Need help with hollow \ tube rivets \ sourcing

[BallisticBrian]

Hi there, noob here. I am having trouble creating a steel "pipe" passing through metal sheet. I obtained some 4mm metal completely hollow rivets, and have tried pushing one rivet onto the other either side of the metal sheet in a vice. Because both rivets are the same size, one of the rivets always slips sideways in the vice and crushes or distorts the other rivet.
I also tried widening one rivet with a tool, but it was not enough and did not work.
I guess what I really need is pairs of hollow rivets which are designed to fit together but I have tried for 2 months to source these uncuccessfully.
I realise I could use some kind of circlip on one side, but I am trying to produce a well finished product and don't want it to look thrown together.
Any help appreciated.

 

[ornerynorsk]

Without knowing what loads this will be subject to ~~~ could you try an eyelet or a grommet?

It is better to have enough ideas for some of them to be wrong, than to be always right by having no ideas at all.

 

[BallisticBrian]

You know, that was a very useful reply and I was able to purchase some small brass grommets designed for use in clothing and shoes 4mm, they were perfect.

At first I thought I had a perfect solution, however, I discovered that when the brass grommet was squeezed into the stainless steel hollow rivet, it was a little too soft to be a permanent fixture. The hollow rivet on one side could be yanked out with a little force.

What I need now, is either to go back to the drawing board and find top hat hollow rivets which will fit one within the other, or, a new engineering problem solution of how to get a soft and cheap brass coloured rivet to stay inside another stainless steel rivet, be it glue, or soldering or whatever.
any help appreciated.

 

[ornerynorsk]

If you've found that the general concept shows promise, now it is a methods and materials exercise. I suspect there should be a combination that works for you. Good luck!

It is better to have enough ideas for some of them to be wrong, than to be always right by having no ideas at all.