Double Bass Kolstein Handle Replacement

[Deleted member 90176]

I called up Kolstein to get new parts to replace multiple broken handles on my trunk. However the parts came with no instructions. Has anyone replaced a broken handle before? This is a sample of the materials they sent.

 

[cmcbass]

You have one of these?

 

[Deleted member 90176]

No what is that

 

[Francois Blais]

Manual riveter.

 

[turf3]

It's not clear what "multiple broken handles" exactly means, but I am willing to bet that what's actually wrong is not that the whacking great steel handle itself has broken but rather that the pop rivets have pulled out of the fiberglass. In that case you really should fix it right, not just pop-rivet a new handle down to the broken fiberglass. In other words, go get a boat repair kit and patch the fiberglass, then when you go to rivet the handles back on, don't use the puny little backup washers shown, but rather make a backup plate out of steel or brass sheet, to spread the load.

 

[Chris204T]

We usually call it a pop rivet gun. Sometimes called blind rivets. Drill holes to line up with the holes in the handle, insert rivet, don't forget to at least put the washers on the inside and hold them in place. Pull on the handles until the rivet pops and the nail pulls out leaving a nice neat fastener that won't come unscrewed or anything like a screw or bolt will. One of the best inventions ever.