a middle sized bus

[taskswap]

M5's are super popular in the rack-mount server equipment crowd in high-tech. If you look for "rack mount screws" you can find a lot of pan-head and hex-head bolts, and other things in M5 sizes.

Also, McMaster-Carr has EVERYTHING hardware-wise. They may be a buck or two more than cheaper options, but at least you know you can find whatever you want...

[Zephod_beeblebrox2]

I think I've typed this response 3 times already and each time, tapatalk has deleted it! People just don't understand when I laugh at computers and say hang the internet and hang email - just go and bash on somebody's door to get a response.

Ive ordered an M5 adaptor for my Harbor Freight rivnut tool. I'm hoping it'll fit. I have some M5 bolts from Lowes at shocking prices. I had to sit down with a large glass of whiskey after seeing their prices - quite unnerving!

Up to now Ive been using self- drilling screws but when my rivnuts are onstream, the screws will be replaced with rivnuts

[bansil]

I have 2 arbors 10-32 and 1/4-20, do it old skool with Allen wrench and crescent wrench.

I get inserts thru mcmastercarr also, my tools and work inserts /tools and helicoils I use s.w.Anderson
I also buy helicoils like 5000 every month

Then I hit up Lowes hardware for 1/4-20 eyebolts and am set

I used rivnuts to attach table and anything high stress, and they don't loosen easily

For over head shelves I used a rivnut in ceiling, then screw all-thread into nut, snug up a nut to hold all thread, slide a PC of 1/2 painted EMT tubing over it and then push shelf up and secure with a nut and fender washers

Did that make sense?

[Zephod_beeblebrox2]

Yay. My $7 ebay m5 adapter for my $20 harbor freight rivnut tool arrived.

Best drill I could find was 17/64 and its almost big enough. I'm enlarging holes with a round file. Works well.

[somewhereinusa]

You don't need any kind of fancy tool for rivnuts, just a piece of steel with a hole in it and a bolt and nut that fits the rivnut.

I've done this plenty of times, works great.

[Zephod_beeblebrox2]

Ahh... My rivnuts came from China and have no nut on them. They're round. Otherwise I'd be using a spanner

[nat_ster]

Thx somewhereinusa

That's the kind of stuff I like to see.

Nat

[Zephod_beeblebrox2]

My harbor freight tool came with grip less rivnuts too. I've ordered some more M5 bolts. Waiting for them to arrive from hong Kong. I ordered 40mm. Lowes only carries 30mm.

[Zephod_beeblebrox2]

Progress yesterday was one bedroom wall. Progress today was part of another wall, a toilet and a USB socket wired via a switch into the console. I'll fuse it later.

[nat_ster]

Nice, glad to see your still at it.

Nat

[Zephod_beeblebrox2]

Progress is always slower than I'd like but I'm getting there. I've come a long way since these pictures and its almost all been done solo. The only things I had help with was removing the old bunks, cabinets and rear shelf and a little help volunteered itself when I was painting.

[somewhereinusa]

Originally Posted by Zephod_beeblebrox2

Ahh... My rivnuts came from China and have no nut on them. They're round. Otherwise I'd be using a spanner

Rivnuts don't have a nut. What I showed in the picture is how you install them without a special tool. Thread a nut onto the bolt, insert through hole in a place of metal, screw your rivnut onto that. Place the rivnut in hole. Hold the bolt with one wrench and turn the nut away from the head of the bolt. You can feel when the rivnut is tight,the nut will be harder to turn, DON'T give it "an extra turn for good measure", it will distort the rivnut and make it less strong.
Be sure to use a bolt that is long enough to engage all of the threads of the rivnut.The metal strap will keep the rivnut from turning. Make sure you drill the correct size hole, read the specs. if you have to, buy the correct size bit that the specs say. LOOK IT UP.

[Zephod_beeblebrox2]

Damn... If I'd known all that, I'd have saved my cash and not bought the rivnut tool. It is nice to use though.

[Zephod_beeblebrox2]

Latest photos

[Zephod_beeblebrox2]

The bedroom. It needs a top coat of white on the bed, floor and wall bottoms. It needs doors, a hanger rail in the wardrobe, drawers, desk and a new sub partition wall then thge bedroom will be complete

[Zephod_beeblebrox2]

The new shower wall is almost completed. This is the wall between shower and dinette.

[bansil]

Its always seems like a slow road working on these monsters

[Zephod_beeblebrox2]

It seems to be a lot of little, preparatory work before big things can be seen to have been done.

[Zephod_beeblebrox2]

Progress as viewed from the drivers seat

[Zephod_beeblebrox2]

Ooh, my... I've not out a photo in a while