I have been searching the forums, but I can’t find answers to a few questions I have.
I was wondering about a few different things I was thinking about doing on my build and decided I’d ask and see what people here thought and how well it would work since someone has probably already done it.
1 - Has anyone used rivnuts on the motherboard brackets instead of just tapping the bracket for the screw?
2 - I know peole are using SMC elbows since real GB1 Legris elbows can be hard to find. Has anyone paid the extra money and used an SMC bulkhead elbow?
3 - I noticed there has been a lot of discussion off and on about the top motherboard mounting spacer - the “half moon” one - especially recently because of the Profiles in History pack auction. I personally prefer the look of a half ball spacer over the rounded block and was planning on building my pack with one even though it might not be accurate. Here is my question - Has anyone used or considered using vibration isolating mounts for the bottom 2 motherboard mounts instead of solid metal spacers?
In reguards to your first question, the mounting brackets are riveted to the motherboard. You can’t rivet the pack shell to the mounting brackets as you’d never be able to access the inside again unless you used bolts to mount the motherboard. Either way you’ll have to tap the brackets.
I also wouldn’t feel comfortable rivetting through fibreglass or wood or whatever you’re planning on using for your pack build.
The screen accurate way of rivettng the mobo and bolting the pack is the best way and it’s pretty easy even if you have no idea what your doing
Placing my motherboard brackets, rivetting and drilling and tapping was the first bit of actual work involving diy and powertools I’d ever done in my life and when I succeeded it was the moment I realised I’m able to do this project!!
I can’t help with your second and third questions because I’m going for Gb2 style and I already have a set of Legris 2nd Gens for my build and don’t need the half moon spacer
Thanks for the reply, but that isn’t really what I was asking. I am going to rivet the brackets to the motherboard.
I was wondering about using rivnuts to hold the pack shell to the bracket instead of just tapping the bracket itself. Rivnuts are similar to threaded rivets/screw inserts, so what you would do is drill the hole for the pack in the bracket, enlarge it to accept the rivnut, and install the rivnut. What this should do is make it harder to accidently strip or damage the threads, since they would be a steel insert and not just tapped into the aluminum. Another benfit of using a rivnut is you can cut it out and replace it with another one in the same size if it does get damaged.
Here is what a rivnut looks like for anyone that doesn’t know what I’m talking about
You could use rivnuts if you really wanted to. Not really necessary but if that’s what you like to use, knock yourself out! As for your question, I don’t think anyone else has used them.
That’s what I was thinking from searching the forums. I usually think of the details for projects like this based on the equipment I worked with while I was in the Army and then when I was a Civilian Crontactor in Iraq. Some of the stuff is so overbuilt it’s unreal.
For my 2nd and 3rd questions.
If you already have to drill the holes in the pack to mount the Legris/SMC elbows, why not use one that you can bolt in place like any of the other larger parts.
To clarify I was thinking about doing this with the elbow that is attached to the Cyclotron.
Instead of using a metal spacer, why not use a military/automotive style isolation mount like one of these -
As for the SMC’s the ones you mentioned appear to have a larger base nut than the ones most people use. The reason for using the SMC’s is to get the look as close to screen accurate as possible. If you used the bulkhead elbow, it wouldn’t look as accurate.
You could use isolation mounts, but as you said they aren’t screen accurate, probably are more expensive, and are kind of overkill. Not a lot of vibration going on if you know what I mean. Most people are striving for screen accuracy. If you are building a pack and you don’t mind little “one off” things or are happier with them, by all means go with it! It’s your pack, you should use what you want/have. Be sure to make a build thread and document your changes, etc…it might inspire other great ideas.
I personally wouldn’t use a rivnut. As a mechanic I’ve seen too many of them spin in their holes. Tapping an aluminum bracket is the easiest , most efficient, and accurate way to do it. If you’re THAT worried about stripping out the aluminum, you can always use steel L brackets in their place.
I have infact used Rivnuts on my build. See here: GBFans.com
Whilst I haven’t updated my topic for a while, it is almost finished and I haven’t had a problem with them. I must admit I feel much happier I’ve used that method rather than tapping some aluminium.
That’s exeactly what I had been planning to do with my pack, partly for the same reason you say in your thread - to have a fair amount of thread for the bolts to grip to. I missed your build when I was looking because you spelled it riv-nut in the post. I’ll have to remember to try spelling variations when I search the forums.
I had figured since I have to buy another rivet gun since mine is “missing”, that I might as well pay the extra money and get one that has the rivnut adapters.