How to Measure a Rivet

Using a Rivet Gauge to Measure a Rivet

Many of our customers get in contact with us and ask us how to measure rivets. We used to find rivets annoying to measure ourselves, until we found this. This rivet measuring gauge is perfect for measuring rivets. We are so sure that it’s the perfect measuring tool we use it ourselves in our warehouse.

Made of sturdy plastic, this tool comes with preset sizes and lengths used to measure all kinds of rivets. So, where should we begin?

Understanding a Rivet

Rivets are odd-looking fasteners composed of two parts. The hat and the mandrel. The hat is the short stubby side which needs to be measured for its length and diameter. The mandrel is the long thin end that is pulled off of the rivet during the installation process.

To understand what size rivet you will need you need to determine the diameter of the hole to be filled and the material installation thickness. You then need to find a rivet size that fits this range.

Measuring a Rivet Using the Gauge

So, first things first, we are going to place the hat of the rivet into the circular holes on the rivet gauge. The holes represent different diameters that rivets come in. When you place the rivet into the hole it should be a snug fit. If you have a lot of wiggle room then you are probably in a size that is too big. On the other side, if you cannot fit the hat into the hole the hole is probably too small. The diameter of our test rivet was 4.

Next we are going to measure the length of the rivet. insert the hat into the open-ended top areas. You will want to make sure the rivet’s washer or flange area is pressed up against measuring rivet length the top of the plastic. As you can see from our example, the first section did not properly house the hat of our example rivet so we had to check the next size up. After checking that we determined that our length was 4.

This rivet is a #4-4.

What Comes Next?

Now that you know the size of your rivet you can find out what range it fits to determine if it is the proper rivet to fit your needs.

For everything you will ever need to know about rivets we have compiled all of our information about rivets onto our free Fasteners 101: Rivets Guide Resource. Please check it out to find any information you are looking for.

If you are interested in buying one of these tools, check out our Rivet Gauge page to learn more.

Tool: Rivet Gauge

Rivet Installation Guide

How Do I Install A Rivet?

It’s a question many people ask the first time they see a rivet and not one that’s incredibly easy to explain. Today we will show you how to install a rivet, but first, we need to determine what tools we will need for the job.

The Tools You Need

Riveter
Rivets
Drill
Drill Bits

Installing Your First Rivet

hand riveter

The first thing to do when installing a rivet is to choose the appropriate tool for the job. There are many different riveting tools but we find that for day to day use, a simple hand riveter will do nicely. If you plan on installing a large number of rivets, check out this Battery Operated Rivet Tool and our review of a similar tool here.

The next step is to use your drill and drill bit to create a hole in the materials you plan on fastening together.

After drilling the hole its time to prep the rivet for install. All you do is slide the mandrel (longer thin end of a rivet) into the hand riveter until it sits against the flange.

After the rivet is placed into the hand riveter you place the hat of the rivet (the end still sticking out of the tool) through the hole. Now while keeping pressure against the rivet so it stays all the way in the hole, squeeze the handle.

install a rivet installed rivet

When you squeeze the handle several things happen at once. The tool bites down on the mandrel and begins to pull it backwards. As it does, the mandrel, which starts in the hat of the rivet is pulled through the hat towards the riveter tool. As the mandrel is pulled through the hat the hat expands creating a fat end which can no longer slide through the hole. Once the maximum torque is reached the mandrel snaps and leaves only the hat and flange behind.

installed rivet (front) installed rivet (back)

Above are images from the front and back of 6 installed rivets. The image on the left is the front of the rivet which is what is exposed once the installation is complete. The picture on the right is the back (blind) side of the installed rivet.

Conclusion

As you can see, installing a rivet is a simple process that can be difficult to explain. You should also note that rivets need to be sized based off the thickness they are being installed into. If you do not choose a rivet in the correct grip range your rivet will either be loose or try to expand into the hole during installation.

Need more rivet information? Check out our Free Rivet Guide. We have compiled helpful videos, charts, grip ranges and other useful information to make rivet installation a breeze!

Threaded Inserts for Wood – Brass Inserts

Brass Threaded Inserts for Wood

threaded inserts for wood

We hear all the time about how people don’t get threaded inserts. Well today we are going to discuss how to install brass threaded inserts into wood. Lets start with the tools you will need:

Spade Wood Bits
Brass Threaded Inserts
E-Z Lok Drive Tool or Slotted Head Screwdriver
Drill

Threaded Inserts

Threaded inserts are fasteners that are driven into a material (in this case wood) which house internal threads for a fastener to screw into. Threaded inserts have their own cutting threads designed to cut into the installation material and provide a strong hold.

spade bits

They are mostly used in situations where the fastener will need to be installed and removed multiple times. In a normal situation this process would destroy the installation hole requiring that new ones be drilled. But with these inserts you can tighten or loosen fasteners with ease over and over in the same hole.

