Replacing AL rivets on an SS pot

Use some stainless rivets.

Get some hex-head stainless cap screws. Leave the hex on and hold them with a nut on the other side. Your pot will have that industrial look

-- very chic these days.

Then you won't have to run a die down them. Cap screws are threaded all the way to the head, or close to it. My local Ace hardware has them; they're easy to find.

If you're worried about the nuts staying on, file the screw flush with the nut, take a punch and bugger a thread on the screw where it comes out of the nut. Presto, ersatz rivets.

Here's what you want:

Hey I'm not saying this makes economic sense but...

I've got a cheapo stainless stock pot and it turns out the rivets holding the handles on are not stainless - probably aluminum.

I made a honking big & yummy pot of corned beef and cabbage and there was some funny oxides on the rivets - not so yummy.

I'm thinking I'll pick up some short 3/16" dia SS carriage bolts, file down the square corners and then run a die all the way down to the head.

I guess I could also try "real" rivets.

Anyone have any suggestions? like I said up top, "fixing" the pot doesn't make $en$e - it would bug me to throw it out.

There are also button-head hex drive machine screws, might look a little better, if a little harder to find. One of the local Aces has quite an assortment, others don't.

Stan

What about using sealed head stainless steel pop rivets, quick & easy if you can get hold of just the 3 or 4 you need.

My first two "fixes" were either stainless nuts and bolts. My second thought was to take clear nail polish, and paint the aluminum rivets. The nail polish probably won't last through a good cooking and the washing that follows.

If you have a good anvil, can you use short SS screws and bang them, to make improvised bang rivets?

Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

I've got a cheapo stainless stock pot and it turns out the rivets holding the handles on are not stainless - probably aluminum.

I made a honking big & yummy pot of corned beef and cabbage and there was some funny oxides on the rivets - not so yummy.

I'm thinking I'll pick up some short 3/16" dia SS carriage bolts, file down the square corners and then run a die all the way down to the head.

I guess I could also try "real" rivets.

Anyone have any suggestions? like I said up top, "fixing" the pot doesn't make $en$e - it would bug me to throw it out.

If they are more than 1/8" diameter they get pretty hard to pull with a simple manual tool. Good excuse to buy a pneumatic tool if you don't already have one...

Nope, not pop rivets, compression rivets. The easiest way is to make a simple header tool and pein them by hand. That way you don't even buy the rivets, just some stainless rod and hammer away.