Well Nut vs Rivet

My question is.....Does anyone have any bad experience with well nuts?

So I've got the rod holders ready to install with a big bag of well nuts sitting in my garage.....But I just used the search function to find out I should go with an Arrow 200 Pop rivet gun and rivets that leaf out not smush.  What to do?

Research concludes.....
Rivet stronger than Well Nut.
Well nut water proof, but rivet with Goop is too.
Well nut requires, a much bigger hole.  Small hole is better

What to do?

Hmmmm...bigger hole, yet weaker, and more expensive...the dreaded lose/lose/lose!  That said, why in the heck would you use one???

I had one of my rod holders come loose when the well-nuts popped through the holes. I learned that my used p15 was prob not an angler model and the guy I bought it from hacked the holes in it when he put the rod holders in. Very crappy job of cutting them out, to say the least. And he prob didn't use the right size drill bit. Anyhow I had to special order the extra long well-nuts from Kayak fishing stuff in New Jersey so they would scrunch up enough to not pull through again.

So far they are holding, thats my story.

Not sure how rivets would hold up?

Alright, I'm just kicking myself for not doing the NCKA research prior to ordering.  I was operating under the false assumption that rivet guns were $150 plus pneumatic only, that I've seen in the past.  I didn't know of the $20 manual style.

Now that there is atleast one documented failure and the Yak Pimpin Pro  has posted what I needed to hear, I'll be placing an order for for some rivets shortly.

Thanks Kimo

Thanks Sean, and nice pics of the T-15 under rigged yaks.

I have used wellnuts, rivets and bolts. Bolts are the strongest, followed by rivets and wellnuts. I wouldn't use wellnuts for rod holders or any other high load attachment. For low load attachments wellnuts are fine and provide a very water tight seal.

Scott

Do they make stainless steel rivets? that would be the kind to get.

Do they make stainless steel rivets? that would be the kind to get.

Hook1 carries stainless black anodized rivets which are the ticket.
http://www.kayakfishinggear.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=75

Z

Do they make stainless steel rivets? that would be the kind to get.

Hook1 carries stainless black anodized rivets which are the ticket.
http://www.kayakfishinggear.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=75

Z

Thats what I will use next time around, Thanks

if you have a blind attachment point go with the rivets that molley out like a molley bolt not a standard rivet that just buldges   

if you have a hatch and can reach the inside by all means thru bolt with a backer washer   

windtoys has the rivets in stock

windtoys has the rivets in stock

Good call troller, I do get tired of waiting for this stuff in the mail.

Thanks.

Hook1 carries stainless black anodized rivets which are the ticket

FYI-those are aluminum but work great.

Bolts are the strongest, followed by rivets and wellnuts.

if you have a hatch and can reach the inside by all means thru bolt with a backer washer

Bolts are NOT always stronger than a rivet of equivalent OD and are almost always stronger by weight, and never come loose, and go in faster.  But hey...don't believe...but look out the window next time your on a plane.  you won't see many bolts but you will see a zillion rivets...cause they work. 

Rivets get a bad rap because most people suck with their hands are are too lazy to figure out what is actually the best fastener for the job.

The stainless rivets only bulge. Trust me - I used them. Once...

Black anodized aircraft rivets are the shiznit.

Scott

Rivets, rivets, and more rivets; the only way to fly. The aluminum are fine, they will only be touching plastic so there be very little electralisis(?).