this post was submitted on 04 Jun 2025
17 points (100.0% liked)

Do It Yourself

8141 readers
1 users here now

Make it, Fix it, Renovate it, Rehabilitate it - as long as you’ve done some part of it yourself, share!

Especially for gardening related or specific do-it-yourself projects, see also the Nature and Gardening community. For more creative-minded projects, see also the Creative community.


This community's icon was made by Aaron Schneider, under the CC-BY-NC-SA 4.0 license.

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
 

It's a bolt on the hinge of a folding chair. No idea what the actual proper name for it is, though.

Can it be removed without destroying it or any part of the chair itself?

Any advice is appreciated! Thank you!

top 9 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] fahfahfahfah@lemmy.billiam.net 33 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

That’s a rivet. You’d have to drill it out

[–] SharkEatingBreakfast@sopuli.xyz 5 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Dang it.

Well, shoot, thank you.

[–] Quexotic@beehaw.org 3 points 3 weeks ago

You could drill it out and replace it with a nut/screw and bolt....

[–] SwingingTheLamp@midwest.social 20 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

No. As noted, it's a rivet. It was originally a straight piece of metal rod with a cap (visible in the top image) at one end, inserted into the joint, then the other end deformed with a rivet tool to create a lip on the end (lower image) so it stays in place.

To remove it, use a drill bit about the same diameter as the rivet shaft, and drill it out from the end in the lower image. You usually only have to drill less than a millimeter before the lip breaks free, and you can pull out the rest of the rivet. The trick here is that the rivet is probably hardened steel, that means it'll take a carbide drill bit, and some time.

This is obviously a destructive procedure for the rivet, and then you need special tools to put in another. It might be possible to replace with a screw, but it won't be quite the same.

[–] Onomatopoeia@lemmy.cafe 12 points 3 weeks ago

A machine screw with a crown nut and lock washer would work well. At least the crown nut would make for a nice smooth cap.

Those machine rivets are hard to beat for clamping strength with minimal exposed fastener.

[–] vext01@lemmy.sdf.org 12 points 3 weeks ago

Rivet. Drill. Enjoy :)

[–] somewhiteguy@infosec.pub 8 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

It's a rivet, and it can be drilled out, but replacing it with an equivalent joint is going to be difficult. if you don't use the same material. This looks like a beach chair or some kind of outdoor thing. You might be okay replacing it with something like this: https://www.amazon.com/YORANYO-Assorted-M5-Decorate-Bookbinding/dp/B0B7WMQM97

You may be able to go to a local hardware store and find similar, but in lower quantity and maybe something not as specified for leathercraft/book binding. If you do go that route, put some loctite in the thread so you don't unscrew yourself accidentally and lose one or more.

[–] Onomatopoeia@lemmy.cafe 5 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

I was thinking binding post too, but those just don't ever get tight like a rivet. It may still work, just be a little loose. Loctite is a smart idea as insurance.

Maybe add a nylon washer between the parts, so it compresses just a little when tightening the binding post. Would make for a smooth motion as a bonus.

[–] Akasazh@feddit.nl 1 points 3 weeks ago