for a pack of 50.

Cheers,
Jim

P.S. I don't think I want to read any porn written by a guy that wears a skirt...I'm just sayin'... :D
ok & I'll remember that comment ! :P
Oh by the way your SS Rivits are in the Mail Oh yeh did I forget to mention I listedthe contents on the customs declaration form as reconditioned salvaged bomb parts have fun with that delivery u maybe gettinga big knock on the door !! :D :D :D :D :P

Since I had ur Add I also ordered some gay porn mags for u with a free pair of black panty hose have fun explaining that to the Admiral :D :D :D :D :P

What are friends for anyway right J 8)
Touche... :)

...and THANKS!!!

Cheers,
Jim
Post Reply