Drilling through aluminum floors ?

[Gtgeorgio]

Hey community . I’m looking at getting a 15’ soft pvc inflatable boat with aluminum floor sections. I have seen really old forums about ideas for safely drilling into the aluminum floors with adding metal backing plates etc in between the top and bottom floor layers but how they access to do this is unclear without totally separating the floor sheets to access inside. It’s a total shame/waste to have aluminum floors and no pre-existing way to install anything into them. I understand that trying to drill a seat pedestal will likely strain and bend the aluminum sheet. I’m trying to avoid adding a 1/2 inch sheet of plywood in the boat for drilling and attaching all the seats and accessories due to the added weight. I remember doing this with an excursion 5 in the past, but with these strong pvc inflatables and aluminum floor sheets, seems like there’s just got to be a good way that I’m totally missing. Apparently so many people own these but not one youtube video showing how they drill and attach things safely and securely into the aluminum floor sections. Appreciate any ideas ! God bless,

gg

 

[Sea Rider]

Do you plan to install pedestal seats or any other comfy sitting accesory ?

Happy Boating​

 

[Gtgeorgio]

Yeah for example pedestal seats (possibly reinforced on a larger metal plate, or a small steering console, or even small D-rings that can attach to floors for securing items. Seems like the benefit of having solid aluminum floors would include securing things onto them. The idea of soldering came to mind but then again, easier to drill.

 

[Sea Rider]

Not all alum floorboards are build the same, some thicker, some thinner so won't hold the same load, can drill small holes right on center of the alum panel that will hold the pedestal's flat metal bracket with thick screws screwed onto the alum floor, not that large as to pass to the other side and make a hole on the hull fabric or the inflatable keel. Don't rock while sitting on the pedestal seats as could bend the alum floorboard if plan installing them without a extra reinforcement under the pedestal's brackets. Steering consoles are attached same way onto the alum floor.

Happy Boating​

 

[benton0311]

I installed floor reinforcing tubes a few years ago and ran carriage bolts up through the bottom of the floor panels. Carriage bolts of course have a flat, slightly round and smooth face that sits almost flush with the panel surface so they won't wear the fabric at all. Drill holes through the aluminum panels the diameter of the threaded bolt shank and run the carriage bolt up through the bottom. Since you need a square hole, and the steel of the carriage bolt is harder than the aluminum, just tap the bolts in the rest of the way with a hammer which will peen the round hole into a square for the carriage bolt head.

Use stainless carriage bolts and stainless nyloc nuts and don't overtorque them. As a bonus, you can get stainless lifting ring nuts that can be threaded on to the bolts instead of standard nuts, which gives you good tie down points. I got my stainless bolts and nyloc nuts at Home Depot and the lifting eye nuts from Amazon.

 

[Gtgeorgio]

I installed floor reinforcing tubes a few years ago and ran carriage bolts up through the bottom of the floor panels. Carriage bolts of course have a flat, slightly round and smooth face that sits almost flush with the panel surface so they won't wear the fabric at all. Drill holes through the aluminum panels the diameter of the threaded bolt shank and run the carriage bolt up through the bottom. Since you need a square hole, and the steel of the carriage bolt is harder than the aluminum, just tap the bolts in the rest of the way with a hammer which will peen the round hole into a square for the carriage bolt head.

Use stainless carriage bolts and stainless nyloc nuts and don't overtorque them. As a bonus, you can get stainless lifting ring nuts that can be threaded on to the bolts instead of standard nuts, which gives you good tie down points. I got my stainless bolts and nyloc nuts at Home Depot and the lifting eye nuts from Amazon.

Hey that’s great to know that you were able to drill into the floor panels. That actually sounds like a great idea as long as gently tapping the square bolt head into the round drill hole doesn’t just damage and loosen the aluminum floor. I never thought about the ring nuts ! That’s perfect for the tie down items. Great thinking. And since the carriage bolts are somewhat more flush, I can add the support plate or bar on top of the floor rather than the bottom. Great tips ! Thanks

 

[Kerluke]

I'm working on this 2D rubens tube which requires a metric **** ton of small holes drilled into a sheet of aluminum. We have 69*69 1/16" holes to drill in 1/4" aluminum. We only have four rows done and we have already gone through 6 drill bits. We bought the nice ones from home depot and we tried to be careful with holding our drill straight and using machining oil, but we still broke all our bits. We are only a fraction of the way complete with this and we have no idea how we are going to finish. Do any of you have any advice? This stuff isn't really our forte but we have tried all we can think of.

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[Sea Rider]

Upload a pic to visualize what you are putting holes into ?

Happy Boating​