Advice on rivets please

[Bobbit]

Right, i want to rivet my cf side skirts on, they are shineauto copies like these:


But my question is what size rivets do i go for, i\'ve looked on B&Q\'s website and am confused over the "grip" part. Can anyone enlighten me please.
Thanks

P.s pics is from sweetiewells forsale thread which can be seen here: http://www.mazdarotaryclub.com/forums/showthread.php?t=56588

[AtomicRex]

Best thing to do is buy a Rivnut gun, and use those.  Drill 3 or 4 holes in the sill and insert the rivnuts, then bolt the skirts into the new captive nut

[Bobbit]

Thanks for the info AtomicRex
Sounds like a plan, now where\'s google, rivnut guns.........

[AtomicRex]

demon tweeks sell them less than £40
 
Speak to Martyn on 01978 663 014.....if you could tell him I put you on to him that would be great

[Bobbit]

just checked their website as i\'m at work at the mo and they only have one for £65! Thats a bit steep for a tool that i\'m only gonna use a few times :2eek
Ss can anyone offer any advise on the rivets? :Thumbsup!

[David Nock (RIP)]

Oooh...pop rivets eh, that\'s a blast from the past. First I would decide on the diameter you want to drill, 1/8" might be too small for bodyskirts? 3/16" seems better. Other people might know better. Then I think the grip length is what you expect the 2 metal sheets to end up at in terms of combined thickness when placed one on the other. (I would think better to have slightly too much grip length than not enough). What happens with too much grip length on the rivet is that you have to make 2 \'passes\' with the rivet tool, i.e you have to squidge the rivet once then re-apply the tool further up the pin and squidge again to get it to break. Too little grip length is no good at all - the back sheet of metal doesn\'t get caught properly in the head of the rivet as it collapses (deforms). All this is my theory but I think it\'s right.
The Rivnut gun sounds very professional though, is that the thing that used to be called \'hank bushes\'?

[pdtaylor18]

I can lend you a rivet gun for what you need it for!!! You can get them of ebay for not a lot. Rivets are important to get right but the important thing is to measure the thickness of all the material you are going to rivet together but your holes drilled will only just be slightly bigger than your rivet diameter. Do not make them a tight fit or too sloppy it you will not get a good solid clamp of the swage and head of the rivet. You will want a decent sized head to spread the load on the CF however you can get heads that are slightly countersunk so they are more flush and will not show.
As for the length of the rivet then i can not remember the ratio but this is known as the grip length and can vary dependent on the type of rivet used. You will need just alloy ones for this. You can get steel inserted rivets but then you need a special gun to insert them,all you need is just pop rivets.

Just remember that whatever thickness material you want to rivet together the grip length of the rivet must be longer so that when its all squeezed together it actually grips all the material. I think you need a Grip length about 1/8" longer than the thickness of material but then this will also change if you drill your holes too big. Too tight a hole and it will not expand enough to give a good solid grip and with air pressure and vibration will almost certainly fail at some point.

[AtomicRex]

You really need to use a rivnut....over time you will find the diameter of the hole will increase.  Plus taking the skirts off for cleaning is far easier.
 
Chat to Martyn tweeks do do cheaper versions.
 
Failing that
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Rivet-Nut-Rivnut-Hand-Plier-Hand-Tool-M4-M5-M6_W0QQitemZ150340536120QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Hand_Tools_Equipment?hash=item150340536120&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1688%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318
 
Don\'t get much cheaper than that!

[jinx]

Rivnuts do sound a better option - Can you hire the tool rather than buy it?
If not: You can get pop rivets in an anodised black finish so they will not show up so much on CF. If you are about to ask me where to get them from the answer is I don\'t remember but I\'ve used them so they are available somewhere!

[AtomicRex]

That tool I posted above is only £15.....you dont get much cheaper than that!  Plus you will get a selection of rivnuts with it.  It will double up as a rivet gun, but to be honest you will find many uses for this tool!

[Bobbit]

Thanks for all the info guys, one thing i\'m confused on tho, whats this cleaning thing AtomixRex mentioned?

[AtomicRex]

Are you saying you don\'t clean your car?  tut tut!  I\'m not as bad as the biker boys....toothbrushes at dawn with those guys...but a clean car is a necessity on the race track!

[Bobbit]

Me? Clean? No, that what the wifes for! lol. Good point about removing to clean tho, i like a good machine polish for time to time and those sides sticking out would def cause problems. Thanks for the ebay link bud.

[ENVYD]

i have a gun and some spare rivets in my garage mate! will try and got some longer rivets from collage today! can come get it when ever or on sat when you are getting the mirrior?

[Bobbit]

Now that sounds like a plan bud, i\'ll try the rivets for now and, if like AtomixRex says they come loose etc then I\'ll splash out and buy a rivnet nut. I\'ll pick them up on Sat if thats ok buddy?