Riveting Aluminum boat.

M

Mike Faught

Member
Kind of goes with the leaky boat thread. My middle bench seat keeps breaking rivets where it attaches to the hull. I re-riveted last year with aluminum rivets and they have broken again. Is there a better choice for rivets?Stainless maybe?Where do I get them? Limited sources around here.
Thanks.
 
Mike,

Are you using solid aluminum rivets or aluminum pop rivets? I'm very surprised that solid rivets are failing. Can you give us just a bit more information on the failures? Is the head stripping or the pop rivet pulling out? Pictures are worth the proverbial 10^3 words.

Scott
 
You want to stay with Aluminum rivets. Go to a boat dealer they usually have solid rivets. The rivets for repair are a little softer than the original rivets.The pressures needed for the original rivets are too high. They use stamping presses.

If you can not find rivets then the next best thing would be stainless nut and bolt. There is the problem of dissimilar metals corrosion so you will have to coat the bolt and nut with some thing.
 
Wis Pete is right solid aluminum rivets no pop rivets they're hollow. If you go to s/s bolts dip them in Nalcote, it will eliminate the electrolisis factor. Nalcote is a waxy paste that comes in a small tub about the size of shoe polish. I'm sure you can buy it at West Marine or order it from Jamestown Distributers
 
I agree 100% with Jack and Wis Pete. stay away from dissimilar metals if at all possible. If you can't get the pressure rivets then use the biggest aluminum pop rivets your rivet tool will handle. Then cover the heads with 5200 etc.
Good luck,
Harry
 
If you don't have a place that sells marine rivets another good place to try is a semi trailer repair shop. They use solid rivets both alum. & stainless. See if they have the size ya need.
 
What size do you need and how many? I have leftover solid aluminum rivets from the Aerocraft project.

Theres a few 5/32 x 3/8 Brazier Heads and maybe 90 1/8 x 1/4 Brazier heads plus a rivet tool to set them.
 
Sorry,hadnt been back to check this.
I guess I just replace them with aluminum again, judging by the advice here.

I cant get to the back side, so that means I cant use solid rivets, right?Never have used solid rivets, so not sure of how they are installed.

I cant weld there, it would most likely set the flotation foam on fire.The bench seats are full of flotation foam.
If it was only me using the boat I would toss the whole bench.But my wife and kids need a place to ride.
 
Sorry,hadnt been back to check this.
I guess I just replace them with aluminum again, judging by the advice here.

I cant get to the back side, so that means I cant use solid rivets, right?Never have used solid rivets, so not sure of how they are installed.

I cant weld there, it would most likely set the flotation foam on fire.The bench seats are full of flotation foam.
If it was only me using the boat I would toss the whole bench.But my wife and kids need a place to ride.
Click to expand...

Mike,
Give them a call at JC Sales & Rivets www.rivetsinstock.com as posted above also. Tell them what you are up against and get their recommendation on which Al rivet to use. There are some really innovative rivet designs on the market now but only (typically) to the commercial market.
Lou
 
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