How to Use a Rivet Nut Collapsing Tool
Rivet nuts have a cylindrical body with a flared head. Inside the cylindrical body are threads for locking a fastener to the rivet nut. A rivet nut tool collapses the cylindrical body of the rivet nut, and creates a bead. The rivet nut is then locked in place, with the flared head on one side of the base material and the bead on the other. There are wide varieties of rivet nut tools that range from mechanical to pneumatic. A ratchet operated rivet nut tool is the simplest and most affordable tool for installing rivet nuts into metal.
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Things You'll Need
- Ratchet driven rivet nut tool
- Rivet nut
- 3/8th-inch drive ratchet
- Socket set
- Adjustable wrench
Instructions
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1
Inspect the tool to ensure that the threads of the mandrel are intact. Assemble the rivet nut tool if needed.
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2
Thread a rivet nut onto the mandrel by turning the rivet nut clockwise. Continue turning the rivet nut until the nut's flared head sits firmly against the bottom of the holding nut of the tool.
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3
Place the appropriate sized socket for the drawing nut of the tool onto the ratchet and set the adjustable wrench to fit the lower holding nut.
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4
Slide the rivet nut into the properly sized hole in the metal.
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5
Hold the holding nut in place with the adjustable wrench and place the socket on the drawing nut.
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6
Turn the ratchet clockwise to draw the shaft of the rivet nut toward the metal, while applying counter-clockwise pressure on the adjustable wrench.
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7
Continue turning the ratchet until you feel the rivet nut lock against the metal.
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8
Reverse the direction of the ratchet to take the pressure off the mandrel.
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9
Turn the drawing nut counter-clockwise with your hand to remove the mandrel from the installed rivet nut.
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10
Insert a bolt into the installed rivet nut. Tighten to bolt to ensure that the rivet nut does not spin in the metal. If the rivet nut turns, repeat the previous steps to tighten the rivet nut.
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