Step 1

The first and most important step in any installation is making sure you are wearing the appropriate safety gear! So since we will be drilling and working with sharp objects lets first get our safety goggles and gloves on! Now that we have our gear on let’s get started.

The first thing we need to do is get a spade drill bit. Spade bits are made specifically for boring holes. When you start drilling the hole you will notice that the but has a tendency to bounce around. To prevent this wobbling effect we recommend drilling at a very slow speed.

Step 2

Once you’ve drilled your hole your going to take the E-Z Lok Drive tool, or Flathead driver bit, and set it in your drill. The threaded inserts have two breaks along the top of the insert where you can fit a slotted screwdriver but we recommend using the E-Z Lok tool. This tool fits snug into the gaps making driving these inserts much easier.

You’re going to want to hold the insert and fit it as straight into the hole as you can. It is critical that the insert goes into the hole as straight as possible so your fastener can also sit flat once installed. It may also cause chipping of the wood

Step 3

fastener install into brass threaded inserts

Continue driving until the threaded insert is flush with the surface. Now just line up your new material over the hole and begin tightening your fastener into place.

How to Remove a Spinning Rivet

Removing a Spinning Rivet

We frequently get calls about trying to remove worn rivets. What we’ve found is that the most frequent problem our customers have with removing them is that they are loose in their holes and spin when they attempt to drill them out.

We asked our fastener expert to help us understand this dilemma and to give us a few tips on how we might be able to fix the problem. He came up with two methods for removing them. Once we suited up with our safety gear (glasses and gloves) we set out to test these methods. The answer it turns out, is much simpler than you might imagine.

Method 1

We are going to start with the method that is harder first. All it requires is a drill, a drill bit, and a slotted or Flathead screwdriver.

To begin locate the loose rivet and slide the slotted head of the screwdriver behind the rivet head. You will need to leverage the screwdriver to exert a fair amount of pressure against the flange of the rivet to keep it from spinning. After its in place take your drill and begin screwing through the rivet slowly. You should be able to work through the rivet and drill it out.

Flathead spinning rivet adding pressure to a spinning rivet

The Good and The Bad

We like this method because it allows the used to only need a Flathead screwdriver which is typically a tool that is readily available on most job sites or in homes.

What we didn’t like is that if you do not have something to leverage the screwdriver against you will not be able to create the necessary pressure to hold the rivet in place. It also requires that one hand be on the drill and the other is holding pressure on the screwdriver. Also, if the rivet begins to spin then the screwdriver may slip and cause scratching on the surface material. You can remedy this situation by placing duct or blue painters tape over the surface of the screwdriver head but, at that point, we might as well recommend method number 2.

Method 2

The second method he recommended to us was to use a piece of painters tape over the rivet to hold it in place, or better yet duct tape. We tested both and found they both work quite well but duct tape does have a better hold. Simply place a patch of duct tape over the rivet and press down on it to make sure it creates a sturdy bond. Once the tape is on it you can easily see the rivet through the tape. Simply place the drill into the center and begin drilling.

The Good and The Bad

We liked this method because it allowed us to keep both hands focused on one task and does not require having a leverage point.

We didn’t like that you would need to have access to duct tape or painters tape which still may be readily available but less frequently. Also if you plan on using duct tape you should determine if the material you are working on will be damaged by the duct tape.

Duct tape spinning rivet drilling duct tape rivets

Our Choice

In the end, we decided the convenience of having both hands focused on one task was winning factor. The Rivets are less likely to spin with properly applied tape and it makes removing spinning rivets a breeze.

If you need any more information on rivets check out our Free Fasteners 101: Rivet Resource Guide and let us know if there is anything we forgot to add!

Remove a Spinning or Loose POP Rivet With Duck Tape | Fasteners 101

Remove a Spinning or Loose POP Rivet With Duck Tape Video Thumbnail

Remove a Spinning or Loose POP Rivet With Duck Tape Transcript

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Bob: Welcome back to Albany County Fasteners – Fasteners 101. I’m Bob and today I’m going to demonstrate how to remove a spinning rivet or a loose rivet. One of our subscribers asked, “how do I do this”?

I have a rivet that is spinning on you, as you can see here, the rivet is spinning when you go to drill it out. There you go. Just take a piece of tape, push it on the surface…and then start your drilling. Go to the center and start your drilling. Apply your pressure and your rivet is removed.

