Hi! Everybody,
This is my first post to this forum and I am very impressed with the site so far, it is so diversified.
I am looking for a source of copper or stainless tube rivets (Not pop rivets) for the sail head reinforcing plates on my Dancer19 T/S. Prefer mail order.
Cheers
RogerG
aquestionaahhh Gizmo has answer for everything!!!!!
You should bring out an encyclopaedia gizmo. lol
aahhh Gizmo has answer for everything!!!!! You should bring out an encyclopaedia gizmo. lol
sorry for the added bit at the start of last post "fat fingers"
I was also not being a smart a*#se, I think its great that you share your knowledge, I have just noticed you pop up everywhere with all sorts of info. it was meant as an compliment.
Thanks I took it as a compliment 
Its nice to be able to share info and help others and have it appreciated is a bonus
Thanks for your reply Gizmo. Coventry Fasteners do not list and did not answer my emails. As for local sailmakers, my nearest is 170km away and all the people in Adelaide who make/repair sails use them but will not sell them (Closed shop!?)
Looks like I will be importing from USA yet again. An alterative may be to source some small diameter copper pipe, 2-3mm inside diameter and make my own. I am not going to pay a sailmaker $100+ plus freight to put eight tube rivets in may main. Freight alone would be $50 all round.
RogerG
Romano what a simple solution, Why would sail makers have a closed shop policy? They have effectively lost a sale!!! Roger will find away around this either buying overseas or now a local bolt bloke. Could have marked the price up 200%, kept rog happy plus received good will. No wonder people buy os, The sail maker is not an importer/distributor so no conflict of issue should arise. If I get a chance tomorrow i will contact our local sail maker in melb to see if they have a closed shop policy. If i have any luck I will let you know.
ps what state are you in?
Yes Graham, we are somewhat remote as far as sailmakers go. The nearest, to my knowledge, is 175km away The nearest hardware store is in Clare, just over 30km away, very limited and the "We can get it in for you" Never seems to eventuate. I will probably settle for stainless rivets and do as you suggest for the aluminium ones. The original copper tube rivets have corroded half way along and thus have sheared from the strain. I would think that stainless would have more shear strength than aluminium and be less prone to corrosion. The Dancer19 that I have recently aquired is not a fast boat and will not be raced, I am past racing anything, but I require everything to be fully serviceable and reliable before I take her out in Gulf waters.
RogerG
ok spoke to the guys from Horizon sails. They have them in stock said cost is about 15 cents each. This is for a head sail? all he needs is the size you require & quantity. There telephone number is 03 9598 4666. If you know the size i can pick them up & post them to you as i dont think they will post them out for a few dollars.(maybe they will). i am going on holidays next week so either let me know by Thursday & you will have them by early next week or i will be back the following week!!! I assume you will only need a few!!! If you ring the guy find part number then let me know the quantities we can go from there..... I live 10k from the sailmakers so no problems getting down there. as long as the cost doesn't blow out eg you want 1000 i will cover the cost & my company will cover the cost of freight. Sn sent me some bushes from WA free of charge so i am happy to do the same!!!! Let me know your thoughts & pm me with your mailing details.
ps I hope I have enquired about the correct tube rivets!!!
Ah Graham that makes sense sorry for spelling your boats name wrong
If i looked i would have seen where you where!!!!! Now i also know where Roger is!!!!
Thanks for the info and your generous offer, Mark, I will phone them this morning.
RogerG
Hi! Mark. I rang Horizon and was told that they would get back to me, they did notI also emailed them and did not receive an answer.
I had one reply from secondsail.com who can supply aluminium ones.
I will be having a new set of sails made in the near future and I will NOT be engaging any of the people who could not be bothered over the small items because they have made it obvious what their after sales service would be like!
RogerG
You can knock the centre out of a normal pop rivet, drill through the sail and reinforcing plates, insert the rivet from below and use a large centre punch to flare the rivet. Finish off by bashing flat with a Hammer.
I obtained some 4mm stainless rivets from the hardware store in Clare. These have a rounded head. I cleaned the holes up and got rid of any copper salts. set the rivets, knocked out the centres and finished them off with a snap-rivet setting tool from my leather working gear. The end result is a nicely rounded (Domed)head on both sides and a rivet with a much higher tensile strength than the originals.
Thanks for all your sugestions fella's
RogerG
glad to here you got it sorted!!! Sorry Horizon didn't help you, however you seem quite happy with the outcome
cheers
gt
