Fastener that's "clean" on both sides?

I've got a bunch of ammo boxes that I'm turning into tool boxes and want to put handles on the top of them (just has them on the sides now).. I'm looking into alternatives to welding.. I'd like something that's fairly clean on both sides and am going through sheet metal.

Is there such a thing?

Cheers

---

Andrew M
Onterrible
30ish

Sex bolts like you use to put trux on a skateboard.

---

Michael LeCompte

Can you get them to work through sheet metal and still be strong (ie won't be a lot of threads engaged).

I knew of a bolt like that, but didn't know they were called that. I couldn't come up with a better name myself!

---

Andrew M
Onterrible
30ish

No kidding... When I was a skaterdude at about 5-6 years old. I learned what those were called and went around for like 2 or 3 days with ones of those in my pocket showing everyone and telling them what it was called. I thought it was the cooolest thing ever....

I see what you mean cos the handle and lid are so thin the sex bolts couldn't be very long, so not many threads. You'll need to use washers on either end to spread the load out and if they're good and thick that's more possible threads. I think it would be fine but those ammo cans can get pretty heavy.

It's either those or some heavy gauge rivets like you use to fasten power window motors to doors in a car.

Maybe someone else can think of something better... That's all I got

---

Michael LeCompte



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/07/2008 02:52PM by pikespeakgtx.

hudson Wrote:
> I'm looking into alternatives to welding..

Good lord, why? Welding is awesome, fun, and harnesses primal forces of nature!

Anders

---

Grassroots rally. It's what I think about.

Anders Green Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> hudson Wrote:
> > I'm looking into alternatives to welding..
>
> Good lord, why? Welding is awesome, fun, and
> harnesses primal forces of nature!

True enough! I was just wondering if there was a magic rivet I didn't know about that was clean on both sides!

---

Andrew M
Onterrible
30ish

Here is a new idea........ RIVETS !

---

Cheers
M.Samli
Phoenix AZ
Gaylant VR4
EVO III GSR (Stolen)


Rallies are no place for traitors

already said rivets.

---

Michael LeCompte

But they have not said the right type of rivet yet. The type they make airplanes out of would work very well for what you ask. (also seen on old buildings before we started welding them together).


Solid Aluminum Rivets:
"A" rivets are "soft". They are fabricated from 1100-grade aluminum and have a tensile strength of 16,000 PSI. "AD" rivets are fabricated from 2117 aluminum and heat treated to the T4 condition. They have a shear strength of 26,000 PSI and a tensile strength of 38,000 PSI. Prices below are for 1lb. quantities. All rivets can be purchased in 1/4 lb. (use qty .25) and 1/8 lb. (use qty .13) packages. AN470 (MS20470) AN426 (MS20426).

These use an air hammer and a bucking plate to install. These are used where the skin is way to light to weld.

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/hapages/solidalumrivets.php

---

In the long run reality always wins.

Wow that's cool! How exactly do these work? Do you simply beat the piss out of the rivet so that it's relatively flat on the other side?

---

Andrew M
Onterrible
30ish

sagsert Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Here is a new idea........ RIVETS !

Ja man.. I had thought of that But never liked how regular pop rivets look, feel etc on the "other" side. And thought this would be the right group of people to ask about other options.

---

Andrew M
Onterrible
30ish

So use a real rivet. Probably what's holding togather the rest of the ammo box anyways.


hudson Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Ja man.. I had thought of that But never liked
> how regular pop rivets look, feel etc on the
> "other" side. And thought this would be the right
> group of people to ask about other options.

PAddy Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> So use a real rivet. Probably what's holding
> togather the rest of the ammo box anyways.

They're spot welded.

I have no experience with "real" rivets.. hence why I was asking the question.

Now how do real rivets work? you have a front a back.. one has piece has a rod that goes through the hole and the other piece and you pull and beat the fuck out of it with special fuck beaters?

Seriously, I'd like to know.. I guess I could just google it

Cheers

---

Andrew M
Onterrible
30ish

I'd use a 'real' aluminium rivet since they're easy to work without proper tools. You can buy them by the bag over the internet (I just used a bunch to put my scooter back together) - Just hold a dolly on the flanged side and mushroom the other gently using a ball pein hammer. If you want to get fancy, a blunted chisel on an air hammer set really low works well too.

Round here we can go down to Boeing Surplus and between the hunks of Titanium and Carbon Skinned Nomax Honycomb boards there are cases of old rivit hammers and bucking bars, the basic idea is you hold a mass (bar) on one side and hit it with the gun on the other till both are nice and flat.

http://www.zenithair.com/kit-data/ht-86-12.html

---

In the long run reality always wins.