A better way actually; I’m going to install another one. Instead of blue tape, depending on the surface that you are using, and I’m trying to set these, so they spin. I want to check if it’s going to spin on me here. Yup, there ya go. Spinning. I’m going to take a piece of duct tape, it will even be better than blue tape if it’s stubborn and it wants to spin out on you and you can’t get enough pressure on it.

Take a piece of duct tape, put that baby on there. Find the center. Out it goes. Take the duct tape off and the rivet is gone. A couple of ways would be one: to be able to wedge a screwdriver behind it.

I don’t know how much room you may have, you may not have the room to do this, but I think that I have a better solution, using a nail punch. A pointy nail punch, not a flat head nail punch, it’s gotta have a point on it and I’m going to demonstrate this for you by just grabbing the edge. I want to show you first, before I do that, that this rivet is spinning. You can see it there it’s just turning with the drill. So what I’m going to do is I’m going to grab the edge of that, with a punch. First, I’m going to set the punch so it creates a little hole in it, so it grabs the head. I’m going to keep my hand here on the side of it until the drill starts to go through.

Then I’m going to take my hand out of the way, I’m not looking to hurt myself but this is one way, possibly, we can do this. I’m going to try and grab it right now and I’m gonna apply pressure on it. Okay, I’m going to apply the pressure…and of course I’m having trouble with that. Nope. I’m starting to get it, give me a second. Okay, it does want to keep continuing to spin and you will have, possibly, some surface scratches but if you work at it, and you hold it, and you push on it, and slowly turn the drill, it will stop it. Another way to try is using a flat head screwdriver, if you have the room; a slotted screwdriver, Okay? You can try with this. I’m going to stick it in here and twist it a little bit to wedge it, to try to remove it and that will give it enough pressure to hold the rivet so that the drill can start to drill through it. I’m almost there. There we go. Right through.

There’s one last way that you could try to remove something, and that would be with a cut-off blade on a grinder. That’s another way to do it. You could try this, but I’ve seen this done before, it’s horrible. It’s going to really scuff up the front of the material and you’re really not gonna want to use a grinder if it matters to the finish, when you’re all done.

Also, a way to prevent any type of scratching when you’re using a screwdriver is to take a piece of blue tape, that you use or painters tape, and put the painters tape…on the tip. That will prevent, when you slip it won’t scratch the surface. I didn’t use it here but that would be something to do to prevent you from scratching the surface if you want to keep the surface nice after you remove the rivet.

Thanks for watching, I hope this helps you.

Prevent Screw Stripping and Scratching

How to Prevent Screw Stripping and Scratching

black oxide phillips head screw

Screw stripping and scratching commonly happen when the driver bit slips out of the drive and causes imperfections in the head of a fastener. This can result in either a burring effect which can remove the finish from a fastener. You definitely don’t want to mess up on a screw going onto a finished product!

We chose to use a black oxide stainless steel screw. Black oxide is a coating that goes over stainless steel to add an extra layer of corrosion and abrasion resistance. This screw is commonly used for its sleek black look so you definitely don’t want to mess it up.

To quickly mitigate the effects of slipping, simply take your favorite roll of painters tape and wrap the bit with it. This will make the drive fit more securely to help deter that slide out effect while also protecting the head of the screw in the event of a slip out.

use painters tape on the drill bit prevent screw stripping and scratching

Make sure you use proper drilling form when you’re drilling. Always keep a good amount of pressure on the screw and make sure you don’t try to drive it too quickly as this may lead to driver slippage. For an even more secure hold, you might want to check out Torx or square drive screws which are designed to decrease the chance of stripping even more!

And here it is! Our fully installed black oxide stainless steel phillips head screw. Free of any burring or stripping. Follow this tip to keep your fasteners looking brand new!
installed screw clean of stripping and scratching

How to Prevent Screw Stripping

Preventing Screw Stripping Transcript

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Bob: Welcome back to Albany County Fasteners – Fasteners 101. I’m Bob and today I’m going to show you a tip using blue tape to prevent scratching or damaging the heads of your screws. And we now have our evolution saws in stock so check it out on the website we can ship immediately. So let’s get started.

I have here a black oxy (oxide) screw. You can see there the head is perfect. No scratches or anything. To prevent making marks to your screws as you’re installing them – this is a sheet metal screw, same thing goes if you’re just using a hand screw driver – to prevent the scratching or damaging of the heads, what I recommend you do is, take a piece of blue tape, this is painters blue tape, and just put it over the head like so.

Then put your screw into the bit and screw it in.

You will see here, the head has no damage to the to the Philips Drive (recess) so you won’t see any marks or imperfections to the metal.

This is a little quick tip for you guys. It’s something that I use when I’m putting in screws that are going to be visible on the finished product, and that’s my tip of the day.