Bay Supply Blog - Rivets, Fasteners, and Tools (12)

What is a Lockbolt?

Lockbolts are just what they sound like—bolts that lock in place when installed so they won’t loosen over time, even with extreme stress and vibration. Lockbolts are used in a variety of applications in place of a rivet or conventional bolt because of their superior strength and lasting performance.

When you need a fastener that is easy to install and designed to last, there is nothing like a blind bolt. Blind bolts are used in place of welds or other types of joints, allowing you to clamp materials together for a lasting joint. They have become common for use in aircraft and automotive manufacturing and in heavy-duty applications such as mining, trucking, and construction.

Helical inserts are the most innovative and secure means of installing fasteners in stripped screw holes or soft materials. Bay Supply carries a variety of helical inserts and helical coil products, and Kato Fastening Systems inserts continue to be a top seller because they provide permanent, wear-resistant threads for almost any job.

A rivet nut is a unique type of rivet, sometimes known as a blind rivet nut, a threaded insert, a rivnut, or a nutsert. It is tubular, internally threaded, and counterbored so it can be driven just like a blind rivet from one side. However, there are various types of rivet nuts from multiple manufacturers, so it’s important to understand some of the nuances. 

Precision is essential for many manufacturing and construction applications. Sometimes the required precision can vary across applications, and even among different areas of the same application.

Metal price hikes, primarily caused by tariffs imposed by the Trump administration, have resulted in major headaches for American companies. How prices will be affected in the future remains uncertain.

Whether you oversee an assembly line, manage a repair shop, or are a do-it-yourself enthusiast, you always want to use the right tool for any task at hand. Failing to follow this basic principle can dent productivity and negatively affect the quality of whatever you are constructing or repairing. That’s disappointing for a DIY fan or hobbyist and it’s costly for a business.

The idea of rivets and heavy-duty metal fasteners often conjures up images of serious industrial uses: airplanes, skyscrapers, bridges, and assembly lines. However, rivets also offer functionality and durability for a wide variety of home improvement projects and goals.

“Plastics.”

This is perhaps the second-most famous quote from The Graduate, right after “Mrs. Robinson, you’re trying to seduce me!” This advice on what Dustin Hoffman’s character should focus on his future was played for a few laughs, but was also sage: Five decades later, plastics are everywhere, including industrial applications.