Bullseye
Well Known Member
Good morning, everyone.
I am in need of some nutplate 101.
I have been dreaming of some features and upgrades to my airplane, and a few of those upgrades include many nutplates. For instance, attaching fiberglass tips with nutplates instead of blind rivets, or using nutplates on the seat and baggage floors so they are removable. (I don't want a big discussion on why I'm doing those things, just choosing those as examples in my nutplate dilemma.)
After doing a quick search of aircraft spruce for "anchor nuts" (can't search for "nutplate"... no results) I've found there are many varieties of nutplates.
http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/hapages/anchornuts.php
I have figured out, for instance, that I'll want a dimpled nutplate where I need a flush fastener and the material isn't thick enough to countersink, but my main question is:
How do you decide what size nutplate to install?
The biggies seem to be #6 (6-32), #8 (8-32), and #10 (10-32), but I also see some #4 (4-40) out there.
Also, there are K1000 (Full Size) and MK1000 (Miniature). Why wouldn't I use the miniature ones where possible?
I am a little familiar with the K1100-6 (K1100 is the full size dimpled) nutplates from the trim access cover on the left elevator, and those screws are nice and small.
But isn't smaller the better aesthetically? Would 4-40 be too small for the fiberglass tips? (I haven't held a 4-40 in my hand since my model airplane days, it may be obviously too small.)
Also, for the baggage floors, I'm not as concerned with screw head size. Would #8, or #10 (I think #10 would be an AN509 screw; the ones used to attach the counterweights) be better there? (From reading past threads via the search feature, it looks like people are torn between using the pop-rivets, or using nutplates, but people are liking the #8 if they go with nutplates.)
I'm an engineer, and could probably pull out a textbook to do some analysis on the shear strength of the rivets they are replacing, but I figured someone would have a good rule of thumb for me to use.
Anyone have some good pictures of nutplate installations in any of these areas?
Thanks in advance.
I am in need of some nutplate 101.
I have been dreaming of some features and upgrades to my airplane, and a few of those upgrades include many nutplates. For instance, attaching fiberglass tips with nutplates instead of blind rivets, or using nutplates on the seat and baggage floors so they are removable. (I don't want a big discussion on why I'm doing those things, just choosing those as examples in my nutplate dilemma.)
After doing a quick search of aircraft spruce for "anchor nuts" (can't search for "nutplate"... no results) I've found there are many varieties of nutplates.
http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/hapages/anchornuts.php
I have figured out, for instance, that I'll want a dimpled nutplate where I need a flush fastener and the material isn't thick enough to countersink, but my main question is:
How do you decide what size nutplate to install?
The biggies seem to be #6 (6-32), #8 (8-32), and #10 (10-32), but I also see some #4 (4-40) out there.
Also, there are K1000 (Full Size) and MK1000 (Miniature). Why wouldn't I use the miniature ones where possible?
I am a little familiar with the K1100-6 (K1100 is the full size dimpled) nutplates from the trim access cover on the left elevator, and those screws are nice and small.
But isn't smaller the better aesthetically? Would 4-40 be too small for the fiberglass tips? (I haven't held a 4-40 in my hand since my model airplane days, it may be obviously too small.)
Also, for the baggage floors, I'm not as concerned with screw head size. Would #8, or #10 (I think #10 would be an AN509 screw; the ones used to attach the counterweights) be better there? (From reading past threads via the search feature, it looks like people are torn between using the pop-rivets, or using nutplates, but people are liking the #8 if they go with nutplates.)
I'm an engineer, and could probably pull out a textbook to do some analysis on the shear strength of the rivets they are replacing, but I figured someone would have a good rule of thumb for me to use.
Anyone have some good pictures of nutplate installations in any of these areas?
Thanks in advance.